The Mad Magician (1954): Cast & Plot
The Mad Magician is a 1954 horror thriller directed by John Brahm, starring Vincent Price as Don Gallico, Donald Randolph and Eva Gabor. It runs 1 hour 12 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 12m (72 min)
- Director
- John Brahm
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Mad Magician About?
The premise of The Mad Magician without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Don Gallico, a brilliant stage‑magic inventor, dreams of stardom. Just before his debut, his act is sabotaged by the capricious manager Ross Ormond, who covets Gallico’s buzz‑saw illusion for the established star The Great Rinaldi. After losing his wife Claire to Ormond, Gallico resolves to take revenge and claim his own destiny.
The Mad Magician Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- rivalry
- police detective
- buzz saw
- illusion
- contract
- businessman
- impersonation
- renting an apartment
- crematorium
- fingerprint
- novelist
- decapitated
+38 more Show fewer
- ex wife
- stage magician
- buzz saw illusion
- bonfire
- murder
- magic
- mask
- disguise
- 3 dimensional
- burned to death
- psychotronic film
- man tied up
- death trap
- 3d
- turn of the century
- inventor
- invention
- stage illusion
- magician's assistant
- theater
- facial prosthesis
- yo yo
- van dyke beard
- fountain
- mimic
- voice impressionist
- magic wand
- stage act
- illusionist
- stage curtain
- theater curtain
- murderous rage
- disposing of a dead body
- handbag
- horse and buggy
- taxi driver
- lost bag
- lost handbag
The Mad Magician Cast & Characters
Vincent Price leads the cast as Don Gallico, with Donald Randolph as Ross Ormond and Eva Gabor as Claire Gallico Ormond. Directed by John Brahm; 13 actors are credited in all.
- Director John Brahm
-
Vincent Price as Don Gallico - Donald Randolph as Ross Ormond
- Eva Gabor as Claire Gallico Ormond
-
John Emery as Rinaldi aka 'The Great Rinaldi'
Also Starring in The Mad Magician
· 9 more- Mary Murphy Karen Lee
- Patrick O'Neal Lt. Alan Bruce
- Jay Novello Frank Prentiss
- Lenita Lane Alice Prentiss
- Roland Varno Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
- Lyle Talbot Program Hawker (uncredited)
- Roy Engel Detective (uncredited)
- Conrad Brooks Bonfire Extra (uncredited)
- Corey Allen Gus a Stagehand (uncredited)
More from John Brahm
More films directed by John Brahm: The Twilight Zone: A 60th Anniversary Celebration, Hot Rods to Hell, Laura and Bengazi.
The Mad Magician Plot Summary
What happens in The Mad Magician from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Don Gallico Vincent Price is a master of disguise and inventor of stage-magic effects, an aspiring star magician who dreams of headlines under the banner Gallico the Great in the late 19th century. Posing as his rival, The Great Rinaldi John Emery, he launches a bold first show featuring his latest illusion, The Lady and the Buzz Saw. The performance is halted when Ross Ormond [Donald Randolph], a sharp businessman, and his lawyer arrive with a cease-and-desist order. Ormond heads Illusions, Inc., a trick provider that claims ownership over all of Gallico’s creations, not just the specific trick for the night, and the clash over control sets the tone for what follows.
Full summary
The whole story of The Mad Magician, scene by scene
The Mad Magician Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Mad Magician.
How Well Do You Know The Mad Magician?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the profession of the main character Don Gallico?
The Mad Magician Also Known As
8 alternative titles, including “Magier des Schreckens” and “Der Wahnsinnige Zauberkünstler”.
- Also known as
-
- Magier des Schreckens
- Der Wahnsinnige Zauberkünstler
- El mago asesino
- 疯狂的魔术师
- Il mostro delle nebbie
- A Máscara do Mágico
- Un mag extraordinari
- Безумный фокусник
Seen The Mad Magician?
Movies Like The Mad Magician
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Mad Ghoul, Diary of a Madman and The Mad Executioners.
The Mad Magician FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Mad Magician, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Mad Magician?
The Mad Magician runs 1 hour 12 minutes (72 minutes).
When was The Mad Magician released?
The Mad Magician was released on May 19, 1954.
Who directed The Mad Magician?
The Mad Magician was directed by John Brahm.
More films by John Brahm Who is in the cast of The Mad Magician?
The Mad Magician stars Vincent Price as Don Gallico, Donald Randolph as Ross Ormond and Eva Gabor as Claire Gallico Ormond, among 13 credited actors.
Does The Mad Magician have a post-credit scene?
No. The Mad Magician has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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