Stern Takes the Money

01/15/1999 at 12:00 AM EST

Howard Stern has agreed to accept $50,000 to settle a lawsuit he filed against a Beverly Hills studio he claims reneged on a deal to feature him in a movie with Melanie Griffith, a lawyer for the studio said. Jury selection had been scheduled to start Monday in the lawsuit filed by the New York-based shock jock against Ministry of Film Inc. and its president, Alan Mruvka. Stern contended the studio recruited him for the movie "Jane" knowing it didn't have financing, then failed to pay him when the movie wasn't made. He sought $1.5 million in compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages.