How Frankenstein Monster Was Made on the Set of “Frankenstein” Movies

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During the filming of his three Frankenstein movies (Frankenstein, 1932, Bride of Frankenstein, 1935, and Son of Frankenstein, 1939), Boris Karloff had to check in each morning at Universal Pictures at six o’clock sharp, where he was met by a sleepy-eyed Jack Pierce, the ace makeup specialist. For Karloff, or for any actor in his position, the next six hours were the most grueling.

From six o’clock till noon, Pierce was plastering on Karloff’s facial and arm makeup. Karloff, practically strapped to the makeup chair, sat motionless while Pierce applied the thick, greenish-gray greasepaint. Bloody scars were trenched on Karloff’s forehead, scalp, neck, and wrists; and collodion and cotton made the fire-wrinkled skin of cheek and hand. There were aluminum neck spikes (popularly known as the Monster’s electrodes), and steel braces for the arms.
At twelve o’clock, Pierce would begin fitting on the shoes. which weighed 11 pounds, five ounces apiece. They were size 24. Then came the final touch in creating Frankenstein’s monster — helping Karloff on with the padded suit two inches thick, which he wore under his clothes from neck to ankles.

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