The Invisible Ray [The Shining Spectre] (Original screenplay for the 1936 film)

Universal City, CA: Universal Pictures, 1935. Treatment script for the 1936 film. Seen under the early working title "The Shining Spectre."

Boris Karloff plays scientist Janos Rukh, who discovers a radioactive meteor in Africa that in turn causes him to become radioactive as well. His colleague Dr. Felix Benet (Bela Lugosi) develops a serum that holds the toxin at bay if taken regularly, though the romantic relationship budding between his wife Diana Rukh (played by Frances Drake) and Ronald Drake (Frank Lawton) causes Rukh to go mad, faking his own death in order to go on a vengeful killing spree, before a final confrontation with his mother halts him.

The last of Universal's three Karloff / Lugosi team uos of the mid-1930s. In this treatment draft, Karloff's character (here named Josef Koh, perhaps too close a moniker to the actor they had in mind for the part) does go on his mad killing spree, though he and Diana are reunited in a final kiss, where he realizes his madness and she her enduring love for him, just before she is then vaporized by his radioactivity.

While many of the film sets from the film were recycled from Universal's serial "Flash Gordon," which was being filmed simultaneously, and various stock footage was utilized as well, "The Invisible Ray" still managed to spend more than $50,000 over budget.

Tall brown titled wrappers, noted as DRAFT on the front wrapper, rubber-stamped Screen Writers Guild file No. 6450, with credits for story writers Howard Higgin and Douglas Hodges. Title page present, dated Aug. 17 '35, with credits for story writers Howard Higgin and Douglas Hodges. 24 leaves, with last page of text numbered 23. Typescript, with first and last leaves on onionskin stock. Pages Near Fine, wrapper Very Good plus, bound with two gold brads.

Weaver and Brunas, Universal Horrors.