Who played the monster in the first film adaptation of Frankenstein (1910)?

Charles Ogle played the monster in Frankenstein, the first film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel, released in 1910.

The short silent film was produced by Edison Studios and directed by J. Searle Dawley. Ogle appeared opposite Augustus Phillips, who played Dr. Frankenstein, and Mary Fuller, who played Elizabeth. The film ran for roughly 16 minutes and offered a highly condensed, imaginative version of the novel.

Ogle’s monster was created through an unusual early special effect: footage of a dummy being burned was reversed so that the creature appeared to form from ashes and fumes. The ending also differed sharply from Shelley’s book, with the monster disappearing after seeing its reflection.

A frequent mix-up is Boris Karloff, who played the creature in the famous 1931 Universal sound film. Lon Chaney was another major silent-era horror star, but he did not play Frankenstein’s monster in the 1910 production. Charles Ogle is generally recognized as the first actor to portray the monster on film.