It’s time to revisit Convicts 4 (1962), aka Reprieve, directed by Millard Kaufman. Genial convict Nick welcomes his old pal John Resko (Ben Gazzara) to The Hill.
Timothy’s teeth-clenching pseudo-Kirk Douglas delivery really gets a workout here. Keep your eyes open also for a fleeting appearance by the supremely creepy Reggie Nalder. As we all know, Tim and Gazzara met up again in The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976).
Our pic of the day is another promotional still from Convicts 4 (1962) (aka Reprieve), the prison drama written and directed by Millard Kaufman. The big cake-eating scene is about to begin.
The notation on the back is worth quoting:
27. PRISON PARTY—Roland LaStarza, Tom Gilson, Ben Gazzara, and Timothy Carey on Dannemora Prison’s “hill of courts” in this scene of Allied Artists’ “Reprieve.” Gazzara plays John Resko, famed “prison Rembrandt.”
Notable trivia: Kaufman was the co-creator of Mr. Magoo! LaStarza was a professional heavyweight boxer for many years. He gave Rocky Marciano quite a run for his money in 1953 (I always thought Tim should have played a boxer at some point). This was Gilson’s last feature film; he was shot in self-defense by his estranged wife, model and actress Saundra Edwards, during a domestic dispute.
Our pic of the day (and you remember about clicking for embiggening) is a nice promotional portrait of Timothy from Convicts 4, aka Reprieve (1962), one of my latest eBay finds. I’m still not sure if that’s a hearing aid or a transistor radio he has there. He used a similar device in House of Numbers (1957), also while portraying a prisoner. Hmm.
The typewritten notation on the back of the photo is worth sharing:
84, 85. TIMOTHY CAREY, remembered for his hit performance in “Revolt in the Big House” a few years ago, plays a convict ringleader in Millard Kaufman and Ronald Lubin’s “Reprieve,” Allied Artists production starring Ben Gazzara, Stuart Whitman, Ray Walston, and guest-starring Vincent Price, Rod Steiger, Broderick Crawford, Dodie Stevens, Jack Kruschen, and Sammy Davis, Jr. Carey is currently being hailed for his independently made “new wave” film, “The World’s Greatest Sinner.”
The Timothy Carey Experience 