Pillow of Death

Pillow of Death is a 1945 noir-mystery horror film, and the sixth installment in The Inner Sanctum Mysteries anthological film series, which was based on the popular radio series of the same name. Directed by Wallace Fox and starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Brenda Joyce;^[1] it was the only entry in the series to dispense with the introduction by a disembodied head in a crystal ball, as well as the only one to feature comic-relief characters to alleviate the grim tone.

Pillow of Death
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Wallace Fox
Screenplay by	George Bricker
Story by	Dwight V. Babcock
Based on	Inner Sanctum Mystery by Himan Brown
Produced by	Ben Pivar
Starring	Lon Chaney Jr. Brenda Joyce
Cinematography	Jerome Ash
Edited by	Edward Curtiss
Music by	Frank Skinner
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	December 14, 1945 (1945-12-14) (United States)
Running time	66 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

Attorney Wayne Fletcher intends to divorce his wife and marry his secretary, who comes from a wealthy family. When the wife is found suffocated to death, he naturally becomes the suspect. As others are killed in the same manner and a phony medium also claims Fletcher is guilty, Fletcher begins to imagine his dead wife is communicating with him, making it even more difficult for him to prove his innocence.

Cast

• Lon Chaney Jr. as Wayne Fletcher (billed as Lon Chaney)
• Brenda Joyce as Donna Kincaid^[2]
• J. Edward Bromberg as Julian Julian
• Rosalind Ivan as Amelia Kincaid
• Clara Blandick as Belle Kincaid
• George Cleveland as Sam Kincaid
• Wilton Graff as Cap'n McCracken
• Bernard Thomas as Bruce Malone (billed as Bernard B. Thomas)