Prescription for Murder (20th Century Fox) (1958)

MURDER EXHIBITORS CAMPAIGN SHEET A Templar Production In CinemaScope Released hy Twentieth Century-Fox (Advance) “Rx Murder” is the intriguing title of the new Templar Production opening .... at the .... Theatre, starring Rick Jason, Marius Goring and ©— Lisa Gastoni. Based on Joan Fleming’s popular British bestseller, “The Deeds of Doctor Deadcert,” this Twentieth Century-Fox release closely parallels the recent front page stories of the British doctor whose patients mysteriously died, leaving all their fortunes to him. In this CinemaScope production, filmed on location along the British coast, Rick Jason plays an American doctor who comes into a quiet seaside resort and unobtrusively begins to investigate the activities of its leading practitioner, played by Marius Goring. He soon learns that the “good doctor’ is not so good after all. It appears that three of his wives have mysteriously and tragically died in rapid order and the townspeople had until now regarded all three deaths as an unfortunate personal tragedy. But before long, the young American discovers the true facts behind these deaths and exposes the doctor before he can do harm to his next designated victim, Lisa Gastoni. “Rx Murder” also stars Mary Merrall, one of Great Britain’s fine character actresses who lends delightful comedy touches to the otherwise tensely dramatic goings-on as she tries to help Rick Jason discover the true character of “Dr, Dysert.” Vida Hope and Helen Shingler play two of the doctor’s ill-fated wives and Sandu Scott, a curvaceous blonde from Michigan, makes her film bow as the doctor’s third wife who meets her Lovely Lisa Gastoni becomes the latest murder prospect of the menacing Dr. Dysert, as played by Marius Goring, in this scene from “Rx Murder,” opening ....at the.... Theatre. Rick Jason also stars in the Twentieth Century-Fox CinemaScope release. untimely death from the edge of a cliff. Produced by John Gossage and written and directed by Derek Twist, “Rx Murder” prescribes an exciting experience (Marius Goring) For his starring role in “Rx (Rick Jason) Rick Jason, one of Hollywood’s favorite new stars, is a living contradiction to the popular quotation, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” The © young Twentieth Century-Fox contract star, currently on the screen at the .... Theatre in “Rx Murder,” has more than a nodding acquaintance with such trades as sculpting, painting, ceramics, woodcraft, plumbing, upholstery, electronics, leathercraft and a dozen or more other versatile activities. In fact, while trying to get his start in the theatrical profession, he earned his living at various times as a riding instructor, soda jerk, hotel clerk and bartender. Most recently seen as Joan Collins’ bus driver-husband in “The Wayward Bus,” Rick went overseas for his current assignment as the doctor-sleuth in “Rx Murder.” This CinemaScope production, filmed on location on the British coast, dramatizes the adventures of a young American (Jason) who comes to a sleepy seaside resort to investigate the Ess mysterious deaths of three wives, one after the other, of the town’s respectable practitioner. The “good” doctor is played by Marius Goring. Jason’s career got its start when Hume Cronyn spotted him, not on stage, but in the audience of a theatre, and asked him to try out for a play. He did so and was evidently successful. Explaining his many interests, Rick says some people prefer to Rick Jason has the leading role in “Rx Murder,” a _ suspense story about a British doctor whose three wives die under the most mysterious circumstances. Marius Goring and Lisa Gastoni also star in the CinemaScope drama. Mat 1A but he finds he is happiest when he is pursuing at least half a dozen at the same time to try to Murder,” the next CinemaScope film at the.... Theatre, Marius Goring had his transportation woes, although once this Templar Production is seen, car enthusiasts will take exception to the use of the word “woes.” Co-starring with Rick Jason and Lisa Gastoni in this Twentieth Century-Fox release, Goring plays “Dr. Dysert,” a highly respected practitioner in a sleepy British seaside resort who gains the town’s sympathy after each of three successive wives die mysteriously. At the start of this film, he rides a broken down bicycle while still a struggling newlyqualified young medico, and as his fortunes increase, so also do his travelling facilities—all the way up to a brand new gleaming Rolls Royce. “Both were equally difficult to handle,” he admitted at the end ofthe fing. “inietact; .E-had. to learn to ride a bike all over again and the Rolls was just as tricky to handle until I got the hang of it. I had to keep driving on and off certain marks laid down for the camera, and on one occasion I nearly ran down the whole unit, camera and all. Another time I thought I was going straight over the edge of a cliff. But what a car,” he sighed. “It gave me the most extravagant ideas.” With “Rx Murder,” Marius Goring celebrates his twentysecond year in motion pictures. He started in 19386 in Alexander Korda’s “Rembrandt,” and has appeared in such subsequent hits as “The Red Shoes,” “Odette” for all amateur detective fans. Jethro =..5 eee Rick Jason Doctor Dysert......Marius Goring Kitty Mortlock........... Lisa Gastoni Miss Bettyhill........... Mary Merrall WiOUIS@ tk. emer a Vida Hope Charlotte-s..2 Helen Shingler Stellar, sae es Sandu Scott Production Credits Produced by................. John Gossage Written and Directed by Derek Twist Adapted by........... Derek Twist and John Gossage From the novel, “The Deeds of Doctor Deadcert” by Joan Fleming Music Composed and Directed by.....John Wooldridge Associate Producer Paul Crosfield Director of Photography Arthur Grant Art Directov.................... Elven Webb Assistant Director John Peverall SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) Jethro Jones (Rick Jason), a young American, arrives in the sleepy little Devonshire seaside resort of Frogmouth, and for reasons of his own, begins an unobtrusive but penetrating investigation into the local doctor’s past. The doctor, Henry Dysert (Marius Goring), is the leading practitioner in the town, highly respected and trusted. His private life, however, is clouded with tragedy. In the course of several years, he has married three times and each of his wives have met a sudden and violent death. No breath of suspicion rests upon him, however, until Jethro begins his investigation. From Miss Bettyhill (Mary Merrall), a resident of the hotel where he is staying, he learns about the doctor’s pretty secretary, Kitty Mortlock (Lisa Gastoni), who is bedridden in the hotel with a mysterious illness. Gaining her confidence, Jethro slowly begins to get scraps of information from her about the three late wives of the “‘respectable” doctor. It is later brought out that one of the doctor’s late wives, Stella (Sandu Scott) was previously married to Jethro which is the reason for his extreme interest in the doctor’s activities. Jethro finally succeeds in unmasking the charming Dr, Dysert as a triple murderer just as he is about to do away with his fourth victim, Kitty. Jethro and the doctor meet in a showdown on a clifftop above the town, in which Doctor Dysert loses his balance and plunges to his death. (Sandu Scott) Sandu Scott, a curvaceous Michigan blonde who looks not unlike Kim Novak, makes her motion picture debut in “Rx Murder,” a Templar Production released by Twentieth CenturyFox, opening .... at the. Theatre. Word reaching this country from Great Britain, where audiences have already seen this “striking creature,” is that the CHEE Beautiful Sandu Scott makes her screen debut in “Rx Murder,” a mystery thriller now at the .... Theatre. Marius Goring, above, and Rick Jason also are starred in the Templar Production released boys in the balcony (and those in the orchestra, too), will give out with appreciative wolfwhistles a la Marilyn Monroe once Miss Scott hits the CinemaScope screen. Co-starred with Rick Jason, Marius Goring and Lisa Gastoni, she plays one of three wives of a British practitioner who wins the respect of the people of a small seaside resort, and later gains their sympathy when all take up only one or two hobbies, ' satisfy his inquiring mind. and “The Barefoot Contessa.” by Twentieth Century-Fox. Mat 2B | three die mysteriously. Rx EXPLOITATION NOVELTY MAILING Prepare a series of postcards in the form of a doctor’s prescription with the familiar ‘‘Rx”’ to the left of the card and fill out the prescription with film title, credits, playdate and one good sales line. Mail these to people on your list and to town residents selected at random. Remember to place theatre name and address and phone number at top of “prescription”? where doctor’s name usually appears. At the same time, have local print shop or your staff artist make up a giant-sized postcard with similar information to be placed in lobby of your theatre and used as an eye-catching standee to draw added attention to your “Rx Murder’ date. APOTHECARY BOTTLES Rent or borrow a collection of apothecary bottles from local drug merchant and fill these with water and food colorings, preferably green, blue, red. Exhibit these bottles on a table set up in your lobby and place sign near display with this message: “‘Your Prescription for Top Mystery Thrills Is ‘Rx Murder.’’’ Add playdate information to sign, arranging for this display starting one week prior to your opening. SAFETY COUNCIL With the greater number of cars on the road during the warm summer and fall months, strive for a tie-in with your local chapter of the National Safety Council along the following lines: ‘‘Speed could be your prescription for murder. Slow down and live. Go see ‘Rx Murder’ at the... . Theatre.”” This message could be contained on co-op highway signs, on stickers to be spotted around town, and on window cards placed at local gas stations and restaurants along highways leading into your town. STREET STENCIL Arouse your town’s curiosity about this mystery thriller with street stencils of ‘‘Rx Murder.” Place these on sidewalk near your theatre and at various intersections around town. Do this starting three days before you open. MYSTERY CONTEST Announce special contest through local newspaper aimed at the mystery fans in your town. Contestants are to submit essays of no more than 100 words on the subject: ‘‘My Prescription for the Perfect Murder Movie Is . . .’’ Winners to receive promoted gifts with passes to runners-up. RADIO SPOTS (Suggested for live broadcasting) 10 Seconds His patients loved him to their murdered day. ‘‘Rx Murder,’ your prescription for top mystery thrills. Starts ....,.... Theatre! 20 Seconds The suspense barometer soars to new thrill-heights in ‘(Rx Murder’’! The mysterious story of a doctor whose bedside manner will hang you in suspense ... kill you with excitement! Be sure to see ‘‘Rx Murder,” a CinemaScope drama starring Rick Jason, Marius Goring, Lisa Gastoni and introducing curvaceous Sandu Scott. Starts....,.... Theatre. 30 Seconds His patients were beautiful women! His prescription was murder! You'll see it all in ‘‘Rx Murder,” the story of a family doctor whose patients loved him to their murdered day! ‘‘Rx Murder,’’ his bedside manner will hang you in suspense .. . kill you with excitement, It’s the mystery-suspense tale of the year. ‘‘Rx Murder,’ a CinemaScope drama starring Rick Jason, Marius Goring, Lisa Gastoni and introducing vivacious, curvaceous Sandu Scott. Don’t miss “‘Rx Murder,’ starting ....atthe.... Theatre! (over) Copyright © MCMLVIII, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation