Abby (1974)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1974
Running Times: 92 mins
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: AIP  A William Girdler production (opening credits)  A Mid-America picture  An American International release (closing credits)
Copyright: © MCMLXXIV  American International Pictures Inc
Produced by: William Girdler, Mike Henry, Gordon C. Layne

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Gordon Cornell Layne
Story by: William Girdler and G. Cornell Layne

DIRECTION
Directed by: William Girdler
Assistant Director: Hugh Smith

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: William Asman
Camera Operator: John Ireland
Assistant Cameraman: Ray Edwards
Gaffer: Fred Johnson
Gaffer Best Boy: David Roster
Key Grip: James Tabler
Still Cameraman: Jim Casada
Color by Movielab

EDITING
Edited by: Corky Ehlers and Henry Asman
Assistant Editor: Van Underwood
Post Production Supervisor: Salvatore Billitteri

MUSIC
Music Composed and Conducted by: Robert O. Ragland

SONGS AND ADDITIONAL MUSIC
"My Soul Is a Witness"
Written and performed by Carol Speed

"Gone Woman"
Sung by George Gentre Griffin

"Will We Find Our Tomorrow"
Sung by Patti Henderson

SOUND
Sound: John Asman, Chuck Haillau
Looping Editor: Jack Davies
Sound Effects: Edit International, Ltd.
Sound by: Ryder Film Services, Inc.

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Wardrobe: Diane Landers, Rosalyn Smith
Make-Up by: Joe Kenney

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Sam Price
Technical Assistant: Garry Cruise

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles & Opticals: Pacific Title

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: J. Patrick Kelly III
Set Design and Dressing: Barbara Peter
Property: Alice Hay
Set Foreman: Jack Edmonds

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Sally Robby
Production Secretary: Patty O'Donnell
Assistant to the Producer: Clare Pearce
Location Equipment: Cecomobile

LOCATIONS
Locations: Louisville, Kentucky

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The producers wish to thank: Jeffesron County Airboard; Louisville Police Department; Norton/Children Hospital; The Marengo Cave; for their assistance in the making of this motion picture

CASTING
Casting Director: Hugh Smith

CAST
Starring
William Marshall (Bishop Garnet Williams)
Terry Carter (Rev Emmett Williams)
Austin Stoker (Cass Potter)

and
Carol Speed as Abby

Juanita Moore (Mama Potter)
Charles Kissinger (Dr Hennings)
Elliott Moffitt (Russell Lang)

Nathan Cook (Taft Hassan)

With
Nancy Lee Owens (Mrs Wiggins)
Billy Bradford (Doctor Rogers)
Joann Holcomb (Lois)
Claude Fulkerson (Benny)
Bill Wilson (Dan)
Chuck Broadus (Joe)
Don Henderson (Flip)
John Miller (Hal)
Julia Jones (Louella)
Joan Ray (Sue)
George Robinson (George)
Mary Minor (Lolly)
Michael Cowden (lantern bearer)
Bobby Griffin (Ben)
Casey Brown (Corky)
Robin James (Robin)
Brice Amos (Simon)
Rhodi Hill (Rhodi)
Felece Kinchelow (student)
Bob Holt (voice of the demon)

A black American Bishop unleashes the demon Eshu, god of sexuality and evil-doing while on an archaeology trip to Nigeria. Eshu possess Abby, the wife of the Bishop's priest son and the two men, aided by the woman's brother, must do battle with the demon to free her soul. (Full Synopsis)

The blaxploitation take on The Exorcist (1973) is even more underwhelming than its source of inspiration. Not even bad enough to be funny, the world owes the producers of The Exorcist a great favour for having taken out a court action to prevent this worthless junk being more widely released.

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Focus

USA
Video Distributor: Cinefear

UK
Certificate: X

1975
April
4: UK - rated X by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

Possess My Soul - shooting title

SEE ALSO
The Exorcist (1973)
L'Anticristo (1974)
Chi Sei? (1974)
Lisa e il Diavolo (1975)

MAGAZINES

Hollywood Reporter vol.234 no.25 (26 December 1974) pp.3, 7 (USA)
review (by John H. Dorr)

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.42 no.499 (August 1975) p.171 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review (by Richard Combs)

Variety 1 January 1975 p.14 (USA)
credits, review (by Mach)

BOOKS

Aurum Encyclopedia of Film: Horror p.288
credits, review

Creature Features Strikes Again p.10
credits, review

Hoffman's Guide to Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Movies p.14
credits, review

Horror and Science Fiction Films II p.2
credits

Horror Film Handbook p.11
credits, review (by Alan Frank)

Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Film and Television Credits II p.732
credits

Psychotronic Video Guide p.1
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

possession, demons, priests, nightclubs, dancing, exorcisms, africa, nigeria, showers, blaxploitation

Last Updated: 21 October, 2008