The Crawling Hand is a cheesy horror movie about … A dead astronaut’s disembodied arm. That’s on a killing spree!
The Crawling Hand (1963) starring Peter Breck, Kent Taylor, Rod Lauren
When it comes to The Crawling Hand, the puns right themselves. In fact, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 folks mocked it mercilessly — and deservedly so.
Product Description
THE CRAWLING HAND: A manned rocket returning from the Moon is invaded by an alien life force that possesses the astronaut, maintains control of his disembodied hand after a California beach crash-landing, and then imposes its will on a local medical student (Rod Lauren). Veteran players Kent Taylor, Richard Arlen, Alan Hale Jr. and Arline Judge struggle to retain their dignity in this five-fingered sci-fiasco! Features ”The Bird’s the Word” by the Rivingtons! 1963 | 88 min* | B&W | 1.78:1/widescreen | NR
Cast of characters
- Peter Breck (The Big Valley) … Steve Curan.
- Kent Taylor (Five Came Back, The Day Mars Invaded Earth) … Dr. Max Weitzberg
- Rod Lauren (Terrified) … Paul Lawrence. The young medical student, in love with Donna. He discovers the burnt, disembodied arm on the beach. And decides to keep it!
- Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan’s Island, The Giant Spider Invasion) … Sheriff Townsend
- Allison Hayes (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, The Undead) … Donna. The lovely Swedish foreign exchange student — without a Swedish accent. Paul’s proposed to her …. But she doesn’t accept immediately. She does love him …. even after he’s under the crawling hand’s control, and tries to kill her!
- Sirry Steffen (Hitler 1962) … Marta Farnstrom
- Arline Judge (The Contender) … Mrs. Hotchkiss. Paul’s landlady. The first vicim of the crawling hand.
Secondary characters
- Richard Arlen (Island of Lost Souls) … Lee Barrenger
- Tristram Coffin (The Corpse Vanishes) … Security Chief Meidel
- Ross Elliott (Tarantula, The Beast from 20000 Fathoms) … Deputy Earl Harrison
- Stan Jones (The Transformers 1986) … Funeral Director
- Jock Putnam … Ambulance Attendant
- Andy Andrews … Ambulance Attendant
- Syd Saylor … Soda Shop Owner. No dancing, it’s not allowed!
- Edward Wermel … Prof. Farnstrom
- Beverly Lunsford … Patsy Townsend
- Les Hoyle … Man
- Ashley Cowan (The Buccaneer, Mutiny on the Bounty 1962) … Captain Mel Lockhart. The doomed astronaut, controlled by the mysterious, homicidal force. In his short time on screen, he looks like a zombie. He begs ground control to remotely destroy his ship. Which they reluctantly do.
- Joseph F. Robertson … The Crawling Hand (uncredited)
