8mm Forum: Who's Picture Is On The Frankenstein Box Art

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Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on May 07, 2009, 09:07 AM:

"Bride Of Frankenstein" and "A&C Meet Frankenstein" Castle Cover graphic on the top show an image of the actual actors in the movie. On the bottom is a graphic of the monster with his hands clasped together as if he were praying. Now, I've searched the web high and low for the identical photo and have come to the conclusion that the actor in the monster makeup is indeed NOT Glenn Strange nor Karloff nor Chaney, but an identified actor who merely posed in the makeup for the cover image(s). Would you all agree or am I way off here?

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on May 07, 2009, 10:43 AM:

Brad,

Good question! I've never looked that close at the photo before, but on the "Bride" cover, it appears to me that the Monster's left hand is actually drawn in to make it appear that he's pleading to his potential mate. The left hand is nowhere to be found on the A&C cover.

I seriously doubt that Castle would've gone to the expense or trouble to stage a cover shoot. I'm sure that's a Universal publicity still that they've manipulated (in the days before photoshop!). It could be one of the four actors (the three you mentioned and Bela Lugosi) who played the monster.

Doug

Posted by Paul Spinks (Member # 573) on May 07, 2009, 11:26 AM:

Could he be Edwin Parker or Gil Perkins who were regular stunt doubles for the monsters in the Universal films?

Posted by Joerg Polzfusz (Member # 602) on May 07, 2009, 11:57 AM:

Hi,

no matter what you say - to me it looks like Boris Karloff in the 1931's "Frankenstein"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2550568960/tt0021884
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2741278720/tt0021884
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2808387584/tt0021884
http://img2.ifilmpro.com/resize/image/stills/films/resize/istd/3054411.jpg

Of course it could be as well from "Bride of Frankenstein".

Jörg

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on May 07, 2009, 01:32 PM:

Looks like Karloff to me.

-Mike

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on May 07, 2009, 07:38 PM:

it HAS to be Glenn Strange on both covers, even though he didn't play the monster in "Bride" [Confused]

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on May 07, 2009, 11:15 PM:

I just wish we could find the actual still that the photo is from. I don't recall any scenes in a "Frankenstein" film where the monster struck such a pose. If I was to pick who I think it resembles the most - I'd have to say Strange simply based on the facial structure and makeup design. I agree that the left hand does appear to be sketched in or it could even be a reverse image of the right hand.

Posted by Kurt Gardner (Member # 440) on May 07, 2009, 11:21 PM:

I think it's Strange, too. The face is too young and not gaunt enough (he took out his bridge) to be Karloff. And in the 40s they shot lots of publicity stills of the cheap actors. I worked at Universal TV publicity in the early 90s and I can tell you the publicity stills in the later "monster rally" films were always second unit and fast and cheesy.

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on February 17, 2017, 01:04 AM:

I found it. It's actually Glenn Strange in the exact position. He's kneeling next to Bud and Lou in a comically posed publicity still for "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein". Found it on Google. Caption reads "a funny pose from A&C Meet Frankenstein". Yes his hands are clasped in the photo.

Posted by Joe Vannicola (Member # 4156) on February 17, 2017, 11:30 PM:

When I got Castle Films 200ft The Bride of Frankenstein for Christmas, back in 1967, I always knew it was Glen Strange on the cover and always wondered why they showed a picture of him and not Boris Karloff.

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on February 19, 2017, 07:46 PM:

I've heard that when Boris Karloff died that at least one newspaper used a photo of Strange in the obituary.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on February 20, 2017, 06:14 PM:

Strange as it may seem...Shorty

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on February 22, 2017, 06:35 PM:

Shorty, I bet you have those 2 boxes in pristine condition.
[Smile]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on February 23, 2017, 09:34 AM:

Brad,

Nice work! Here is the still:

Brad found it on this site.

Doug

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on February 23, 2017, 04:39 PM:

Told ya

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on February 23, 2017, 05:44 PM:

Definitely Glenn Strange, and many periodicals (including Radio Times) still mistakenly print his picture when referencing Boris Karloff.

Posted by Daniel Perry (Member # 5802) on February 24, 2017, 12:47 PM:

Late to the thread but yeah I thought it was Strange as well. Nice hunting!

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on February 25, 2017, 05:11 PM:

Thank you, Doug!!! That's the picture! Whew! Now I can sleep again (LOL)!

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