The Mad Magician
Encyclopedia
The Mad Magician was a 1954
horror film starring Vincent Price
and Eva Gabor
. In 1987, it became the first movie shown in 3D
on television.
plays Gallico the great, an inventor of stage-magic effects
who aspires to become a star in his own right. Just before his first performance, his act is shut down by capricious manager Ormond (Donald Randolph
), who wants Gallico's brilliant buzzsaw
effect for the act of the Great Rinaldi (John Emery), an established star. With this defeat, and the humiliation of having already lost his wife Claire (Eva Gabor
) to his rival, Gallico goes insane and uses the buzzsaw to decapitate his manager. His crime is almost revealed when Ormond's severed head is mistakenly taken for a trip with Gallico's assistant Karen (Mary Murphy
) and her boyfriend Alan Bruce (Patrick O'Neal), a police officer.
Gallico then impersonates Ormond to rent an apartment from Alice Prentiss (Lenita Lane), an author of mystery novels. Gallico disposes of Ormond's body, but is again forced to murder when his ex-wife Claire discovers the impersonation. Prentiss comes forth as a witness to the crime, but identifies Ormond as Claire's murderer. The Great Rinaldi again schemes to steal a trick of Gallico's, an illusion involving a crematorium, and ultimately winds up burned to death in the process. Gallico begins impersonating Rinaldi to take over that magician's show.
Meanwhile, the detective Alan Bruce matches the fingerprints of Ormond with those of Rinaldi—since both sets of prints are actually Gallico's, and the novelist Prentiss realizes her boarder, and the murderer, was Gallico and not Ormond. The two, along with the assistant Karen, band together for an ultimate confrontation with Gallico.
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
horror film starring Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
and Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
. In 1987, it became the first movie shown in 3D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
on television.
Plot
Vincent PriceVincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
plays Gallico the great, an inventor of stage-magic effects
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
who aspires to become a star in his own right. Just before his first performance, his act is shut down by capricious manager Ormond (Donald Randolph
Donald Randolph
Donald Randolph was a film, television, and radio actor. The actor, who appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz , acted in dozens of radio dramas, television programs, and over thirty films....
), who wants Gallico's brilliant buzzsaw
Circular saw
The circular saw is a machine using a toothed metal cutting disc or blade. The term is also loosely used for the blade itself. The blade is a tool for cutting wood or other materials and may be hand-held or table-mounted. It can also be used to make narrow slots...
effect for the act of the Great Rinaldi (John Emery), an established star. With this defeat, and the humiliation of having already lost his wife Claire (Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
) to his rival, Gallico goes insane and uses the buzzsaw to decapitate his manager. His crime is almost revealed when Ormond's severed head is mistakenly taken for a trip with Gallico's assistant Karen (Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy (actress)
Mary Murphy was an American film actress of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She was born in Washington, D.C. and spent most of her early childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father, James Victor Murphy, died in 1940. Shortly afterwards, she and her mother moved to Southern California...
) and her boyfriend Alan Bruce (Patrick O'Neal), a police officer.
Gallico then impersonates Ormond to rent an apartment from Alice Prentiss (Lenita Lane), an author of mystery novels. Gallico disposes of Ormond's body, but is again forced to murder when his ex-wife Claire discovers the impersonation. Prentiss comes forth as a witness to the crime, but identifies Ormond as Claire's murderer. The Great Rinaldi again schemes to steal a trick of Gallico's, an illusion involving a crematorium, and ultimately winds up burned to death in the process. Gallico begins impersonating Rinaldi to take over that magician's show.
Meanwhile, the detective Alan Bruce matches the fingerprints of Ormond with those of Rinaldi—since both sets of prints are actually Gallico's, and the novelist Prentiss realizes her boarder, and the murderer, was Gallico and not Ormond. The two, along with the assistant Karen, band together for an ultimate confrontation with Gallico.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Vincent Price Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St... |
Don Gallico / Gallico the Great |
| Mary Murphy Mary Murphy (actress) Mary Murphy was an American film actress of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She was born in Washington, D.C. and spent most of her early childhood in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father, James Victor Murphy, died in 1940. Shortly afterwards, she and her mother moved to Southern California... |
Karen Lee |
| Eva Gabor Eva Gabor Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under... |
Claire Ormond |
| John Emery | The Great Rinaldi |
| Donald Randolph Donald Randolph Donald Randolph was a film, television, and radio actor. The actor, who appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz , acted in dozens of radio dramas, television programs, and over thirty films.... |
Ross Ormond |
| Lenita Lane | Alice Prentiss |
| Patrick O'Neal | Lt. Alan Bruce |
| Jay Novello Jay Novello Jay Novello was an American radio, film, and television character actor.Born in Chicago as Michael Romano, of Italian descent, Novello began his career as a radio actor, playing Jack Packard on the Hollywood version of I Love a Mystery for a brief period, circa 1944... |
Frank Prentiss |
| Corey Allen Corey Allen Corey Allen was an American film and television director, writer, producer, and actor. He began his career as an actor but eventually became a television director. He may be best known for playing the character Buzz Gunderson in Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause... |
Gus the Stagehand (uncredited) |