The Witness Chair
“WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT A WOMAN LIKE THIS WOULD KILL A MAN?”
Synopsis
Late one night, secretary Paula Young (Ann Harding) leaves the office of her boss, Stanley Whittaker (Douglas Dumbrille, locking the door and taking the stairs to avoid being seen by the elevator operator (Frank Jenks). The next morning, the cleaning lady finds Whittaker's dead body, an apparent suicide. Police Lieutenant Poole (Moroni Olsen) finds a letter signed by Whittaker in which the deceased states he embezzled $75,000. Soon, however, he suspects otherwise and, after investigating, arrests widower James "Jim" Trent (Walter Abel), the vice president of Whittaker.
Top Cast
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Ann Harding
Paula Young
Walter Abel
James Trent
Douglass Dumbrille
Stanley Whittaker
Margaret Hamilton
Grace Franklin
Frances Sage
Constance Trent
Moroni Olsen
Lt. Poole
William Benedict
Benny Ryan
Paul Harvey
Martin
Frank Jenks
Roy Levino
Murray Kinnell
Defense Attorney Conrick
Charles Arnt
Mr. Henshaw
Maxine Jennings
Tillie Jones
William Bailey
Court Bailiff
Barlowe Borland
Mr. O'Neil
Alan Curtis
Reporter in Coutroom
Jack Gargan
Laughing Reporter
Fred Kelsey
Detective Costigan
Mike Lally
Prosecutor's Assistant
Release History & Theatrical Window
April 23, 1936
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- George Nichols Jr.
- Screenplay & Story
- Rian James, Gertrude Purcell
- Original Title
- The Witness Chair
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 4m
- Production Studios
- RKO Radio Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
George Nichols Jr.
Rian James, Gertrude Purcell, Rita Weiman
Department Leadership Roster
George Nichols Jr.
Director
Rian James
Screenplay
Gertrude Purcell
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 Witness Chair.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Witness Chair.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Witness Chair
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Witness Chair about?
Late one night, secretary Paula Young (Ann Harding) leaves the office of her boss, Stanley Whittaker (Douglas Dumbrille, locking the door and taking the stairs to avoid being seen by the elevator operator (Frank Jenks). The next morning, the cleaning lady finds Whittaker's dead body, an apparent suicide. Police Lieutenant Poole (Moroni Olsen) finds a letter signed by Whittaker in which the deceased states he embezzled $75,000. Soon, however, he suspects otherwise and, after investigating, arrests widower James "Jim" Trent (Walter Abel), the vice president of Whittaker.
Who directed The Witness Chair?
The Witness Chair was directed by George Nichols Jr..
Who stars in The Witness Chair?
The principal cast of The Witness Chair includes Ann Harding, Walter Abel, Douglass Dumbrille, Margaret Hamilton, Frances Sage.
When was The Witness Chair released and how long is it?
The Witness Chair was released in 1936 with a total runtime of 1h 4m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Witness Chair?
The Witness Chair holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).