I thought this Haunted House gag of real eyes staring from an old portrait would be easy to look up. It's a common enough cliche, or so I thought. Because
of the mystery I'm writing, I wanted to do a riff on this gag and mention the film it was used in, but I can't find a single instance in a classic film
that this gag has appeared. I recall a Bugs Bunny cartoon that used this gag, where the hairy monster in sneakers watches Bugs from a portrait and Bugs pokes
him in the eyes, but I need a live action example. I've looked at The Cat and the Canary, Hold that Ghost, The Old Dark House,
and so on. I've found secret passages, secret panels behind paintings with grasping hands reaching out, I've even found instances where the painting
slides away and a similarly dressed person is posed in the frame, but I'm running out of ideas about where to look specifically for a live action gag of
eyes staring from a portrait in a film anytime from silents to 1947. Can anyone think of a film where this gag was used in that time frame?
Thanks,
DK
Thanks,
DK
