<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section needs expansion . You can help by adding to it . (December 2017) </Td> </Tr> <P> Though uncredited on - screen, the film was produced by Robert L. Lippert, head of Fox's subsidiary B - movie studio Regal Pictures, which produced the film and was originally slated to distribute it before Fox decided to release it under their more prestigious "20th Century Fox" label. . Lippert hired James Clavell to adapt George Langelaan's short story on the strength of a previous sci - fi spec script which the studio had bought but never produced . It would become Clavell's first filmed screenplay . The adaptation remained largely faithful to Langelaan's story, apart from moving its setting from France to Canada, and crafting a happier ending by eliminating Hélène's suicide . </P> <P> Lippert tried to cast Michael Rennie and Rick Jason in the role of André Delambre, before settling on then mostly - unknown David Hedison (billed as "Al Hedison" on - screen .) Hedison's "Fly" costume featured a twenty - pound fly's head, about which he said: "Trying to act in it was like trying to play the piano with boxing gloves on". Hedison was never happy with the makeup, but Makeup Director Ben Nye Sr. remained very positive about his work, writing years later that despite doing many subsequent science fiction films, "I never did anything as sophisticated or original as The Fly". </P> <P> Years later, Vincent Price recalled the cast finding some levity during the filming: "We were playing this kind of philosophical scene, and every time that little voice (of the fly) would say' Help me! Help me!' we would just scream with laughter . It was terrible . It took us about 20 takes to finally get it". </P>

Who played the fly in the original movie