Matthau’s Heirs Sue Columbia Pictures

A lawsuit claims that Sony Corp.’s Columbia Pictures is cheating Walter Matthau’s estate out of at least $1 million in profit from two of the Oscar-winning actor’s films.

Matthau’s heirs claim that Columbia underreports the license fees, home video sales and other revenue from “Cactus Flower” and “California Suite.” The late actor had profit-participation agreements with the studio for the films, the suit says. The fraud, breach of contract and negligence suit seeks $1 million in compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages. Los Angeles-based Columbia Pictures didn’t immediately return a call for comment.