March 28,1941 The Mysterious Dr. R made its debut in theaters
So, you cinema fans do not recognize the title? It was the debut in sci-fi/horror films of the son of a silent film legend.
As many films are prone to do, a "working title" often is changed once production gets underway, and The Mysterious Dr. R was released by Universal studios as Man Made Monster.
The "mysterious Dr. R" was indeed, Dr. Paul Rigas, played by perhaps the maddest doctor of them all, Lionel Atwill.
The cast includes Samuel S. Hinds ('35 The Raven, It's A Wonderful Life), Frank Albertson (It's A Wonderful Life, Psycho), Anne Nagel (Green Hornet serials, Black Friday) and Creighton Tull Chaney, now christened as Lon Chaney Jr. in his first Universal studios monster movie.
The plot resembles The Invisible Ray (1936), The Walking Dead (1936), and two decades later Indestructible Man (1956); that much later feature starred Chaney but was not directly inspired by Man-Made Monster.
Back in 1936, Boris Karloff was originally selected for the role of Dan McCormick, with Bela Lugosi playing Dr. Rigas. This earlier version of the film, which was titled The Electric Man, ended up being scrapped because the concept was too similar to another Karloff/Lugosi feature film, The Invisible Ray. The script was then shelved for the next four years before being revived in 1940 under Universal's new management.
Chaney finally reached a level of acclaim after his performance as Lenny Small in Of Mice and Men, and Universal was searching for a new star to helm the horror genre after Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.
Lon's skill as the tragic Lennie, comes forward in this film, as Dan McCormick.
When Man-Made Monster finally went into production, the studio considered it a quick, low-budget feature. Shot in three weeks and with an estimated budget of only $86,000, it was one of the cheapest films made by Universal that year. Despite these limitations, however, the filmmakers were still able to achieve some impressive effects, including one that made Lon Chaney appear to glow in the dark, an effect first used in the Karloff/Lugosi film The Invisible Ray.
Plot:
A tragic accident occurs when a bus hits a high power line. The incident has claimed the lives of all on board, except for one Dan McCormick, who survives because he is, surprisingly, immune to the deadly electricity. McCormick does a sideshow exhibit as Dynamo Dan, the Electric Man and is taken in by Dr. John Lawrence (Hines), who wants to study him. However, Dr. Lawrence's colleague, mad scientist Dr. Paul Rigas (Atwill), desires to create an army of electrobiologically-driven zombies. He gives McCormick progressively higher doses of electricity until his mind is ruined and left dependent on the addictive electrical charges. This temporarily gives McCormick the touch of death, making him capable of killing anyone he touches by electrocution. After accidentally killing Lawrence, Rigas ensures McCormick's conviction to see what will happen if he is sent to the electric chair. McCormick survives, and with a super charge in his glowing body encased in a protective rubber suit he kills several people, including Rigas, before becoming entangled on a barbed wire fence which tears his rubber suit, causing the electricity to drain out into the wire and McCormick to die.
The transformation of Dan McCormick from a happy go lucky type guy to a reclusive shell of one, now dependant upon constant jolts of electricity, is sad and tragic, and Chaney does it very well.
Dan McCormick was no 'Monster.' He was a good guy at the wrong place, at the mercy of a crazed scientist.
The film was a modest success, and Lon wasn't sure what the future would hold. He had been a struggling actor for some time, until success came with Of Mice and Men...but even then, he wasn't an overnight sensation. His audition for Man Made Monster was a turning point, as
his performance in the lead role helped him win a contract with Universal.
While promoting their new star, Universal's publicity department hinted that history was possibly repeating itself, noting that Chaney's first major horror movie role was shot at the same studio as his father's well-known The Phantom of the Opera, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.
That constant comparison and reminder was a huge burden for the young Chaney, that he carried for the rest of his life.
Soon he would be given the role that would become his signature....along with a name change by the studio, that would add to the burden of escaping the shadow of his father.
When Universal studios monster movies came to tv in 1957, Man Made Monster was my very first introduction to the genre....before Dracula, the Frankenstein monster.....it was "Dynamo Dan" McCormick.
Sources: IMBD, Wikipedia, "Chaney's Audition" by Bill Fleck, my personal thoughts.
As many films are prone to do, a "working title" often is changed once production gets underway, and The Mysterious Dr. R was released by Universal studios as Man Made Monster.
The "mysterious Dr. R" was indeed, Dr. Paul Rigas, played by perhaps the maddest doctor of them all, Lionel Atwill.
The cast includes Samuel S. Hinds ('35 The Raven, It's A Wonderful Life), Frank Albertson (It's A Wonderful Life, Psycho), Anne Nagel (Green Hornet serials, Black Friday) and Creighton Tull Chaney, now christened as Lon Chaney Jr. in his first Universal studios monster movie.
The plot resembles The Invisible Ray (1936), The Walking Dead (1936), and two decades later Indestructible Man (1956); that much later feature starred Chaney but was not directly inspired by Man-Made Monster.
Back in 1936, Boris Karloff was originally selected for the role of Dan McCormick, with Bela Lugosi playing Dr. Rigas. This earlier version of the film, which was titled The Electric Man, ended up being scrapped because the concept was too similar to another Karloff/Lugosi feature film, The Invisible Ray. The script was then shelved for the next four years before being revived in 1940 under Universal's new management.
Chaney finally reached a level of acclaim after his performance as Lenny Small in Of Mice and Men, and Universal was searching for a new star to helm the horror genre after Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.
Lon's skill as the tragic Lennie, comes forward in this film, as Dan McCormick.
When Man-Made Monster finally went into production, the studio considered it a quick, low-budget feature. Shot in three weeks and with an estimated budget of only $86,000, it was one of the cheapest films made by Universal that year. Despite these limitations, however, the filmmakers were still able to achieve some impressive effects, including one that made Lon Chaney appear to glow in the dark, an effect first used in the Karloff/Lugosi film The Invisible Ray.
Plot:
A tragic accident occurs when a bus hits a high power line. The incident has claimed the lives of all on board, except for one Dan McCormick, who survives because he is, surprisingly, immune to the deadly electricity. McCormick does a sideshow exhibit as Dynamo Dan, the Electric Man and is taken in by Dr. John Lawrence (Hines), who wants to study him. However, Dr. Lawrence's colleague, mad scientist Dr. Paul Rigas (Atwill), desires to create an army of electrobiologically-driven zombies. He gives McCormick progressively higher doses of electricity until his mind is ruined and left dependent on the addictive electrical charges. This temporarily gives McCormick the touch of death, making him capable of killing anyone he touches by electrocution. After accidentally killing Lawrence, Rigas ensures McCormick's conviction to see what will happen if he is sent to the electric chair. McCormick survives, and with a super charge in his glowing body encased in a protective rubber suit he kills several people, including Rigas, before becoming entangled on a barbed wire fence which tears his rubber suit, causing the electricity to drain out into the wire and McCormick to die.
The transformation of Dan McCormick from a happy go lucky type guy to a reclusive shell of one, now dependant upon constant jolts of electricity, is sad and tragic, and Chaney does it very well.
Dan McCormick was no 'Monster.' He was a good guy at the wrong place, at the mercy of a crazed scientist.
The film was a modest success, and Lon wasn't sure what the future would hold. He had been a struggling actor for some time, until success came with Of Mice and Men...but even then, he wasn't an overnight sensation. His audition for Man Made Monster was a turning point, as
his performance in the lead role helped him win a contract with Universal.
While promoting their new star, Universal's publicity department hinted that history was possibly repeating itself, noting that Chaney's first major horror movie role was shot at the same studio as his father's well-known The Phantom of the Opera, and Hunchback of Notre Dame.
That constant comparison and reminder was a huge burden for the young Chaney, that he carried for the rest of his life.
Soon he would be given the role that would become his signature....along with a name change by the studio, that would add to the burden of escaping the shadow of his father.
When Universal studios monster movies came to tv in 1957, Man Made Monster was my very first introduction to the genre....before Dracula, the Frankenstein monster.....it was "Dynamo Dan" McCormick.
Sources: IMBD, Wikipedia, "Chaney's Audition" by Bill Fleck, my personal thoughts.
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