House of Evil (10 Nov. 1972)
"Ghost Story" House of Evil (original title)

When Grandpa arrives for a visit, he has two special gifts for his granddaughter, Judy, a deaf mute. One is a very special doll house that is an exact replica of the one Judy lives in with ... See full summary »

Director:

Daryl Duke

Writers:

Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson (developer)

Stars:

Sebastian Cabot, Melvyn Douglas, Mildred Dunnock

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Sebastian Cabot	...	Winston Essex
Melvyn Douglas	...	Grandpa
Mildred Dunnock	...	Mrs. Rule
Joan Hotchkis	...	Fran
Richard Mulligan	...	Tom
Jodie Foster	...	Judy
Alan Fudge	...	Dr. Parker
Brad Savage	...	Kevin

Storyline

When Grandpa arrives for a visit, he has two special gifts for his granddaughter, Judy, a deaf mute. One is a very special doll house that is an exact replica of the one Judy lives in with her family. The other is the ability to "hear" his thoughts without speaking. But Grandpa's intentions aren't as benign as they seem. Will Judy be able to save her family before Grandpa destroys it?

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1972 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Castle Productions, Screen Gems Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Excellent!

Ah, now this episode of "Ghost Story/Circle of Fear" showed just how very good this series could be; this is one of the best episodes in my opinion. It's a classic entry involving ESP and voodoo---along with an evil grandfather who takes advantage of his innocent granddaughter by having her (inadvertently) cause harm to her family through the use of creepy cookie dolls. This is probably one of the best-remembered episodes of the series, for those who first viewed the show when they were little kids.

Excellent casting throughout, featuring actors running the range from classic Hollywood stars (Melvyn Douglas) to up-and-coming new talent (Jodie Foster). Other roles were filled by those featured on one television programme or another throughout the years; lots of familiar faces here.

I got such a kick out of seeing the "Bewitched" house featured in this episode. It was used both for the interiors (with some modifications---the stairway has been altered, for example), and for the exteriors (which were shot on the Columbia Ranch). Heck, we even get to see a "Bewitched" doll-house---which of course goes up in flames most spectacularly for the finale.