California Elections : McCarthy Hits Curb’s Movies Featuring Sex and Drugs

Democratic Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy stepped up his attack on Republican opponent Mike Curb on Friday, claiming that the millionaire recording industry executive made “his fortune” on exploitation movies featuring sex, drugs and violence.

Reviving an issue that has dogged Curb, a former lieutenant governor and one-time gubernatorial candidate, throughout his political life, McCarthy listed 20 movies that he said were in those categories to back up his latest campaign attack. Curb, he said, either helped produce or provided the music for the films during the 1960s.

McCarthy refers to one, “The Cycle Savages,” a 1969 film for which Curb served as co-executive producer, in a new 30-second radio commercial. A synopsis by the American Film Institute said some of the themes include rape, drug use and motorcycle gang violence.

‘Statement of Values’

McCarthy, during an interview after a taping of the KNBC-TV News Conference show, said raising the issue was relevant because he believed such movies “are a statement of his priorities, of his judgment and his values.”

The Democrat said if it was relevant for Curb to refer to his successful business background, it was fair for him to bring up what that background was.

“He made his first fortune making ‘Cycle Savage’-type movies. Is this the kind of business experience we are presenting to the voters of California?” McCarthy asked a reporter.

The charge that the movies were the basis of the Republican candidate’s business success was strongly denied by a spokesman for Curb, who held the office of lieutenant governor for four controversial years under former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.

Selection Criticized

Fred Karger, Curb’s campaign manager, said McCarthy unfairly selected a few movies from among the candidate’s “thousands” of credits.

He didn’t dispute that Curb had worked on “The Wild Savages” and other movies referred to by McCarthy, like the little-known motorcycle gang movies, “Devil’s Angel,” “Five the Hard Way,” “The Glory Stompers” and “The Wild Angels,” which the film institute said also dealt with the themes of sex, drugs and violence. Other titles of movies Curb worked on are, to name a few, “The Wild Racers,” “It’s a Bikini World,” “Mondo Hollywood” and “The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart.”

Matter of Accuracy

But Karger challenged McCarthy’s claim that Curb made a “fortune” on such movies, as well as the overall tone of his comments.

“If anything, Mike is considered a square in the record industry. Anyone can pull a few movie titles out of the thousands he’s worked on,” he said.