Disney executives behind Miley Cyrus’ show Hannah Montana are being sued by a screenwriter who claims the series is based on a script he wrote in 1990. [A little late?!] Richard Fronduto filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles County Superior Court stating that he wrote the idea for a show called The Secret Life of Sindi, which eventually became The Family Business.

‘Fronduto claims he pitched this script to Disney, who liked the idea so much they asked him to turn it into a two-hour pilot episode. The papers reveal that Fronduto found numerous similarities between his discarded pilot episode and the Hannah Montana show, with both featuring a teenage girl who leads a double life as an ordinary teen and successful pop star.

Both shows allegedly contained a ‘single-dad’ character who acts as the teen’s manager. Fronduto is asking for a ‘Created by’ credit on all future publications and broadcasts of Hannah, as well as damages. Disney was previously sued by another screenwriter, Buddy Sheffield, in 2007, who also claimed to have created the concept for the hit show.’