The Last Man on Earth (1964)

Directed by Sidney Salkow and Ubaldo B. Ragona, The Last Man on Earth is a post-apocalyptic horror film released in the U.S. on May 6, 1964, and in Italy on August 19, 1964. Based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel I Am Legend, the film stars Vincent Price as a lone survivor in a world overrun by vampiric plague victims. Produced as a U.S.–Italian co-production, it remains one of the earliest cinematic treatments of the “infected humanity” trope.

Plot Summary
Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) is the last known human immune to a global plague that has turned the population into nocturnal, zombie-like vampires. Living in a fortified house, he spends his days hunting the infected and his nights fending off their attacks. Haunted by memories of his wife and daughter, Morgan discovers a woman named Ruth (Franca Bettoia) who appears uninfected—but she harbors a secret that challenges everything he believes about the plague and its victims.

As Morgan uncovers the truth, he becomes a symbol of resistance—and ultimately, a threat to the new society emerging from the ruins.

Cast Highlights

• Vincent Price as Dr. Robert Morgan
• Franca Bettoia as Ruth Collins
• Emma Danieli as Virginia Morgan
• Giacomo Rossi-Stuart as Ben Cortman
• Umberto Raho, Christi Courtland, and Ettore Ribotta in supporting roles

Trivia & Behind the Scenes

• The film was shot in Rome, with Italian actors dubbed into English; Vincent Price was the only American lead
• Richard Matheson, who wrote the original novel, co-wrote the screenplay but was dissatisfied with the final product and used the pseudonym Logan Swanson
• This was the first film adaptation of I Am Legend, predating The Omega Man (1971) and I Am Legend (2007)
• The infected are portrayed as slow-moving, intelligent vampires, a hybrid between traditional undead and proto-zombies
• The film’s bleak tone and moral ambiguity influenced later horror classics like Night of the Living Dead (1968), which George A. Romero cited as inspired by Matheson’s novel
• The ending diverges from the book but retains its philosophical core, with Morgan becoming a legend to the new society—feared and misunderstood
• Despite its modest budget, the film has gained cult status for its atmosphere, Price’s performance, and its foundational role in modern horror storytelling