The Bad Seed

The Bad Seed

Christine Penmark

Leroy Jessup

Hortense Daigle

Monica Breedlove

Col. Kenneth Penmark

Richard Bravo

Emory Wages

Reginald 'Reggie' Tasker

Claudia Fern

Henry Daigle

Teacher (uncredited)

Mary Beth Musgrove (uncredited)

Margie (uncredited)

Rhoda's Classmate (uncredited)

Guard in Hospital Corridor (uncredited)

Saleslady (uncredited)

The Doctor (uncredited)

Nurse (uncredited)

Ginny (uncredited)

Teacher (uncredited)

The Sergeant

The original ending had Rhoda surviving, and her mother dying. The Motion Picture Production Code in effect at the time, however, required that "Crime shall never be presented in such a way as to throw sympathy with the crime as against law and order." The usual interpretation of this was that criminals weren't allowed to "get away with it." Because of this, the ending was changed: Rhoda's mother survived being shot in the head, and Rhoda herself was killed by a bolt of lighting by a lake.

Henry Jones (LeRoy) also plays the radio announcer who reports the Fern School tragedy.

Christine's murderous mother Bessie Denker was invented, all the other female career killers mentioned in the novel and the film were factual.

When Leroy is telling Rhoda that blood can't be washed off of a stick, in the shot taken facing Rhoda she is leaning on the table with both hands, but as soon it switches to a shot from her right side, she's standing upright with her arms bent.

When Rhoada and Leroy are talking outside, she is working on a puzzle. When Rhoada is facing Leroy the pieces to the puzzle are on the table, when Leroy is facing Rhoda, the pieces are not there. When it goes back to Rhoada, the pieces are again outside the puzzle.

When Christine is reading a book to Rhoda, you can clearly see the cover and the title "Inside the Castle Wall". Later, when the Rhoda has fallen asleep and Christine closes up the book, you can see a gold (or silver) disk on the cover which wasn't there before.

Christine Penmark: And as for you...

Hortense Daigle: Children can be nasty, don't you think?

Monica Breedlove: What has she DONE?