The Underwater City (1962)
The Underwater City (1962), directed by Frank McDonald, starring William Lundigan and Julie Adams.
score
An Atomic-Proof World On the Ocean Floor
Synopsis
An engineer, a psychologist and several other disparate types take part in an experiment to see if people can live for extended periods of time in a city built under the ocean.
- Gordon AvilCinematography
- Frank McDonaldDirector
- Al ClarkEditing
- Donald W. StarlingEditing
About the film
The Underwater City is a 1962 American science fiction film in Eastmancolor, about overcoming engineering obstacles for establishing an underwater living environment. The film was directed by Frank McDonald, produced by Alex Gordon and written by Gordon's wife Ruth Alexander. Columbia Pictures released the film as a double feature with The Three Stooges Meet Hercules.
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The Underwater City is a 1962 American science fiction film in Eastmancolor, about overcoming engineering obstacles for establishing an underwater living environment. The film was directed by Frank McDonald, produced by Alex Gordon and written by Gordon's wife Ruth Alexander. Columbia Pictures released the film as a double feature with The Three Stooges Meet Hercules.
Plot
Dr. Halstead (Carl Benton Reid) of the Institute of Oceanography hires Bob Gage (William Lundigan) to supervise the construction of an underwater city. If humans are going to blow themselves sky-high at some point in the future, then it might be a good idea to have an escape hatch down at the bottom of the ocean. Gage falls in love with Dr. Halstead's niece, Dr. Monica Powers (Julie Adams). A series of underwater living units are carefully created and tested until it seems that they are ready for residents to move in. What no one considers is that the sea floor and the sea itself may not be as stable as expected.
Cast
William Lundigan as Cmdr. Bob Gage
Julie Adams as Dr. Monica Powers
Roy Roberts as Tim Graham
Carl Benton Reid as Dr. Junius Halstead
Chet Douglas as Chuck Marlow
Paul Dubov as George Burnett
Karen Norris as Phyllis Gatewood
Kathie Browne as Dottie Steele
Edward Mallory as Lt. Wally Steele
Production
Originally shown in black and white in the theaters, it was later released to television in color. The filming was fraught with conflict, leading to a lawsuit by Neptune Productions against Columbia Pictures.
Alex Gordon recalls that his wife was inspired by an article in American Weekly magazine about scientists growing food on the ocean floor. Gordon also recalled that the original choice for Dr. Halstead, Raymond Massey was replaced when he couldn't arrive in time to commence production. The film was originally supposed to be the first of a six-picture deal with Columbia for Gordon but the deal was dropped.
Comic book adaptation
Dell Four Color #1328 (1962)
References
External links
The Underwater City at IMDb
The Underwater City at the TCM Movie Database (archived)
The Underwater City at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Text from The Underwater City on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Underwater_City
Trivia
- It premiered on August 8, 1962, a Wednesday.
- It runs 1h18 — short for a feature film.
- This film's quiz has 13 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosNeptune Productions
- CountriesUnited States
- LanguagesEnglish
- StatusReleased
Cast
-
William Lundigan
Bob Gage -
Julie Adams
Dr. Monica Powers -
Roy Roberts
Tim Graham -
Carl Benton Reid
Dr. Junius Halstead - Chet Douglas Chuck Marlow
-
Paul Dubov
George Burnett -
Karen Norris
Phyllis Gatewood -
Kathie Browne
Dotty Steele - Edward Mallory Lt. Wally Steele
-
Edmund Cobb
Meade (uncredited) - George DeNormand Dr. Carl Wendt (uncredited)
- Paul Power Author in Visiting Party (uncredited)
Quiz about this movie
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Tags
Crew
- Gordon Avil Cinematography
- Frank McDonald Director
- Al Clark Editing
- Donald W. Starling Editing
- Alex Gordon Producer
- Ronald Stein Original music
- Alex Gordon Story
- Orville H. Hampton Writer
- Ruth Alexander Story
Questions about this film
What is The Underwater City about?
The Underwater City: An engineer, a psychologist and several other disparate types take part in an experiment to see if people can live for extended periods of time in a city built under the ocean.
Who directed The Underwater City?
The Underwater City was directed by Frank McDonald in 1962.
Who stars in The Underwater City?
The cast of The Underwater City includes William Lundigan, Julie Adams, Roy Roberts, Carl Benton Reid and Chet Douglas.
How long is The Underwater City?
The Underwater City runs for 78 minutes, or 1h18.
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Page updated on 09/14/2026.
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