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Chessman Pic Producer Tells Court He Ex Net profit of $200,000 is expe f Terence Cooney’s of $49,000, Jerry Pe in Superior Court. “Justice And- pects 200G Net | cted from the world wide distribution oh Caryl Chessman,” made on a budget rsell of Sterling World Distributors said yesterday «The 45-minute documentary has already recovered. its negative cost, Sean nasa . - Persell said, although it is playing second and third on the bill in most situations and drawing flat . rentals from $15 to $1,006 depend. . ‘: ing on theatre and Jength of run ox ae —— average of three or four days. aye Many Suits Pending ' Suits pending against Sterling (Persell, William P. Hunter and Frank P. Sanders) include ove for $3,000,000 brought by Barjul In- ternational, alleging Stertin £ pirated the film, and one for dam. ages of $250,000, by J. Miller « Leavy. Sterling, it’s understood, shares liability of latter suit, and the possible profits, on a 50-50 . basis with producer Terrence .* Cooney. The Leavy matter was in court yesterday. Persell said he yanked his prints -out of California when Leavy brought suit but that 150 prints of it are playing in every other State except Hawaii via 30 ex- “ changes. : Some Exhib Resistance - There has been no word from Hunter, overseas setting European release. Film also is to go into re- lease in South America where feeling has been strong on the -Chessman matter; hence — with official or unofficial State Dept. interference always possiblé — . playout of the film in the domestic market could mean controversy ‘over the picture js only beginning. “ Perselt admitted ‘exhibitor re. . sponse has been hands-off in a number of cases but said the lega? . actions were not the primary rea- ‘son. Reason, hé said, is objection to the capital punishment theme . itself, a point that sells it else-s Frhere. * . 2 Cue Uwe ¢ woe Oe DAILY VARIETY HOLLY"00D, CALIFORNIA MAY 12, 1960 : fis sj Mr. Tolfon———— | wt \ Mr. Mr. Mohr.-—-— Mir, Perreps so Mrofoy oe . - Cy Le adore en M Guo 7 _ Rosen .----== ” “Mr. Tangn) ---— - Me. Tageter 1.4 j M cr. W.ymaltivan | Mr. Ingram ——— aries Gandy.-—- ‘Mr. H Mr. . Mr. as * f\ ‘ :4 pie aes Cm meee Me 4 Cady cate sora teen ree 12 MAY 253960 464 . mem It OS et