Meow! The Early Days of the Pussycat in 1966, Part One

1-28-66 – The start of an important chapter of Adult Theater history and already having to censor a title for the papers! Starting off with two films presented by Radley Metzger’s Audubon Films, the”Beyond Booze” bit hid Nights of Nymphomania. The Weird Lovemakers is also known as the Warped Ones.

With a lot of thanks to go around, I should start off with the most important part. For this post, and really this Blog, I would seriously like to thank the Something Weird Video Fan Club over at Facebook, especially Lisa Petrucci and Howie Pyro as well as Bruce Holecheck for starters. The DVD releases of the company’s classic cult collection seriously brought me to think just where and when these wild films would play and take that into research action to contribute to the growing mountain of information out of a love and a genuine interest in the genre. Although I was not there back in the day, I would seriously think of myself as someone who would have – a list of what I rented on VHS back in the day would really prove that right.

Hello to everyone once again! After a time away from the Blogging filled with a lot of research and contributing to various groups, now seems like a good time to get back into action at The Scene.  A perfect way to re-start this adventure is with a look at some of the classic ads of the early days of the Pussycat on 444 S. Hill in Los Angeles, co-owned by David F. Friedman and Dan Sonney, and the first screen that led to the legendary Pussycat chain of Adult theaters which was based at the disused Town Theater. Vince Miranda of Walnut Properties, a well-known name in San Diego’s movie theater industry who has George Tate as his business partner, would shortly join in the business and help convert and update some theaters for the growing chain – the famed iconic Pussycat Girl would be featured at the Sunset which was the next to join up, but would not be part of the ads until later while Miranda would have his 50 Percent in the chain in 1968.

The Cat was a familiar sight in the LA papers’ movie ad sections in the theater’s small but unique looking ads until very early 1967. The fare at the time was often more geared to the Arthouse crowd, as was the trend in the Mid 60’s as Nudie Cutie was slowly dying in the marketplace (you can only see so many Volleyball games!). Friedman’s productions would be thrown into the mix

2-4-66 – Second time around and already having a great “Call Theater for Title” ad!

3-4-66 – White Slaves of Chinatown was already a kinky legend by then, and a perfect flick to throw onto the Pussycat screen. Lust and the Flesh turned into Cry of the Flesh for this ad. Both were from American Films Distribution Corporation in New York.

3-11-66 – Love Hunger was an imported film with a US-lensed insert that was featured in the trailer although the majority of it was otherwise in B&W. Thanks to Something Weird Video, it was a film that turned into a cult classic. It was originally released through the New York-based Cambist Films.

3-18-66 – The Wild Roots of Love was a controversial film that would fall into the Art Movie scene and had a successful showing in Detroit with a favorable Free Press review. Her Bikini Never Got Wet was a total opposite of the serious and sordid drama which was the main attraction, but that was the way things were.

3-25-66 – Rent-a-Girl facing another round of title censorship. Although the B was a serious flick in contrast to the main attraction’s Roughie style, it was at least consistent with the sordid flow of the show.

4-1-66 – The Unsatisfied starring Rita Cadillac and Daniella by Night was another offering from Cambist.

4-6-66 – One Shocking Moment was a good flick by Ted V Mikels, who would later be best known for a long string of films including Astro Zombies, the Corpse Grinders, and Blood Orgy of the She Devils. This gritty film starring Gary Kent was not bad.

4-15-66

5-6-66, Featuring a Roughie by Doris Wishman, although the censorship in the title made sure that they did not go to Hell!

5-13-66 – More New York Adult Movie madness.

6-3-66

7-22-66, one of David F. Fredman’s best productions that showed that Roughies can have a good production value, although the customers were more interested in Stacey Walker!

8-22-66, The Defilers finally hits the Pussycat – it’s first LA showing was at the Monica, later a member of the chain a few years later! The Defilers was Directed by Lee Frost, who was best known for his work with Olympic International’s Bob Cresse and starred Byron Mabe, who would later work for Friedman as a Director for some of his films (Including A Smell of Honey!), and two stars of 2,000 Maniacs, Jerome Eden and Linda Cochran. Lead Starlet Mai Jansson would leave the movie scene after her one and only role.

Essential reading…
http://pussycattheaterhistory1.blogspot.com/

~ by screen13 on September 15, 2016.