IMDb > The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.
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The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) -- It’s the only feature film ever written by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel. It’s the bizarrely fantastic story of a piano academy for boys equipped with prison cells and an electric fence.
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) -- Open-ended Trailer from Sony Pictures

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   1,647 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 28% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Dr. Seuss (screenplay) &
Allan Scott (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 July 1953 (USA) more
Tagline:
The Wonder Musical of the Future!
Plot:
Bart has only one enemy in the world: his piano teacher Dr. Terwilliker. Dr. T has a mad plan to force... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. more
User Comments:
Odds Bodkins. more (78 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Peter Lind Hayes ... August Zabladowski
Mary Healy ... Heloise Collins
Hans Conried ... Dr. Terwilliker
Tommy Rettig ... Bartholomew Collins
Jack Heasley ... Uncle Whitney (as John Heasley)
John Heasley ... Uncle Whitney
Robert Heasley ... Uncle Judson
Noel Cravat ... Sgt. Lunk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

George Chakiris ... Dancer (as George Kerris)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Crazy Music (reissue title)
Dr. Seuss' 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (video title)
The Five-Thousand Fingers of Dr. T. (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
89 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved (Certificate No. 15928) | Australia:G | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:K-8

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
According the Theodor Geisel/Dr. Seuss, the film's director, one of the 150 boys vomited on the piano while filming. This caused a chain reaction and they were left with 150 vomiting boys. Geisel said that the film's reviews were similar. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Bart climbs the huge ladder to escape the guards, when he jumps off of the ladder, you can clearly see a thick wire holding him. more
Quotes:
Dr. Terwilliker: Is it atomic?
Bart Collins: Yes sir, VERY atomic!
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Because We're Kids more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
17 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Odds Bodkins., 28 October 2005
8/10
Author: pedrodave from United Kingdom

Well I never. I have just had the pleasure of watching this film on Channel 4 in the UK. Its a damp and dreary Friday afternoon and this wacky exercise in surrealism has just been broadcast and has certainly put a smile on my face. What a storyline. What a set. What acting. This is a gem of a film which I had never heard of till today. It is a real departure from your average 1950s family film. Through the whole duration the film swings between brilliance and total whack. The madness of Dr Seuss comes across so well, especially when you jack up the colour a few notches :-) I am led to believe that Dali had a hand in the design of the sets. That in itself is enough to get me watching. I was surprised at the amount of reference to this movie I have actually experienced without realising it. For example, the Uk is presently showing an add for "frank" which is a recreational drug use/misuse information service available to the public. It uses a character who is undoubtedly based on Bart to do so. As a fan of surrealism I totally enjoyed the spooky weirdness of this mindbending musical. Just sad I didn't record it as I see it isn't available in European pal DVD format. Doh.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953)
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