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Released to theatres in 1951, "Unknown World" was directed by Terry O. Morse. Though the film features a variety of characters, there are only a handful of actors that might be remembered and recognized today. Jim Bannon, who plays the role of Andy Ostergaard is one of the actors who led a rather successful career. Before moving to Hollywood, Bannon was recognized as a star athlete while attending the Kansas City based Catholic school, Rockhurst University. Following his college graduation, Bannon became a sportscaster in Kansas City, where he worked until he moved to California in 1938. Bannon continued his work in radio while in California. He began working as a radio actor and eventually began acquiring small roles in movies. Bannon working as a movie stuntman in the early 1940s before obtaining the starring role in a detective series for Columbia based on the radio show, "I Love a Mystery". In 1949 he was given the star role of Red Ryder in the western series produced by Eagle Lion Productions. Bannon continued to work through the late 50s, when he appeared in smaller character parts in westerns films and on television.
The lovely Marilyn Nash plays the role of Dr. Joan Lindsey. Beginning her career as a student of medicine at the University of Arizona, Nash seemingly had no plans of starting a career in acting. It was when she was visiting Los Angeles that Nash met Charles Chaplin, who placed her under contract starting at $50 a week, and cast her in his 1947 production "Monsieur Verdoux". Nash only did one other film after her 1947 debut, and that was four years later in the low-budget, science fiction film, "Unknown World". Though she discontinued her work in the film industry, Nash continued to act on live television and performed in a variety of plays. She later retired from acting altogether and relocated to Oroville, California, where she became so involved with her community that she was nicknamed "Mrs. Oroville". Nash soon became a casting director for films shot in the area in which she lived.
Otto Waldis, who played the role of Dr. Max A. Bauer, is another actor who was more successful than many of his colleagues who appeared in "Unknown World" with him. Waldis, whose birth name was Otto Brunn, was born in Vienna, Austria in 1901. He turned to acting in his twenties and made his screen debut in an uncredited role in Fritz Lang’s 1931 production of "M". Waldis only appeared in more film before World War II and did not return to film until the war was over. In 1947, he resumed his career in Hollywood. Waldis found himself fully employed over the next decade. He soon became one of the more familiar European character actors in both Hollywood film and on television due to his versatility. He began slackening his activity in American film during the 1960s and returned to Europe to make his first appearance in German films since the 30s. Waldis came back to Hollywood during the 70s and had just been signed to appear in Mel Brooks’ "Young Frankenstein" when he died from a heart attack in 1974.
