{{Short description|1956 film by John Gilling}} {{Infobox film | name = The Gamma People | image = The Gamma People movie poster.png | alt = | caption = [[Film poster|Theatrical release poster]] | director = [[John Gilling]] | producer = John Gossage<!--Per AFI. Producer only – template:infobox film – instructions--> | screenplay = John Gilling<br/>John Gossage | story = [[Robert Aldrich]]<br/>Louis Pollock | starring = [[Paul Douglas (actor)|Paul Douglas]]<br/>[[Eva Bartok]] | music = [[George Melachrino]] | cinematography = [[Ted Moore]] | editing = Jack Slade | color_process = [[Black and white]] | studio = [[Warwick Films]] | distributor = [[Columbia Pictures]] | released = {{film date|df=yes|1956|01|30|}}<ref>F Maurice Speed, ''Film Review 1956–57'', Macdonald & Co 1956</ref> | runtime = 78 minutes<!--Per AFI--> | country = United Kingdom<!--Per AFI & Allmovie--> | language = English | budget =£85,060<ref name="money">Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 359</ref> | gross = }} '''''The Gamma People''''' is a 1956 British [[science fiction]] [[horror film]] produced by John Gossage, directed by [[John Gilling]] and starring [[Paul Douglas (actor)|Paul Douglas]] and [[Eva Bartok]].<ref>{{AFI film|id=51842|title=The Gamma People}}.</ref> The film, shot in [[Imst]], Austria, was distributed by [[Columbia Pictures]] and evolved from a script treatment originally written in the early 1950s by [[Robert Aldrich]].<ref>p.14 Aldrich, Robert with Arnold, Edwin T. & Miller, Eugene L. ''Robert Aldrich: Interviews''Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2004</ref> ''The Gamma People'' was released theatrically in January 1956 in the UK, and played later in 1956 in the U.S. as a [[double feature]] with the 1956 British science fiction film ''[[1984 (1956 film)|1984]]''.<ref>McGee, Mark Thomas; Robertson, R.J. (2013). "You Won't Believe Your Eyes". Bear Manor Media. {{ISBN|978-1-59393-273-2}}. Page 254</ref> [[File:Encina Drive-in Ad - 17 October 1956, Santa Cruz, CA.jpg|thumb|Poster for a 1956 [[double feature]] with ''[[1984 (1956 film)|1984]]''.]] == Plot == A railroad passenger car carrying a reporter and his photographer mysteriously breaks away from its locomotive, accidentally ending up on a remote sidetrack in Gudavia, an isolated [[Ruritania]]n-style, one-village dictatorship. The newsmen discover a mad scientist using [[gamma ray]]s to turn the country's youth into either geniuses or subhumans.
==Cast== * [[Paul Douglas (actor)|Paul Douglas]] as Mike Wilson<ref name="hc551009">{{cite news |work=[[The Hartford Courant]] |title=Pat Medina Set In 'The Gamma People' |page=A9 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/901417032.html?dids=901417032:901417032&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131225108/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/901417032.html?dids=901417032:901417032&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |date=October 9, 1955 |accessdate=April 29, 2012}}</ref> * [[Eva Bartok]] as Paula Wendt<ref name="ct940817">{{cite news |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |title=British woman, 36, claims she is Sinatra's daughter |page=2 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24120284.html?dids=24120284:24120284&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104100420/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24120284.html?dids=24120284:24120284&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2013 |date=August 17, 1994 |accessdate=April 29, 2012}}</ref> * [[Leslie Phillips]] as Howard Meade * [[Walter Rilla]] as Boronski<ref name="hc550911">{{cite news |work=[[The Hartford Courant]] |title=Rilla Joins 'Gamma People' |page=D12 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/904544172.html?dids=904544172:904544172&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201001506/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/904544172.html?dids=904544172:904544172&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |date=September 11, 1955 |accessdate=April 29, 2012}}</ref> * [[Philip Leaver]] as Koerner * [[Martin Miller (actor)|Martin Miller]] as Lochner * [[Michael Caridia]] as Hugo Wendt * [[Pauline Drewett]] as Hedda Lochner * [[Jocelyn Lane]] as Anna * [[Olaf Pooley]] as Bikstein * [[Rosalie Crutchley]] as Frau Bikstein * [[Leonard Sachs]] as Telegraph Clerk * [[Paul Hardtmuth]] as Hans * [[Cyril Chamberlain]] as Graf
== Production == In June 1951, [[Irving Allen]] announced he would make ''The Gamma People'' in Austria with [[Brian Donlevy]] and [[Virginia Grey]]. It was based on a screenplay by Oliver Crawford and a story by Louis Pollock. Allen said the script was about German scientific experiments during the war which caused cells to mutate. He said he had finance from the United States and Austria.<ref>{{cite news|title=METRO ACQUIRES TWO NEW STORIES: 'Millionth Man' and 'General Came Home' Bought — Greer Garson in 'Burning Secret' To Produce "Gamma People" Of Local Origin|work=The New York Times|date=20 June 1951|page=23}}</ref> Allen did a location trip to Austria in July.<ref>{{cite news|title=RANDOM OBSERVATIONS ON THE SCREEN SCENE: Mankiewicz Makes Movie in the Middle East — Of Helen Hokinson — Addenda|author=A.H. Weiler|work=The New York Times|date=29 July 1951|page=75}}</ref>
In December 1951 Allen announced he had formed Warwick Productions with Albert Broccoli, but that he still intended to make ''The Gamma People'' with [[Robert Aldrich]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Drama: Night Club Sparklers Invade West; Dieterle Adds to London Trend|author=Schallert, Edwin|date=Aug 15, 1952|work=Los Angeles Times|page=11}}</ref> [[Dick Powell]] was slated to star.<ref>{{cite news|title=Looking at Hollywood: Leslie Caron and Mel Ferrer Will Co-star in Dore Schary Movie|author=Hopper, Hedda|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=Aug 15, 1952|page=a6}}</ref>
The film would not be made for another three years. Paul Douglas was cast in the lead and Warwick wanted [[Trevor Howard]] to co-star.<ref>{{cite news|title=RITA HAYWORTH SUES FILM STUDIO: Actress Seeks Full Payment of Salary, Court Approval of End to Contract|author=Thomas M. Pryors|work=New York Times|date=Apr 9, 1955|page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title='Vanishing American' Will Star Scott Brady|author=Hopper, Hedda|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=Apr 23, 1955|page=17}}</ref> Filming took place in Austria in July 1955. [[Patricia Medina]] was meant to co-star, but then was called in for another commitment, on a [[Sam Katzman]] film. [[Eva Bartók]] took her place.<ref>{{cite news|title=HERBERT SORRELL LOSES WAGE SUIT: Former Coast Labor Leader Key Figure in 1945 Studio Strike, Sought $20,270|work=The New York Times|date=23 July 1955|page=10}}</ref> The movie was Warwick's one attempt at science fiction.<ref name="warwick">{{cite magazine|date=8 December 2025|access-date=8 December 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-moguls-cubby-broccoli-and-irving-allen/|title=Forgotten British Film Moguls: Cubby Broccoli and Irving Allen}}</ref>
Writer Louis Pollock would be blacklisted for five years, having been confused for Los Angeles clothier, Louis Pollack, who refused to give testimony to the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]].<ref>{{cite news|title=BLACKLIST TRAPS A SCREEN WRITER: Louis Pollock Is 'Convicted' Without His Knowledge in Mistaken Identity Case|author=MURRAY SCHUMACH|work=The New York Times|date=Dec 18, 1959|page=34}}</ref>
==See also== *[[List of British films of 1956]]
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{AFI film|id=51842|title=The Gamma People}} * {{IMDb title|id=0049248|title=The Gamma People}} * {{TCMDb title|id=75960}} * {{YouTube|2d5RIQDcxLA|''The Gamma People'' film trailer}} *[https://archive.org/details/variety204-1956-09/page/n61/mode/1up/search/%22warwick+films%22?q=%22warwick+films%22 Review of film] at Variety
{{John Gilling}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gamma People}} [[Category:1956 films]] [[Category:British science fiction horror films]] [[Category:Columbia Pictures films]] [[Category:Films directed by John Gilling]] [[Category:Films set in Europe]] [[Category:Films set in fictional countries]] [[Category:Films shot in Austria]] [[Category:Films shot at MGM-British Studios]] [[Category:1956 English-language films]] [[Category:British black-and-white films]] [[Category:1956 British films]] [[Category:English-language science fiction horror films]] [[Category:Films scored by George Melachrino]] [[Category:1956 horror films]] [[Category:1956 science fiction films]]