This week’s mystery movie was the 1958 Allied Artists film The Bride and the Beast, with Charlotte Austin, Lance Fuller, Johnny Roth, William Justine, Jeanne Gerson, Gil Frye, Slick Slavin, Bhogwan Singh and Jean Ann Lewis.

Important question: Is another gorilla movie too much? I came across one with a very special cast member. Or not? And no, it’s not Marlene Dietrich in Blonde Venus, because she is in Mystery Movie Jail. I had no idea there were so many darn gorilla movies.

Screenplay by Edward D. Wood Jr.  From a story by Adrian Weiss.

Music by Les Baxter.

Photography by Roland Price.

Camera operator Keith Smith.

Assistant cameraman Don Lopez.

Gaffer Bobby Jones.

Makeup Harry Thomas.

Assistant directors Harry Fraser and Harry Webb.

Script supervisor Diana Loomis.

Key Grip Doty Steele.

Wardrobe by Adolph Weiss.

Sound mixer Harold Hanks.

Edited by George Merrick.

Assistant editor Samuel Weiss.

Special effects by Gerald Endler.

Set dresser Harry Rief.

Props by Monroe Liebgold.

Sound by Ryder Sound Services.

Rifles and trophies by Weatherby’s.

Miss Austin’s wardrobe by Emeson’s of Studio City.

Production supervised by Louis Weiss.

Produced and director by Adrian Weiss.

An Adrian Weiss Production.

Further information on The Bride and the Beast is available from the AFI Catalog.

The Bride of the Beast is available in a Rifftrax version on Amazon. According to The New York Times, The Bride of the Beast was released in 2007 on DVD with White Gorilla featuring leading lady Charlotte Austin providing a commentary.

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I discovered when I was doing last week’s wrap-up of Gorilla at Large that Charlotte Austin was in another gorilla movie, tying her with Raymond Burr at two. And as a bonus, Austin’s character was a gorilla in a past life; thank you Edward D. Wood Jr. About a third of the film is grainy, fuzzy stock footage of animals and the plot goes to elaborate lengths to explain why there are tigers in Africa (they escaped from a ship, as tigers will do). Three actors play gorillas in this movie and though one is identified as “wife-stealing gorilla,” I gave credit for any of them.

I cannot imagine The New York Times reviewed this film, definitely “creature feature” fare on late-night television.

Alas, Bosley Crowther et al stayed away from this one.

For Monday, we have a mysterious woman.

Update: This is Jeanne Gerson.

For Tuesday, we have a mysterious fellow.

Update: This is Sammy Roth.

For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mysterious gorilla (what, again?) and Back of the Head Woman. And no, neither the Pike nor Raymond Burr is featured in this mystery film.

Update: This is Ray Corrigan as Spanky the wife-stealing gorilla with Charlotte Austin as Back of the Head Woman.

For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious fellow.

Update: This is William Justine.

And this mysterious chap.

Update: This is Gil Frye.

Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia (mystery movie, mysterious guests, mystery wife-stealing gorilla and Back of the Head Woman), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Greg (mystery movie, mystery wife-stealing gorilla and mysterious screenwriter) and Stacia (mystery movie, mysterious guests, mystery wife-stealing gorilla and Back of the Head Woman).  Allie gets half-credit for the mysterious gorilla and partial title.

For Friday, we have a mysterious fellow with a rifle who does not approve of such goings-on.

Update: This is Lance Fuller.

And our mysterious leading lady with an enigmatic gorilla.

Update: This is Charlotte Austin with one of three gorillas in the film, played by Ray Corrigan, Steve Calvert and Bobby Small.

Brain Trust roll call: Sylvia (Thursday’s mysterious guests).