Murder by Television (1935)

James Houghland, inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies, who then send ... See full summary »

Director:

Clifford Sanforth

Writers:

Joseph O'Donnell (screenplay), Clarence Hennecke (idea),

Stars:

Bela Lugosi, June Collyer, Huntley Gordon

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. Arthur Perry / Edwin Perry
June Collyer	...	June Houghland
Huntley Gordon	...	Dr. Henry M. Scofield (as Huntly Gordon)
George Meeker	...	Richard Grayson
Henry Mowbray	...	Chief of Police Nelson
Charles Hill Mailes	...	Prof. James Houghland
Claire McDowell	...	Mrs. Houghland
Hattie McDaniel	...	Isabella - the Cook
Allen Jung	...	Ah Ling - the Houseboy (as Allan Jung)
Charles K. French	...	Donald M. Jordan
Larry Francis	...	Mendoza
Henry Hall	...	Hammond
Billy Sullivan	...	Reardon the Watchman (as William 'Billy' Sullivan)
William H. Tooker	...	Allen (as William Tooker)

Storyline

James Houghland, inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies, who then send agents to acquire the invention any way they can. On the night of his initial broadcast Houghland is mysteriously murdered in the middle of his demonstration and it falls to Police Chief Nelson to determine who the murderer is from the many suspects present.

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Plot Keywords:

television | murder | inventor | suspect | death ray | 

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Taglines:

An IMPERIAL-CAMEO PRODUCTION (original poster)

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Houghland Murder Case

Filming Locations:

Talisman Studios, Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cameo Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the scenes showing television equipment, the filmmakers borrowed it from L.A.-area researchers who were working on experimental TV. The equipment they borrowed was worth $75,000 - over twice the $35,000 production budget for the film.

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Goofs

When Isabella (the cook) finds the body at the top of the stairs, she simply disappears into thin air. (This may be due to missing footage in the extant print, rather than an error by the original filmmakers.)

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hammond: Have you been holding that wire to the coast open?

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Connections

Featured in Rumble Fish (1983)

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Soundtracks

"I Had the Right Idea"
Written by Oliver Wallace

User Reviews

Clunky old-time mystery

Essentially a locked-room mystery, this is about as bad as they get, even for the 1930s. Lugosi is weirder than usual as one of several businessmen interested in a new method of electronic television (which was nothing more than a novelty at the time) that allows broadcast around the world. Oddly prescient (it's even projected onto a large screen), the technology is otherwise hilarious, particularly in the explanation of the murder technique.

The acting is lame (especially the stereotyped servants), the staging hokey, the dialog boring, and the mystery ridiculous. Avoid this turkey unless you're just completing your tour of Lugosi's work or are interested in the 1930s vision of the near future.