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Chessman Pic Producer Tells Court He Expects 200G Net Net profit_ vf $200,000 is expected from the world wide distribution f Terence Cooney’s “Justice And Caryl Chessman,” made on a budget f $49,000, Jerry Persell of Sterling World Distributors said yesterday Superio¥ Court, : “The 45-minute documentary has already recovered .its negative ost, ——__ Persell said, although it is playing ° “second and third on the bill in : most situations and drawing flat . rentals from $15 to $1,000 depend- ing on theatre and length of run average of three or four days. Many Suits Pending Suits pending against Sterling (Persell, William P. Hunter and Frank P. Sanders) include ote for $3,000,000 brought by Barjul In- . ternational, alleging” Sterling. " : 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 sout of California. when Leavy brought suit but that 150 prints tee .of it are playing in every other state except Hawaii via 30 ex- “ changes. t tie Some Exhib Resistance - There has been no word from Hunter, overseas setting: European release. Film also is to yo into re- lease in South America where feeling has bven 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 is only bessinning. - ‘*_ Persell admitted ‘exhibitor. re sponse has been hand: number of cases but said the lega! actions were not the primar: - ‘son. Reason, hé said, is objection to the capital punishment theme itself, a point that sells it else. ‘here, * : i 7 oo * DAILY VARIETY ” HOLLY“00D, CALIFORNIA . MAY 12, 1960 ;