The Fingers of Fear (21 Feb. 1961)

The police manhunt for a serial killer of children ends with the arrest of a mentally-challenged brute named Ohrback, but the detective in charge of the case begins to wonder if they have the wrong man.

Director:

Jules Bricken

Writers:

Robert Hardy Andrews, Philip MacDonald (short story)

Stars:

Boris Karloff, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert Middleton

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Boris Karloff	...	Himself
Nehemiah Persoff	...	Lt. Jim Wagner
Robert Middleton	...	Ohrback
H.M. Wynant	...	Sid
Kevin Hagen	...	Sgt. Spivak
Dick Wessel	...	Mr. Zimmer
Thayer Roberts	...	Mr. Merriman
Robert Stevenson	...	Dr. Lascoe (as Robert J. Stevenson)
Sam Gilman	...	Officer Pat Dutton
Ted de Corsia	...	Police Commissioner Putnam
Richard Travis	...	Mr. Carter
Jan Brooks	...	Mary Wagner
Lucy Prentis	...	Saleswoman
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.	...	Martinez, leather store owner (as Rodolfo Hoyos)
Angela Greene	...	Mrs. Carlisle

Storyline

The police manhunt for a serial killer of children ends with the arrest of a mentally-challenged brute named Ohrback, but the detective in charge of the case begins to wonder if they have the wrong man.

---

Plot Keywords:

doll | child murder | off screen murder | false accusation | police investigation | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1961 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hubbell Robinson Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Horrifying episode with shock ending

Although technically a crime entry, "The Fingers of Fear" is one of THRILLER's most horrifying shows. Nehemiah Persoff stars as a police lieutenant on the trail of a vicious killer who preys on young children, pretty potent stuff for 1961 television viewers and even more relevant today. Authorities look for a hulking brute (Robert Middleton) who was seen throwing his knife away by a lad fishing nearby. Middleton would do a later episode ("Guillotine"), as would Kevin Hagen ("Flowers of Evil"). Things really go up a notch once Terry Burnham (from episode 4 "The Mark of the Hand") shows up unbilled as an endangered child, while 9 year old Morgan Brittany made only her third TV appearance (also unbilled) as the girl who tips off the detectives about an old man (Thayer Roberts) with a fixation on dolls. On a side note, everyone describes Middleton's character as looking like a 'monster,' but he was hardly in the same department as Rondo Hatton!