The Witness Vanishes
“WHO WILL BE THE NEXT VICTIM OF THE DREADED MANIAC!”
Synopsis
In this mystery, a newspaper executive and three of his colleagues conspire to have the owner of the highly-respected London Sun committed to an insane asylum. The hapless publisher manages to escape. Soon after, the four collaborators begin dying one-by-one. Oddly their obituaries appear in a rival publication before they are actually killed.
Top Cast
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Edmund Lowe
Mark Peters
Wendy Barrie
Joan Marplay
Bruce Lester
Lord Noel Stratton
Forrester Harvey
Allistair McNab
Walter Kingsford
Amos Craven
J.M. Kerrigan
Flinters
Barlowe Borland
Lucus Marplay
Boyd Irwin
Sinclair Ellis
Vernon Steele
Nigel Partridge
Reginald Barlow
Sir John Digby
Leyland Hodgson
Dade
Robert Noble
Inspector Wren
Phyllis Barry
Miss Carson (uncredited)
Wilson Benge
Bradley the Butler (uncredited)
Hal E. Chester
Copy Boy (uncredited)
Herbert Evans
Kirby the Assistant Editor (uncredited)
Denis Greene
Leets (uncredited)
Anne Nagel
Laura the Secretary (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
September 22, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Otis Garrett
- Screenplay & Story
- Robertson White
- Original Score
- Clifford Vaughan, David Raksin, Frank Skinner, Hans J. Salter
- Original Title
- The Witness Vanishes
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 6m
- Production Studios
- Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Otis Garrett
Robertson White, James Ronald
Clifford Vaughan, David Raksin, Frank Skinner, Hans J. Salter
Arthur Martinelli
Harry Keller
Irving Starr
Department Leadership Roster
Otis Garrett
Director
Robertson White
Screenplay
Irving Starr
Producer
Arthur Martinelli
Director of Photography
Harry Keller
Editor
Vera West
Costume Design
Clifford Vaughan
Original Music Composer
David Raksin
Original Music Composer
Frank Skinner
Original Music Composer
Hans J. Salter
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Witness Vanishes.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Witness Vanishes.
Noir Marin
SHOCK THEATER (and SON OF SHOCK)
Screen Gems' 1957 television package which first released to television the classic Universal horror films (mostly) which kick-started the "Monster Craze": "52 of Universal's most spine-tingling, full-length feature films for first-run television". From the original SHOCK! pressbook: "For years, tales of terror, macabre stories of ghouls and ghosts have fascinated millions in every form of entertainment. Now, for the first time, this eerie world of the weird and supernatural comes to television with stunning impact in SHOCK -- an irresistible attraction for mood programming of feature films. SHOCK brings to your television audience what they have never had before -- night after night of thrills and more thrills with the screen's titans of terror..." The impact of this first release to television of these classic Universal monsters can hardly be overstated in its importance to the subsequent "horror boom" period. Here are the films in the order they appeared in the original SHOCK! pressbook. I've decided to add those the films included in the second SON OF SHOCK package beginning with number 53.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Witness Vanishes
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Witness Vanishes about?
In this mystery, a newspaper executive and three of his colleagues conspire to have the owner of the highly-respected London Sun committed to an insane asylum. The hapless publisher manages to escape. Soon after, the four collaborators begin dying one-by-one. Oddly their obituaries appear in a rival publication before they are actually killed.
Who directed The Witness Vanishes?
The Witness Vanishes was directed by Otis Garrett.
Who stars in The Witness Vanishes?
The principal cast of The Witness Vanishes includes Edmund Lowe, Wendy Barrie, Bruce Lester, Forrester Harvey, Walter Kingsford.
When was The Witness Vanishes released and how long is it?
The Witness Vanishes was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 6m.
Who composed the musical score for The Witness Vanishes?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Witness Vanishes was composed by Clifford Vaughan, David Raksin, Frank Skinner, Hans J. Salter.
Is The Witness Vanishes based on a book or true story?
The Witness Vanishes is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "James Ronald".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Witness Vanishes?
The Witness Vanishes holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).