Professor Wilmer (John S. Copeland), along with his assistant, Mark Tyson (Benny McIntyre), is working on a project to put an animal in suspended animation. His current subject is a rabbit. The professor’s daughter, Laura (Irene Barr) helps her father in his work. Laura’s boyfriend, Tony Travers (Vin Della Rocca) is a reporter for the local paper.
Tony recently did a story about a werewolf that has been spotted in the area. The professor is upset with the story. According to Wilmer, the professor’s friend, Dr. Trisler (Doug Hobart), had been working on an experiment with atomic energy. Something went wrong and the experiment turned the scientist into a werewolf who is now roaming around in the woods.
In the meantime, a communist agent (Bob Gaus) is meeting with a woman named Millie (Jean Barger), who he believes is an American double agent. The commie wants Wilmer’s formula for suspended animation. The two of them come up with a plan to infiltrate Professor Wilmer’s compound and steal his secrets. Millie isn’t sure about the plan because the professor lives in the area where the werewolf sightings took place. The commie believes the werewolf is a hoax, so they head off into the woods.
The werewolf continues wandering the woods attacking people. Concerned for his friend, Professor Wilmer hopes to be able to create a handheld ray gun that he can use to turn the werewolf back into Dr. Trisler. Before they can do anything, the werewolf attacks.
“The Professor” was completed in 1958 and was written and directed by Tom McCain. It is an American science fiction horror short that was filmed in Dayton, Ohio. This rather obscure short was created as a television pilot but was never picked up. It wasn’t until sometime in 1988 where, I believe; Sinister Cinema gave it its first real release as an extra on the “Tales of Frankenstein” DVD.
I have no idea where this thing came from, and it’s really bad, but it has a mad scientist, a werewolf and a communist spy. The plot is ridiculous but fun as hell. It plays very much like an amateur home movie attempt or one of those kiddie shows like “Rocky Jones Space Ranger” from the 50’s that played after school. Unfortunately, because this was supposed to be a television episode, there really isn’t much in the way of a satisfactory ending. Since it is supposed to be a continuing storyline it just kind of ends.