Oct 26, 2025
A positively juvenile Patrick Macnee helps to set up some spooky shenanigans in a haunted house, in Mario Zampi's short feature The Fatal Night (1948)
#fave spotting#patrick macnee#the avengers#john steed#the fatal night#1948#b movie#second feature#mario zampi#british cinema#at just 50 minutes longā this featurette presumably played in support to a bigger film#director Zampi would later be known for his comedy work (including iconic 50s films The Naked Truthā Too Many Crooks and more) but this is#resolutely in the spooker form. a pair of louche English cads set up their American acquaintance in a haunted house for the night; cue#bumps in the nightā as well as a separate supernatural tale nested in the main narrativeā and a creepy dream sequence to boot!#a busy little film to be sure. our American is played by opera singer Lester Fergusonā and chief weasel by Leslie Armstrongā but it's his#nervous partner in japes that's of most interest: a young Patā fresh from his wartime serviceā in possibly his first role of note (he'd had#uncredited extra parts in a couple of bigger filmsā but he has a screen credit and actual dialogue here!). from certain angles he looks#quite different at this age; his thinner face and boyish looks unfamiliarā but his voice is unmistakable (as is his booming laugh!)#of the two upper class snarksā Pat is much the more likeable. he's also the cast member who went on to have the most impressive careerā#most of the others having just a handful of credits to their names. it would take him a little while to get there still; alternating stints#in the UK and Canada would slowly help him to build his screen careerā but it wouldn't be until The Avengers that screen immortality was#ensured...
