The picturesque English village of Evenbridge seems an unlikely setting for murder. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what happens when Christopher Boswell arrives there to start work as the partner of the local doctor, Robert Welling. Shortly after his arrival Welling’s wife, Mary, is killed by arsenic poisoning and the finger of suspicion immediately points to her husband. But could he really have done something so cold blooded? He is such a nice man and it seems so out of character!
Production Details
A Hammer production released by Exclusive Films
From the play “This is Mary’s Chair” by Frank King
All characters in this photoplay are fictitious and bear no relation to any real person, living or dead
RCA Sound System
Black & White 63 minutes
Filming Began: 1st March 1951
UK Release: 24th March 1952
Studio:
Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire
Stills from film
Click an image for enlarged slideshow
Cast & Crew
Red = Uncredited
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Art Director | Donald Russo | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Assistant Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/jimmy-sangster/# | 24 | 2 Dec 1927 | 19 Aug 2011 | 83 | 66 | 2 | 68 | |
Camera Operator | Peter Bryan | 32 | 28 Sep 1919 | Sep 1972 | 52 | 28 | 28 | ||
Casting | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-carreras/# | 24 | 21 Dec 1927 | 19 Apr 1994 | 66 | 98 | 9 | 107 | |
Continuity | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/renee-glynne/# | 25 | 3 Aug 1926 | 6 Apr 2022 | 95 | 41 | 3 | 44 | |
Director | Charles Saunders | 47 | 8 Apr 1904 | 20 Apr 1997 | 93 | 1 | 1 | ||
Director of Photography | Walter Harvey BSc | 49 | 9 Feb 1903 | 1979 | 75 | 35 | 35 | ||
Editor | John Ferris | 7 | 7 | ||||||
Hair Stylist | Anne Box | 5 | 5 | ||||||
Make-up | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/phil-leakey/# | 43 | 4 May 1908 | 26 Nov 1992 | 84 | 50 | 50 | ||
Musical Director | Frank Spencer | 40 | 19 Jun 1911 | Feb 1975 | 63 | 22 | 1 | 23 | |
Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/anthony-hinds/# | 29 | 18 Sep 1922 | 30 Sep 2013 | 91 | 87 | 3 | 90 | |
Producer | Julian Lesser | 37 | 18 Jan 1915 | 22 Mar 2005 | 90 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Production Manager | Arthur Barnes | 66 | 1886 | 1956 | 70 | 20 | 20 | ||
Recordist | Edgar Vetter | 39 | 27 Jan 1913 | 15 Dec 1988 | 75 | 15 | 15 | ||
Screenplay | Reginald Long | 53 | 10 Mar 1899 | 1980 | 80 | 3 | 3 | ||
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Ann Marlow | Jean Lodge | 24 | 4 Aug 1927 | 04.08.1927 | 97 | 3 | 3 | ||
Christopher Boswell | Raymond Young | 33 | 16 Jun 1918 | 27 Jul 2011 | 93 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Howard | James Mills | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Jim Pollard | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/robert-brown/# | 30 | 23 Jul 1921 | 11 Nov 2003 | 82 | 6 | 1 | 7 | |
Judy Welling | Julie Somers | 24 | 26 Feb 1928 | 7 Feb 2013 | 84 | 1 | 1 | ||
Mary Welling | Jane Baxter | 42 | 9 Sep 1909 | 13 Sep 1996 | 87 | 1 | 1 | ||
Nurse | June Bardsley | 1 | 1 | ||||||
P.C. James | John Kelly | 48 | 1904 | 19 May 1977 | 73 | 2 | 2 | ||
Plain Clothes Man | David Stoll | 30 | 1922 | 2012 | 90 | 1 | 1 | ||
Railway Porter | Hal Osmond | 48 | 27 May 1903 | Dec 1959 | 56 | 4 | 4 | ||
Robert Welling | Patrick Barr | 44 | 13 Feb 1908 | 29 Aug 1985 | 77 | 3 | 3 | ||
Sam Oddy | Frank Tickle | 58 | 25 Jun 1893 | 18 Oct 1955 | 62 | 2 | 2 | ||
Sarah Oddy | Katie Johnson | 73 | 18 Nov 1878 | 4 May 1957 | 78 | 2 | 2 | ||
Superintendent Walshaw | Russell Napier | 41 | 28 Nov 1910 | 19 Aug 1974 | 63 | 5 | 1 | 6 | |
Taxi Driver | Duggie Ascot | 60 | 19 Jan 1892 | Mar 1961 | 69 | 1 | 1 | ||
Walter Grannage | Russell Waters | 43 | 10 Jun 1908 | 19 Aug 1982 | 74 | 4 | 4 |
Original Poster
Click to enlarge
Footnotes
Elderly actress Katie Johnson appears here as Sarah Oddy. She also turns up in Hammer’s Lady in the Fog (1952), as a madwoman who thinks that she is Mary, Queen of Scots! However, her most famous role was to come later, playing the dotty Mrs Wilberforce in the classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers (1955).
This film features a performance from one Julie Somers (aged 23 at the time of filming) which must rate her as one of the ghastliest “child” actors ever to grace the silver screen!!