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Fantasy western

7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964): Cast & Plot

7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) movie poster

7 Faces of Dr. Lao is a 1964 fantasy western directed by George Pal, starring Tony Randall as Dr. Lao / The Abominable Snowman / Merlin the Magician / Apollonius of Tyana / Pan / The Giant Serpent / Medusa / Audience Member, John Ericson and Arthur O'Connell. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes.

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7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 40m (100 min)
Director
George Pal
Genres
Western , Fantasy , Family
Original language
English
Studio
George Pal Productions
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is 7 Faces of Dr. Lao About?

The premise of 7 Faces of Dr. Lao without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

When the enigmatic Dr. Lao rides into Abalone, Arizona, the townsfolk hurriedly bolt their doors and shut their windows. His traveling circus of mythical beasts and a magical mirror forces each resident to confront a distorted reflection of their own hopes, fears and hidden selves, changing the community forever.

7 Faces of Dr. Lao Themes & Keywords

· 32 tags
  • yellowface
  • psychotronic film
  • showman
  • chinese
  • magical powers
  • western town
  • small western town
  • gorgon
  • fairy tale fantasy
  • supernatural fantasy
  • circus
  • merlin
+20 more
  • magician
  • librarian
  • pan
  • fishbowl
  • donkey
  • newspaper
  • widow
  • surrealism
  • rattlesnake
  • poster
  • motorcycle
  • library
  • hamster
  • fireworks
  • desert
  • sideshow
  • freak
  • small town
  • loch ness monster
  • snake
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Cast & crew

7 Faces of Dr. Lao Cast & Characters

Tony Randall leads the cast as Dr. Lao / The Abominable Snowman / Merlin the Magician / Apollonius of Tyana / Pan / The Giant Serpent / Medusa / Audience Member, with John Ericson as Ed Cunningham / Transformed Pan and Arthur O'Connell as Clint Stark. Directed by George Pal; 22 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao

· 18 more
Show all 22 cast members
From the director

More from George Pal

More films directed by George Pal, best-rated first: The Time Machine, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, Atlantis: The Lost Continent and Tom Thumb.

Full filmography
Plot

7 Faces of Dr. Lao Plot Summary

What happens in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Dr. Lao [Tony Randall] rides a golden donkey into the small town of Abalone, Arizona, and visits Edward Cunningham [John Ericson]’s newspaper to place a large advertisement for his traveling circus, which will perform for two nights only.

Though quiet, Abalone is not peaceful. Wealthy rancher Clinton Stark [Frank Cady] has inside information that a railroad is coming to town and plans to buy the entire town while the land is cheap. Stark arrives at the newspaper offices to confront Cunningham about a recent editorial opposing Stark’s plan, while Lao, waiting to place his ad, silently listens.

Full summary

The whole story of 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

7 Faces of Dr. Lao Trailers & Videos

The trailer of 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

7 Faces of Dr Lao (1964) - Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know 7 Faces of Dr. Lao?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrays Dr. Lao in the film?
Cars

Cars in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao

3 cars on screen, including the unknown and the 1907 Pierce-Racine Model C.

  • unknown in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao unknown Important role
  • 1907 Pierce-Racine Model C in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao 1907 Pierce-Racine Model C Minor role
  • Oldsmobile Curved Dash in 7 Faces of Dr. Lao Oldsmobile Curved Dash Background role
Details

7 Faces of Dr. Lao Also Known As

10 alternative titles, including “Seven Faces of Dr. Lao” and “Les 7 Visages du docteur Lao”.

Also known as
  • Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
  • Les 7 Visages du docteur Lao
  • As Sete Caras do Dr. Lao
  • As 7 Faces do Dr. Lao
  • Der mysteriöse Dr. Lao
  • Le Cirque du docteur Lao
  • Las Siete Caras del Dr. Lao
  • 博士的七张脸
  • Le 7 facce del Dr. Lao
  • Семь лиц доктора Лао

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Movies Like 7 Faces of Dr. Lao

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Legend of the Phantom Rider, Seven Cemeteries and The Seventh Curse.

FAQ

7 Faces of Dr. Lao FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, each answered in a sentence.

How long is 7 Faces of Dr. Lao?

7 Faces of Dr. Lao runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).

When was 7 Faces of Dr. Lao released?

7 Faces of Dr. Lao was released on March 18, 1964.

Who directed 7 Faces of Dr. Lao?

7 Faces of Dr. Lao was directed by George Pal.

More films by George Pal

Who is in the cast of 7 Faces of Dr. Lao?

7 Faces of Dr. Lao stars Tony Randall as Dr. Lao / The Abominable Snowman / Merlin the Magician / Apollonius of Tyana / Pan / The Giant Serpent / Medusa / Audience Member, John Ericson as Ed Cunningham / Transformed Pan and Arthur O'Connell as Clint Stark, among 22 credited actors.

Does 7 Faces of Dr. Lao have a post-credit scene?

No. 7 Faces of Dr. Lao has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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