would stick to their ideals. He orders his guards to split up the company's money evenly to everyone, except to the Arab (who has been critical of Swope's leadership throughout the film). The board members return to Swope and say they have changed their mind, and are happy to advertise whatever he wants to sell. Disillusioned, Swope silently walks away, leaving them to squabble over a glass bin full of the company's money. The Arab, upon finding out he is not receiving any, sets the money on fire with a Molotov cocktail, which burns as the credits role. Production In a DVD interview, Downey claims that Johnson had great difficulty memorizing and giving his lines during filming. Downey says he was unconcerned as he had developed a plan to dub his own voice over Johnson's. Though the film is in black-and-white, the Truth and Soul commercials are in color. Cast (as listed in the end credits by order of appearance) Stan Gottlieb as Nathan (as Stanley Gottlieb) Allen Garfield as Elias, Jr. Archie Russell as Joker Ramon Gordon as Bissinger Bert Lawrence as Hawker Joe Madden as Mr. Syllables (credited as Joe Engler) Arnold Johnson as Putney Swope David Kirk as Elias, Sr. Don George as Mr. Cards Buddy Butler as Putney's Bodyguard Vincent Hamill as Man in White Suit Tom Odachi as Wing Soney Ching Yeh as Wing Soney, Jr. Spunky-Funk Johnson as Mr. Major Joe Fields as Pittsburgh Willie Norman Schreiber as Messenger Robert Staats as Mr. War Toys Mel Brooks as Mr. Forget It Antonio Fargas as The Arab (first credited screen role) Release Poster controversy The theatrical release poster showed a raised hand with the image of a girl replacing the out-thrust middle finger. The Los Angeles Times declined to print the advertisement, and it was not reprinted by the Los Angeles Herald Examiner after initial complaints. In Chicago, the Tribune and Today refused to publish it, and it was pulled by the Sun-Times and Daily News, although they later published the advertisement without the girl as the middle finger. Roger Ebert was embarrassed by the Sun-Times censorship. Box office Putney Swope opened on July 10, 1969, at Cinema II in New York City, grossing $32,281 in its first week. The film opened in Los Angeles on January 21, 1970, and set a house record of $16,000 at the 3 Penny Cinema in Chicago when it