Black Zoo

Black Zoo is a 1963 American horror film directed by Robert Gordon and starring Michael Gough, Jeanne Cooper, Rod Lauren, Virginia Grey, Jerome Cowan, and Elisha Cook, Jr. It was produced and co-written by Herman Cohen.

Plot
Michael Conrad is a private zookeeper who owns Conrad's Animal Kingdom. He leads a cult group who literally worship the animals he tends — especially the big cats: 3 lions, a lioness, a pair of cheetahs, a tiger, a cougar, and a black leopard; as well as a gorilla. Conrad plays organ music to the animals in his living room, and uses them to kill anyone who gets in his way. Conrad is married to Edna and forces his mute son Carl to assist him.

Cast
• Michael Gough as Michael Conrad

• Jeanne Cooper as Edna Conrad

• Rod Lauren as Carl

• Virginia Grey as Jenny

• Jerome Cowan as Jeffrey Stengle

• Elisha Cook Jr. as Joe

• Warrene Ott as Mary Hogan

• Marianna Hill as Audrey

• Oren Curtis as Radu

• Eilene Janssen as Bride

• Eric Stone as Groom

• Dani Lynn as Art Student

• Susan Slavin as Art Student

• Edward Platt as Detective Rivers

• Douglas Henderson as Lieutenant Duggan

Production
Herman Cohen had the idea for the film, and hired Aben Kandel to work with him on the script.

Cohen had worked with Gough previously in Horrors of the Black Museum and Konga.

The animals were provided by Ralph Helfer, most notably Zamba, who played one of the two male lions (Zamba Jr. and Tammy also appeared playing another lion and a lioness, respectively). The zoo was built at Raleigh Studio (formerly Producers Studio) on North Bronson in Hollywood, California. The entire zoo seen in the picture was an interior set.

Publicity was done with the cats—including an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Cohen did not like the title, preferring Horrors of the Black Zoo.

Home media
Black Zoo was released on a VHS tape by The Fang (Floral Park, NY) in 2001.