The Whispering Shadow (1933)

A mysterious criminal known as The Whispering Shadow commits crimes by means of a gang he controls by television and radio rays. Jack Norton, whose brother was murdered by The Whispering ... See full summary »

Directors:

Colbert Clark, Albert Herman

Writers:

Barney A. Sarecky (story), George Morgan (story),

Stars:

Bela Lugosi, Viva Tattersall, Malcolm McGregor

Cast

Cast overview:
Bela Lugosi	...	Professor Adam Anton Strang
Viva Tattersall	...	Vera Strang
Malcolm McGregor	...	Jack Foster
George J. Lewis	...	Bud Foster [Ch.1]
Henry B. Walthall	...	J.D. Bradley - Company President [Chs. 1-11]
Robert Warwick	...	Detective Robert Raymond
Ethel Clayton	...	The Countess Helen [Chs. 5-8]
Roy D'Arcy	...	Professor Alexis Steinbeck
Karl Dane	...	Sparks - Dispatcher
Lloyd Whitlock	...	Young - Henchman No. 3
Bob Kortman	...	Jasper Slade - The Convict [Chs. 1-11]
Lafe McKee	...	D.W. Jerome - Company Vice President

Storyline

A mysterious criminal known as The Whispering Shadow commits crimes by means of a gang he controls by television and radio rays. Jack Norton, whose brother was murdered by The Whispering Shadow, suspects that the eerie Professor Strang - whose ghostly wax museum contains figures far too lifelike - may be involved in the crimes.

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Plot Keywords:

radio | radio room | television | jewel | wax museum | 

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Adventure | Mystery

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Seita Tenebrosa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mascot Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

225 min 225 min (12 chapters)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chapter Titles:

• 1. The Master Magician
• 2. The Collapsing Room
• 3. The All-Seeing Eye
• 4. The Shadow Strikes
• 5. Wanted For Murder
• 6. The Man Who Was Czar
• 7. The Double Doom
• 8. The Red Circle
• 9. The Fatal Secret
• 10.The Death Warrant
• 11.The Trap
• 12.King of the World

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Connections

Featured in Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula (1997)

User Reviews

Mascot 12 chapter serial

1933's "The Whispering Shadow" was Bela Lugosi's serial debut, and also the first that I actually purchased, because this was the only one of his 5 serials that had no feature version. The scenes in his elaborate waxworks prove to be the most memorable, although his character is one of numerous red herrings believed to be the title mastermind, whose identity revealed in the final chapter seems to be a real cheat. This Mascot serial lacks a musical score, which makes it stand out from the others Lugosi did, and doesn't really utilize him as the star. The next, 1934's 12 chapter "The Return of Chandu" allows him to be a genuine, two fisted serial hero (at age 51). He was the star villain in 1936's "Shadow of Chinatown," at 15 chapters the longest, but perhaps most enjoyable, since he works with beautiful Luana Walters, against former Olympic athlete Bruce Bennett (Herman Brix), with a supporting cast of familiar faces like Richard Loo and Victor Wong. 1937's Republic "SOS Coast Guard" was the only one where he was billed second, after hero Ralph Byrd, a well made 12 chapter slugfest, with less footage of Lugosi than the others, assisted by Richard Alexander (Prince Barin in Universal's "Flash Gordon") as the hulking, mute manservant. 1939's 12 chapter "The Phantom Creeps" was done at the familiar Universal studios, with a suitable supporting cast, including hero Robert Kent, Edward Van Sloan, and Lee J. Cobb, but among so many gadgets, the well remembered robot was played by Bud Wolff. Bela's batting average in serials was far better than Boris Karloff or Lon Chaney, although it must be stated that Boris did his last chapterplay before 1931's "Frankenstein," and that Chaney starred only in his last, the 12 chapter Western "Overland Mail," for Universal in 1942.