Some background might be needed on this one. The Inner Sanctum series was an oddity for Universal. Beginning as a paperback series back in the 1930's, the series made the jump to radio in 1941, where it would run until 1952. Hosted by the unseen and sardonic Raymond, the show had horror and mystery aplenty.
In 1943 Universal bought the rights and made a series of films, each of them featuring Lon Chaney, Jr. They were small thrillers, but each one was a showcase of Universal stock players.
Chaney this time plays Alexander Gregor, master hypnotist. His radio show is the number one in the area and he plays to packed houses with his assistant/fiancé Maura (Evelyn Ankers). The show is coming along fine, until one night when a drunken heckler (Arthur Hohl) keeps interrupting. Gregor invites the drunk to put up or shut up and when the old sot stumbles on stage he then promptly drops dead as soon as Gregor puts him in a trance.
Gregor is shaken to the core, convinced he murdered the man. His manager George (Milburn Stone) tries to calm him, but Gregor wails to the skeptical Inspector Brant (Douglass Drumbrille) that he's a murderer.
George convinces Gregor to take a leave of absence from the radio. Gregor retreats from the public, moving into the upstairs room of Valerie Monet (Tala Birell), who runs a wax museum out of her mansion. The place is mostly empty, save for her and her only other employee, Rudi Polden (Martin Kosleck). Valerie is rather keen on Gregor, which sends the eccentric wax artist/former plastic surgeon Rudi into a mad rage. Complications set in when Valerie's niece Nina (Elena Verdugo) also has the hots for the former radio host.
So naturally when people start disappearing Gregor is convinced that he's behind everything. Is he right? Or are there other sinister forces at work?
Chaney, bless him, tries his best. His weakness as an actor are fairly apparent whenever he tries to be serious or express an emotion. Voiceovers are used, although it does across as less narrative device and more cover, as Chaney's face rarely conveys anything more than dull surprise.
Gregor is shaken to the core, convinced he murdered the man. His manager George (Milburn Stone) tries to calm him, but Gregor wails to the skeptical Inspector Brant (Douglass Drumbrille) that he's a murderer.
George convinces Gregor to take a leave of absence from the radio. Gregor retreats from the public, moving into the upstairs room of Valerie Monet (Tala Birell), who runs a wax museum out of her mansion. The place is mostly empty, save for her and her only other employee, Rudi Polden (Martin Kosleck). Valerie is rather keen on Gregor, which sends the eccentric wax artist/former plastic surgeon Rudi into a mad rage. Complications set in when Valerie's niece Nina (Elena Verdugo) also has the hots for the former radio host.
So naturally when people start disappearing Gregor is convinced that he's behind everything. Is he right? Or are there other sinister forces at work?
Chaney, bless him, tries his best. His weakness as an actor are fairly apparent whenever he tries to be serious or express an emotion. Voiceovers are used, although it does across as less narrative device and more cover, as Chaney's face rarely conveys anything more than dull surprise.
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