Paper Man (1971) A group of college students creates a fake identity for a credit card scam, only to find their fictional character has come to life—with deadly consequences. Director: Walter Grauman Screenplay by: James D. Buchanan, Ronald Austin Produced by: Walter Grauman Starring: Dean Stockwell as Avery Stefanie Powers as Karen James Stacy as Art Tina Chen as Lisa Elliott Street as Jerry Jason Wingreen as Inspector Parker Music by: Billy Goldenberg Cinematography: Robert B. Hauser Editing by: Richard M. Sprague Production Company: CBS Television Distributed by: CBS Release Date: March 2, 1971 Runtime: Approximately 90 minutes Country: United States Language: English Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller ------------------------------------------------------------ Synopsis: - A group of college students, led by Avery, decides to create a fake identity named "Henry Norman" to commit credit card fraud. - Their plan seems harmless at first—until strange events suggest that Henry Norman has somehow become real. - As the students investigate, they realize their fictional creation is now acting independently, targeting them one by one. - Inspector Parker is assigned to the case, but even he struggles to comprehend the bizarre nature of the unfolding mystery. - The film blends psychological tension with sci-fi elements, creating an eerie atmosphere of paranoia and suspense. ------------------------------------------------------------ Key Themes & Highlights: - Artificial Intelligence Horror The film explores the dangers of technology and identity manipulation. - Early Cyber-Thriller One of the first films to tackle themes of digital fraud and AI autonomy. - Paranoia & Suspense The students’ growing fear of their own creation drives the tension. - Cult Classic Status Paper Man has gained recognition among fans of vintage sci-fi thrillers. ------------------------------------------------------------ Trivia: - Originally aired as a TV movie on CBS in 1971. - One of the earliest films to explore themes of artificial intelligence and digital identity. - Jason Wingreen, known for his voice role as Boba Fett in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, plays Inspector Parker. - The film’s eerie atmosphere and psychological horror elements influenced later cyber-thrillers. ------------------------------------------------------------ Hashtags: #PaperMan1971 #JasonWingreen #DeanStockwell #StefaniePowers #SciFiThriller #ClassicHollywood #CyberThriller #ArtificialIntelligenceHorror #CBSMovie #VintageSuspense