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William Castle - Hollywood's Last True Showman

Cast and Crew > Directors
 

"Step Right Up, I'm Gonna Scare The Pants Off America", as his 1975 autobiography is entitled, may well serve as the most fitting epitaph to the man who was loathed by critics only in equal measure to being adored by his fans. William Castle is today perhaps better remembered for the  gimmickry he employed in promoting his

William Castle Headshot

films than the actual movies themselves. Alhough, one could easily argue that therein lies the true measure of Hollywood's last great showman.

William Castle was born on April the 24th 1914 in New York City, New York, or at least William Schloss was. By all accounts William was a fairly shy and unassuming boy, that is until he realized that he had a talent for entertaining. Being able to lock his legs around his neck, as he was double jointed, he perform as the "Spider Boy", much to the delight and bemusement of his piers.

At the mere age of eleven William was orphaned and following that soon dropped out of school. He spent several years drifting around the New York theatre scene working in any capacity he could manage. This included stage hand, set builder, stage manager, actor and finally as a director. When he was only 16 he

convinced the producers of "An American Tragedy" that he was the nephew of Hollywood mogul Samuel Goldwyn. He later went on to work on the stage production of "Dracula" with Bella Lugosi, after successfully conning his way backstage one night.

Castle decided to 'Americanize' his name and changed it from Schloss(German for Castle) to Castle. Upon learning that Orson Welles was vacating his Stony Creek Theatre as he was set to leave for Hollywood in order to make motion pictures(the result of which was "Citizen Kane"(1941)). Castle approached Welles who then agreed to lease him the theatre at a rate of $500 a week.

Castle managed to secure the German actress Ellen Schwanneke, "Machden in Uniform"(1931), to star in his play. Objections were lodges by Actors' Equity over the fact that a foreign national was cast in the lead role instead of an American actress. Castle then claimed that he had discovered and was producing a lost German play entitled "Das Is Nicht Der Kinder"(which translates as : This is not for Children) and as such he required a German born actress for the role. This was however utter fiction, or stated more plainly – an outright lie. William Castle himself wrote the play over a two day period. Fiction or the not, the story was successful in it's design as Actors' Equity withdrew their objections.

When Ellen Schwanneke was asked by the Third Reich to return to Germany she declined. In this Castle saw a golden, if not somewhat unscrupulous, marketing opportunity. Billing Schwanneke as the 'woman who refused Hitler'. Even going so far as to vandalize his own theatre with swastikas, then claiming that Nazi sympathizers were trying to stop him from putting on the play. The deception worked, he received substantial media coverage and the play was a success.

Columbia Pictures soon came calling and after meeting with the infamous 'King' Cohn, president of Columbia - Harry Cohn, Castle was put under contract and started working as a dialogue director on "Music in My Heart"(1941) and the feature "Penny Serenade"(1941) starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.

Castle's directorial debut came in 1943 with the crime drama "The Chance of a Lifetime". The Hollywood Reporter received the movie by saying that "William Castle... is unfit to handle a motion picture". Castle however continued to direct a slew of, totaling no less than forty(40), films between 1943 and 1956 for Columbia and Universal Studios. He garnered a reputation for being able to deliver a bankable movie under budget and within schedule.

During 1947 William Castle and Orson Welles once again crossed

paths when Castle worked as the second unit director on Welles' film noir classic "The Lady From Shanghai". Castle happened to pick up amoebic dysentery and lost a considerable amount of weight as a result of the illness during this experience.

After Castle's contract with Columbia expired in 1956 he worked briefly in television. His credits can be spotted on shows such as "The Californians", "Men of Annapolis" and "Science Fiction Theatre".

After seeing the french thriller "Les Diabolique"(1955), re-titled simply "Diabolique" for the american audience, Castle became obsessed with the idea of producing a similar film of his own. He approaced writer Robb White, whom he met whilst working on the TV show "Mwn of Annapolis", and together they came up with the script for "Macabre"(1958). The two would successfully collaborate on several projects over the decade that was to folow.

"Macabre" was an all or nothing gamble for Castle, having mortgaged his house to produce the film for $86 000. Not taking any chances, and perhaps realizing that the film was not as strong as he'd hoped, he reverted back to his marketing trickery.

macabre poster
Insurance policy certificate for Macabre

He then swiftly moved on to produce and direct what are widely considered to be two of his finest films : "House on Haunted Hill"(1959) and "The Tingler"(1959).

Vincent Price and Carol Ohmart were the acrimonious couple in "House on Haunted Hill" trying to survive a night in a haunted house with five strangers. For this Castle invented "Emergo". Which amounted to little more than a plastic skeleton, attached to a pulley system, swooping over the audience at key scenes. This was initially met with fright, then amusement and finally as target practice for many an unruly teenager.

Taking out an insurance policy with Loyds of London that would pay out the princely sum of $1000 to the estate of any audience member who should happen to die of fright during the screening of the movie, no one ever collected. Upon occasion he even arranged for ambulances to be parked outside the theatres so the deceased could be hurried away. Publicity of this brought audiences to see what the fuss was all about and the film was a massive hit at the box office. Castle managed to sell "Macabre" to Allied Artists for twice his production budget as well as a percentage of the profits.

castle and price
 
 
percepto

"The Tingler" again billed Vincent Price this time as a pathologist who discovers a creature that is born of human fear and kept at bay only by screaming. "Percepto" was Castle's trophy card this time around. Erroneously, and rather widely, reported as electrodes affixed to theatre chairs to give patrons a jolt of electricity at key scenes. What "percepto" in fact was, were military surplus aircraft wing de-icers attached to the bottom of randomly selected seats in the theatre. These would vibrate rapidly simulating a tingling sensation through the spine. At the films climax when Price's character, Dr. Warren Chapin, urges the audience to "Scream, Scream for your lives!!" the "percepto" devices were activated to tremendous effect.

For "13 Ghosts"(1960) the trick was "Illusion-O", a cellophane viewer similar to 3-d glasses. This allowed the audience to either view or remove the ghosts from screen should they become too frightened. Cheap but effective nonetheless.

Castle reached the peak of his gimmickry in 1961 with "Homicidal", introducing a 45 second 'fright break' at the climax of the film involving an elaborate carnival style production enticing moviegoers to seek refuge in 'cowards corner' and finally receive a refund for being too frightened to view the entire movie. John Waters sayd it best in his 1983 book "Crackpot: The Obsessions of John Waters"in a chapter entitled "Whatever Happened to Showmanship?" where he writes :

Yellow Refund Ticket for Cowards
 

"William Castle simply went nuts. He came up with 'Coward's Corner,' a yellow cardboard booth, manned by a bewildered theater employee in the lobby. When the Fright Break was announced, and you found that you couldn't take it anymore, you had to leave your seat and, in front of the entire audience, follow yellow footsteps up the aisle, bathed in a yellow light. Before you reached Coward's Corner, you crossed yellow lines with the stenciled message: 'Cowards Keep Walking.' You passed a nurse (in a yellow uniform?...I wonder), who would offer a blood-pressure test. All the while a recording was blaring, "'Watch the chicken! Watch him shiver in Coward's Corner'!" As the audience howled, you had to go through one final indignity -- at Coward's Corner you were forced to sign a yellow card stating, 'I am a bona fide coward.' Very, very few were masochistic enough to endure this. .... No wonder theater owners balked at booking a William Castle film. It was all just too complicated."

Homicidal Poster

Things got scaled back from here, for "Mr. Sardonicus"(1961) the film was again paused at the climax where this time William Castle himself appeared on screen to take a supposed 'punishment poll' wherein the audience would "vote" whether to have mercy of further punish the movie's villain. The audience were provided with large cardboard thumbs that would point either up to show mercy or down to inflict further punishment. The film would then conclude based on the audience' "vote". However, there is no known instance where the mercy ending was ever seen nor is it known to even exist. This suggests that it was merely a clever ruse on Castle's behalf to give the audience the illusion of control over the film's conclusion.

At the behest of the production studios and his partners Castle dropped the over-the-top gimmicks for his remaining films. Gold coloured(plastic) coins were handed out for "Zotz!"(1962), a worldwide talent search was launched for "13 Frightened Girls"(1963), a million dollar life insurance policy was taken out against 'Hercules' the cockroach for "Bug"(1975) and you could receive a

cardboard axe at a screening of "Strait-Jacket"(1964). Although I have to admit that turning Joan Crawford into an axe wielding murderess for "Strait-Jacket" was quite a trick in it's self.

William Castle's most famous film though was one he did not direct himself, acting instead purely as producer. He managed to purchase the film rights to the Ira Levin novel "Rosemary's Baby" while it was still in galley format. Although he was eager to direct the movie Paramount insisted that it would be best if another director was found , Castle conceded and Roman Polansky was hired in stead. Castle did

crawfordstraitjacket
sardonicus poll

however manage to obtain a small cameo for himself in the movie. "Rosemary's Baby" is widely regarded as one of the finest horror films ever made, and is a part of the IMDB top250 list.

Castle only produced and directed a handful of project after that including "Shanks"(1974), "Riot"(1969) and his TV show "Circle of Fear". William Castle died at the age of 63 on May 31 1977 from a heart attack.

Castle may have fancied himself a modern day P.T. Barnum with his marketing shenanigans but he chose to style himself after Alfred Hitchcock, whom he greatly admired. From appearing in his movies' trailers to the near shameless self promotion and even a signature cigar smoking silhouette, the parallels are self evident.

At one time when he was referred to as a poor man's Hithcock a member of the entertainment press rebuked by remarking that saying so was both an insult to poor men and Hitchcock. Even though Castle never achieved the level of recognition for his work that Hitchcock did, his contribution to the horror genre especially can not be under-estimated or brushed aside easily. The movies of William Castle, along with the offerings from England's Hammer Studios at that time, breathed new life into the horror genre. During a time when everyone else seemed obsessed with either science fiction or grand sweeping epics, Castle reminded us that sometimes it's just fun to be scared.

Rosemary's Baby Poster
 
 

Written by the Classic Movie Master
Posted on 08 March 2013

castle pose
William Castle's signature Silhouette
 
 

Year

Title

Character

Medium

1937

When Love Is Young

Reporter (uncredited)

Film (Universal Pictures)

1937

It Could Happen to You!

Dignified Reporter (uncredited)

Film (Republic Pictures)

1937

The Man Who Cried Wolf

Customer at Box Office (uncredited)

Film (Universal Pictures)

1940

Music in My Heart

N/A - Dialogue Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1940

The Lady in Question

Angry Juror #1 (uncredited)

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1940

He Stayed for Breakfast

Policeman (uncredited)

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1941

Penny Serenade

N/A - Dialogue Director(uncredited)

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1942

Stand By All Networks

N/A - Dialogue Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1942

North to the Klondike

N/A - Writer(Story)

Film (Universal Pictures)

1943

Black Marketing

N/A - Director

Film (RKO)

1943

The Chance of a Lifetime

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1943

Klondike Kate

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1944

The Whistler

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1944

She's a Soldier Too

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1944

When Strangers Marry

N/A - Director

Film (King Brothers Productions)

1944

The Mark of the Whistler

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1945

Dillinger

N/A - Writer (uncredited)

Film (King Brothers Productions)

1945

The Crime Doctor's Warning

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1945

Voice of the Whistler

N/A - Director / Writer (screenplay)

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1946

Just Before Dawn

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1946

Mysterious Intruder

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1946

The Return of Rusty

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1946

Crime Doctor's Man Hunt

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1947

Crime Doctor's Gamble

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1947

The Lady From Shanghai

N/A - 2nd Unit Director / Associate Producer

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1948

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

N/A - Director

Film (Robert S. Golden Productions)

1948

The Gentleman from Nowhere

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1949

Johnny Stool Pigeon

N/A - Director

Film ( Universal International Pictures)

1949

Undertow

N/A - Director

Film ( Universal International Pictures)

Year

Title

Character

Medium

1950

It's a Small World

Cop (uncredited) / Writer / Director

Film (Motion Pictures Inc.)

1951

The Fat Man

N/A - Director

Film ( Universal International Pictures)

1951

Hollywood Story

N/A - Director

Film ( Universal International Pictures)

1951

Cave of Outlaws

N/A - Director

Film ( Universal International Pictures)

1953

Fort Ti

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1953

Serpent of the Nile

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1953

Conquest of Cochise

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1953

Slaves of Babylon

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

Charge of the Lancers

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

Battle of Rogue River

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

Jesse James vs. the Daltons

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

Drums of Tahiti

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

The Iron Glove

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

The Saracen Blade

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

The Law vs. Billy the Kid

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1954

Masterson of Kansas

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1955

The Americano

N/A - Director

Film (RKO)

1955

New Orleans Uncensored

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1955

The Gun That Won the West

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1955

Duel on the Mississippi

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1956

The Man Called X S.1  Ep.4  - Assassination

N/A - Director

TV (ZIV Television Programs)

1956

The Houston Story

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1956

Uranium Boom

N/A - Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1956

Science Fiction Theatre  S.2 Ep. 3 - Who Is This Man?

N/A - Director

TV (ZIV Television Programs)

1957

The Adventures of McGraw

N/A - Producer

TV (NBC)

1957

Men of Annapolis

N/A - Producer  /  Director(10 Episodes)

TV (ZIV Television Programs)

1957

The Californians  S. 1 Ep. 13 -  Truce of the Tree

N/A - Director

TV (NBC)

1958

Target S. 1 Ep. 1  -  Breaking Point

N/A - Director

TV (ZIV Television Programs)

1958

Man with a Camera  s. 1 Ep. 4  -  Closeup on Violence

N/A - Director

TV (ABC)

1958

Macabre

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Allied Artists Pictures)

1959

A Christmas Festival

The Cold Man (as Billy Castle)

TV Movie

1959

House on Haunted Hill

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Allied Artists Pictures)

1959

The Tingler

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

Year

Title

Character

Medium

1960

13 Ghosts

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1961

Homicidal

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1961

Mr. Sardonicus

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1962

Zotz!

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1963

13 Frightened Girls!

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1963

The Old Dark House

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1963

The Plot Thickens

N/A - Writer(creator)

Film (Screen Gems)

1964

Strait-Jacket

N/A - N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1964

The Night Walker

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Universal Pictures)

1965

I Saw What You Did

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Universal Pictures)

1966

Let's Kill Uncle, Before Uncle Kills Us

Russell Harrison (in car wreck) (uncredited) - Producer  /  Director

Film (Universal Pictures)

1967

The Busy Body

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Paramount Pictures)

1967

The Spirit Is Willing

Mr. Hymer (unconfirmed) - Producer  /  Director

Film (Paramount Pictures)

1968

Project X

N/A - Producer  /  Director

Film (Paramount Pictures)

1968

Rosemary's Baby

Man by Pay Phone (uncredited) - Producer

Film (Paramount Pictures)

1969

Riot

N/A - Producer

Film (Paramount Pictures)

 

Year

Title

Character

Medium

1972

Circle of Fear

J.B. Filmore - Executive Producer

TV (NBC)

1974

The Sex Symbol

Jack P. Harper

Film (ABC)

1974

Shanks

Grocer - Executive Producer  /  Director

Film (Paramount Pictures)

1975

Shampoo

Sid Roth

Film (Columbia Pictures)

1975

Bug

N/A - Producer  /  Writer(screenplay)

Film (Paramount Pictures)

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