The Thirteenth Chair

The Thirteenth Chair is a 1929 American Pre-Code mystery film directed by Tod Browning. The picture is based on a 1916 play of the same name by Bayard Veiller. The supporting cast features Bela Lugosi, whom Browning would direct as Dracula two years later.

Plot

Inspector Delzante (Bela Lugosi), investigates a series of murders near a British mansion in Calcutta. The murders are pinned on a young runaway named Helen O'Neill (Leila Hyams) who is taken in by a well-intentioned fake Irish medium, Madame LaGrange (Margaret Wycherly).

Cast

TOD BROWNINGS THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR 1929 Alfred Eakers The

Conrad Nagel as Richard Crosby

Leila Hyams as Helen "Nellie" O'Neill

Margaret Wycherly as "Madame" Rosalie La Grange

Helene Millard as Mary Eastwood

Holmes Herbert as Sir Roscoe Crosby

Mary Forbes as Lady Alice Crosby

Bela Lugosi as Inspector Delzante

John Davidson as Edward "Ned" Wales

Charles Quatermaine as Dr. Philip Mason (as Charles Quartermaine)

Moon Carroll as Helen Trent

Cyril Chadwick as Brandon Trent

Frank Leigh as Professor Feringeea

Clarence Geldart as Commissioner Grimshaw (as Clarence Geldert)

Trivia

This film was one of many released in both a sound film and a silent film version. The sound version of this film is known to survive.

Margaret Wycherly, who was at one time was married to the writer of The Thirteenth Chair Bayard Veiller, appeared in the original 1916 play cast as well as in this film.

An earlier version of the film, starring Creighton Hale, was released in 1919 by Pathe Exchange. In 1937, the film was remade by MGM, again entitled The Thirteenth Chair, starring Elissa Landi and Dame May Whitty.

The 13th Chair MetroGoldwynMayer 1929 The Bela Lugosi Blog

References

The Thirteenth Chair Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

The Thirteenth Chair IMDb The Thirteenth Chair themoviedb.org

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