USA, 1940
69m
35mm film, black and white, 1.37:1
mono, English
An American science fiction/horror film directed by Jean Yarbrough whose name is mis-spelled Jean Yarborough in the credits.
Plot Summary
Mad scientist Dr Paul Carruthers develops a new after shave lotion that attracts the attention of the giant bat he has bred in his laboratory. Using the two in tandem he takes his revenge on those he believes have crossed him.
Credits
* = uncredited
Crew
Directed by: Jean Yarborough
Copyright MCMXL [1940] by Producers Releasing Corp.
Producers Releasing Corporation presents a Producers Releasing Corporation picture
Produced by: Jack Gallagher, Sigmund Neufeld *
Associate Producer: Guy V. Thayer Jr
Production manager: Melville De Lay
Screen Play by: John Thomas Neville
Original Story by: George Bricker
Director of Photography: Arthur Martinelli
Film Editor: Holbrook N. Todd
Musical Director: David Chudnow
Sound Engineer: Farrell Redd
RCA Sound System
Art Director: Paul Palmentola
Cast
Bela Lugosi (Dr Paul Carruthers)
Suzanne Kaaren (Mary Heath)
Dave O’Brien (Johnny Layton)
Guy Usher (Henry Morton)
Yolande Mallott (Maxine [‘Frenchy’, the Maid])
Donald Kerr (“One-Shot” McGuire)
Edward Mortimer (Martin Heath)
Gene O’Donnell (Don Morton)
Alan Baldwin (Tommy Heath)
John Ellis (Roy Heath)
Arthur Q. Bryan (Joe McGinty)
Hal Price (Chief Wilkins)
John Davidson (Prof. [Percival Garland] Raines)
Wally Rairdon (Walter King)
Billy Griffith [coroner – scene deleted]
Alternative Titles
Devil Bats
Killer Bats – USA (16mm title)
Notti di terrore – Italy
Links
Sequel
Devil Bat’s Daughter (1946)
Remake
The Flying Serpent (1946)
See also
Bride of the Monster (1955)
References
Periodicals
- Castle of Frankenstein 1967 Annual p.38
- Scarlet Street no.19 – review
Books
- Cinematic Vampires by John L. Flynn p.53
- Feature Films, 1940-1949: A United States Filmography by Alan G. Fetrow pp.114-115
- Hoffman’s Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991-1992 p.101 – credit, reviews
- The Illustrated Vampire Movie Guide by Stephen Jones p.24 – credit, reviews
- Poverty Row Horrors! by Tom Weaver – article
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.96 – credits
- Unsung Horrors by Eric McNaughton & Darrell Buxton (eds) pp.262-263 – illustrated review (by Martin Dollard)
