The World’s Greatest Sinner (The Film)

Newspaper report:

Friday March 9, 1962

Ontario Man Writes Score for New Film

A 21-year-old Ontario musician, Frank V. Zappa, scored arrangements for a movie, The World's Greatest Sinner, to be released in April.

The music was recorded by the Pomona Valley Symphony Orchestra, directed by Fred E. Graff, and augmented by other instrumentalists.

The movie was written, directed and produced by Tim Carey, Hollywood's "ugliest, meanest" character actor. Carey also played the male lead.

The filming company is named Frenzy Productions. Zappa reports the negatives are now being cut and as soon as they are completed a sneak preview of the movie will be held in the Pomona area.

Most of the performers are non-professional, Zappa said. He termed the movie, an "arty" story about an insurance salesman, dissatisfied with his life, who turns first to music, then religion, and then politics. The story ends with the ex-salesman repenting after an unsuccessful attempt to prove himself God.

Zappa began composing for the film last June. "The score is unique," he said, "in that it uses every type of music."

A small rock-n-roll group --eight musicians-- recorded last November. In early December a 20-piece chamber ensemble recorded. The 55-piece orcehstra recorded Dec. 17, putting in a 12-hour stint at Chaffey auditorium.

Zappa reports the film was made on a $90.000 budget, with 80 per cent of the filming done in Carey's garage in El Monte.

Zappa, a former Chaffey College student, lives at 314 W. G St. He was graduated from Lancaster High School and began composing there in his sophomore year. He plays guitar, vibraphone, drums and piano.

His parents live in Florida.