<P> The film's low budget meant only modest production values . Nevertheless, production designer Jack Otterson went to Salem, Massachusetts, to take photographs and measurements of the Turner - Ingersoll Mansion (the inspiration for the House of the Seven Gables in Hawthorne's novel). A facade of the House of the Seven Gables was constructed on the Colonial Street backlot at Universal Studios (it remained standing into the 21st century). Interiors took up three soundstages at Universal Studios, with the primary sets representing the Seven Gables living room, lower hallway, and upper hallway . Props included more than 500 pieces of authentic early American tableware, kitchen pots, and kitchen utensils . Jack Pierce, makeup artist famous for his work in Universal's horror movies of the 1930s, came up with the makeup design for the lead performers (who age two decades or more during the course of the picture). </P> <P> Universal Studios tested Margaret Lindsay for the role of Hepzibah Pyncheon on December 27, 1939 . Robert Cummings was originally cast as Clifford Pyncheon about December 28, but he fell ill the following day and was forced to leave the production . Price was cast most likely because he had forged a good working relationship with Kelly and May in October 1939 while working on The Invisible Man Returns . The studio announced Price's and Lindsay's casting, along with those of Nan Grey and George Sanders, on December 29 . Studio publicists noted that the role of Matthew Maule remained unfilled . </P> <P> The Los Angeles Times reported that principal photography was to have begun about December 24, but cameras did not begin rolling until December 29, 1939 . The production shut down the same day due to casting problems and set construction delays . One of the problems was the height of the lead actors: Studio carpenters made the set for the average actor's height of 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm), but Price (6 feet 4 inches (193 cm)) and Sanders (6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)) were too tall . Doorway lintels and ceilings were quickly raised . Shooting resumed on January 3 . The production was already three days behind schedule on January 5 due to problems with the period costumes, lighting, and the time - consuming aging makeup, and rain had delayed exterior shooting at the Seven Gables House . </P> <P> Additional casting decisions were announced on January 4 . Alan Napier, who had forged a deep friendship with Joe May on The Invisible Man Returns as well, was cast as the postman, Fuller . Dick Foran was cast as Matthew Maule and Gilbert Emery as Gerald Pyncheon that same day . Hiring for the major roles was not resolved until January 12, 1940, when the studio announced the casting of Cecil Kellaway and Charles Trowbridge . The following day, Universal announced that a song, "The Color of Your Eyes" (music and lyrics by Ralph Freed and Frank Skinner), had been added to the picture, and would be sung by Vincent Price . Additional delays occurred when airplanes flying over the set disrupted more exterior filming in mid January . Universal now began to put pressure on director Joe May to speed up the production . May did so, and by January 24 Trowbridge had finished all his scenes and had moved on to his next picture . The same day, Miles Mander was cast in the role of Arnold Foster . By working into the night (ten times between January 12 and the end of principal photography, the production did not break until 10 o'clock in the evening) the production was able to end in late January after 23 days of shooting (just two days over budget). </P>

Where was the girl from who came to live in the house of the seven gables with hepzibah