IMDb > The Bad Seed (1956)
The Bad Seed
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The Bad Seed (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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The Bad Seed -- Trailer for this incredible story of an evil little girl

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   6,307 votes »
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Director:
Writers:
John Lee Mahin (screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson (play)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Bad Seed on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 September 1956 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
A WOMAN'S SHAME...Out in the Open! See more »
Plot:
A housewife suspects that her seemingly perfect 8-year-old daughter is a heartless killer. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination See more »
NewsDesk:
(76 articles)
Cinema's Ten Best 'Killer Kid' Murders
 (From FEARnet. 10 May 2013, 3:00 PM, PDT)

Come Out and Play (2012)
 (From Planet Fury. 28 March 2013, 9:05 AM, PDT)

Oscar-Nominated Kids Who Tried to Become Adult Stars
 (From NextMovie. 26 March 2013, 11:00 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
Very good See more (141 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

Nancy Kelly ... Christine Penmark

Patty McCormack ... Rhoda Penmark

Henry Jones ... Leroy Jessup

Eileen Heckart ... Hortense Daigle
Evelyn Varden ... Monica Breedlove

William Hopper ... Col. Kenneth Penmark

Paul Fix ... Richard Bravo
Jesse White ... Emory Wages
Gage Clarke ... Reginald 'Reggie' Tasker
Joan Croydon ... Claudia Fern (as Joan Croyden)

Frank Cady ... Henry Daigle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Frances Bavier ... Woman in dinner party scene (uncredited)
Violet Cane ... Teacher (uncredited)
Vivian Clermont ... Mary Beth Musgrove (uncredited)

Shelley Fabares ... Margie (uncredited)
Kathy Garver ... Rhoda's Classmate (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey ... Guard in Hospital Corridor (uncredited)
Edna Holland ... Saleslady (uncredited)
Dayton Lummis ... The Doctor (uncredited)
Natalie Masters ... Nurse (uncredited)
Patricia Morrow ... Ginny (uncredited)
Adele Taylor ... Teacher (uncredited)
John Truax ... The Sergeant (uncredited)
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Directed by
Mervyn LeRoy 
 
Writing credits
John Lee Mahin (screenplay)

Maxwell Anderson (play)

William March (novel)

Produced by
Mervyn LeRoy .... producer
 
Original Music by
Alex North 
 
Cinematography by
Harold Rosson  (as Hal Rosson)
 
Film Editing by
Warren Low 
 
Casting by
Hoyt Bowers (uncredited)
 
Art Direction by
John Beckman 
 
Set Decoration by
Ralph S. Hurst  (as Ralph Hurst)
 
Costume Design by
Moss Mabry 
 
Makeup Department
Ruby Felker .... hairdresser (uncredited)
George Lane .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mel Dellar .... assistant director
Rusty Meek .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Gene Delaney .... assistant props (uncredited)
John Gilbert Kissel .... master props (uncredited)
Sol Litt .... laborer (uncredited)
David Marshall .... draper (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Stanley Jones .... sound
Al Cavigga .... sound editor (uncredited)
Michael Colgan .... sound editor (uncredited)
Eugene Marks .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Warren E. Boes .... best boy (uncredited)
Howard Claire .... second grip (uncredited)
Pat Clark .... still photographer (uncredited)
Frank Evans .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Charles Harris .... head grip (uncredited)
Frank V. Phillips .... camera operator (uncredited)
Lee Wilson .... gaffer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Florence Albert .... wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Joan Joseff .... costume jeweller (uncredited)
Leon Roberts .... costumer: men (uncredited)
 
Editorial Department
Russell McCord .... assistant cutter (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Maurice De Packh .... orchestrator (as Maurice de Packh)
 
Other crew
Barbara Dunton .... welfare teacher (uncredited)
Joe Halperin .... unit publicist (uncredited)
Doris Peoples .... secretary: Mervyn LeRoy (uncredited)
Meta Rebner .... script supervisor (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
129 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Filming Locations:

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Rosalind Russell was originally considered for the role of the mother (played by 'Nancy Kelly'), until the studio decided to go with the Broadway cast.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: During the scene in the arbor when Leroy is telling Rhoda that blood can't be washed off of a stick, in the shot taken facing Rhoda she is leaning on the table with both hands, but as soon it switches to a shot from her right side, she's standing upright with her arms bent.See more »
Quotes:
Rhoda:Claude was dead. He wouldn't know if he had the medal pinned on him or not.See more »
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Au clair de la luneSee more »

FAQ

Any recommendations for other movies like "The Bad Seed"?
Is "The Bad Seed" based on a book?
What is the music that Rhoda keeps playing on the piano?
See more »
12 out of 18 people found the following review useful.
Very good, 5 August 2006
Author: painkilla7 from United States

I thought this movie was made very well. Despite what another had commented about this movie, I do feel that her facial expressions were very much eerie and the girl did a very good job as "the bad seed". The way she would look and smile whenever she lied made me think about how bad of a person she was and the look in her eyes also would show how she knew that she could manipulate anyone who got in her way. feel that for it's time it was a very good movie. It had to do something right, since it was nominated for an Oscar. So in all despite the comment prior to this one, I do feel that it was a very good movie. I thought that the ending was good too, since it gave people a sense of reality to the people who played the characters(some can't see past a character that a person plays).

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See more (141 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Bad Seed (1956)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Who do you think should play 'Rhoda' if they ever made a Remake? gitano_apo
Hmm, how scary is this movie? Angel_Buffy
The 'expert' psychiatrist (spoiler) psychsquad
What would you have done? thedeadlyspawn79
What would Rhoda's future have been like? mlraymond
One missed opportunity dzierzgul
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