MURDER BY TELEVISION (1935) Bela Lugosi, June Collyer & Huntley Gordon | Mystery, Thriller | B&W

Murder by Television (1935) is an American mystery film starring Bela Lugosi, June Collyer, and Huntley Gordon. The film is also known as The Houghland Murder Case. The cast also includes Hattie McDaniel.

SYNOPSIS
James Houghland, inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies, who then send agents to acquire the invention any way they can. On the night of his initial broadcast Houghland is mysteriously murdered in the middle of his demonstration and it falls to Police Chief Nelson to determine who the murderer is from the many suspects present.

James Houghland (Mailes), inventor of a new method by which television signals can be instantaneously sent anywhere in the world, refuses to sell the process to television companies, who then send agents to acquire the invention any way they can.

On the night of his initial broadcast Houghland is mysteriously murdered in the middle of his demonstration and it falls to Police Chief Nelson (Mowbray) to determine who the murderer is from the many suspects present.

CAST & CREW
Bela Lugosi ... dual role as Dr. Arthur Perry and as Edwin Perry
June Collyer ... June Houghland
Huntley Gordon ... Dr. Henry M. Scofield (billed as Huntly Gordon)
George Meeker ... Richard Grayson
Henry Mowbray ... Chief of Police Milton
Charles Hill Mailes ... Prof. James Houghland
Claire McDowell ... Mrs. Houghland
Hattie McDaniel ... Isabella - the Cook
Allen Jung ... Ah Ling - the Houseboy (billed as Allan Jung)
Charles K. French ... Donald M. Jordan

Directed by Clifford Sanforth
Written by Joseph O'Donnell
Produced by Harry Joe Brown
Cinematography James S. Brown Jr.
Edited by Leslie F. Wilder
Music by Oliver Wallace
Production company Cameo Pictures Corp.
Distributed by Imperial Distributing Corp.
Release date October 1, 1935
Running time 55 minutes
Country United States
Language English