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Cast a Deadly Spell ()

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In a fantastical 40's where magic is used by everyone, a hard-boiled detective investigates the theft of a mystical tome.
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Writer:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 3 nominations.
  • See more »
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Photos and Videos

100 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft
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Amos Hackshaw
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Connie Stone
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Harry Bordon
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Olivia Hackshaw
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Det. Morris Bradbury
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Hypolite Kropotkin
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Tugwell
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Det. Otto Grimaldi
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Larry Willis / Lilly Sirwar
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Owl Wagon Manager
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Zombie
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Crooner
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Thadius Pilgrim
Colin Drake ...
Butler Meadows
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Werewolf
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Boy #2
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Bartender
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Gargoyle
Robert Mickelson ...
Boy #1
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Drop Dead Babe
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Band Leader
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Mickey Locksteader
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Little Girl
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Owl Wagon Dishwasher
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Owl Wagon Cook
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barron Christian ...
Snoring Mobster (uncredited)
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Amber Peru (uncredited)
Brian Penikas ...
Oatmeal Monster (uncredited)

Directed by

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Martin Campbell

Written by

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Joseph Dougherty ... (written by)

Produced by

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Gale Anne Hurd ... producer
Ginny Nugent ... line producer

Music by

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Curt Sobel

Cinematography by

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Alexander Gruszynski

Editing by

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Dan Rae

Editorial Department

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Mike Mertens ... color timer
Michelle Pazer ... first assistant editor
Barbara Riley ... negative cutter
Frank Soronow ... second assistant editor
Lee Toft ... post-production assistant

Casting By

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Pam Dixon

Production Design by

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Jon Bunker

Art Direction by

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Nelson Coates

Set Decoration by

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Joyce Anne Gilstrap

Costume Design by

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Mary Rose

Makeup Department

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Michelle Bühler ... makeup artist
Denise Dellavalle ... assistant hair stylist / assistant makeup artist
Vance Hartwell ... special makeup effects artist
Barbara Olvera ... hair stylist
Mike Smithson ... effects sculptor, cosmetics
Thomas E. Surprenant ... makeup artist
Scott Oshita ... special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management

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John Engel ... unit production manager
Tim Myers ... post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Robert Lorenz ... first assistant director: second unit (as Rob Lorenz) / second second assistant director (as Rob Lorenz)
Rip Murray ... first assistant director
Lisa Shore ... second assistant director
John R. Woodward ... first assistant director: re-shoots (uncredited)

Art Department

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Joneva Barry ... scenic artist
David A. Carpender ... property master
Wayne Daddio ... lead scenic artist
Patrick Docherty ... scenic artist
Lauren Gabor ... assistant set decorator
Jim T. Graham ... swing gang
Jina Graham ... scenic artist
Aaron Groszmann ... swing gang
Hillary Heffron ... prop assistant
Catharine Incaprera ... art department assistant (as a different name)
B. Kevin Inness ... swing gang
Lynn A. Johanson ... scenic artist
Sam P. La Fata ... lead propmaker
Jon P. Mooers ... stand-by scenic artist
Ruth Oglesby ... art department coordinator
David Ronan ... on-set dresser
David Russell ... production illustrator and storyboard artist
Rick Samuels ... assistant property master
Tony Sgueglia ... swing gang
Tim Sherrier ... lead carpenter
Marty Spence ... sign painter
John Stone ... construction foreman (as John Earl Stone)
Philip Stone ... construction coordinator (as Philip Fiske Stone III)
Phil Tubach ... lead man
Douglas W. Randall ... propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Wallace R. Bearden ... adr mixer (as Wally Beardon) / foley mixer (as Wally Beardon)
Peter Bergren ... sound effects editor
Richard F.W. Davis ... sound effects editor (as Richard Freeman Davis)
Charlene Hamer ... utility sound technician
David Hankins ... supervising sound editor
Kenneth C. Mantlo ... boom operator
Bruce P. Michaels ... adr editor / foley editor
Scott Millan ... re-recording mixer
Alyson Dee Moore ... foley artist
Patricia Nedd ... foley artist
Ralph Osborn ... dialogue editor
Richard Portman ... re-recording mixer
Adam Sawelson ... dialogue editor
Larry Stensvold ... re-recording mixer
Ed White ... sound mixer
Nancy Parker ... foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Max Alvarez ... hair puncher: gremlins
Roger Borelli ... technician: zombie
Robert Meyer Burnett ... production assistant
Eugene Cornelius ... special effects technician
Steve Debs ... special effects foreman
Jim Eustermann ... special effects technician
Eric Fiedler ... designer/puppeteer: gargoyle
Bruce Spaulding Fuller ... designer: werewolf/gremlin
Cynthia Gardner ... project coordinator
Tony Gardner ... special effects supervisor
Morton Greenspoon ... contact lens efx
Vance Hartwell ... technician: vampire teeth
Mark Henderscheid ... special effects technician
Kevin Hudson ... technician: unicorn
Christopher M. Hunt ... technician: Old One
Garrett Immel ... assembly technician: gremlins
Kev Koenig ... special effects technician
Jim McPherson ... sculptor: gargoyle
Douglas Noe ... production assistant
Carolyn Oros ... foam cosmetics
Joey Orosco ... sculptor: Old One
Gary Pawlowski ... assembly technician: gremlins
Brian Penikas ... technician: demon
David Penikas ... mechanical designer: gargoyle
Zandra Platzek ... hair puncher: werewolf
Greg Polutonovich ... sculptor: Old One
Sally Ray ... foam technician
Tanya Ridenour ... foam technician
James Rohland ... assembly technician: gremlins (as Jim Rohland)
Richard L. Silver ... contact lens efx
Aaron Sims ... sculptor: Old One
Dianna Smith ... assistant seamstress
Rob Smith ... contact lens technician
Mike Smithson ... sculptor: Old One
Greg Solomon ... special effects technician
Ken Speed ... special effects coordinator
Bill Sturgeon ... designer/puppeteer: Old One
Tim Turner ... production assistant
Tommy Williamson ... principal mechanic: gremlins (as Tomcat Williamson)

Visual Effects by

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James Belkin ... visual effects director of photography
Jennifer C. Bell ... production coordinator: visual effects
Laura Buff ... visual effects production supervisor
Tim Conrad ... model maker
Dennis Dale ... model maker
George D. Dodge ... plate photographer
Elaine Edford ... visual effects supervisor
Emmet Kane ... visual effects
Gene Kozicki ... model maker
David Zen Mansley ... model maker
Rudy Pahoyo ... camera operator: visual effects
Rick Rische ... matte artist
Mark A. Shelton ... visual effects gaffer
Dennis Skotak ... visual effects consultant
Robert Skotak ... visual effects supervisor: 4-ward productions
Dan Smith ... assistant camera: visual effects photography
Anthony Stabley ... model builder
Jim Towler ... supervisor: model unit
Joe Viskocil ... visual effects

Stunts

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Eugene Collier ... stunts
Ousaun Elam ... stunts
Annie Ellis ... stunts
Diane Kay Grant ... stunts
Orwin C. Harvey ... stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr. ... stunts
Wayne King ... stunts
Steven Lambert ... stunts
Paula Marie Moody ... stunts (as Paula-Marie McCoy)
John Robotham ... stunt coordinator / stunts
Lynn Salvatori ... stunts
Rick Sawaya ... stunts
George P. Wilbur ... stunts

Camera and Electrical Department

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James D. Ault ... rigging key grip (as J.D. Ault)
Richard Ball ... company grip (as Richard J. Ball Jr.)
Alan Brownstein ... camera operator: second unit
John Carney ... gaffer: second unit
Ted Chu ... first assistant camera: "a" camera
Daniel Coscia ... key grip: second unit
Laurence Cropley ... electrician
Al DeMayo ... best boy electric
David Dubois ... gaffer
Mark Gambino ... best boy grip
Michael Grady ... company grip
George Hess ... clapper loader
Walter Royle ... best boy grip: second unit (as Walter Royle Jr.) / company grip (as Walter Royle Jr.)
Martin Schaer ... camera operator: second unit
Mark Scott ... video assist operator (as Mark I. Scott)
Timothy Sheffer ... second assistant camera (as Tim Sheffer) / second assistant camera: second unit (as Tim Sheffer)
Bubba Sheffield ... key grip (as George 'Bubba' Sheffield)
Dylan Shephard ... dolly grip
Bob Smathers ... electrician: second unit (as Robert Smathers)
Jeffrey P. Soderberg ... electrician
Victor Svimonoff ... rigging gaffer
Richard Turner ... camera operator
Donna Vega ... best boy electric: second unit / electrician
Amy Vincent ... first assistant camera: second unit
Kevin Brown ... lighting technician (uncredited)
Wes Houle ... rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Dale Robinette ... special still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Barbara Harris ... adr voice casting
Caryn Richmond ... casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Johnny Foam ... costume supervisor
Vicki Guzowski ... costumer (as Victoria Guzowski)
Casey Rose ... costumer

Location Management

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Jay Gowey ... location representative: Harbor Star Stage
Marshall D. Moore ... location manager
Anthony Russell ... location assistant
Judy Torres ... assistant location manager

Music Department

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Frank Bennett ... orchestrator: songs
John E. Oliver ... music coordinator
Lise Richardson ... music editor
Robert Schaper ... music mixer: songs / music recordist: songs
Armin Steiner ... music mixer / music recordist
Mark Watters ... conductor
Louise Di Tullio ... musician: flute (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Leslie Park ... script supervisor

Transportation Department

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Art Bauer ... transportation captain
John Bush ... driver
Chuck Clarke ... transportation coordinator
Patrick Cleveland ... driver
Phil Hedley ... driver
Edward Monty Laird ... driver
Timothy Moran ... transportation co-captain

Additional Crew

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Ed Allen ... set production assistant
Adrienne Armor ... assistant production coordinator
David Avadon ... magic consultant
Bob Bellamak ... stand-in: Mr. Ward
Mark Buckles ... set production assistant
Danielle Cohen ... production office assistant
Jonathan Cornick ... production office assistant
Joseph B. Earley ... assistant to producer
Melissa Fahn ... assistant choreographer
Ernest Farino ... title designer (as Ernest D. Farino)
Cynthia Gates Fujikawa ... first assistant accountant (as Cynthia A. Fujikawa)
Steve Gates ... craft service
Lisa Howard ... production accountant
Michael J. Lindsay ... set production assistant
Carole Lyon ... assistant to director
Leslie Lytel ... production associate
Kris Fullan Martinez ... production coordinator (as Kris Fullan)
Teresa Merloni ... stand-in: Ms. Moore
Bruce Smith ... set production assistant
Michael Vasquez ... second assistant accountant
Allen Walls ... choreographer (as Allan Walls)
David A. Weiner ... production assistant
Tommy Williamson ... puppeteer (as Tom Williamson)
Brad Wise ... set production assistant
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

In 1948 Los Angeles, everyone uses magic- everyone except hard-boiled private detective H. Phillip Lovecraft, who refuses for "personal reasons." Lovecraft is hired by a mysterious rich man to recover a stolen book, the Necronomicon. Investigating, he finds that the book holds the key to taking over the world by magical means, releasing the "Old Ones". Written by Ken Yousten

Plot Keywords
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Détective Philippe Lovecraft (France)
  • Hexenjagd in L.A. (Germany)
  • El sello de Satán (Spain)
  • Hechizo letal (Spain)
  • Смъртоносно заклинание (Bulgaria, Bulgarian title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 96 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $6,000,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia HBO produced a sequel, entitled Witch Hunt (1994), which takes place in the 1950s during the red scare (magic is substituted for communism). Dennis Hopper played Lovecraft, in place of Fred Ward. Many characters reappear from this film, though some have different backstories. See more »
Goofs (Possibly intentional?) The handwritten spell (that leads to the creation of the oatmeal monster), written by Tugwell, varies every time it is shown. Even the kind of paper seems to be different in some shots. Most strikingly, it varies in handwriting style, boldness of the ink and the nature of the characters. In some shots, the third character looks like a Greek delta while in other shots it looks like a D. Another letter shifts from a [ to a C to an E and back again. The character named Lovecraft calls them runes, but generously speaking no more than half of the characters could possibly be runes. See more »
Movie Connections Followed by Witch Hunt (1994). See more »
Soundtracks Why Do I Lie? See more »
Crazy Credits Unicorn Wrangler: Hollywood Animals See more »
Quotes Olivia: That's quite a tie.
Lovecraft: Oh, thanks.
Olivia: Put up much of a fight?
Lovecraft: No, I snuck up behind it.
See more »
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