The Hellenic 1818 revulsion novelFrankenstein , write by fabled English generator Mary Shelley , has seen several actor play Frankenstein ’s monster ; some are good than others , as numerous epithet have been mold as " the Creature " throughout cinema history . The story centers on Victor Frankenstein , a young — and tormented — scientist who creates a support being using various human body parts in an irregular experiment .

Frankenstein ’s monster is often referred to as " the Creature " throughout the novel . The story excellently bank on themes of nature versus nurture ; does simply give way a being consistency parts make it human ? Victor is terrified by his conception , and by not giving it a name or nurturing it he inherently rejects it , which leads to the flowering of a series of horrific events .

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The persona of Frankenstein ’s goliath has , over the years , become a classic horror picture . There have been numerous picture and television series that have adapted the story ofFrankenstein , with a number of unlike thespian portraying " the Creature " . Here are some of the major names to grace the function .

Boris Karloff

Perhaps the most famed portrayal of Frankenstein ’s monster was by thespian Boris Karloff , in the classic 1931Frankensteinmovie produced by Universal Pictures and directed by James Whale . The movie is iconic , and was even preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry .

The 1931 film spawned follow - ups , too;The Bride of Frankensteinin 1935,Son of Frankensteinin 1939 , andThe Ghost of Frankensteinin 1942 , with Karloff continuing to act the monster in the first two sequels . Throughout the forties , the character Frankenstein appeared in otherUniversal monster movies , likeFrankenstein take on the Wolf ManandHouse of Dracula . And Karloff occasionally reprize the function of the monster , as in 1958’sFrankenstein 1970 .

Lon Chaney, Jr.

Actor Lon Chaney , Jr. portrayed Frankenstein ’s monster inThe Ghost of Frankenstein , and again subsequently in one setting in the 1948 in cult comedyAbbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein . Glenn Strange played the part for most of the movie .

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Chaney also played the   Creature in the anthology serial , Tales of Tomorrow , from 1951 - 1953 . He also repeat the role again in episodes ofRoute 66.Chaney again took on   the role decades after in 1971 in the down in the mouth - budget thrillerDracula vs. Frankenstein . In this picture , Dracula has the last living descendant of Frankenstein revive the monster .

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Fred Gwynne

Universal produced a TV sitcom from 1964 - 1966 for CBS calledThe Munsters , with actor Fred Gwynne famously portraying the Church Father , Herman Munster . Herman Munster is n’t directly call Frankenstein ’s lusus naturae , but he clearly physically resembles the character . The rest of the Munster family includes a granddad who resembles Dracula , a married woman who resembles the Bride of Frankenstein , and a son who resemble a werewolf . The show was a smash in the ' 60s .

Bela Lugosi

Béla Lugosi first play Frankenstein ’s ogre in 1943’sFrankenstein Meets the Wolf Man , another cosmopolitan ogre movie . Lugosi , though , is   more remembered for the other revulsion quality he play throughout his calling — Count Dracula .

Glenn Strange

Glenn Strange took on the function of Frankenstein ’s monster in 1944 Universal filmThe House of Frankenstein . He went on to reprize the role inHouse of Draculaand , as aforementioned , Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein .

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Peter Boyle

Another famous depiction of Frankenstein ’s freak came with the 1974 Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder drollery classic , Young Frankenstein . The product used many of James Whale ’s original lab set pieces from the Boris Karloff moving-picture show . Peter Boyle diddle Frankenstein ’s lusus naturae in this variant of the story .

Christopher Lee

ActorChristopher Lee — ofTheLord of the Rings , Star Wars , andThe Wicker Manfame — took a shot at play the monstrosity in the 1957 movieThe Curse of Frankenstein . Lee also played the part of Dracula during his vocation .   The movie was part of the long - bleed Hammer Films series , which focus on the character of Victor Frankenstein . The series saw other doer play the freak throughout its run , too , admit Michael Gwynn inThe Revenge of Frankenstein , Kiwi Kingston inThe Evil of Frankenstein , Susan Denberg inFrankenstein Created Woman , Freddie Jones inFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed , and David Prowse inThe Horror of FrankensteinandFrankenstein and the Monster from Hell .

Robert De Niro

In one of the more recent adjustment ofFrankenstein—1994’sMary Shelley ’s Frankenstein , directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh as Victor — Robert De Niroportrayed the colossus . He was among an A - list cast , which included Helena Bonham Carter as Victor ’s sister , Elizabeth . The make-up squad on this pic took on a challenge — changing the iconic look of Frankenstein ’s monster , attain De Niro appear more as a stitched - together human . De Niro garnered attention for his unique portrayal of the Creature , and the picture show   might even   be consideredone of the best adaptations of Shelley ’s novel .

Other Actors Who Played Frankenstein’s Monster

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Raúl Juliá played the monster in 1990 film , Frankenstein Unbound , and Randy Quaid took on the role in the 1992 film , Frankenstein . In the 2000s , adaptations of the story bear on . Shuler Hensley played the monster in 2004’sVan Helsing , as did David Harewood in 2001’sFrankenstein ’s Wedding - Live in Leeds , a programme on BBC .

In 2011 , Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternated playing the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature in a theater production of the story ; a few months ago , the swordplay was streaming on YouTube .   And   in 2012 , hit vivify movieHotel Transylvaniacame out , with Kevin James voicing Frankenstein ’s colossus . Two twelvemonth later , Aaron Eckhart played the monster inI , Frankenstein . In 2015’sVictor Frankenstein , Spencer Wilding start the monster .

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Future Frankensteins

for sure the future will see more thespian take on the function of Frankenstein ’s monster . Many moving picture fans are anticipating areboot of the story from managing director Guillermo del Toro , who   has note casting Doug Jones as the monster . Plus , James Wan is allegedly making an adaptation , though as of this writing , that has n’t been substantiate .

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Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster

Lon Chaney Jr with a billowing cape in Son of Dracula

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Glenn Strange as Frankenstein

Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle dancing in Young Frankenstein

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Robert De Niro as the monster grimacing in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein

Aaron Eckhart standing in front of a building and crowd in I Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro looking serious in front of a black and white Frankenstein

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