Arsenic & Old Lace Arsenic & Old Lace Arsenic & Old Lace is a 1962 television film directed by George Schaefer and starring Tony Randall. It first aired during season 11 of the NBC anthology series "Hallmark Hall of Fame". It is an adaptation of Joseph Kesselring's 1939 play "Arsenic and Old Lace". Boris Karloff reprised his role as Jonathan Brewster (who is described by the other characters as resembling the "Frankenstein" star), which he had originated on Broadway. He had been unable to appear in Frank Capra's 1944 film due to a scheduling conflict, but had played Jonathan on television once before, in
Lace Lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Originally linen, silk, gold, or silver threads were used. Now lace is often made with cotton thread, although linen and silk threads are still available. Manufactured lace may be made of synthetic fiber. A few modern artists make lace with a fine copper or silver wire instead of thread. The word lace is from Middle English, from Old French "las", noose, strin, from Vulgar Latin *"laceum", from Latin "laqueus", noose; probably akin to "lacere", to entice or ensnare.