Young Frankenstein (1974, dir. Mel Brooks)

“When I was nine I played the demon king in Cinderella and it launched me on a long and happy life of being a monster.”

-Boris Karloff(photographed here w/ make-up phenom Jack Pierce)

Frankenstein (1931, dir. James Whale)

Boris Karloff relaxes on the set of Bride of Frankenstein (1935, dir. James Whale) (via)

“The monster was the best friend I ever had. Certainly I was typed. But what is typing? It’s a trademark, a means by which the public recognizes you. Actors work all their lives to achieve that. I got mine with just one picture. It was a blessing.”

Elsa Lanchester on the set of Bride of Frankenstein (1935, dir. James Whale) (photo by Universal Studios/Getty Images)

“The swans in Regents Park in London inspired me in my performance. They’re really very nasty creatures, always hissing at you. So I used the memory of that hiss. The soundmen ran some of my hisses and screams backwards to add to the strangeness. I spent so much time screaming that I lost my voice and couldn’t speak for days.”

“I was having lunch and [Frankenstein director] James Whale sent either the first assistant or maybe it was his secretary over to me, and asked me to join him for a cup of coffee after lunch, which I did. He asked me if I would make a test for him tomorrow. ‘What for?’ I asked. ‘For a damned awful monster!’ he said.

Of course, I was delighted, because it meant another job, if I was able to land it. Actually that’s all it meant to me. At the same time I felt rather hurt, because at the time I had on very good straight makeup and my best suit - and he wanted to test me for a monster!” 

-Boris Karloff, on being offered the role of Frankenstein’s monster (via)

Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935, dir. James Whale) (via)

Set design by Charles D. Hall.