Following in the tracks of Universal's WEREWOLF OF LONDON and THE WOLF MAN--as
well as such non-Universal man-beasts as THE UNDYING MONSTER and THE MAD MONSTER--came a female werewolf,
terrorizing a foggy English park in the 1946 horror whodunit SHE-WOLF OF LONDON.
Actually, the idea of a distaff lycathrope (werewolf) was not new, even in 1946: The
first-ever moie of this type, the 1913 silent The Werewolf, concerned a girl who becomes one. Coincidentally,
that film was also made by what would become Hollywood's "Studio of Horrors," Universal.
Uner O'Connor, revered for her quirky performances in THE INVISIBLE MAN and BRIDE
OF FRANKENSTEIN, was originally slated to play housekeeper Hannah, adn forrester Harvey was signed to play Latham--a
role similar to one he played in THE WOLF MAN.
O'Connor was replaced by Eily Malyon; Harvey died in mid-production, and Lloyd Corrigan substituted.
To simulate fog in the Park scenes, "bee smoke" was used. It did the trick--but made
it tough on the acotrs. "They'd roll that stuff in at about ankle-height, and then it would rise," star Don Porter
recalled. "Trying to do lines and keep from choking was a little difficult."
SHE-WOLF was quickly (December 8-21, 1945), with retakes shot on Christmas Eve.
The last shot of the day, shot on a soundstage, featured Porter and June Lockhard in a buggy. When the director yelled
his final "Cut", the crew stampeded for the exits. "It was like an evacuation!" Lockhart laughs.
