Who Killed Teddy Bear?

Sal Mineo Spotlight

Showings

Ragtag Cinema Tue, Oct 28, 2025 7:00 PM
Film Info
Release Year:1965
Genre:Crime
Drama
Thriller
Production Country:USA
Cast/Crew Info
Director:Joseph Cates
Cast:Sal Mineo
Juliet Prowse
Jan Murray
Elaine Stritch
Margot Bennett

Description

In this 1960s exploitation film, a disco hostess is taunted with X-rated phone calls from an unknown stalker drawing the attention of a police detective. Originally censored during its release in 1965 for its many taboos–voyeurism, lesbianism, masturbation, sexual violence–Who Killed Teddy Bear? is now restored to its original version courtesy of director Joseph Cates’ grandson Owen Kline (Funny Pages). Whereas Plato in Rebel Without a Cause is a dark but innocent character, in this film Sal Mineo’s Lawrence is an early progenitor of toxic masculinity on screen that would reappear in later works like Taxi Driver and American Psycho.