Don Johnson Awarded $23.2 Million in 'Nash Bridges' Back Profits

Don Johnson once sang about "looking for a heartbeat." He found one in a Los Angeles jury today.

The actor had sued Rysher Entertainment, 2929 Entertainment and Qualia Capital for close to $100 million he said he was owed for his work on the television series "Nash Bridges." Through his production company, Don Johnson Productions, Johnson negotiated and obtained a 50 percent interest in the series' copyright.

Attorneys for Rysher Entertainment Inc. claimed the show had a multimillion-dollar deficit and Johnson was entitled to no more than he had already earned -- about $40 million, according to attorney Bart H. Williams -- until the show got out from under the deficit. Accountants on both sides agreed at one point that the deficit was about $75 million.

Rysher was owned from 2001 to 2006 by entities owned by billionaires Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner and is now owned by Canyon Qualia Funding Co., LLC believed to be a Canyon Partners entity. Lawyers for 2929 Entertainment and Qualia Capital told jurors that neither company ever owned Rysher.

The jury awarded Johnson $23.2 million, and he will be entitled to half the future profits of the show. Johnson was represented by Kirkland & Ellis' Mark C. Holscher.