In 1873, the United States passed a sweeping anti-obscenity law named for the vice squad crusader put in charge of its enforcement. Anthony Comstock is said to have bragged that in his role as U.S. postal inspector he seized 150 tons of books, made 4,000 arrests — including of feminists Emma Goldman and Margaret Sanger — and drove at least 15 people to suicide.
The Comstock Act criminalized the circulation of “obscene, lewd or lascivious” publications, as well as “any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of conception or procuring of abortion.
The Comstock Act criminalized the circulation of “obscene, lewd or lascivious” publications, as well as “any article or thing designed or intended for the prevention of conception or procuring of abortion.
- 7/5/2023
- by Tessa Stuart
- Rollingstone.com
For years, the stately two-story Tudor at 600 N. Logan Avenue in Danville, Illinois, was an ophthalmologist’s office, run by a cataract surgeon with a passion for raising Newfoundland dogs. The building was put up for sale when he retired in 2017, but it wasn’t until this year that a new owner finally began renovations. Since then, the still-empty building has been the site of protests, the subject of a controversial city ordinance and, this past weekend, the target of an arson attack.
Shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday morning,...
Shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday morning,...
- 5/26/2023
- by Tessa Stuart
- Rollingstone.com
Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo and Jon Abrahams will sail the musical waters together in the feature biopic Chess. Jerry Zaks is directing.
The story chronicles the life of Leonard Chess (Nivola), a self-made music impresario and renowned record company executive who brought blues into the public eye and jump-started the careers of some of the music industry's biggest names, including Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry.
Oyelowo will play Waters, while Abrahams will play Phil Chess, Leonard's younger brother who worries when Leonard becomes involved with a singer who has been signed to their label.
The film will compete against Sony BMG Film's Cadillac Records, which also centers on the rise and fall of Chess' blues label Chess Records. That film stars Adrien Body and Jeffrey Wright and is set to begin production in March.
The script for Chess was penned by Peter Wortmann and Bob Conte and is being produced by Jonathan Mitchell, Les Alexander and Andrea Baynes through Checkmate Prods.
The story chronicles the life of Leonard Chess (Nivola), a self-made music impresario and renowned record company executive who brought blues into the public eye and jump-started the careers of some of the music industry's biggest names, including Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry.
Oyelowo will play Waters, while Abrahams will play Phil Chess, Leonard's younger brother who worries when Leonard becomes involved with a singer who has been signed to their label.
The film will compete against Sony BMG Film's Cadillac Records, which also centers on the rise and fall of Chess' blues label Chess Records. That film stars Adrien Body and Jeffrey Wright and is set to begin production in March.
The script for Chess was penned by Peter Wortmann and Bob Conte and is being produced by Jonathan Mitchell, Les Alexander and Andrea Baynes through Checkmate Prods.
- 2/12/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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