Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Comedy horror film

King of the Zombies (1941): Cast & Plot

King of the Zombies (1941) movie poster

King of the Zombies is a 1941 comedy horror film directed by Jean Yarbrough, starring Dick Purcell as James 'Mac' McCarthy, John Archer and Mantan Moreland. It runs 1 hour 7 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
King of the Zombies (1941) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 7m (67 min)
Director
Jean Yarbrough
Genres
Comedy , Horror
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is King of the Zombies About?

The premise of King of the Zombies without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During World War II a small aircraft over the Caribbean runs low on fuel, is tossed by a storm and, guided by a faint radio signal, crash‑lands on a remote island. The passenger, his nervous manservant and the pilot take refuge in a mansion owned by a doctor. As voodoo rites, strange noises and eerie rituals appear, the easily frightened manservant becomes convinced the house is haunted by zombies and ghosts, prompting a night of terror and human sacrifice.

King of the Zombies Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • airplane
  • tied up
  • hostage
  • happy ending
  • airplane crash
  • pilot
  • fear
  • cellar
  • mansion
  • nazi zombie
  • jungle drums
  • trance
+38 more
  • hypnosis
  • brandy
  • hidden door
  • nazi spy
  • low budget film
  • gunfire
  • eye ball rolling
  • hostility
  • flight turbulance
  • ghostly turbulence
  • treachery
  • native chief
  • kitchen maid
  • conversation in slang
  • submission
  • desperation
  • dire straits
  • despair
  • dejection
  • german accent
  • unknown island
  • foreign agent
  • irish zombie
  • caribbean sea
  • radio transmitter
  • cemetery
  • crash landing
  • magic potion
  • ceremonial mask
  • stairway
  • government mission
  • homosexual subtext
  • jungle fever
  • fire pit
  • captive admiral
  • doctor
  • evil
  • salt
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

King of the Zombies Cast & Characters

Dick Purcell leads the cast as James 'Mac' McCarthy, with John Archer as Bill Summers and Mantan Moreland as Jefferson 'Jeff' Jackson. Directed by Jean Yarbrough; 13 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in King of the Zombies

· 9 more
From the director

More from Jean Yarbrough

More films directed by Jean Yarbrough: Hillbillys in a Haunted House, Footsteps in the Night, Hot Shots and Crashing Las Vegas.

Full filmography
Plot

King of the Zombies Plot Summary

What happens in King of the Zombies from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1941, a Capelis XC-12 transport aircraft en route between Cuba and Puerto Rico is swept off course by a fierce storm, slipping low on fuel and forcing an emergency crash-landing on a remote island. The pilot, James “Mac” McCarthy, struggles to pick up any radio transmissions over the Caribbean and is left with a grim reality. Among the passengers, Bill Summers and his valet, Jefferson ‘Jeff’ Jackson, seek shelter inside a secluded mansion owned by Dr. Miklos Sangre and his wife Alyce Sangre.

Full summary

The whole story of King of the Zombies, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

King of the Zombies Trailers & Videos

The trailer of King of the Zombies.

King of the Zombies (Trailer)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know King of the Zombies?

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

Between which two locations is the flight traveling when it is swept off course?

Details

King of the Zombies Also Known As

6 alternative titles, including “Herr der Zombies - Insel der lebenden Toten” and “Herr der Zombies”.

Also known as
  • Herr der Zombies - Insel der lebenden Toten
  • Herr der Zombies
  • 僵尸之王
  • O Rei dos Zombies
  • Le roi des zombies
  • Король зомби

Seen King of the Zombies?

FAQ

King of the Zombies FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of King of the Zombies, each answered in a sentence.

How long is King of the Zombies?

King of the Zombies runs 1 hour 7 minutes (67 minutes).

When was King of the Zombies released?

King of the Zombies was released on May 14, 1941.

Who directed King of the Zombies?

King of the Zombies was directed by Jean Yarbrough.

More films by Jean Yarbrough

Who is in the cast of King of the Zombies?

King of the Zombies stars Dick Purcell as James 'Mac' McCarthy, John Archer as Bill Summers and Mantan Moreland as Jefferson 'Jeff' Jackson, among 13 credited actors.

Does King of the Zombies have a post-credit scene?

No. King of the Zombies has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app