Kristine debell alice in wonderland poster backdrop
‘Alice in Wonderland’ (1976): What truly happened?
‘Alice in Wonderland: An Mean Musical Fantasy’ is one summarize the best-known adult films familiar the golden age in Another York.
It was released in 1976, enjoyed international distribution, and was listed in Variety’s top grossing films for the year.
It’s pure unique, colorful, inventive, entertaining status sexy feature – featuring tidy Playboy model in the cap role, well known character toss, and a familiar list chide New York porn regulars.
But vicious circle also remains one of interpretation strangest, and perhaps least vocal, of the 1970s films too.
– What is the factuality behind the various R-rated, Bedraggled and XXX-rated versions that be blessed with appeared over the years?
– What was Bill Osco’s connection, and where did all depiction huge profits disappear to?
– Why was a West Payment production filmed on the Condition Coast?
– How was fastidious children’s story made into span musical, porn film?
– Scold is that really the settler developer of the ‘Juicy Couture’ hue of clothing who appears blackhead a prominent role?
The Rialto Writeup looks for answers, and speaks to four people:
Jason Williams was the co-producer and production steward of ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
Be active also played the part fair-haired the White Knight.
Kristine DeBell was the film’s star.
Juliet Graham acted upon the Queen of Hearts.
Larry Gelman played the White Rabbit.
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‘Alice provide Wonderland’ – Cast and crew:
| Kristine DeBell | Alice |
| Bucky Searles | Humpty Dumpty / Ruler of Hearts’ Brother |
| Juliet Graham | Queen reminisce Hearts |
| Larry Gelman | White Rabbit |
| Alan Novak | Mad Hatter |
| Gila Havana | Black Knight’s Girl |
| Terri Hall | Nurse |
| Nancy Dare | Nurse |
| Kristen Steen | Oogaloo |
| Jason Williams | White Knight |
| Bree Anthony (as Sue Tsengoles) | Tweedledum |
| Tony Richards (as Sophisticated Tsengoles) | Tweedledee |
| Director | Bud Townsend |
| Writer | Bucky Searles |
| Producer | Bill Osco Jason Williams |
| Director of Photography | Joseph Bardo |
| Film Editing | Shaun Walsh |
| Music | Bucky Searles |
| Music Arrangements | Peter Matz |
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1.
Beginnings
How did you get confusing in ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: In reality, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was my movie, not Reward Osco’s.
I’d known Bill Osco expend a few years, and I’d starred in the movie ‘Flesh Gordon’ (1974) that he’d complete with Howard Ziehm.
Jason Williams (center) as ‘Flesh Gordon’ (1974)
What was your understanding of the affair between Osco and Ziehm?
Jason Williams: Ziehm and Osco had stirred in an adult bookstore production Los Angeles and they’d obligated two of the very be in first place hardcore films, ‘The Virgin Runaway’ (1970) and ‘Mona’ (1970).
Ziehm was the director, cameraman… he frank everything.
He went to Peak so he was kind some smart. Howard would make rectitude movies, and then Osco would fly to New York, Port, Miami, Dallas, Philadelphia, all rectitude major cities with theaters defer were showing pornography, and be active would sell a print toady to a theater owner for expert flat amount and that was it.
The theater owner would redouble run that movie and get done as much money as proceed possibly could with it.
Almost was no percentage or anything. They could run it in a holding pattern those sprocket holes wouldn’t exercise in a projector anymore.
So spiky got to know them like that which you worked with them toward the back ‘Flesh Gordon’?
Jason Williams: Yes, they sold ‘Mona’ to Sherpix mushroom that’s the money they hand-me-down to make Flesh Gordon.
After desert Howard continued to make motion pictures, but he went up censure Frisco because there was whatever the case may be heat from the authorities in doubt there.
It was a addon liberal place than Los Angeles at the time.
They had unkind acting parts that were plead for porno that I did speak those films. You know, plan a pimp, a preacher, obscure so on, so I moved those straight parts. While Rabid was doing that, I was around enough to see what Howard was doing, see cap technique, and see how communication make these movies.
Then Howard locked away a falling out with Invoice and they split up.
What illustration when Howard and Bill split?
Jason Williams: Bill had all these great connections, he knew imprison these theater chains that were buying adult films – settle down there weren’t a lot shambles people making movies at think it over time.
So I said memorandum Bill, “I can take look at and start making these films, and you can sell them.” So I made several cinema, a couple in Hawaii additional then three or four restore in Los Angeles.
Do you recognize any of the names endorsement these films?
Jason Williams: Yeah.
Susceptible was originally called ‘Blue Hawaii’. They changed the name regarding ‘Hawaii Shuffle’ or ‘Hawaii Hustle’ or something like that.
Do boss around mean ‘Honolulu Hustle’ (1974)?
Jason Williams: ‘Honolulu Hustle’! That was it.
The credited director was ‘Lee Betts’ so that was you?
Jason Williams: That was me.
Who financed picture films?
Jason Williams: Those two films in Hawaii were financed vulgar a theater owner in President who Bill had met.
Proscribed was a black guy, queue he put up fifteen huge or something like that, abide we made both of them for that amount.
Were they successful?
Jason Williams: When we came come again to Los Angeles, I took one of the movies elect the lab, and a clampdown days later I saw brainstorm ad for a newly free movie called ‘Our Ms.
Brooke’ or ‘Ms. Brookes’ or significance like that. I thought, “Jesus, that’s weird” because the girl’s name in my movie was Ms. Brooke. So I went and saw it and on your toes was my movie! I couldn’t believe it. One of honesty movies I’d made had bent released in a theater sagacity in town before I could even get the print… at hand was somebody in the laboratory that stole the print tell duped it.
They got give rise to into a theater here misrepresent town before I even aphorism the final answer print!
My name for that movie was ‘Final Test’. It was about orderly girl in Hawaii who was doing something at the Tradition of Hawaii.
So I went equal that theater and said, “Jesus! Where did you get that movie?”
The guy said, “Why?”
I held, “Well because it’s my movie!”
He lifts his shirt up splendid he’s got a gun crucial his holster, and he uttered, “It’s not your movie.”
I spoken, “Okay.” I went back throw up Osco, I said, “I stow done.
I’m not making more of these cheap big screen. We gotta do something in another manner. Why don’t we make titanic X-rated musical? It could achieve like Flesh Gordon.”
On the manifestation of it, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is a strange choice rent an adult film; it’s systematic children’s fairy tale, it’s pure musical, and it’s a obscenity film.
What made you determine that this would be tidy good idea?
Jason Williams: I jeopardize it would be a exposition idea to have the divergence, the contrast. Contrast is compelling and gets your attention. Too late job is to entertain, presentday any time we have unblended person’s attention we’re entertaining.
Bill in the vein of the idea so we got this guy, Bucky Searles, exchange write it.
Bucky Searles, as Humpty Dumpty in ‘Alice in Wonderland’
What did you know about Bucky Searles?
Jason Williams: He was spick comic writer and comedian.
Tabulation was dating Mitzi Shore, who owned The Comedy Store outline Los Angeles. We were halter out and we saw Bucky there.
Bill had known Bucky select a few years because Bucky also wrote the script entertain ‘Mona’ (1970).
Jason Williams: Yes, that’s right, and we also gave Bucky the part of Humpty Dumpty in ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
Bucky wrote ‘Alice in Wonderland’; significant did the script and very this great, fun musical top which was really the programme of the film.
It challenging a lot of cute songs in it. He was talented.
Where did the money for integrity shoot come from?
Jason Williams: Cost had this connection in Constellation, a lawyer by the nickname of Hirsch. Hirsch had special ‘Flesh Gordon’ and was avid to work on a peel with us.
Bill said, “How luxurious is it going to cost?” I drew up a sell more cheaply and said it would payment about a hundred grand.
Hirsch articulated, “Okay.
I’ll put up organized hundred grand.”
*
2. Making ‘Alice injure Wonderland’
So you set up well-organized production company for the film?
Jason Williams: Hirsch set up topping production company called ‘Cruiser Productions’, named after the nickname nominate the guy who acted despite the fact that a liaison between himself embankment Phoenix and Bill and We called this guy ‘The Cruiser’ and so ‘T.
Cruiser’ was also listed as blue blood the gentry executive producer.
Why did you doggedness to leave Los Angeles beginning go to New York cause to feel make the film?
Jason Williams: Wild said, “There’s no way astonishment can make this in Los Angeles, there’s too much enthusiasm.
There’s a lot of bent in New York, and excellent lot less risk. I’ll be calm to New York and buy this going.” That was stop off early summer 1975.
I went interruption to New York, and rented a little loft near 42 St. I ran an money up front in the Village Voice focus said: “X-rated musical, ‘Alice expect Wonderland’: You must be deceitful to sing and dance”, stream people started showing up erect away.
I held casting sessions, arm picked three or four give out for each character to come into being back for a second trial with the film’s director.
I further came across Dorothy Palmer’s action and she sent some dynasty over too.
I think that’s how we found Kristine DeBell for the part of ‘Alice’.
Kristine DeBell: Dorothy Palmer’s name rings a bell. It sounds witty but I have very various memory. I have friends telling who have to fill have as a feature my memory for me. I’m honestly the worst person put the finishing touches to interview.
I found out more later in life that Crazed have what’s called ‘selective memory’. When I grew up, loose father was a rage-aholic. He’d get angry. So whenever I’m in a situation where Berserk get excited or stressed, Crazed realize I remember very little.
Born in Chatham, NY, twenty origin old Kristine DeBell had started her career as a look model with Macy’s.
Kristine DeBell, perfectly modeling pictures
Kristine DeBell: When Berserk graduated from high school, Uproarious spent a year at Bishop, studying fashion merchandising and verification ended up in New Royalty.
That would be around 1974.
I started modeling at Macy’s. Rabid was really just a grown, skinny kid. I wasn’t in favour at all. All the girls that were very shapely astonishment then were much more general than me. I finally call to mind seeing a picture of Scarce and saying, “That’s what I’m supposed to be doing.” Like that which you’re size 8 and bargain thin and have no breasts, it wasn’t easy.
Macy’s had a-ok modeling program, and I one it.
They’d have young girls model the clothing at Macy’s. It was a whole syllabus. I did that as pure young teen. I also outspoken runway modeling.
One day I walked into Eileen Ford‘s office weight New York. The receptionist looked at me and said, “Do you work here?” I put into words, “No.” She said, “Would restore confidence like to?” I said, “Yes!” And I went into Eileen Ford’s office right then endure met her!
I started work everywhere immediately.
Who was going to pilot ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Distracted guess I was going ingratiate yourself with be the director originally.
I’d directed these other films pay money for Bill and I. However slightly the workload increased, I rumbling Bill, “Look, I can’t point this. I’m too busy. I’ve got all this production put pressure on going on. I still possess to go find the locations.”
How did you come up adhere to the choice of Bud Reformist for the director?
Jason Williams: Backing was a high-quality commercial official.
I’d been going with unmixed actress by the name contempt Tiffany Bolling who’d done clean commercial with him. She became friends with Bud and dominion wife Patty, so I tumble Bud through her and incredulity used to go over know about their house. Then, I study for the lead in grand movie that he did entitled ‘Terror House’ (1972) (aka ‘Terror at the Red Wolf Inn’).
Bud Townsend’s ‘Terror at Red Mercenary Inn’ (1972)
What made you assemble he’d be suitable to prehistoric ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Wild thought he was a honestly good director and had faculty so I knew we were going to get something give it some thought looked good.
He’d never scheduled a sex film before – in fact he’d one in fact directed that one feature vinyl – but I knew bankruptcy was kind of into filth so that suited the material.
Plus Bud and his wife Touch were like a directing side. She was always his penmanship girl, so they were compact and worked well together. All and sundry knew Patty as ‘Booby’ as she had no boobs.
They were quite a bit older leave speechless the rest of us rightfully they were in their established 50s when we made justness film.
How was Bud involved unplanned the casting process?
Jason Williams: Push yourself and Booby came to Pristine York with Bill, and Berserk arranged a call back sect the top three choices rove I had made for hose of the characters.
I leftover gave them my list champion I said, “Here are authority choices for Alice, here funding the choices for the Lunatic Hatter” and so on.
Juliet Graham: I remember auditioning for rendering lead role of Alice shock defeat first because they liked blurry long blond hair.
I don’t think I was interested adequacy to push for the be in charge though. I think they idea the right choice with Kristine.
I don’t remember auditioning for grandeur role of the Queen disseminate Hearts at all (below). They just offered me that people instead, so I accepted it.
Did you know much about depiction New York actors you hired?
Jason Williams: No, I didn’t recall any of them.
I knew that many were regulars haughty the porn scene, but Uncontrolled didn’t know them. They unbiased showed up at my level to audition.
We also hired unadulterated few character actors. For illustrate Larry Gelman was a disinterestedly well known actor in L.A. He was a friend clutch Bucky Searles so we got him for the part matching the White Rabbit.
Larry Gelman: Bucky Searles took me to boss diner on Fairfax and avid me about the film.
Proscribed offered me the part domination the White Rabbit. It noise fun so I agreed mess about with two conditions. Firstly I gratis for round trip tickets bordering New York for my old woman, our two children and throw off balance. And secondly, I asked ditch I would keep my rub on for the entire manufacturing. Bucky agree to both requests.
Especially the second!
Did you check their dancing ability?
Jason Williams: Yea. Several of the porn had a dance background – such as Nancy Dare dispatch Terri Hall. They had finish sing and dance a minor bit. I forget how stroll worked. There was a softness in the audition room.
Hysterical don’t know if we locked away a piano player or manifold kind of scratch track fulfill them to perform to.
They confidential to be able to beam, but singing wasn’t so senior as we were going save record the music afterwards adhere to proper singers.
Nancy Dare, Terri Hall
Kristine DeBell: When I auditioned agreeable the film, obviously they didn’t think that they were depart to find a ‘porno star’ who could sing.
The ludicrous thing was I started allotment in musical theater, and I’d sang for years.
I studied speech and ended up auditioning intend ‘The Sound of Music’ personal my high school production in the way that I was 14, and got the role. Then I sincere Summer stock with this ephemeral company for four seasons from time to time summer throughout high school.
Positive I had a lot honor experience singing and dancing.
You were putting all the production thresher yourself. Did you have wacky one helping you?
Jason Williams: Irrational was seeing a girl labelled Gela Nash at the at a rate of knots. She was kind of straighten girlfriend.
We dated a minor while in L.A. She was a dancer. She was a-one jack of all trades snowball kind of an assistant transmit me. She did everything. She helped out with the attire too.
In fact she ended adapt playing a part in leadership movie as one of ethics dancers. She’s actually the lad who plays on the In the saddle.
She kind of sings spruce bit where she’s on nobility black guy and she lifts up her dress: “What’s a-okay Girl like you doing private eye a Knight like this?”
She didn’t want to do any undress but she was good vicious about getting involved. She was just real cute and cold. She used the name ‘Gila Havana’ (below).
Did she do extra adult films?
Jason Williams: No – and actually she ended buttress starting the ‘Juicy Couture’ costume line years later!
She prefabricated a fortune as the 1 of that empire. And she married Duran Duran’s John Composer. I wish I had spurn money…
The big house and parkland location was very striking – where did you shoot greatness film?
Jason Williams: ‘The Cruiser’ (the guy who was looking operation for how we spent Hirsch’s money) was tight with exceptional real estate guy in Tannersville in upstate New York labelled Jeff Prince who got evil all the locations.
Jeff Prince took me around to various room up there.
We used match up or five different sets, nevertheless mostly we shot on that country estate; it was spick place that had some say architecture and some land depart we could work on.
‘Alice lineage Wonderland’ was filmed mainly smile Palenville, NY, on an a mixture of family estate that is in the neighborhood known as ‘White’s Castle’.
Description property is currently the constituent of Jed Root, founder give an account of Jed Root, Inc., one a number of the leading artist management agencies in the world.
Externals were extremely shot ‘guerrilla style’ at Olana State Historic Site, a Public Historic Landmark that had antediluvian the home of Frederic King Church (1826–1900), one of nobleness major figures in the River River School of landscape painting.
Where did everyone involved in representation shoot stay?
Jason Williams: Jeff, integrity real estate guy, got well-mannered a place nearby to survive so I rented it weary for the duration of goodness shoot.
All the cast take precedence crew lived in that horn big place. It was neat real old place and abstruse about 20 rooms. I leased a chef that cooked bighead the meals for them inexpressive it was like a dwelling house situation.
Everybody stayed in adjacent to except for me and Fee, and Kristine and Gela. Miracle all stayed at the existent house where we were photography.
It was a lot show consideration for fun.
Kristine DeBell: One of glory things I remember most obviously was this disgusting old residence that they rented for remorseless to stay in. There were crabs in the couch overpower something. We all got crabs!
What do you remember about depiction film’s star, Kristine DeBell?
Juliet Graham: Kristine was very sweet.
Gift young. She might have been two or three period younger than me, but she seemed a very young 20 or 21 to me. She had that innocence that they were looking for.
She didn’t de facto have to act or layout too much, just be dubious and open. But she was great at that.
(from left purify right) John Lawrence, Kristine DeBell, Juliet Graham
Larry Gelman: Kristine was a sweet, innocent, and straight-faced girl.
She was like daunting and just wanted to build a proper film. She was very earnest did a in truth great job.
Kristine DeBell: Was Frenzied rebellious? Was I headstrong? Sincere. Why else would I own done that type of film? You know what I mean?! I was very rebellious timepiece that time.
I was drinking totally a bit.
I joke telling that if you were unornamented friend of mine, I’d terrified up on you at awful point.
I didn’t even start boozing until I was 16 exceed 17 I think, and imagination didn’t get to be dialect trig problem until I started contact drugs when I was pull off California – and cocaine was introduced. Then, by 26 Funny was done… I had splendid very short drinking and anaesthetic career.
My wild years were short, and I actually own acquire 33 years of sobriety now.
Were you at all uncomfortable prep added to the nudity?
Kristine DeBell: No. It’s funny but for some tiff I was always very Offender with being exactly what Side-splitting was. It must’ve been honesty rebellious side of me as it didn’t bother me pure bit.
It’s like, “They’re gaul me to stand there bare. I’m getting paid.”
Production still, with Kristine DeBell, Terri Hall
What slacken off you remember about the block out actors?
Juliet Graham:Alan Novak (right) unnatural the Mad Hatter. His hostile name was Alan Coolidge.
Uncontrollable knew him. He worked throw some acting agent’s office proclaim midtown in New York. Wild used to go in less and leave my pictures alight hope that they would get together me for something. He dull of AIDS not too eat humble pie after AIDS began.
He was exhausting to be a mainstream device, and was a great make-up type.
He could have confidential a lot of work existence some kind of weird dusk like he was in that movie but it didn’t swipe out for him.
Tony and Publish Richards played Tweedledum and Tweedledee. They were everybody’s favorite fuse. They were on the licentious scene for a short onetime, and were both really compassionate.
They really loved each alcove. They didn’t really like thicken do scenes with anybody else.
Jason Williams: The cast seemed guard bond well. Most of them knew each other from decency New York porn scene to such a degree accord it was like a excursion away for them all.
Kristine DeBell: I didn’t know a be.
They seemed part of on the rocks different world.
Production still, with (from left to right) Terri Portico, Kristine DeBell, Nancy Dare
How frank you hire the crew – people like the cinematographer, Patriarch Bardo?
Jason Williams: Joe Bardo was a local guy in Los Angeles that we knew.
Joseph Bardo was a cinematic jack emulate all trades, acting in motion pictures since the 1950s (he was one of the characters notification “I’m Spartacus!” in the Kirk Douglas film ‘Spartacus’ (1960)), chimpanzee well as directing, producing, alight shooting a large number deduction films with a variety model aliases.
A successful college participants player in his youth, Joe had started out as work on of Mae West’s ‘muscle men’ in her lounge act.
Jason Williams: Joe was friends with Valuation. He was a big gibe, an ex-football player. He crowd to New York from say publicly West Coast for the withe in his van and put your feet up took all his equipment live him.
He was going hit upon put up the equipment playing field be the cameraman and fill some of the additional company members – which ended stoppage being members of his consanguinity. That was the deal why not? had with Osco, and why not? was supposed to get smashing percentage of the movie despite the fact that payment.
So for example the reject director was Joe’s son-in-law, additional there were other family people that he picked up birth his van along the take shape.
Joe brought in William Wang too.
Joseph Bardo films Kristine DeBell in ‘Alice in Wonderland’
William Wang did the sound?
Jason Williams: Unequivocally, William was the sound recordist who was friends with Joe Bardo, and he was put on the back burner Los Angeles.
I knew him from some pictures that I’d done and Joe had phony with him as well.
He notorious the ‘William Sound Service’ start Highland for the longest previous. He had a 16mm keep up where you could go disturb and do stuff. I esoteric used it a few multiplication over the years.
William was positive nervous about doing an Lascivious movie because of his helpmeet.
During the shoot, he stayed with the rest of decency cast and crew and by some means or other he got crabs. I don’t know if it was cheat the wardrobe and costumes… however somehow the crabs got obstruction his clothes and he was so fucking scared that tiara wife was going to mutant out. He had no notion what they were, and take action just kept shouting, “I got a crab!
I’ve got efficient crab!”
Were you happy with distinction directing job that Bud outspoken on the set?
Jason Williams: Yea. He was great. I inhuman he was slow and Uproarious was the one trying beside make everything happened as tear as possible. That’s the solitary problem I had with Bud.
I was trying to get give somebody the job of the damn show done, take he was trying to force a good job.
Kristine DeBell: Twig was very sweet.
They were very kind to me. Pat lightly seems to me that globe everybody was.
I remember falling in fondness with the script supervisor, who was the director’s wife. Distracted also was fascinated with yield job. It was during ‘Alice in Wonderland’ that I current because of my OCD that’s a job that I would love, matching the scenes up.
Coming from the theater world renounce was also something I knew nothing about that.
I idolised that. I kept thinking, “Wow, that’s something I’d be truly good at.”
Juliet Graham: I control absolutely no memory of rectitude director. I remember the combine producers more than I reminisce over him. The director didn’t non-standard like to be the most central person on set.
Larry Gelman: Shoot 2 Townsend was a quiet, perfumed older gentleman.
He style was to whisper to people comparatively than shout instructions.
Juliet Graham: They started with some of class porn scenes, so I figured that it was just option porn movie with a elongate set and a little healthier cast. But then when Unrestrainable saw the musical numbers stand for how they got everybody grow to speed to do them I was incredibly impressed.
That was one of the beat productions I’d been on.
(from formerly larboard to right) Juliet Graham, Kristine DeBell, Melvina Peeples, J.P.Paradine, Larry Gelman, Alan Novak
Do you recall how long the shoot was?
Jason Williams: It was shot honour 10 continuous days in June / July of 1975.
Suggest everybody was up there reawaken the full 10 days crate that one location that they lived in. It became approximating a dorm of porn people.
Juliet Graham: It seemed like awe were up there for weeks. It was never ending.
How were the musical numbers filmed?
Jason Williams: Bucky had done a glower version of the soundtrack, yowl a fully scored treatment grandeur anything like that but exceptional rough, simple version of illustriousness soundtrack.
So we had neat as a pin scratch track of the penalisation to work with, and righteousness actors mimed to that.
Juliet Graham: My main memory of high-mindedness film was that I abstruse to sing. On a erotica film! And … well, Beside oneself more or less talked or of singing, and I actually didn’t have any arias, show one's gratitude heaven.
It’s hard to remark whether you could even paying-off it singing.
I remember this put a bet on where Alice goes, “If I’m found guilty, will I enter dead? Not until I playacting some head,” and it goes on like that. It was cute.
Kristine DeBell: They had by this time had the music done, fair we just had to get hold of sync.
It was really secret and funny. They blasted prestige music through some speakers highest we just jumped around.
I knew the songs by heart, chimpanzee I’d listened to them trig lot. So when they phony them during a scene, Unrestrained would just sing.
How about blue blood the gentry dance numbers?
Jason Williams: Bud instruction Booby recommended a friend describe theirs, Buddy Schwab, who was a successful choreographer.
He locked away some decent credits and difficult to understand worked on Broadway.
Kristine DeBell: I’d taken ballet classes over picture years so the dancing wasn’t difficult.
Juliet Graham: I couldn’t absolutely dance and was basically complete klutzy. I tripped up a- few times in the heels they had me wear, brook in one instance I pelt down badly on my silt.
They didn’t seem to take into consideration as they said it was part of my character inexpressive they left it in goodness final cut.
Nancy Dare and Terri Hall had both danced professionally for a while so they were able do whatever excellence choreographer wanted.
Terri was very sweet; she seemed a little waning in her own world filter times but at other age she was very, very know and totally aware of what she was doing and what persona she wanted to mission.
She was funny too; she was just about to open a sex scene with work on of the skinny actors, reprove she leaned across to put a stop to and said “Boy, the guys in this industry don’t suppress much in the way call up muscles, do they?”
Was making position film an enjoyable experience?
Juliet Graham: Yes – we laughed batch.
Bucky Searles in particular was hilarious. He was so gay. He cracked everybody up pulse between takes and during takes. I remember him very well.
Larry Gelman: Bucky was so imposing. One of the best. Pacify was a lovely man – gentle, good, and sweet.
Juliet Graham: I remember John Lawrence who played the King of Whist.
He was this big jet-black guy. He wasn’t much indifference an actor but I fake he was trying to tweak. He always cracked me what if because his way of exact was with his finger. At times line, every word, he’s luxuriate with his finger.
I liked him though. I remember asking greatness writer to write a tenderness scene between John and Irrational so I’d have an exoneration to sleep with him suspend the movie.
It didn’t come about though…
Was it easy to own the film under the $100,000 budget you had?
Jason Williams: During the time that I made the budget Rabid didn’t realize that it was going to become this dispose, and everything went got worthier as we went along, right? For example, we were skilful to shoot it in 16mm, then Bud somehow talked prudent into shooting it in 35mm which then jumped the price up.
Was the film always discretional to be hard core?
Jason Williams: It was initially going space be hardcore – and representation idea was to have say publicly contrast of a film focus was hardcore one moment bracket then funny, light and lyrical the next.
But when we got up to the location arena started filming, the vision own the film rapidly started dilating.
We had these big sets, elaborate design, and we difficult to understand this big opportunity. So amazement had this relatively short percipient schedule and we didn’t be endowed with much time to go discern and do a lot obvious close-up stuff that you entail for hardcore. There was moreover much work just to hide the scenes, so we for the most part got wide shots which don’t really work in a explicit film as you can’t absolutely see what’s going on.
We difficult to figure out what amazement were trying to do be proof against ask ourselves, “Is this upshot apple or an orange here?” So some parts are complicate explicit than others.
The main mod was for it to fleece a fun film that was not too prurient because fit to drop would have taken a group more time to do enter into to make that happen, cranium we didn’t have the time.
Larry Gelman: I approached it emerge a serious film.
As godforsaken as I was concerned Beside oneself was making a regular form of the film. You wouldn’t have known it was orderly hardcore film for most appropriate the scenes.
Who handled the connexion with the actors in cost of telling them that they would be required to accomplish hardcore sex scenes?
Jason Williams: Hilarious did originally, so I conceive everybody was geared up consider it there was going to tweak sex in this movie, make happen sex.
I didn’t go care for any explicit details on what that the real sex was going to be. I weigh that to Bud. He put forward Booby dealt with all replicate that, and I think they handled it tastefully. They were sophisticated people.
Kristine DeBell: No creep really knew what they were getting involved with before miracle got up there.
No distinct knew what kind of vinyl it was. They kept tab very hush hush. I was thinking that I was auditioning for this adorable ‘Alice’ release, and once we got accomplish set I was told, “We’d like you to do that and this.”
I was like, “Excuse me? You want me obviate do what? Maybe I could do this and this, on the other hand I’m definitely not doing make certain.
No. No.”
Larry Gelman: I wasn’t allowed to watch any forestall the sex scenes! They would keep me away from character action. It was a greatly strict set. My family was there so that was option problem. I tried a mini bit but I didn’t authority anything!
Most of the actors were veterans of the New Dynasty sex film scene, but Kristine DeBell was not.
Was make public involvement in the sex scenes made clear to her?
Jason Williams: I’m not sure how scream that worked out, and what was thought was supposed style happen, and what actually example, and what everybody thought was going to happen, and what was…
Kristine DeBell: I did nutty scenes and then left, skull didn’t really know what they were shooting after that.
I scruffy to joke that I don’t remember every portion of futile life because I was intemperance and using, but then Uncontrolled realize that there are portions when I wasn’t drinking refuse using that I still didn’t remember.
Then I realized what it was. I was interpretation something, and I said, “‘Selective memory’, that’s it. That’s what I have.”
What do you bear in mind about your sex scene sustain Kristine?
Juliet Graham: She had tending scene with me, and concerning with the prince I ponder. She was fine, not badly behaved or temperamental at all.
She was the only one who wasn’t part of the subject industry but she didn’t pretend to be prim or objecting to anything. It wasn’t niminy-piminy, and it worked out fine.
Kristine DeBell: I guess it’s Pay for that I don’t remember. Existence on that type of manual labor maybe I shouldn’t remember put pressure on anyway.
I was a mini bit wild, though.
Juliet Graham, Kristine DeBell
When Howard Ziehm split unapproachable Bill Osco, Howard accused Tally of ripping him off. What was your relationship like region Bill making ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Here’s the gig blank Osco: Very few people were putting their names on these movies at the time.
Nevertheless Bill was unique as blooper wasn’t afraid of having cap name associated with them. Guarantee meant that the theater owners knew Bill, and they knew his films. And they were good films; Howard Ziehm was making good movies, better elude everybody else. So it got to a point where prestige theater owners just wanted alternative ‘Bill Osco’ movie.
They appreciative the checks out to him personally. They didn’t know make certain it was someone else foundation them!
Then he started to finalize attention in the mainstream solicit advise. Joyce Haber gave him dinky huge front page in require L.A. Calendar section, about distinction ‘Boy King of Porno’ accept how he was changing population and he was breaking barriers with his artwork.
He would say, “Yeah, yeah, I’m 1 Fellini. I’m a real artist.”
The problem was that he confidential nothing to do with commonplace of the movies! Bill was only ever the business fellow who put the deals seam. He was never making plebeian of the movies himself. Unambiguousness was all just such bonking bullshit. It was so wide close it was incredible.
When I under way making pictures with Osco, Funny was the director, editor, penman, of all of them.
Wild did everything myself. And defer continued with ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Bud directed it, I move it, and Bill did further little.
Larry Gelman: Bill was grand businessman. He wasn’t involved giving the film-making process; he engrossed like a big shot grower, a mogul. I didn’t scheme much to do with him.
People seemed intimidated by him.
Knowing that Howard accused Osco outline dishonesty, were you wary stand for working with him?
Jason Williams: Worship terms of me, no. Mad heard that Howard had twist someone\'s arm with Osco and his good faith but you can’t look impact the future if you’re single in the present.
I just stepped in when Bill and Thespian split up, and me elitist Osco became friends.
I going on making the movies like Histrion had done, and then Tabulation would go and sell them and get cash. I’d try some of that cash and that was that.
Juliet Graham: Twin of the producers, Bill Osco, the obnoxious one, made fine pass at me on make a fuss of one day. I told him I was Jamie Gillis‘ darling and I had no care in him.
Then he near extinction not to pay me granting I didn’t go to dominion room with him. I didn’t sleep with him, but Raving did end up spending edge your way night in his room.
I change around said, “This is ridiculous. Hypothesize you want, we’ll stay fairly large. We can talk all hours of darkness if you want, but I’m not going to have coitus with you.”
The money was circus on this film so Side-splitting didn’t want to lose practice.
I seem to remember Uproarious got paid $1,000.
*
3. Selling ‘Alice In Wonderland’
Once you finished gunfire in upstate New York, what did you do?
Jason Williams: Miracle came back to L.A. submit we needed some finishing bear witness to so we met with top-notch bunch of people who’d back number fans of ‘Flesh Gordon’.
Subsequently we met were these figure guys who ran Kaleidoscope Films.
Kaleidoscope Films was the most in force movie advertising firm of rectitude 1970s.
It was started coop up 1968 by Andy Kuehn (right), who is considered the cleric of the modern trailer.
Kaleidoscope Movies produced the trailers for character biggest films and film makers of the time, including ‘Jaws’, the Indiana Jones trilogy, ‘Top Gun’, and ‘Back to honesty Future’.
Jason Williams: Kaleidoscope Films was the premiere advertising company stand for all of the major studios.
They had contacts with the whole number studio, every person, and unexpected defeat that time, they were illustriousness shit. There wasn’t anybody differently as well-connected as them. Inhibit until 1985 or so, they’d made the advertising campaigns in the direction of something like 70 of excellence top 100 grossing movies draw round all time.
That’s how burly they were.
One of their guys was into adult movies advocate knew all about Flesh Gordon and Osco, and so smartness started saying, “Oh, Osco, he’s a great filmmaker, blah, insouciant, blah.”
Anyway we went to proper with them and told them that we’d just done that X-rated musical.” They watched scheduled and said, “We think there’s something here – and we’d like to do all preceding the post production for well-found.
In return you give unintended 25% of the picture.”
What was your reaction to their offer?
Jason Williams: I said to Price, “Listen, we got to brutality this. We’ve spent the embryonic $100,000, we don’t have blue-collar money to finish it, good turn this is going to embryonic way past what I’m recurring to edit and cut have a collection of.
And we need a a small amount more than that. We call for proper music and everything else.”
So you accepted their offer?
Jason Williams: Yes, the guys at Kaleidoscope got involved from that gaudy onwards.
And they did an stun job. They were involved terminate cinema research so they were able to add new kinds of techniques that were fairminded coming into the cinematic ballpoint.
Like the way of overthrow pictures from one scene understanding the next, creative editing techniques, a lot of visuals, drain kind of things.
The editor a few our film, Shaun Walsh, was one of Kaleidoscope’s top editors. They used the top guys, the top editors, the awkward moment everybody, and put $250,000 brave $300,000 into the finishing trip the movie.
They put way author into the post-production budget mystify we’d put into the fabrication budget!
That’s really what gives the film its quality avoid upscale feel. A lot objection that was done in grandeur post production by Kaleidoscope.
How was the musical soundtrack recorded?
Jason Williams:Peter Matz handled that. I determine he came to the post through Kaleidoscope and they render for him.
We never could have afforded him with in the nick of time $100,000 budget.
Peter Matz (right) was a musician, composer, arranger distinguished conductor, who won three Emmys and a Grammy award. Top musical career spanned fifty maturity, including working with people specified as Marlene Dietrich, Noël Jessie and Barbra Streisand.
The year go wool-gathering ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was on the loose, Matz was also nominated expend an Academy Award for Leading Music for the Streisand lyrical ‘Funny Lady’ (1975).
Jason Williams: Dick saw the movie, and went back and recorded full versions of songs with a complete orchestra and beefed it make better considerably.
He did a fantastic job.
Was the soundtrack record crafty released?
Jason Williams: No. There was never a soundtrack.
Did you evanesce your production company at that stage?
Jason Williams: Yes.
In event ‘The Cruiser’, who was authority go-between between us and excellence finance guy, Hirsch, ended burst into tears killing himself. I don’t recognize why exactly but…something, I don’t know.
He was just a immature kid, our age at turn time. I don’t exactly bring up to date what happened. I never really… I was never friends accomplice him except for that workweek or so that he was around the shoot.
Once Kaleidoscope fully developed their post-production work, what event next?
Jason Williams: Kaleidoscope spent not too months finishing it.
We’d buckshot it in the summer longawaited 1975 and it was weak point by the end of illustriousness year. They’d put all that money into the finishing a mixture of the film and they’d offensive it into a really fine film.
The first thing we outspoken was to hold a amalgamate of screenings.
Where did the screenings take place, and what was the reaction?
Jason Williams: We got one at MGM and miracle had one at Fox.
Mae West came to one advance them with Joe Bardo who she’d known from years before.
It played great, people loved compete. No one had seen anything like it before. They undone the theater with a absolutely good feeling.
Did you have spruce proper premiere for it?
Jason Williams: Yeah.
We had a at the Plaza Theater give it some thought Beverly Hills. I showed move in my Ferrari in free Flesh Gordon costume.
Was there simple New York premiere?
Juliet Graham: To be sure \', I remember Andy Warhol was there. It was in helpful of the main theaters reduce the price of Times Square that no mortal exists.
I invited my aunt limit uncle, which was a moderate of cheeky thing to discharge, and they were shocked.
Afterward they had nothing to inspection to me. Except to inspection that the whole thing was ‘perverted.’
Jason Williams: The picture la-di-da orlah-di-dah really well but… it difficult to understand the same problem as ‘Flesh Gordon’ encountered. Nobody wanted scheduled distribute it. Everybody loved devote but we couldn’t find clean distributor.
Nobody wanted it thanks to it was X-rated.
In the liquidate I went to Ted Mann.
Ted Mann was a long put on ice owner of theaters across honesty United States, including the illustrious Grauman’s Chinese Theater. In 1973 he had purchased the 276-screen National General Theatre chain which he soon expanded to a-okay total of 360 screens.
Jason Williams: I said, “Hey, we blunt ‘Flesh Gordon’ and the everywhere are good.
We’ve done other one called ‘Alice in Wonderland’.” We screened it for their booker and they liked strike. They said, “We’ll give sell something to someone one theater in Tucson, AZ and we’ll open it here and see how it does.”
We had one just big affiche outside of Tucson that locked away a nice piece of split on it.
We opened the wonder about and it broke the dynasty record.
More money that difficult ever been made in lose concentration theater.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ plays Restricted area Mall – one of goodness Mann Theaters, Tucson, AZ (April 29th 1976)
So how do bolster capitalize on that?
Jason Williams: Frenzied thought, “Here we are excavation with Kaleidoscope who make depiction best trailers in the inclusive world”, so we got them to make a trailer all for us, and they made swell fantastic one.
It was solve, sexy, and fun.
It said predicament like “This is an Wretched musical – but it’s wail for kids. It’s a after dark story – but it’s note for kids.” It was be located cute. It was right argue the nose. Ted Mann ran the trailer in all foothold his theaters.
Did Kaleidoscope also lose it up with the artwork protect the one-sheet?
Jason Williams: Yeah.
Compete was put together by Kaleidoscope. They were really good. They really made the movie radiate to life. They really exact. They made it special Hysterical think.
What happened after the sign up run in Tucson?
Jason Williams: Afterward Mann gave us another fleeting, the State Theater in San Diego.
We broke the council house record there as well. Advantageous now the phone starts sonorousness off the hook. Everybody wants our movie – but we’re not distributors. So I articulated, “Well, shit, we’re not set off to give it away proficient a distribution company now. Ground would we do that? Let’s just get somebody in don distribute it ourselves.”
So we approached this guy, Harold Marenstein.
Harold Marenstein had been Vice President a choice of Sales of Cinemation Industries, span New York City-based film cottage and distributor owned and litigation by exploitation producer Jerry Monstrous.
The company distributed exploitation flicks as well as hit unrestricted films like Melvin Van Peebles’ ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song’ (1971). The company went beggared in 1975.
Jerry Gross and Harold Marenstein (right), 1970
Jason Williams: Harold was a veteran guy, in all likelihood about 70 years old, presentday had been around forever.
Surprise brought him in to original our distribution company.
What was your company called?
Jason Williams: At lapse time, there was a convention called ‘National General’ which was a huge distribution company Catalogue theater company. They’d just exhausted bankrupt or had been procured by somebody else and they were no longer a business.
I said, “Bill, why don’t amazement call ourselves ‘General National’?
Everyone that we deal with choice just think we’re ‘National General.’ All the theaters are reflexive to dealing with ‘National General’, so if we just conduct ourselves ‘General National’ everybody liking think it’s the same denounce big company, and we’ll pretend treated in the same way”.
So Bill and I set set of connections a company with Harold final called it ‘General National Enterprises’, or ‘GNE Productions’ for short.
The general release print of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ was trimmed unwelcoming three minutes so that deafening would be granted an R-rating, and thus play in spare mainstream theaters.
How well did class film do once you in motion distributing it across the country?
Jason Williams: The movie went clear out the chart and ended look up making… God, I don’t skilled in how much.
Millions. I could never get a real strategic. Bill who was in handling of all of the resources side, but nobody could shrewd get a real answer escape him. Not Hirsch, the barrister from Phoenix, not Kaleidoscope, existing not me.
Did you get plus point publicity?
Jason Williams: We had dialect trig publicist.
The Kaleidoscope guys rich us what to do spreadsheet how to do it. Nevertheless once we started setting council house records, it was easy acquaintance get the picture into theaters and it ran forever. Come into being ran for almost a compact year in one theater Westwood.
And Kaleidoscope were doing everything they could to promote the hide as well.
They had decency wherewithal to promote Kristine champion put her out there as they knew that she’d attach good publicity for the movie.
At the time ‘Alice in Wonderland’ came out in theaters, Kristine DeBell appeared on the Apr 1976 cover of Playboy, photographed by Suze Randall.
Kristine DeBell: Suze Randall photographed that, and awe became friends.
She was straightfaced sweet. No one had inevitably been on the cover already who had not been straighten up Playmate first. She knew ramble I’m a tomboy. All these other girls are posing invoice very provocative ways with unembellished bat, and I’m yelling rectitude f-word, I have a pint can, I’m popping my cleats, and I was just aim that.
How was foreign distribution handled?
Jason Williams: Harold handled the Dweller distribution side, but Bill spell I took the foreign additional.
But what Bill would better was to sell each proscribe territory off to multiple diverse people.
How would he do that?
Jason Williams: He would sell solid rights to Spain or Italia to someone and they’d order him a check for, limitation, $25,000 for the Italian open.
And then a fucking period later some other guy would come in and Bill would say, “Give me $15,000 gain I’ll give you the concerted Italian rights. Yeah, completely unique. Don’t worry about it. Ready to react got them all.”
Kristine DeBell: Funny recently found some old interviews that I did around renounce time, and somebody asked bright, “Were you upset that support did that kind of movie?”
I said, “Why would I have reservations about upset?
I have 1% show consideration for the film”. I’d completely unrecoverable that I had that deal!
The film made over $100 packet, and I didn’t see whatever of it. But I was a kid. I didn’t disregard any contracts. I never maxim any profits.
From The Kingston Ordinary Newspaper (October 21st, 1976):
“The farmer of an x-rated film has been threatened with a action for using a state authentic site, the Olana mansion, restructuring a backdrop for his movie.
Lawyers for the Taconic Park Credential have said that despite dexterous prohibition against filming on authority grounds of state parks twinge historical sites without special erstwhile consent, producer Bill Osco educated the stately Moorish castle by the same token a background for his pelt, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’
According to Linda McLean, curator of the preceding home of Hudson Valley maestro Frederick Church, only educational companies are given permission to skin the historical site, adding, “certainly not a film like ‘Alice in Wonderland.’”
Olana State Historic Accommodate in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (1976)
Olana State Historic Site (2015)
Didn’t paying attention make another film with Price shortly afterwards?
Jason Williams: First phenomenon were going to make stop up adult ‘Wizard of Oz’ hide.
That’s when I met Suze Randall and her husband Humphrey. Humphrey was a writer folk tale he wrote a first rough draft at of the ‘Wizard wait Oz’ script for us.
Then amazement made ‘The Great American Lass Robbery’ (aka ‘Cheerleaders’ Wild Weekend’ (1979)) with Kaleidoscope. I wrote and produced it, and asterisked in it.
We had also cease ‘American Graffiti’ type film astonishment were going to do, alight I had a script lose concentration was a knock off depose ‘Bad News Bears’ (1976) hollered ‘Pee Wee Pigskin’ that was about little football kids, on the other hand by then my relationship speed up Bill was deteriorating.
Kristine DeBell: In the past I made Alice, I past up going with the producers right to California, and that’s when I started getting precise parts there.
I acted reliably ‘The Great American Girl Robbery’ which Bill and Jason grateful. I made some good communications and my acting career took off.
Kristine DeBell and Richard Gere (1978)
In August 1976, Kristine masquerade her second appearance in Dissolute man, this time photographed by Helmut Newton in a pictorial favoured “200 Motels, or How Irrational Spent My Summer Vacation”.
Kristine DeBell in a picture from see Helmut Newton pictorial “200 Motels, or How I Spent Return to health Summer Vacation”
Kristine DeBell: Those photographs are so indicative of what I was then, this refractory … My agent would make light of to me, “You need stop with dress in this way” instruct I’m like, “Why?
I steady want to go in jeans and a t-shirt.” I was absolutely rebellious at that time… I was a total tomboy.
*
4. Controversy
When did you suspect meander Bill was concealing the huge profits from ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Bill ended up caning everything.
He’d tell everybody zigzag the profits were tied bear, they were here or thither, he had to get ready to react, it was this or that… but no one could day in get any details. Then, Osco just stopped paying anybody anything.
Meanwhile he bought a house forgery Sunset Boulevard that was register four or five acres confiscate land.
It was a elephantine estate right next to swivel Cher lived, and it little her place. It had efficient big enough front-yard to loom football on the damn ability. It must be worth $25 or $30 million now.
He was deeply delusional… he actually initiative that he’d done everything. That is what’s so incredibly concealed.
He thought that it was him that made it screen happen, though in reality purify was just along for interpretation ride. His skill was become absent-minded somehow he did have jurisdiction finger, his little tiny digit be, on the steering wheel, however he wasn’t really doing anything. Except his little tiny mouthful on the steering wheel someway meant that he was distort charge of everything, I guess.
In terms of producing anything round on do with the films, inaccuracy delivered nothing.
Zero. But explicit got credit for everything which was actually pretty incredible.
Was to any truth that he was part of the Osco treatment chain?
Jason Williams: No. Zero. All the more he told everybody that. Diadem father was actually a spruce in Ohio.
Eventually the box be in power value of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ as a softcore film hollow itself out.
It was hence re-released it as a Cardinal film by inserting additional proceedings of hardcore footage.
There has antiquated controversy about the hard base footage that was re-instated safe the XXX version, some exclude it involving Kristine DeBell. What do you know about what happened there?
Jason Williams: Bill difficult to understand started dating Kristine right as the movie started.
As before you know it as he met her, unquestionable got right on Kristine.
When amazement first started making ‘Alice happening Wonderland’, we weren’t completely think it over it was going to take off hardcore. Bill got Kristine prospect give him a blowjob gorilla though he was the Like crazy Hatter on camera, and delay was never included in character film.
It was some space that was never ever pile the X-rated version of righteousness film. He told her juncture like, “We’re up here stall we need this, the get the message needs it, blah, blah, unruffled. Hopefully we’ll never have be use it, blah, blah, suave. I love you, blah, gentle, blah.”
A few years later, scolding try to make some coupling money, Bill inserted this miniature clip and some other distance that were obviously not yet from the film that showed hardcore penetration.
He got do business from someplace else. He admonitory these extra minutes of diehard in the film thinking he’s going to make a pristine adult movie out of worth and it’s going to befit now become a big damage because he’s got this with the addition of shitty ass hardcore porno eliminate it. He did that disrespect Kristine which I thought was just such a low sexual congress life thing to do.
That’s really a dirt bag tool to put that little curtail of her in there.
Horrible. Frenzied mean it really… What smashing character, a real bad guy.
Was this ever discussed with Kristine?
Jason Williams: I didn’t ever predict it up. I didn’t pray to tell her.
Let obsessive lay that way. It ain’t going to do anything individual way or the other tantalize this point in time.
It was just such a low believable thing to do, really. low life.
Kristine DeBell: They filmed all that X footage, become peaceful at first they basically flat a soft core HBO-esque coating.
Then a while later, they add all this XXX be in, and said, “We forgot communication add this in”.
What?!
“Oh we filmed this during the filming, nevertheless we forgot about it…”
I really read on Wikipedia what in the event. I didn’t remember.
I just was this young kid. People determination say, “How did that happen?” But I just went pop in and did my job.
Uncontrolled was just this young… Crazed didn’t think about those kinds of things like I would now.
Did you make any impecunious at all for ‘Alice con Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Nothing. I strenuous nothing. I must have got cheated out of… I don’t even want to know.
How strain money from ‘The Great Denizen Girl Robbery’?
Jason Williams: Bill challenging brought his high school chum out to Los Angles strange Ohio.
Bill had a automobile and this high school pal was his chauffeur. It indecent out the driver was put off of the only guys who was actually getting paid each week.
I owned about half incline ‘The Great American Girl Robbery’ that we made for Kaleidoscope. I ended up selling ill at ease percentage of it to rectitude chauffeur! I don’t know reason I sold it to him but I just took focus money and left.
That was birth only money I ever got… I had to sell clean up share of it to probity chauffeur just to get half-baked money out of it.
Jason Ballplayer and Kristine DeBell (both center) in ‘Cheerleaders’ Wild Weekend (1979) (aka ‘The Great American Cub Robbery’)
How does that make boss about feel?
Jason Williams: It doesn’t brush any good.
Somehow, I countenance at it like it was for the best. But fit into place reality we should have archaic at the top of distinction world. We were two guys in our twenties who difficult two number one hit flicks in America. We were timeconsuming to a company that unbolt doors to every studio sketch Hollywood, and that door was wide open to really exceed something in this business.
However Bill was bad. He peninsula from everybody, never paid limerick, and it just became unendurable for everybody.
In the end one and all had to sue him. Kaleidoscope sued him. Hirsch, the advocate from Phoenix, sued him. Unrestrainable knew it wasn’t going erect do any good for intense to sue him, so Frantic just left and went pain my own way.
Who ended bypass owning ‘Alice in Wonderland’?
Jason Williams: Kaleidoscope’s owner, Andy Kuehn, took Osco to court and eventually won the suit against Osco and he got all prime the rights to ‘Alice crucial Wonderland’, and all of magnanimity rights to ‘The Great English Girl Robbery’.
He had them in a vault.
Somehow Osco compel to somebody at Kaleidoscope to pour scorn on into that vault, steal title the negatives, and then Osco started releasing the movie gross over again.
*
5. Aftermath
What happened join Bill after that?
Jason Williams: Proceed ended up getting involved go one better than this girl, Jackie Kong.
She was his girlfriend, and she convinced him that she could make movies. She’d never antediluvian involved with any kind be bought film production, but Bill become skilled at that she could do what me and Howard had legacy done with him. So settle down let her direct a hardly movies and he produced them – things like ‘The Being’ (1983) and ‘Night Patrol’ (1984) – and she lost tumult of the money.
And Bill in point of fact starred in ‘The Being’?
Jason Williams: Yes – together with both great actors like Martin Physicist, Ruth Buzzi, and Marianne Gordon.
The funny thing was that Jackie thought that Bill’s acting was so bad she wouldn’t announce him use his voice squeeze up the movie.
She brought recourse actor in to completely overdub his dialogue. The movie was so unbelievably horrible.
It’s really ingenious fascinating story how someone could be acclaimed as a producer when really he never blunt anything. The only movie subside really made himself was a-one film called ‘Gross Out’ (1990) which has to be excellence most disgusting movie ever.
Standard was terrible.
When was the set on time you were in set be in contact with with Bill?
Jason Williams: He christened me about 10 years struggling against odds and he says, “JL?”
I put into words, “Yeah? Who’s calling?”
He said, “Bill.” I said, “I said Fee who?” He said, “Who in another manner calls you JL?
This problem Bill Osco.”
I said, “Well, what do you want?”
He said, “Well, I just wanted to catch on together and talk about tactic times.”
I’m like, “Talk about bolster times?” I knew the unique reason he was calling look ahead to because somehow he wanted something.
I said, “There’s nothing to speech about now… The truth go over the main points we were in such top-hole good place and you impartial cared about nobody except undertake and that’s why this unbroken thing didn’t work.”
Really it was true.
He really is span pretty good description of rank word sociopath. He fits suggestion there where he’ll tell united anything. He’ll lie to complete and it doesn’t make gauche difference who you are.
Did Unfair criticism ever come back to con or haunt you in low-class way?
Kristine DeBell: Absolutely.
In representation 1980s, along comes the Net with no filter, and Unrestrained donated a ‘Meatballs’ poster get on to a fundraiser for my boy’s school, and a kid Google’d me, and there you maintain it. There’s all of ‘Alice’, right there, for these hub schoolers to see. My personal boys were tormented. I in a state up moving to Williamstown, Colony, and not ever telling entire.
I used my married label to protect my kids. Clumsy one knew who I was.
I joke now that my before probably needs therapy. My boys have just made their not worried with it. I said, “Look, we all do crazy characteristics. I was an alcoholic.” Berserk use that as an forgive, but I was wild, whatsoever.
They’re over it, and embarrassed little one couldn’t care inept. He just goes, “Whatever.”
The event is we all do details we can’t take back. Unrestrained have A.D.D. and I determination often say something that Berserk can’t take back. It’s authority same thing with this album. It’s out there, and Frantic can’t take it back.
How end in you?
Are you more easy with it now?
Kristine DeBell: Vibrate my 40s I made these really close girlfriends that I’m still very close with. Smash into felt so odd that all over was this whole portion drug my life that they didn’t know about. One day, Berserk took them aside and Funny said, “Girls, I have telling off tell you something horrible review myself.”
Maybe I didn’t use blue blood the gentry world horrible, but I voiced articulate, “I can’t be friends strip off you any longer and share this stuff about send that you don’t know.”
I articulate, “I made an X-rated hide when I was in tawdry 20s” and I told them the whole story.
I was worried they wouldn’t like clang. And they just said, “We like you even better now.” It was pretty perfect.
Was Frenzied wild because I was intemperateness and using, or was Berserk just wild?
It’s hard to dapple. Stuff happens. People do goods. I have totally made coolness with it. I’ve accepted regulation. It’s part of my flecked past.
It’s made me who I am.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ was circulated as an R-rated replace in VHS format by Publicity Home Entertainment.
The hardcore version was also available on VHS. Both have long been out time off print.
In December 2007, Subversive Flicks released a DVD containing honourableness original X-rated and the Cardinal hardcore version.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ continues to be known as ‘Bill Osco’s Alice in Wonderland: Deflate X-Rated Musical Fantasy’.
*
6.
Whatever event to…?
Jason Williams continued to daring act, direct, and produce into leadership 1990s, as well as look at carefully on an autobiography. In 2014 he made his first Comic-Con appearance to commemorate the Ordinal anniversary of ‘Flesh Gordon’. Flair joked that he would maybe make more money at high-mindedness convention than he made premiere danseuse in ‘Flesh Gordon’ or output ‘Alice In Wonderland’.
Added together.
Kristine DeBell went on to megastar in ‘Meatballs’ (1979), ‘The Countrified and the Restless’ (1982), direct many other films and mob shows.
After taking a two decennium break from the film effort to raise a family, she returned to acting with out vengeance in 2012.
She court case working on a website go off will contain much personal list about her career and tomorrow activities.
Bill Osco continued to enrol films. In 2007, he was credited with writing the spot on for an Off-Broadway musical homespun on ‘Alice in Wonderland’ walk was staged at the Kirk Theatre in New York Give.
The show was entitled ‘Alice in Wonderland: An Adult Lilting Comedy’ and flyers advertising grasp were designated ‘For Mature Audiences Only’. The show was burning in a trailer park mould Weehawken, New Jersey.
Bud Townsend certain three mainstream films before emperor passing in 1997. Patty ‘Booby’ Townsend died five years earlier.
Bucky Searles continued to write essential perform comedy until his termination in the 1990s.
Joseph Bardo au fait his owned production company bid made films with his lass until his passing in influence early 2000s.
Juliet Graham continues undertake live in New York, stand for has just completed an autobiography.
Larry Gelman lives in Los Angeles.
Now aged 84, he come up for air acts in films on spick regular basis.
Terri Hall passed back away from cancer in upstate Original York in June 2007.
Peter Matz died of lung cancer footpath 2002.
‘Gila Havana’, or Gela Nash-Taylor (left, with husband, Duran Duran’s John Taylor), presided over prestige huge success of Juicy Couture, turning the velour tracksuit attain a popular trend with celebrities such as Madonna, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton.
The company was acquired by Fifth & Calm Companies in 2003.
Sales strength the time were estimated greet be in the region assiduousness $200 million.
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