Vampire Circus – 1972

A Hammer production presented by The Rank Organisation and released through Rank Film Distributors limited Copyright MCMLXXI Hammer Film Productions Limited – All rights reserved
MPAA Approved Certificate

The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional

Westrex Recording System
Made at Pinewood Studios, London, England
Colour by Rank Film Processing 87 mins

Storyline

The folk of the town of Schtettel storm the local castle to destroy the vampire Count Mitterhaus, but as he expires he curses the town, foretelling that it and its children will die to give him back his life. Shortly afterwards, a plague-like illness descends on Schtettel claiming many lives and giving rise to thoughts that the curse is beginning to come true. Then, into this grim situation comes the Circus of Nights, a travelling troupe of performers and animals. At first the townspeople welcome them, pleased to have a diversion from their woes, but it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary circus, but one with strange and terrifying powers, summoned to the town to help fulfil the dead Count’s prophecy.

Watch the trailer on YouTube

Crew


Function	Credited	Age at Release	Birth	Death	Age	Hammer Credits
Animal Adviser	Mary Chipperfield	34	1938	1 Jan 2014	76	1
Art Director	Scott MacGregor	57	22 Oct 1914	1971	56	14
Assistant Art Director	Don Picton	55	22 Feb 1916	1 Nov 1981	65	15
Assistant Director	Derek Whitehurst	43	2 Oct 1928	6 Dec 2005	77	16
Camera Operator	Walter Byatt	43	1929	Living	92	1
Casting Director	James Liggat	52	1920	28 Sep 1981	61	29
Construction Manager	Arthur Banks					18
Continuity	June Randall	44	26 Jun 1927	18 Jan 2015	87	6
Directed by	Robert Young	38	16 Mar 1933	Living	87	2
Director of Photography	Moray Grant	54	13 Nov 1917	17 Sep 1977	59	29
Dubbing Mixer	Ken Barker (2)	54	1918	13 Feb 2001	83	10
Editor	Peter Musgrave	41	1931	Living	90	1
Hairdressing	Ann McFadyen					1
Make-up	Jill Carpenter					2
Music Composed by	David Whitaker	40	6 Jan 1931	11 Jan 2012	81	3
Musical Supervisor	Philip Martell	64	6 Oct 1907	11 Aug 1993	85	103
Produced by	Wilbur Stark	59	10 Aug 1912	11 Aug 1995	83	1
Production Manager	Tom Sachs	42	10 Apr 1929	Living	91	8
Production Supervisor	Roy Skeggs	37	1 Apr 1934	29 Dec 2018	84	45
Screenplay by	Judson Kinberg	46	7 Jul 1925	2 Nov 2016	91	1
Sound Editor	Roy Hyde	51	15 Feb 1920	28 Jun 1985	65	30
Sound Recordist	Claude Hitchcock	53	8 Nov 1918	4 Oct 2010	91	14
Special Effects	Les Bowie	58	10 Nov 1913	27 Jan 1979	65	32
Wardrobe Supervisor	Brian Owen-Smith					3

Cast


Character	Actor	Age at Release	Birth	Death	Age	Hammer Appearances
Anna Mueller	Domini Blythe	24	28 Aug 1947	15 Dec 2010	63	1
Anton	John Moulder-Brown	18	3 Jun 1953	Living	67	1
Burgermeister	Thorley Walters	58	12 May 1913	6 Jul 1991	78	6
Count Mitterhaus	Robert Tayman	29	6 Jun 1942	Living	78	2
Dora Mueller	Lynne Frederick	17	25 Jul 1954	27 Apr 1997	42	1
Dr Kersh	Richard Owens	40	26 Sep 1931	3 Nov 2015	84	1
Elvira	Mary Wimbush	47	19 Mar 1924	31 Jan 2005	80	1
Emil	Anthony Corlan (Anthony Higgins)	24	9 May 1947	Living	73	3
Gerta Hauser	Elizabeth Seal	38	28 Aug 1933	Living	87	1
Gustav	Barnaby Shaw	12	1960	Living	61	2
Gypsy Woman	Adrienne Corri	41	13 Nov 1930	13 Mar 2016	85	4
Hauser	Robin Hunter	42	4 Sep 1929	8 Mar 2004	74	1
Heinrich	Robin Sachs	20	5 Feb 1951	1 Feb 2013	61	1
Helga	Lalla Ward	20	28 Jun 1951	Living	69	1
Jon	Roderick Shaw	13	30 Jun 1958	1 Apr 1996	37	2
Michael	Skip Martin	43	28 Mar 1928	4 Nov 1984	56	1
Mueller	Laurence Payne	52	5 Jun 1919	23 Feb 2009	89	1
Rosa	Christina Paul	24	1948	Living	73	1
Schilt	John Bown	37	1 Jul 1934	5 Nov 2017	83	2
Strongman	David Prowse	36	1 Jul 1935	28 Nov 2020	85	3

Footnotes

Actress Lynne Frederick later married comedy actor Peter Sellers. She died from the effects of alcoholism at 42.

Lalla Ward married actor Tom Baker after first appearing with him as a fellow Time Lord in BBC TV’s “Doctor Who”.

Producer Wilbur Stark was the father of actress/model Koo Stark, who created headlines by having an affair with Prince Andrew.

Laurence Payne’s part was originally meant to be played by Anton Rogers, but he had to pull out at the last moment owing to illness.

This film has the longest prologue of any Hammer film, which, at twelve minutes, is almost as long as one of the Company’s earlier featurettes!

Details were complied viewing the actual film.
Source of viewing copy – The Hammer Graveyard Collection