SAL MINEO

Robin Maugham's book was previously discovered by former Hollywood star Sal Mineo, the kid who adored James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.

Mineo wanted to direct his first feature and in 1971 came to London with his partner Courtney Burr to begin pre-production. Nobody wanted to be associated with this hot property. A succession of writers, among them Peter Shaffer, David Sherwin and Edna O’Brien refused to write the screenplay.

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Actors including Martin Potter, Leonard Whiting and John Moulder Brown wouldn’t even meet Mineo. Eventually a script was written by Murray Smith, known for cheap exploitation pictures made for independent producer-director Pete Walker.

Mineo went to Morocco to scout locations. But the authorities wouldn’t allow him to film there. Mineo returned to the US without a deal in 1974. Two years later he was stabbed to death.