Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

The Evil Touch

  • TV Series
  • 1973–1974
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
142
YOUR RATING
The Evil Touch (1973)
DramaFantasyHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

"The Evil Touch" was an anthology horror, science fiction and mystery series hosted by Anthony Quayle between 1973-74.."The Evil Touch" was an anthology horror, science fiction and mystery series hosted by Anthony Quayle between 1973-74.."The Evil Touch" was an anthology horror, science fiction and mystery series hosted by Anthony Quayle between 1973-74..

  • Stars
    • Anthony Quayle
    • Darren McGavin
    • Jack Thompson
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    142
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Anthony Quayle
      • Darren McGavin
      • Jack Thompson
    • 12User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes26

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season

    Photos

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Anthony Quayle
    Anthony Quayle
    • Self - Host
    • 1973–1974
    Darren McGavin
    Darren McGavin
    • Alvin Hazeltine…
    • 1973–1974
    Jack Thompson
    Jack Thompson
    • Evan…
    • 1973–1974
    Leslie Nielsen
    Leslie Nielsen
    • Captain Andrew Palmer…
    • 1973–1974
    Vic Morrow
    Vic Morrow
    • Harold Parkhurst…
    • 1973–1974
    Kim Hunter
    Kim Hunter
    • Emily Webber…
    • 1973–1974
    Ray Walston
    Ray Walston
    • Lon Zachary…
    • 1973–1974
    Julie Harris
    Julie Harris
    • Aunt Carrie…
    • 1973
    Robert Lansing
    Robert Lansing
    • Archie MacGauffin…
    • 1973
    Mildred Natwick
    Mildred Natwick
    • Constance…
    • 1973
    Alfred Sandor
    • Simon Harris…
    • 1973–1974
    Peter Gwynne
    • John Quentin…
    • 1973
    Neva Carr-Glynn
    Neva Carr-Glynn
    • Lily Parkhurst…
    • 1973–1974
    Tony Bonner
    Tony Bonner
    • Pilot…
    • 1974
    Peter Sumner
    Peter Sumner
    • Richard
    • 1973–1974
    Arna-Maria Winchester
    • Evie…
    • 1973
    Tony Wager
    Tony Wager
    • Dr. Alden…
    • 1973–1974
    Brian Wenzel
    • Mr. Gibson…
    • 1973–1974
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews12

    6.9142
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    carpenters3

    the evil touch

    The evil touch was a good tv show,corny,but good. I was once an extra in one of the episodes with Carol Lynley and Sandy Harbutt.It would be great to see it back on tv again.foxtell would be a way to see it.is there anybody else who would like to see it.Email foxtell and request it.
    mcmacs

    Rose-Coloured Glasses

    I too have fond memories of this show though I recall its budgetary limitations being obvious even by then-contemporary standards.

    The lake monster in DEAR BELOVED MONSTER looked like a briefly-glimpsed head of cabbage. But then so did the 'revelatory' 1970s photos from the underwater camera at Loch Ness.

    One interesting episode was A GAME OF HEARTS. Darren McGavin plays a heart surgeon who takes a heart from a not-quite-dead donor. He then starts getting chilling phone calls from the dead man. The final scenes have him fleeing through a deserted house with his undead tormentor in pursuit. It was shot in very NIGHT STALKERish style.... substitute the donor, with a black and bloody hole in his chest, with Barry Atwater and you're pretty much there. And the character's name? Gabor Skorzeny. The vampire's name in the NIGHT STALKER TV movie? Janos Skorzeny! Hmmmm..... well imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I guess.

    I would certainly endorse another look at THE EVIL TOUCH.
    BruceCorneil

    Sophisticated and Stylish TV drama

    As with the other contributors, I have happy memories of watching this excellent TV drama which regularly included elements of sci fi, horror and supernatural goings-on.

    It was stylish entertainment and having recently seen a couple of episodes again for the first time since the 70s, I'm pleased to say that it's lost nothing over the years which speaks volumes about its original quality.

    Just one small point ...I think you'll find that it was, in fact, an American production possibly made for (or by) the NBC Network (I may be wrong and I'd be more than happy to stand corrected). Certainly, it was shot in Sydney and featured local actors in support roles. As other contributors have correctly noted, however, virtually every episode starred an imported Hollywood lead actor and the largely Australian production crew worked under the supervision of American director Mende Brown. It could, and perhaps SHOULD, be more accurately described as an American /Australian co-production.

    Anyway, the final product was a highly watchable example of 70s television. Unfortunately, and sadly, it sank like a stone and disappeared quickly from the small screen. Perhaps the show's sheer sophistication may have priced it out of the mass market? Perhaps it arrived on the scene a fraction of a moment too late at a time when other quality series such as "Columbo" and "The Nightstalker" had already been given a head start ?

    "The Evil Touch" deserved to succeed but fate intervened.
    uds3

    Twilight Zone Down Under

    Galls me to agree with my expatriot Aussie-Stud cohort on Rhode Island but he is spot on here...THE EVIL TOUCH was classic retro-70's. With weekly US imports such as NIGHT STALKER's Darren Mcgavin, and POSEIDON ADVENTURE/FORBIDDEN PLANET'S Leslie Nielsen (a generation ahead of THE NAKED GUN series) the show offered the late late viewer tales of mystery and imagination to compare with the best of US spook TV at the time.

    Hosted by tewwibly bwitish Anthony Quayle this series rocked..albeit for scarcely a season till unimpressive ratings condemned it to a fate worse than re-runs!

    If you have the opportunity to catch any of these shows I suggest you take it!
    Aussie Stud

    This show's format has set the standards for recent TV series such as "Amazing Stories", "Tales From The Crypt" and "Night Visions".

    Not too many people remember this show. It was obviously canceled after one season for reasons unknown. Perhaps no one was watching the show, or perhaps all of America preferred to watch redundant Top-10-Ratings pap such as "ADAM'S RIB", "THE HELEN REDDY SHOW" or "KOJAK".

    Whatever the case may be, this show definitely set the format for half hour shows that present stories with "the evil touch". This was an Australian production with British actor Anthony Quayle hosting the show. The opening titles are timeless in their own right. Smoke wafts over the white letters that read "THE EVIL TOUCH" against a dark green background while the sound track provides a soft melody of bongos and pan flutes. This show is SO 70's, it's awesome!

    Some of the episodes would feature guest actors. I remember one episode featuring Carol Lynley and Leslie Nielson. Another episode featured Darren McGavin. The premise was very similar to shows of today's standards such as NIGHT VISIONS and TALES FROM THE CRYPT. It used the format of a story told in 30 minutes that had some unusual twist to it, usually resulting in either death or supernatural circumstances.

    Surprisingly, not too many television shows from the land Down Under have made it successfully abroad in the U.S. A few shows that have received cult following would be "PRISONER" and "SKIPPY". It's too bad that retro TV stations like TV-Land don't re-run this for old time's sake instead of repeating the same HOGAN'S HEROES episodes over and over.

    If anyone sees this show on their TV Guide - please let me know!

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    The Day the Earth Stood Still
    7.7
    The Day the Earth Stood Still
    The Lords of Flatbush
    5.6
    The Lords of Flatbush
    Untitled Rocky prequel
    Poe
    F.I.S.T.
    6.4
    F.I.S.T.
    Beasts
    7.3
    Beasts
    Tales of Unease
    7.0
    Tales of Unease
    Supernatural
    7.1
    Supernatural
    Leap in the Dark
    7.7
    Leap in the Dark
    Father Lefty
    5.9
    Father Lefty
    Dead of Night
    7.2
    Dead of Night
    The Square Root
    5.1
    The Square Root

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Host: [at close of every episode] And so until next we meet, this is Anthony Quayle reminding you that there is a touch of evil in all of us. Good night.

      [starts to leave, then turns to camera]

      Host: Pleasant dreams.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Professor's Scary Movie Show: House on Haunted Hill (2015)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ16

    • How many seasons does The Evil Touch have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 16, 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Australia
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El toque satánico
    • Filming locations
      • Australia
    • Production companies
      • Amalgamated Pictures Australasia Productions
      • Olola Productions Australia
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 30m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit pageAdd episode

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.