Murders in the Zoo is a 1933 pre-Code horror film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, written by Philip Wylie and Seton I. Miller.

"[2] Big-game hunter and wealthy zoologist Eric Gorman is an insanely jealous husband who uses his animal knowledge to dispose of his impulsive wife's lovers.

Both Gorman and his wife Evelyn then return to America aboard a ship packed with captured animals he intends to add to his collection at a major zoo.

Gorman invites Hewitt to the dinner and poisons him with mamba venom that he obtained from the zoo's laboratory doctor, Jack Woodford.

The stress, meanwhile, has caused Yates to fall off the wagon, and he is seen fearlessly meandering through the zoo, even swatting on the nose a still free lion that had been stalking him.

Following the release of Island of Lost Souls in late December 1932 in New York, Paramount Pictures began preparing work on Murders in the Zoo.

[3] On December 22 and 23, William H. Wright of Paramount Publix Corporation sent two copies of the script for Murders in the Zoo and some substitute pages to Dr. James Wingate at the Association of Motion Picture Producers in Hollywood.

[4] Further casting is completed after this letter including Kathleen Burke from Island of Lost Souls, taking it away from Adrienne Ames, Lona Andre and Susan Fleming.

[11] In 2023 it was released on Blu-ray in the UK as part of a compilation from Eureka Entertainment titled Creeping Horror, with a commentary track by Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby.

"[7][8] The review went on to note that Kathleen Burke "fails to impress" and that Gail Patrick is "no beauty" and that the film "will have to depend on the animals and horror to attract.

"[13] However, a New York Times movie critic says, "Those who demand their leaven of romance even in horror pictures are likely to find 'Murders in the Zoo' inadequate in this direction."

Though he also claims that "it happens that the director has been almost too effective in dramatizing these cheerless events…Lionell Atwill as the insanely jealous husband is almost too convincing for comfort…[and judging] by its ability to chill and terrify, this film is a successful melodrama.

He glides effortlessly across the screen, speaking volumes with a barely perceptible change in tenor in his voice, unveiling his character's hidden passions with a simple, unguarded glance.