The Night Stalker (1972) (TV)

Director:

John Llewellyn Moxey

Writers:

Richard Matheson (teleplay)
Jeffrey Grant Rice (story)
(more)

Release Date:

11 January 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

An abrasive Las Vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of murders committed by a vampire.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Vampire | Blood | Murder | Newspaper

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Darren McGavin	...	Carl Kolchak
Carol Lynley	...	Gail Foster
Simon Oakland	...	Vincenzo
Ralph Meeker	...	Bernie Jenks
Claude Akins	...	Sheriff Butcher
Charles McGraw	...	Chief Masterson
Kent Smith	...	D.A. Paine
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Mickey Crawford
Stanley Adams	...	Fred Hurley
Larry Linville	...	Makurji
Jordan Rhodes	...	Dr. O'Brien
Barry Atwater	...	Janos Skorzeny
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Faulkner	...	Las Vegas Policeman (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg	...	Mrs. Brandon (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	...	Intern (uncredited)

Directed by
John Llewellyn Moxey

Writing credits
Richard Matheson		(teleplay)
Jeffrey Grant Rice		(story) (as Jeff Rice)
Max Hodge		uncredited

Produced by
Dan Curtis	....	producer

Original Music by
Bob Cobert		(as Robert Cobert)

Cinematography by
Michel Hugo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Desmond Marquette

Casting by
Hoyt Bowers

Art Direction by
Trevor Williams

Set Decoration by
Fred Price		(as Fred R. Price)

Makeup Department
Gae Clark Butler	....	hair stylist (as Gae J. Clark)
Jerry Cash	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Neil T. Maffeo	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Seitz	....	assistant director (as Christopher H. Seitz)

Art Department
Robert M. Anderson	....	property master
Hendrik Wynands	....	construction coordinator (as Hendrik G. Wynands)

Sound Department
Harold Lewis	....	sound mixer
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lloyd Isbell	....	key grip
Ralph McCarthy	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betsy Cox	....	costumer: women
John S. Perry	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Mike Crumplar	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Frank Kulaga	....	music recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Mario Simon	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Lily La Cava	....	script supervisor
Robert Singer	....	assistant: producer

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• Dan Curtis Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (video)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnum Entertainment (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Metromedia Producers Corporation (MPC)  sound effects
• Chrysler Corporation  vehicles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:PG (1998 video re-issue) | USA:Not Rated | USA:TV-PG | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

At the time of its original airing, it was the most widely viewed TV movie, with a 33.2 rating and a 54 share.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The first victim, Cheryl Ann Hughes, is described as possessing a brown belt in Karate. But when the vampire seizes her by the throat, she uses none of her alleged skills, even though (in Karate) this is one of easiest holds to break.

Quotes:

Bernie Jenks:Subject Janos Skorzeny: born in Romania in 1899.
Sheriff Warren A. Butcher:You mean to tell me this guy is over 70 years old? Come on, Bernie. Your boys have come up with the wrong man!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wonderland (2003)

Soundtrack:

Manhattan

Clearly a gem of a TV horror movie

I have never been a great fan of Darrin McGavin.But here HE is obviously having the time of his life!As "Karl Kolchak" McGavin has the job of convincing his TV viewers that HE is convinced that a real-life Vampire killer is running loose in modern-day Las Vegas!

And "the Night Stalker" is just the right mix of atmosphere and scariness and doubt to keep it's TV viewer on the edge of the seat!Maybe it even works BETTER as a TV movie!! We the viewer are left with that final puzzling question...try to tell yourself "it couldn't happen here"!

Of course,this wouldn't be possible without Darrin McGavin's performance.He took the best of an opportunity late in his career,paving the way for a future TV horror series.I don't think the series was nearly as good as the original.But only Darrin McGavin could have carried it at all!!!