The Howling - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "The Howling"
The Howling (1981)
Timing: 1:31 (91 min)
The Howling - TMDB rating
6.583/10
864
The Howling - Kinopoisk rating
6.508/10
5961
The Howling - IMDB rating
6.5/10
44000

Actors and characters

Photo Dee Wallace #26930Photo Dee Wallace #26931Photo Dee Wallace #26932Photo Dee Wallace #26933

Dee Wallace

Dee Wallace
Character Karen White
Photo Patrick Macnee #79733Photo Patrick Macnee #79734Photo Patrick Macnee #79735

Patrick Macnee

Patrick Macnee
Character Dr. George Waggner
Photo Dennis Dugan #25746

Dennis Dugan

Dennis Dugan
Character Chris
Photo Christopher Stone #94950

Christopher Stone

Christopher Stone
Character R. William 'Bill' Neill
Photo Belinda Balaski #59010
Belinda Balaski
Character Terry Fisher
Photo Kevin McCarthy #93640Photo Kevin McCarthy #93641Photo Kevin McCarthy #93642Photo Kevin McCarthy #93643

Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy
Character Fred Francis
Photo John Carradine #41861Photo John Carradine #41862Photo John Carradine #41863Photo John Carradine #41864

John Carradine

John Carradine
Character Erle Kenton
Photo Slim Pickens #84140Photo Slim Pickens #84141Photo Slim Pickens #84142Photo Slim Pickens #84143

Slim Pickens

Slim Pickens
Character Sam Newfield
Photo Elisabeth Brooks #109964

Elisabeth Brooks

Elisabeth Brooks
Character Marsha Quist
Photo Robert Picardo #46540Photo Robert Picardo #46541

Robert Picardo

Robert Picardo
Character Eddie Quist
Photo Margie Impert #109965
Margie Impert
Character Donna
Photo Noble Willingham #55171

Noble Willingham

Noble Willingham
Character Charlie Barton
Photo James Murtaugh #103067

James Murtaugh

James Murtaugh
Character Jerry Warren
Photo Jim McKrell #59017
Jim McKrell
Character Lew Landers
Photo Kenneth Tobey #51564Photo Kenneth Tobey #51565Photo Kenneth Tobey #51566Photo Kenneth Tobey #51567

Kenneth Tobey

Kenneth Tobey
Character Older Cop
Photo Dick Miller #59005Photo Dick Miller #59006Photo Dick Miller #59007

Dick Miller

Dick Miller
Character Walter Paisley - Bookstore Owner
Don McLeod
Character T.C. Quist
Photo Bill Sorrells #87885
Bill Sorrells
Character Kline
Ivan Saric
Character Jack Molina
Steve Nevil
Character Young Cop
Photo Sarina C. Grant #100055
Sarina C. Grant
Character Hooker
Photo Wendell Wright #109966
Wendell Wright
Character Man at Bar
Herbie Braha
Character Porno Cashier
Joe Bratcher
Character Radio Man
Chico Martínez
Character Man on Street
Daniel Nunez
Character Liquor Cashier
Michael O'Dwyer
Character Drunk
Photo Roger Corman #19104Photo Roger Corman #19105Photo Roger Corman #19106Photo Roger Corman #19107

Roger Corman

Roger Corman
Character Man in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Photo John Sayles #72706Photo John Sayles #72707Photo John Sayles #72708Photo John Sayles #72709

John Sayles

John Sayles
Character Morgue Attendant (uncredited)
Photo Jonathan Kaplan #90202

Jonathan Kaplan

Jonathan Kaplan
Character Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Photo Forrest J. Ackerman #109967

Forrest J. Ackerman

Forrest J. Ackerman
Character Bookstore Customer (uncredited)
Photo Robert A. Burns #75009
Robert A. Burns
Character Porn Store Patron (uncredited)
Photo Michael Chapman #11806Photo Michael Chapman #11807

Michael Chapman

Michael Chapman
Character Man at End of Bar (uncredited)
Photo Mick Garris #37324

Mick Garris

Mick Garris
Character Man with TV Guide (uncredited)

What's left behind the scenes

  • Many of the characters in the film were named after directors of werewolf movies (George Waggner, Roy William Neill, Terence Fisher, etc.).
  • Initially, the film was to be directed by Jack Conrad.
  • Thanks to their work on this film, Joe Dante and Michael Finnell were given the opportunity to make 'Gremlins' (1984).
  • This film and 'Wolf 4' (1988) are based on the same novel by Gary Brandner. Interestingly, 'Wolf 4' is actually a more faithful adaptation of the book than this film.
  • Gary Brandner, who wrote the novel on which this film was based, wrote the screenplay for the film "Howling II: Stirba – Bitch Werewolf" (1985) – the only contribution to the "Howling" film series that he scripted.
  • Terry and Chris are watching "The Wolf Man" (1941) on television when the phone rings.
  • Roger Corman made a cameo appearance at the beginning of the film. His character enters a phone booth and begins searching for change in the coin return. This small joke reflects the fact that Corman is known as a very "frugal" director.
  • In the scene where Terry calls Christopher from Dr. Wagner's office, a portrait of Lon Chaney Jr. can be seen. Chaney Jr. starred in the original "The Wolf Man" (1941) and in four of its sequels.
  • Dee Wallace was very uncomfortable during the scene in the porn shop. Her discomfort is clearly visible on her face.
  • The final transformation had to be filmed in close-up because the project had already exceeded its budget, and the film crew was forced to shoot this scene in director Joe Dante's office, as there was no longer any money for filming in the pavilions with sets.
  • Initially, Rick Baker was in charge of the special effects, but he left the project for John Landis's horror film 'An American Werewolf in London' (1981), and his assistant, Rob Bottin, remained on 'The Howling' instead. Both films were released practically simultaneously, and the quality of the special effects in both was noted by film critics.
  • According to Joe Dante, Rob Bottin turned out to be a perfectionist. For example, Robert Picardo, who was transforming, spent the entire first day of filming in the makeup chair, while the rest of the film crew had to be sent home to avoid paying overtime. This meant that Picardo had to spend that night in makeup to start filming early the next morning.
  • The idea to make Karen White look different from other werewolves was suggested by the actress herself, Dee Wallace-Stone. She told the film crew that she didn’t want to be an ugly werewolf, but rather have her werewolf be attractive and somewhat feminine. This presented Rob Bottin with a difficult task, and the werewolf portrayed by Wallace-Stone ultimately resembled a female Wookiee (a Wookiee is a sentient bipedal furry humanoid species from the Star Wars franchise).
  • Terry and Chris are watching 'The Wolf Man' (1941) on television when the phone rings.
  • In the scene where Terry calls Christopher from Dr. Wagner's office, a portrait of Lon Chaney Jr. can be seen. Chaney Jr. starred in the original 'The Wolf Man' (1941) and four of its sequels.
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