(1934). Stage Play: Invitation to a Murder. Mystery/melodrama. Written by Rufus King. Directed by A.H. Van Buren. Theatre Masque: 17 May 1934- Jul 1934 (closing date unknown/53 performances). Cast: Walter Abel (as "Dr. Linton"), Humphrey Bogart (as "Horatio Channing"), Edgar Charles, Sherling Oliver, Walter Plinge, Jane Seymour, James Shelburne, Gale Sondergaard (as "Lorinda Channing"), William Valentine, Juan Varro, Daphne Warren-Wilson. Produced by Ben Stein. Note: Filmed by Warner Bros. as The Hidden Hand (1942).
As John Channing, the escapee from the insane asylum, this gave prolific character actor Milton Parsons a more substantial role than the usual bit parts he was usually limited to.
Generally considered to be the archetypal golden era 'haunted house' film, featuring innumerable secret passageways, hidden corridors, rotating walls, trap doors and peek holes in paintings.
This film's earliest documented telecast took place in Indianapolis Monday 17 December 1956 on WTTV (Channel 10); it first aired in Salt Lake City Saturday 9 February 1957 on KUTV (Channel 2), in Phoenix Monday 20 May 1957 on KOOL (Channel 10), in Portland OR Wednesday 20 June on KPTV (Channel 12), in Honolulu Friday 7 June 1957 on KHVH (Channel 13), and in Boston Thursday 19 September 1957 on WBZ (Channel 4).