Convicts 4
Encyclopedia
Convicts 4 is a 1962 prison film drama starring Ben Gazzara
and directed by Millard Kaufman
. A true story, it is based on the autobiography of John Resko, Reprieve.
Pardoned by the governor at the last minute, Resko is sentenced to Dannemora prison, where he has difficulty adjusting to life behind bars. It becomes even less bearable after hearing that his wife has left him and that his father has died.
Resko does long stretches in solitary confinement. But he is befriended eventually by fellow convicts like Iggy and Wino who help him to pass the time. When he takes up art as a hobby, Resko's work is seen by an art critic, Carl Carmer, who believes him to have promise.
In 1949, after 18 years in prison, Resko is released. His daughter and granddaughter are waiting when he gets out.
Rather than a pawn shop, the real Resko actually was after a stuffed toy for his daughter and wrestled the store owner when he tried to steal it. His gun went off, killing the store owner unintentionally.
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
and directed by Millard Kaufman
Millard Kaufman
Millard Kaufman was an American screenwriter and novelist. His works include the Academy Award-nominated Bad Day at Black Rock . He was also one of the creators of Mr. Magoo.-Life:...
. A true story, it is based on the autobiography of John Resko, Reprieve.
Plot summary
John Resko is condemned to the electric chair at the age of eighteen. It is Christmas and Resko wants to give his baby daughter a new teddy bear. He goes, without money, into a shop and tries to get the shopkeeper to give it to him saying he will pay him later. The shopkeeper refuses, Resko grabs a gun he saw in the till and points it at the man. The shopkeeper lunges at Resko and is shot.Pardoned by the governor at the last minute, Resko is sentenced to Dannemora prison, where he has difficulty adjusting to life behind bars. It becomes even less bearable after hearing that his wife has left him and that his father has died.
Resko does long stretches in solitary confinement. But he is befriended eventually by fellow convicts like Iggy and Wino who help him to pass the time. When he takes up art as a hobby, Resko's work is seen by an art critic, Carl Carmer, who believes him to have promise.
In 1949, after 18 years in prison, Resko is released. His daughter and granddaughter are waiting when he gets out.
Production
The governor who pardoned Resko was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, not identified by that name in the film.Rather than a pawn shop, the real Resko actually was after a stuffed toy for his daughter and wrestled the store owner when he tried to steal it. His gun went off, killing the store owner unintentionally.
Cast
- Ben GazzaraBen Gazzara-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
... John Resko - Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
... Principal Keeper - Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
... Iggy - Vincent PriceVincent PriceVincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
... Carl Carmer - Rod SteigerRod SteigerRodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger was an Academy Award-winning American actor known for his performances in such films as On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, Oklahoma!, The Harder They Fall, Across the Bridge, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, In the Heat of the Night, and Waterloo as well as the...
... 'Tiptoes' - Broderick CrawfordBroderick CrawfordBroderick Crawford was an Academy Award-winning American stage, film, radio and TV actor, often cast in tough-guy roles and best known for his starring role in the television series "Highway Patrol."-Early life:...
... Warden - Dodie StevensDodie StevensDodie Stevens is an American pop singer. She is best known for her million selling 1959 song "Pink Shoe Laces", which made her a star when she was only 13 years old.-Early life:...
... Resko's Sister - Jack KruschenJack KruschenJack Kruschen was a Canadian-born character actor who worked primarily in American film, television and radio.-Radio:...
... Resko's Father - Sammy Davis Jr. ... Wino
- Naomi StevensNaomi StevensNaomi Stevens was a prolific character actress of film and television from the 1950s through the 1980s. She has appeared in almost 100 roles over the years, usually depicting someone's ethnic mother, or neighbor...
... Resko's Mother - Carmen Phillips ... Resko's Wife
- Susan SiloSusan SiloSusan Silo is an American actress and voice actress.-Early life and career:She was born in New York City, New York. Her acting career started in television on an episode of The Jack Benny Show. Silo also co-starred with Larry Blyden, Dawn Nickerson, and Diahn Williams in the NBC sitcom Harry's...
... Resko's Daughter - Timothy CareyTimothy CareyTimothy Agoglia Carey was an American film and television actor....
... Nick - Roland La StarzaRoland La StarzaRoland La Starza was a retired American boxer and actor. Originally from the Van Nest section of the Bronx, La Starza fought 66 professional bouts from July 7, 1947 to May 8, 1961...
... Duke - Tom GilsonTom GilsonTom Gilson was an American actor in TV and occasional films from the 1950s, who was shot dead by his wife, model and actress Sandra Edwards, on October 6, 1962.-Biography:...
... Lefty - Jack AlbertsonJack AlbertsonJack Albertson was an American character actor dating to vaudeville. A comedian, dancer, singer, and musician, Albertson is perhaps best known for his roles as Manny Rosen in The Poseidon Adventure , Grandpa Joe in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Amos Slade in the 1981 animated film The Fox...
... Art teacher