Calling Dr. Death was the first of the Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...

 Inner Sanctum mystery film

Mystery film

Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...

s. The movie stars Lon Chaney, Jr.

Lon Chaney, Jr.

Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...

 and Patricia Morison

Patricia Morison

Patricia Morison is an American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer . She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on the stage. During her time as a screen actress she was lauded for her patrician beauty, with her blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair among...

, and was directed by Reginald Le Borg

Reginald Le Borg

Reginald Le Borg was an Austrian film director. He directed 68 films between 1936 and 1974. He was born in Vienna, Austria as Reginald Grobel and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack....

. The "Inner Sanctum" franchise originated with a popular radio series and all of the films star Chaney.

Plot

Dr. Mark Steele (Lon Chaney, Jr.) loses memory of the past few days after learning that his wife has been brutally murdered. Steele is aware of his wife's infidelity and believes he could be the killer. He asks his office nurse Stella Madden (Patricia Morison) to help him recover his lost memories.

Cast

Lon Chaney, Jr.

Lon Chaney, Jr.

Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...

... Dr. Mark Steel (as Lon Chaney)

Patricia Morison

Patricia Morison

Patricia Morison is an American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer . She made her feature film debut in 1939 after several years on the stage. During her time as a screen actress she was lauded for her patrician beauty, with her blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair among...

... Stella Madden

J. Carrol Naish

J. Carrol Naish

Joseph Patrick Carrol Naish was an American character actor born in New York City. Naish was twice nominated for an Academy Award for film roles, and he later found fame in the title role of CBS Radio's Life With Luigi , which was also on CBS Television .Naish appeared on stage for several years...

... Inspector Gregg

David Bruce ... Bob Duval

Ramsay Ames

Ramsay Ames

Ramsay Ames was a leading 1940s American B movie actress, model, dancer, comediene, pin-up girl and host of a television show....

... Maria Steele

Fay Helm ... Mrs. Duval

Holmes Herbert

Holmes Herbert

Holmes Herbert was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952.Born as 'Horace Jenner', Holmes Herbert emigrated to the United States in 1912. He was the first son of Ned Herbert , who worked as and actor/comedian in the English Theatre...

... Bryant (the Butler)