The Black Doll
“HE WAS A VERY "EXCLUSIVE" DETECTIVE! The clues had to find him!”
Synopsis
Nicholas Rood, dishonest mine owner, finds a Black Doll on his desk and knows that vengeance is about to overtake him for murdering his former partner. He is knifed as he talks to his daughter Marian. She summons her fiancé Nick Halstead, a private detective. He finds that six people had a motive for the murder; Rood's sister Mrs. Laura Leland; her son Rex; Rood's associates Mallison and Walling; Esteban, a servant and Dr. Giddings. Sheriff Renick and his deputy Red get the clues all mixed up, but Nick finally narrows the search down to one suspect...
Top Cast
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Donald Woods
Nick Halstead
Nan Grey
Marian Rood
Edgar Kennedy
Sheriff Renick
C. Henry Gordon
Nelson Rood
Doris Lloyd
Laura Leland
John Wray
Walling
Addison Richards
A.H. Mallison
Holmes Herbert
Dr. Giddings
William Lundigan
Rex Leland
Fred Malatesta
Esteban, the butler
Inez Palange
Rosita, the housekeeper
Syd Saylor
Deputy Red
Arthur Hoyt
Coroner
John Harmon
Cabbie
Release History & Theatrical Window
January 31, 1938
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Otis Garrett
- Screenplay & Story
- Harold Buckley
- Original Title
- The Black Doll
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 6m
- Production Studios
- Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Otis Garrett
Harold Buckley, William Edward Hayes
Department Leadership Roster
Otis Garrett
Director
Harold Buckley
Screenplay
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 Black Doll.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Black Doll
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Black Doll about?
Nicholas Rood, dishonest mine owner, finds a Black Doll on his desk and knows that vengeance is about to overtake him for murdering his former partner. He is knifed as he talks to his daughter Marian. She summons her fiancé Nick Halstead, a private detective. He finds that six people had a motive for the murder; Rood's sister Mrs. Laura Leland; her son Rex; Rood's associates Mallison and Walling; Esteban, a servant and Dr. Giddings. Sheriff Renick and his deputy Red get the clues all mixed up, but Nick finally narrows the search down to one suspect...
Who directed The Black Doll?
The Black Doll was directed by Otis Garrett.
Who stars in The Black Doll?
The principal cast of The Black Doll includes Donald Woods, Nan Grey, Edgar Kennedy, C. Henry Gordon, Doris Lloyd.
When was The Black Doll released and how long is it?
The Black Doll was released in 1938 with a total runtime of 1h 6m.
Is The Black Doll based on a book or true story?
The Black Doll is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "William Edward Hayes".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Black Doll?
The Black Doll holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).