The Tingler (1959)

Director:

William Castle

Writer:

Robb White (written by)

Release Date:

29 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

In Screamarama

Plot:

Dr. Warren Chapin is a pathologist who regularly conducts autopsies on executed prisoners at the State prison...

Plot Keywords:

Fear | Scream | Creature | Autopsy | Experiment

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Dr. Warren Chapin
Judith Evelyn	...	Mrs. Martha Ryerson Higgins
Darryl Hickman	...	David Morris
Patricia Cutts	...	Isabel Stevens Chapin
Pamela Lincoln	...	Lucy Stevens
Philip Coolidge	...	Oliver 'Ollie' Higgins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Barthelmess	...	David, in clip from Tol'able David (uncredited) (archive footage)
Gail Bonney	...	Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
William Castle	...	Prologue Himself - Host (uncredited)
Pat Colby	...	Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
George DeNormand	...	Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
Amy Fields	...	Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
Bob Gunderson	...	Ryerson - Screaming Convict (uncredited)
Dal McKennon	...	Projectionist (uncredited)
Clarence Straight	...	Member of Silent Movie Audience (uncredited)
Ernest Torrence	...	Luke Hatburn, in clip from Tol'able David (uncredited) (archive footage)

Directed by
William Castle

Writing credits
Robb White		(written by)

Produced by
William Castle	....	producer

Original Music by
Von Dexter

Cinematography by
Wilfred M. Cline		(director of photography) (as Wilfrid M. Cline)

Film Editing by
Chester W. Schaeffer

Art Direction by
Phillip Bennett		(as Phil Bennett)

Set Decoration by
Milton Stumph

Makeup Department
Hazel Keats	....	hairdresser (uncredited)
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Wallerstein	....	assistant director
John Gaudioso	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Pearl	....	second props (uncredited)
Clarence Peet	....	prop master (uncredited)

Sound Department
John P. Livadary	....	recording supervisor (as John Livadary)
Harry D. Mills	....	sound (as Harry Mills)
Eldon Coutts	....	recordist (uncredited)
Cy Harper	....	cable man (uncredited)
Sol Jaffe	....	mikeman (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Franklin	....	grip (uncredited)
Harold Hansen	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Emil Oster	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Arnold L. Rich	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Pat Sutherland	....	grip (uncredited)

Other crew
Dona Holloway	....	associate to producer
Pearl Leiter	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures
• William Castle Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scn)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1999) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (William Castle Collection)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (UK) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Color:

Color (one scene) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording) | Stereo (partial)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1961) | UK:15 | Argentina:13 | USA:Approved | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

Co-stars Vincent Price and Judith Evelyn previously starred on stage together in 1941 during the Broadway performance of "Angel Street", based on Patrick Hamilton's play "Gaslight".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Hair and nails do not continue to grow after one dies, as Dr. Chapin asserts. The illusion of growth is created by the shrinkage of the flesh surrounding the hair and nails. However, the belief in growth after death has become so ingrained in common folklore that it is not surprising to see it used as "fact" in a horror film; such films play on our fears and knowledge of folklore to achieve their effects.

Quotes:

Dr. Warren Chapin:The tingler exists in every human being, we now know. Look at that tingler, Dave. It's an ugly and dangerous thing-ugly because it's the creation of man's fear; dangerous because... because a frightened man is dangerous.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Horror Business (2005) (V)

More fun than it has any right to be!

I was very young when this movie was originally released and my first encounter was when I switched on the TV (no remotes in those days, so I was right in front of the set) and a woman's face suddenly appeared, screaming right at me! It scared the living hell out of me --- and that was only a *commercial* for THE TINGLER! It was years before I saw the actual film and while it wasn't as scary as I imagined (nothing could have been) it had, as William Castle's films frequently do, an unsettling feeling of dread about it. Of course it's also absolutely ridiculous. The whole premise is insane, and the plot twists keep getting more and more loony, but that only adds to the fun! The titular creature itself is a mixed bag, crudely done (even for its day) but somehow effectively disgusting. The acting is uniformly good and the dialogue pretty intelligent. The only weak point for me was Judith Evelyn as the deaf mute wife, who overacted like hell but never seemed genuinely terrified by any of the bizarre goings on. The DVD contains an excellent short called SCREAM FOR YOUR LIVES including (among others) co-star Darryl Hickman, now in his seventies, looking incredibly fit and happy and seemingly unable to talk about making THE TINGLER without constantly cracking up. Who can blame him????