Frankenstein 1970/Fun Facts

• This project was proposed because of the success of the "Shock Theatre" package of Universal horror films released to television. The other contributing factors were the recent successes of the British-made The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and the low-budget American-International release I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957). This low-budget film had the advantage of being shot in CinemaScope.

• This film was originally going to be entitled "Frankenstein 1960" but it didn't sound futuristic enough. It was also thought to be too far-fetched that an independent researcher could obtain his own atomic reactor in 1960.

• Producer Aubrey Schenck had hoped to get the film released by Warner Brothers but had to settle for Allied Artists. Previously, films produced by Schenck's Bel-Air Productions, like The Black Sleep (1956), had been released by United Artists.

• The interiors were part of a set on Warners Stage Three, which had been constructed for the Errol Flynn-Dorothy Malone film Too Much, Too Soon (1958). In addition, budget-conscious producer Aubrey Schenck used cinematographer Carl Guthrie from the earlier film because his experience with the set allowed him to light the scenes quickly.

• The film was scheduled for eight shooting days and was completed on time (1/9/58 to 1/20/58). Boris Karloff worked all eight days.

• It was originally planned to include a ceramic bust of Boris Karloff in all scenes where he was working on the monster, but that ultimately did not work out.

• The black statuette from The Maltese Falcon (1941) was used by the Warners prop department to dress the set.

• Although her husband Douglas Row (Donald Barry) has apparently lost interest in wife Judy Stevens (Charlotte Austin) in favor of younger actress Carolyn Hayes (Jana Lund), Lund was actually three months older than Austin.

• The original pitch for this production referred to it as "Frankenstein's Castle."

• Dr. Frankenstein's ancestor, who originally began work on the monster in 1740, is referred to as Richard. Previous films usually called him Victor or Henry.

• Chicago talk show host Tom Duggan had a part in the film and invited Charlotte Austin and Don 'Red' Barry on his show to give the film a publicity boost. Unfortunately, both actors had a few drinks prior to going on camera and proceeded to belittle the film's quality, much to Duggan's chagrin.

• Boris Karloff's fifth Frankenstein movie, and the first time he actually played a member of the Frankenstein family - in Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939) he had played the Monster, and in House of Frankenstein (1944) he was mad scientist Dr. Gustav Niemann).

• The Breen Office ordered a number of changes in the script and the original cut of the film. One change ordered was the sound of the device Dr. Frankenstein uses to dispose of body parts. The original grinding sound was considered too horrific. It was replaced with the sound of a toilet flush which resulted in unintended laughter in audiences. This was believed to be the first time a toilet flush was heard in a motion picture