Pics of the Day: More SINNER-related ephemera

Today, my last post before the blog goes on a short hiatus, I present two pics pertaining to Timothy’s magnum opus, The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962).

First up is an amazing piece of memorabilia that comes our way via Facebook friends (and super human beings) Bill Ackerman and Heather Drain. It’s a letter from Timothy to Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet Premiere at the time of Sinner‘s release. It appeared in the May 1, 1962 issue of Variety. The print is pretty small, so here is how it reads:

Mr. Nikita Khrushchev 

Kremlin, Moscow, U.S.S.R.

Dear Mr. Khrushchev:

Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Timothy Carey. I am a motion picture producer-distributor.

I am writing for one reason. It has been said by many that you are the world’s greatest sinner. I made a film by the same name, wherein the leading character is quite similar to you, a man who wants to be God. I would like to send you a print for your viewing because it can be very enlightening. The subject matter deals with a great sinner who finally repents.

I’ve tried to show that there is some good in all human beings. I sincerely believe that there is a potent moral message in the “Sinner” and this movie can help the world, especially people who are out to conquer it. “The World’s Greatest Sinner” realized that a man doesn’t profit when he suffers the loss of his soul.

Sincerely yours,

 Timothy Carey

Letter to Nikita

I wonder if Mr. Khrushchev ever received his copy?

Secondly is a lovely photograph of Romeo Carey with Betty Rowland, taken when he interviewed Betty at her home in 2012. As previously reported, Betty, who portrayed long-suffering Edna Hilliard in Sinner, passed away recently. You can visit her online memorial here.

Betty Rowland with Romeo Carey, 2012

And that is all from me until March 31! Byron and I are headed down to Los Angeles for the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival! Trust me, if anything Timothy-related should happen there, I’ll be your girl reporter on-the-spot!

Videos of the Week: “The World’s Greatest Sinner”

Today, on the 86th anniversary of Timothy’s birth, we receive the sad news of the passing this morning of Betty Rowland. Betty portrayed Clarence Hilliard’s long-suffering wife Edna in The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962). This is not Betty Rowland the burlesque performer, as has been previously reported. I cannot get these videos to embed for the life of me, but here are links to clips from Sinner that feature Betty.

This is the Place

Come Out of the Darkness!

Romeo Carey visited Betty last year and got a wonderful interview with her. I hope to be presenting more about Betty in future blog posts. For now, we wish her peaceful rest and send much love to her family.

Pic of the Day: “Finger Man” revisited

Today we take another look at Finger Man (1955), the nifty noir-esque crime drama directed by Harold D. Schuster. Timothy is sullen torpedo Lou Terpe, who “don’t like nobody” except his boss, Dutch Becker (Forrest Tucker).

Tucker, who early in his show-biz career acted as master of ceremonies for the Old Gayety Burlesque in Washington, D.C.,  used to date burlesque queen Betty Rowland. However, this is not the same Betty Rowland who portrayed long-suffering Edna Hilliard in The World’s Greatest Sinner (1962), as has been widely reported.