Image of Jesús Franco

Jesús Franco

Jesús "Jess" Franco was a Spanish film director, writer, cinematographer and actor. His career took off in 1961 with his cult classic The Awful Dr. Orloff, which received wide distribution in the United States and England. Though he had some American box office success with Necronomicon, his first women-in-prison film Ninety-Nine Women, and his two Christopher Lee films, The Bloody Judge and Count Dracula, he never achieved wide commercial success. Franco moved from Spain to France in 1970 so that he could make more violent and sexual films, and it was at this point that his career began to go downhill commercially, as he turned to low-budget filmmaking with a heavier accent on adult-oriented films. Although he produced a few well-received, low budget horror films in the early 70's, many people in the industry considered him a porn director due to the huge number of X-rated adult films he began churning out. Franco returned to low-budget horror in a brief comeback period from 1980-1983, but after 1983, his career took a second downturn. With the exception of his Faceless and Killer Barbys, his post-1984 films are almost unwatchable due to the incredibly low budgets he was forced to work with. Franco has nevertheless retained a large cult following through the years with his sexually-charged horror films, some of which are regarded as masterpieces by his avid followers.


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Born:
May 12, 1930 In Madrid, Spain
Movie/TV Credits:
116
First Appeared:
In the movie Around the World in Eighty Days 1956-10-17
Latest Project:
Movie Wild Session 2019-12-13
Known For
Poster of Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre
Poster of Trip to Bangkok, Coffin included
Poster of A Crack for Two
Poster of Justine and the Whip
Filmography
Movie Wild Session Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) 2019-12-13
Movie Drácula Barcelona Himself 2017-10-05
Movie Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert Himself (archive footage) 2015-10-01
Movie Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 2014-06-20
Movie Falks Frauen (archive footage) 2014-02-25
Movie Call Me Jess Redux Himself 2014-09-26
Movie Queridos monstruos Self 2014-10-10
Movie Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies The Director 2013-03-22
Movie Los profundos sueños de Jennifer Voz 2013-03-18
Movie La última película de Jess Franco Self 2013-10-11
Movie The Rhythm of Jess Self 2013-04-26
Movie Revenge of the Alligator Ladies Himself 2013-10-12
Movie Debris Documentar Himself 2012-09-28
Movie La cripta de las condenadas 2012-10-05
Movie Tío Jess Self 2012-11-20
Movie Take-Away Spirit J.W. Radek 2009-01-01
Movie Coffins of Light himself 2009-01-01
Movie Idoru 2009-09-27
Movie Por la gracia de Luis Himself 2009-10-17
Movie Martes de Carnaval 2008-01-05
Movie Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler Padre del Dr. Weissman 2008-06-06
Movie Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre Pete 2007-01-15
Movie Jesús Franco, manera de vivir Himself 2007-05-24
Movie The Well 2005-03-11
Movie Ban the Sadist Videos! Self 2005-09-06
Movie See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico! 2004-03-06
Movie Red Venice Jess Franco 2003-01-01
Movie Death Karate in Torremolinos Miyagi 2003-03-14
Movie On the Threshold to Another World Himself 2003-09-29
Movie Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie Himself 2002-01-15
Movie Journey into Perversion Himself 2001-07-17
Movie Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote Self 2000-11-05
Movie Call Him Jess Himself 2000-01-20
Movie Vampire Blues The Merchant 1999-01-01
Movie Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell Dr. James Wong 1999-01-01
Series Eurotika! Himself 1999-10-03
Movie El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa 1992-01-01
Movie Esmeralda Bay Boat Captain 1989-05-18
Movie Esa cosa con plumas 1988-04-08
Movie Flesh Eating Mothers Policeman 1988-09-16
Movie Girl with the Red Lips Professor Karame 1986-01-01
Movie Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong Dr. Wong 1985-01-01
Movie Trip to Bangkok, Coffin included (uncredited) 1985-06-01
Movie Bahia Blanca The Miseries (uncredited) 1984-01-01
Movie A Crack for Two Tom 1984-08-01
Movie Night Has a Thousand Desires Psychiatrist (uncredited) 1984-03-05
Movie Camino solitario Doctor Callman 1984-01-23
Movie The Sinister Doctor Orloff Manolo 1984-06-18
Movie Lilian, the Perverted Virgin Bernardo 1984-06-25
Movie The Blues of Pop Street Sam Chesterfield 1983-01-01
Movie Blood on My Shoes Abductor 1983-01-01
Movie En busca del dragón dorado Blind Old Man 1983-01-01
Movie Macumba Sexual Recepcionist 1983-10-20
Movie Black Boots, Leather Whip Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited) 1983-01-24
Movie The Night Of Open Sex Count 1983-02-23
Movie Sex Is Crazy Film Director 1981-01-01
Movie Sadomania Lucas 1981-03-27
Movie Jailhouse Wardress Uncle Jess 1981-08-05
Movie Bloody Moon Doctor (uncredited) 1981-03-27
Movie What a Honeymoon Dying Man (uncredited) 1980-01-01
Movie White Cannibal Queen Mr. Martin 1980-09-15
Movie The Sadist of Notre Dame Mathis Vogel 1979-06-15
Movie Justine and the Whip Strange Guy 1979-09-13
Movie Greta, the Mad Butcher Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco) 1977-01-21
Movie Kiss Me Killer Marcel 1977-03-31
Movie Slaves Radeck's Assistant 1977-04-15
Movie Midnight Party Janos Radeck 1976-01-23
Movie Barbed Wire Dolls Maria's Father (uncredited) 1976-04-22
Movie Ladies House of Pleasure 1976-06-23
Movie Shining Sex Dr. Seward 1976-08-21
Movie Les emmerdeuses 1976-07-22
Movie Women Behind Bars Bill 1975-01-01
Movie The Hot Nights of Linda Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck) 1975-07-16
Movie Downtown Al Pereira 1975-08-28
Movie Exorcism Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue 1975-08-25
Movie Night of the Skull Andy 1974-09-29
Movie Celestine Sleeping Man 1974-10-16
Movie Eugenie de Sade Attila Tanner 1973-04-05
Movie El misterio del castillo rojo 1973-01-01
Movie Female Vampire Dr. Roberts 1973-04-07
Movie The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff Lord Comfort (uncredited) 1973-01-01
Movie The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein Morpho 1973-05-31
Movie Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac Inspecteur Hernandez 1973-06-21
Movie Dolls for Sale 1973-11-29
Movie A Virgin Among the Living Dead Basilio 1973-11-15
Movie Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves Director 1972-10-01
Movie Vampir Cuadecuc Self 1972-05-05
Movie Daughter of Dracula Cyril Jefferson 1972-12-14
Movie The Corpse Packs His Bags Gonzales 1972-10-01
Movie The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub 1972-12-26
Movie Vampyros Lesbos Memmet 1971-07-15
Movie The Devil Came from Akasava Tino Celli 1971-03-05
Movie She Killed in Ecstasy Dr. Donen 1971-12-10
Movie X312 - Flight to Hell Man at John Somers' 1971-08-20
Movie Eugenie Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited) 1970-02-20
Movie Count Dracula Van Helsing's servant (uncredited) 1970-04-03
Movie Two Undercover Angels Napoleon Bolivard 1969-03-28
Movie 99 Women Official (uncredited) 1969-03-05
Movie The Girl from Rio Guitar Player 1969-03-14
Movie Kiss Me Monster Abilene's Contact Man 1969-03-28
Movie Marquis de Sade: Justine 1969-04-03
Movie Venus in Furs Jazz Musician (uncredited) 1969-08-19
Movie Your Caresses 1969-11-06
Movie The Castle of Fu Manchu Insp. Ahmet 1969-05-29
Movie Succubus Writer 1968-04-19
Movie The Blood of Fu Manchu 1968-08-23
Movie Lucky, the Inscrutable Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista 1967-06-23
Movie Residence for Spies Casino Piano Player (uncredited) 1966-01-01
Movie The Diabolical Dr. Z Inspector Tanner 1966-08-01
Movie Attack of the Robots Pianist (uncredited) 1966-04-27
Movie Death Whistles the Blues Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited) 1964-07-04
Movie Dr. Orloff's Monster Piano Player 1964-01-01
Movie Strange Voyage Don Venancio 1964-08-09
Movie The Awful Dr. Orlof Pianist (uncredited) 1962-05-14
Movie Anna Said Yes Pianista (uncredited) 1958-10-23
Movie Around the World in Eighty Days Extra (uncredited) 1956-10-17