When a Stranger Calls (1979)

Director:

Fred Walton

Writers:

Steve Feke (written by) and
Fred Walton (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

...Fear is the Message!

Plot:

A psychopathic killer terrorizes a babysitter, then returns seven years later to menace her again.

Plot Keywords:

Babysitting | Telephone | Babysitter | Male Rear Nudity | Flashlight

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Carol Kane	...	Jill Johnson
Rutanya Alda	...	Mrs. Mandrakis
Carmen Argenziano	...	Dr. Mandrakis
Kirsten Larkin	...	Nancy
William Boyett	...	Sgt. Sacker (as Bill Boyett)
Charles Durning	...	John Clifford
Ron O'Neal	...	Lt. Charlie Garber
Heetu	...	Houseboy
Rachel Roberts	...	Dr. Monk
Tony Beckley	...	Curt Duncan
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Tracy
Michael Champion	...	Bill
Joseph Reale	...	Bartender (as Joe Reale)
Ed Wright	...	Retired Man
Louise Wright	...	Retired Woman
Carol Tillery Banks	...	Mrs. Garber (as Carol O'Neal)
Dennis McMullen	...	Maintenance Man
Wally Taylor	...	Cheater
John Tobyansen	...	Bar Customer
Sara Damman	...	Bianca Lockart
Richard Bail	...	Stevie Lockart
Steven Anderson	...	Stephen Lockart
Lenora May	...	Sharon
Randy Holland	...	Maitre d'
Trent Dolan	...	Policeman #1
Frank DiElsi	...	Policeman #2
Arell Blanton	...	Policeman #3
DeForest Covan	...	Officer #1 (as De Forest Covan)
Charles Boswell	...	Officer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dick Warlock	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Cheryl Wilson	...	Mrs. Shifrin (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Walton

Writing credits
Steve Feke		(written by) and
Fred Walton		(written by)

Produced by
Doug Chapin	....	producer
Steve Feke	....	producer
Larry Kostroff	....	associate producer
Barry Krost	....	executive producer
Melvin Simon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dana Kaproff

Cinematography by
Donald Peterman		(director of photography) (as Don Peterman)

Film Editing by
Sam Vitale

Casting by
Penny Perry

Production Design by
Elayne Barbara Ceder

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Makeup Department
Ruby Ford	....	hair stylist
Billy Laughridge	....	hair stylist (as Billie Laughridge)
Bob Mills	....	makeup artist
Edie Panda	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Barbara Michaels	....	unit production manager
Barbara Michaels	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Ledding	....	first assistant director (as Ed Ledding)
Lynn M. Morgan	....	second assistant director (as Lynn Morgan)

Art Department
Priscilla Beroud	....	assistant property master
Leonard Cross	....	leadman
Martin Marias	....	property master

Sound Department
Martin Raymond Bolger	....	production sound mixer (as Martin Bolger)
Bud Fuellgrabe	....	boom operator
Walter Goss	....	sound re-recording mixer
Keith Stafford	....	sound editor

Stunts
Stan Barrett	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Ball	....	second grip (as Jim Ball)
Joe Castagnoli	....	second camera assistant
Jim Everly	....	electrician
John M. Hennessy	....	key grip (as John Hennessy)
Leslie J. Kovacs	....	gaffer (as Les Kovacs)
Brice Mack	....	camera operator (as Brice Mack III)
Carol McCullough	....	still photographer
Joseph J. Orefice	....	best boy (as Joe Orefice)
Bill Randall	....	dolly grip
Baird Steptoe	....	first camera assistant

Casting Department
Beverly Long	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Bruno	....	costume supervisor (as Dick Bruno)
Dean Skipworth	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Susan Cooper	....	editorial consultant
John Fenady	....	apprentice editor
Harold Wilner	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor

Transportation Department
William Cockrell	....	transportation co-captain
Jim Martell	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Harriet Brown	....	assistant to producers
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	production coordinator (as Virginia Cook)
Marc Dodell	....	production assistant
Barbara Hogan	....	script supervisor
Ed Margulies	....	unit publicist
Rita Moseley	....	location auditor
Jim Swinehart	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Melvin Simon Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Europa Film (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• AVCO Embassy Pictures (re-release)
• Melvin Simon Productions
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Odyssey (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• B & D Special Effects

Other Companies

• Westheimer Company  titles and opticals
• Maslansky Koenigsgerg  publicity (as Maslansky/Koenigsberg, Inc.)
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera (as Panavision®)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The script to the film's original shooting draft specifies that the setting is supposed to take place in 1971.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jill has a drink at the wet bar, the grandfather clock is visible in the shot, about a foot to the right of the bar. In all other shots the clock is about four to five feet from the bar, much closer to the hallway.

Quotes:

Jill Johnson:[thinking it's Curt again] Leave me alone!
Sgt. Sacker:Jill, this is sergeant Sacker. Listen to me. We've traced the call... it's coming from inside the house. Now a squad car's coming over there right now, just get out of that house!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Saturday Night Live: Lindsay Lohan/Jack White (#37.16)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Huelga En General

"Have you checked the children?"

When a Stranger Calls boasts the scariest opening in film history. Wes Craven completely ripped this intro off in Scream. It's that good. Too bad the rest of the film isn't. It goes completely downhill after the beginning. It's so scary and has such a tense start that you can hardly watch it without holding your breathe. My girlfriend couldn't watch it period. She had to turn her head and keep asking me when it was over. It's very subtle, slow, and deliberate, and very frightening. The rest of the film can't live up to the energy generated by the beginning. But still, I recommend this because the beginning alone is better than most fright flicks in their entirety.