The Abominable Dr. Phibes - Production Notes

Production Notes

• William Goldstein and James Whiton wrote the original screenplay. In a letter dated February 16, 1971, the Writers Guild Credit Arbitration Committee confirmed their 'Written By' credits.
• Peter Cushing was the first choice for the role of Vesalius, but he turned the role down because of the serious illness of his wife.
• In order for Joseph Cotten to know his cues, Phibes' dialogue was read aloud by a crew-member.
• Cotten would grumble on the set that he had to remember and deliver lines, while Price's were all to be post-dubbed. Price responded, "Yes, but I still know them, Joe." (In fact, Price was well known in Hollywood for his ability to memorize all of the characters' lines in a given production, not just his own.)
• Price commented that Cotten was uncomfortable doing these scenes, so he intentionally pulled a lot of faces to make him laugh.
• Vincent Price went through hours of make up, which often had to be reapplied as he kept laughing.
• The name "Vesalius" is a reference to Andreas Vesalius, a Flemish physician and founder of modern anatomy.
• The film was followed by a sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, in 1972. Several other possible sequels were planned, including Dr. Phibes in the Holy Land, The Brides of Phibes, Phibes Resurrectus and The Seven Fates of Dr. Phibes, but none were made.
• Dr. Phibes' wife, played by 1970s model, Caroline Munro (who later appeared in such Hammer Horror fare as Dracula A.D. 1972 and Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter), was excluded from the film's credits.