Grant Unto Him Eternal Rest his body works differently from other people". The executives were bemused by an incomplete story where one of the main characters was dead, but commissioned the series soon after receiving the full script. In retrospect, Linehan and Mathews noticed that the plot was very similar to that of the "Fawlty Towers" episode "The Kipper and the Corpse". Despite being fans of the show, they only noticed the parallels afterwards, and would likely have abandoned the episode if they had seen them earlier. Kevin Sharkey, who plays the black Donegal priest, was a friend of the writers', and was brought in
The Corpse Vanishes was questioned by Joel if there was anything positive from the movie, he short circuits. The MST3K episode is available in the collectors volume 16. Bela Lugosi also starred in another 1942 horror film, "Bowery at Midnight". In a scene in that film outside a cinema, an advertising poster for "The Corpse Vanishes" outside the cinema doors features Lugosi's image and name. "The Corpse Vanishes" was featured in episode #105 of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" along with Chapter 3 of "Radar Men from the Moon", a Commando Cody serial. The episode debuted in December 1989 on the Comedy Channel. "MST3K"