Villain(s)  Mad sculptor, disfigured killer

Actor(s):  Rondo Hatton, Bill Goodwin, Robert Lowery, Virginia Grey

Brief Description  House of Horrors (1946) is a 66-minute American B-movie horror thriller released by Universal Pictures on March 29, 1946. Directed by Jean Yarbrough, the film acts as a blend of late-era Universal Gothic horror and gritty film noir. It is highly notable for launching The Creeper film franchise starring Rondo Hatton, whose uniquely imposing features were caused by acromegaly.

Plot:
The narrative centers on Marcel De Lange, a near-bankrupt artist driven to despair by scathing public reviews. Depressed and on the verge of taking his own life at the New York waterfront, Marcel spots a drowning man and pulls him safely ashore. The man he saves is a giant brute with severely distorted features. Instead of turning him away, the eccentric Marcel takes pity on him, offers him a hiding place in his studio, and treats him as a close friend.

Marcel quickly realizes his new guest is "The Creeper," a manic serial killer being actively hunted by the police. Finding dark artistic inspiration in the killer’s terrifying appearance, Marcel begins sculpting a bust of him. Over time, Marcel manipulates the Creeper's loyalty, craftily venting his fury about the art critics who ruined his career. The Creeper sets out into the night to murder Marcel's detractors one by one, breaking their backs.

As a series of bizarre murders terrifies the local art community, police detective Brooks investigates the crimes. Meanwhile, art columnist Joan Bedford suspects a link between the victims and the bitter Marcel. Joan goes undercover to investigate Marcel's studio and ends up uncovering his dark secret. In the final confrontation, the Creeper learns that Marcel is simply using him as a pawn and turns on his master. Joan is rescued just in time as the law catches up to the studio, ending the Creeper's reign of terror.