Actor
John Carradine
Born 5 February 1906 · New York, États-Unis — died 27 November 1988
John Carradine (1906–1988) was an American character actor known for his tall figure and resonant voice. He worked extensively in horror films and Westerns, and became a regular in John Ford's films. His career spanned hundreds of credits, from prestige pictures to low-budget B-movies, and he founded a family acting dynasty.
Key films
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
An early appearance in a classic Universal horror film, which marked his start in the genre.
Stagecoach (1939)On Cinespective
His first major role in a John Ford Western, as the gambler Hatfield, which led to a long collaboration.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
He played the preacher Casy in Ford's acclaimed Steinbeck adaptation, one of his best-known dramatic roles.
House of Frankenstein (1944)
He played Count Dracula in this monster crossover, which cemented his reputation as a horror star.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
A late Ford Western that showed his continuing place in the director's stock company.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 278
- 1930Bright Lights · as Newspaper reporter / photographerActor
- 1930Tol'able David · as Buzzard HatburnActor
- 1931Heaven on Earth · as Chicken SamActor
- 1932The Sign of the Cross · as Christian Martyr / Gladiator Leader / Voice in Coliseum Mob (uncredited)Actor
- 1933The Invisible Man · as Informer Suggesting Ink (uncredited)Actor
- 1933The Story of Temple Drake · as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)Actor
- 1933To the Last Man · as Pete Garon (uncredited)Actor
- 1933This Day and Age · as Assistant PrincipalActor
- 1934The Black Cat · as Cult OrganistActor
- 1934Cleopatra · as Roman Citizen/Party Guest/Soldier (uncredited) (voice)Actor
- 1934The Meanest Gal in Town · as Stranded Actor (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Bride of Frankenstein · as Lost Hunter at Hermit's Cottage (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Les Misérables · as EnjolrasActor
- 1935Clive of India · as Drunken-Faced ClerkActor
- 1935Cardinal Richelieu · as AgitatorActor
- 1935The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo · as Despondent Casino Gambler (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Alias Mary Dow · as Griffe - Nightclub Drunk (uncredited)Actor
- 1935Bad Boy · as Angry Saxophone Player - TenantActor
- 1936The Prisoner of Shark Island · as Sergeant RankinActor
- 1936Mary of Scotland · as RizzioActor
- 1936The Garden of Allah · as Sand DivinerActor
- 1936Dimples · as RichardsActor
- 1936Winterset · as Bartolomio RomagnaActor
- 1936Daniel Boone · as Simon GirtyActor
- 1936Ramona · as Jim FarrarActor
- 1936Under Two Flags · as CafardActor
- 1936White Fang · as Beauty SmithActor
- 1936Laughing at Trouble · as Deputy Sheriff Alec BradyActor
- 1936Half Angel · as Sanatorium Inmate (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1937Captains Courageous · as Long JackActor
- 1937The Hurricane · as Guard CaptainActor
- 1937The Last Gangster · as CasperActor
- 1937Thank You, Mr. Moto · as PereiraActor
- 1937Ali Baba Goes to Town · as IshakActor
- 1937This Is My Affair · as EdActor
- 1937Danger – Love at Work · as Herbert PembertonActor
- 1937Love Under Fire · as Capt. DelmarActor
- 1937Nancy Steele Is Missing! · as Harry WilkinsActor
- 1938Alexander's Ragtime Band · as Speakeasy DoormanActor
- 1938Of Human Hearts · as President LincolnActor
- 1938Four Men and a Prayer · as General SebastianActor
- 1938Submarine Patrol · as McAllisonActor
- 1938International Settlement · as MurdockActor
- 1938I'll Give a Million · as KopelpeckActor
- 1938Kentucky Moonshine · as Reef HatfieldActor
- 1938Kidnapped · as GordonActor
- 1938Gateway · as Leader of RefugeesActor
- 1939Stagecoach · as HatfieldActor
- 1939The Hound of the Baskervilles · as BarrymanActor
- 1939Drums Along the Mohawk · as CaldwellActor
- 1939Jesse James · as Bob FordActor
- 1939Five Came Back · as Mr. CrimpActor
- 1939Frontier Marshal · as Ben CarterActor
- 1939Mr. Moto's Last Warning · as Danforth / Richard BurkeActor
- 1939The Three Musketeers · as NaveauActor
- 1939Captain Fury · as CoughyActor
- 1939Land of Liberty · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1940The Grapes of Wrath · as CasyActor
- 1940The Return of Frank James · as Bob FordActor
- 1940Brigham Young · as Porter RockwellActor
- 1940Chad Hanna · as B. D. BisbeeActor
- 1941Man Hunt · as Mr. JonesActor
- 1941Western Union · as Doc MurdochActor
- 1941Blood and Sand · as NacionalActor
- 1941Swamp Water · as Jesse WickActor
- 1942Reunion in France · as Ulrich Windler, Head of Paris GestapoActor
- 1942Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake · as Caleb GreenActor
- 1942Whispering Ghosts · as NorbertActor
- 1942Northwest Rangers · as Martin CaswellActor
- 1943Captive Wild Woman · as Dr. Sigmund WaltersActor
- 1943Revenge of the Zombies · as Dr. Max Heinrich von AltermannActor
- 1943Hitler's Madman · as Reinhardt HeydrichActor
- 1943Isle of Forgotten Sins · as Mike ClancyActor
- 1943Silver Spurs · as Lucky MillerActor
- 1943Gangway for Tomorrow · as Mr. WellingtonActor
- 1943I Escaped from the Gestapo · as MartinActor
- 1944House of Frankenstein · as Dracula (aka Baron Latos)Actor
- 1944The Mummy's Ghost · as Yousef BeyActor
- 1944The Invisible Man's Revenge · as Dr. Peter DruryActor
- 1944Bluebeard · as Gaston MorrellActor
- 1944Voodoo Man · as TobyActor
- 1944Jungle Woman · as Dr. Sigmund Walters (archive footage / uncredited)Actor
- 1944Return of the Ape Man · as Prof. John GilmoreActor
- 1944The Adventures of Mark Twain · as Bret HarteActor
- 1944Waterfront · as Victor MarlowActor
- 1944Barbary Coast Gent · as Duke CleatActor
- 1944The Black Parachute · as General von BodenbachActor
- 1944Alaska · as John ReaganActor
- 1945House of Dracula · as Count DraculaActor
- 1945Fallen Angel · as Professor MadleyActor
- 1945Captain Kidd · as Orange PoveyActor
- 1945It's in the Bag! · as Jefferson T. PikeActor
- 1946The Face of Marble · as Dr. Charles RandolphActor
- 1946Down Missouri Way · as Thorndyke 'Thorny' P. DunningActor
- 1947The Private Affairs of Bel Ami · as Charles ForestierActor
- 1947Fish Story · as John CarradineActor
- 1949C-Man · as Doc SpencerActor
- 1953The Hound Of Heaven · as Hyder SimpsonActor
- 1954Johnny Guitar · as Old TomActor
- 1954The Egyptian · as Grave RobberActor
- 1954Casanova's Big Night · as ForessiActor
- 1954Thunder Pass · as BergstromActor
- 1955The Court Jester · as GiacomoActor
- 1955The Kentuckian · as Ziby FletcherActor
- 1955Stranger on Horseback · as Col. Buck StreeterActor
- 1955Desert Sands · as JalaActor
- 1955The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn · as The DukeActor
- 1956The Ten Commandments · as AaronActor
- 1956Around the World in 80 Days · as Proctor StampActor
- 1956The Black Sleep · as BohemundActor
- 1956Female Jungle · as Claude AlmsteadActor
- 1956Hidden Guns · as Snipe HardingActor
- 1956Dark Venture · as GideonActor
- 1956Dracula · as DraculaActor
- 1957The True Story of Jesse James · as Rev. Jethro BaileyActor
- 1957The Story of Mankind · as KhufuActor
- 1957The Unearthly · as Dr. Charles ConwayActor
- 1957Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman · as Dr. John RayburnActor
- 1957Hell Ship Mutiny · as MaloneActor
- 1957Snowshoes: A Comedy of People and Horses · as Felix the GreatActor
- 1958The Last Hurrah · as Amos ForceActor
- 1958The Proud Rebel · as Traveling SalesmanActor
- 1958Showdown at Boot Hill · as Doc WeberActor
- 1959Invisible Invaders · as Dr. Karol NoymannActor
- 1959The Incredible Petrified World · as Prof. Millard WymanActor
- 1959Terror in the Midnight Sun · as Narrator (US Re-Edit)Actor
- 1959The Oregon Trail · as Zachariah GarrisonActor
- 1959The Cosmic Man · as Cosmic ManActor
- 1960The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn · as Slave CatcherActor
- 1960Tarzan the Magnificent · as Abel BantonActor
- 1960Sex Kittens Go to College · as Prof. WattsActor
- 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance · as Cassius StarbuckleActor
- 1964Cheyenne Autumn · as Jeff BlairActor
- 1964The Patsy · as Bruce AldenActor
- 1964Genesis · as NarratorActor
- 1965The Wizard of Mars · as The Wizard of MarsActor
- 1965House of the Black Death · as Andre DesardActor
- 1965Curse of the Stone Hand · as The Old DrunkActor
- 1965Broken Sabre · as General Josh McCordActor
- 1965Something for Mrs. GibbsActor
- 1966Munster, Go Home! · as CruikshankActor
- 1966Billy the Kid Versus Dracula · as Count DraculaActor
- 1966Red Zone Cuba · as Mr. WilsonActor
- 1966The Emperor's New Clothes · as King LuvimselfActor
- 1967Hillbillys in a Haunted House · as Dr. HimmelActor
- 1967Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors · as Narrator / Tristram HalbinActor
- 1967Blood of Ghastly Horror · as Dr. Howard VanardActor
- 1967The Hostage · as Otis LovelaceActor
- 1967The Fiend with the Electronic Brain · as Dr. Howard VanardActor
- 1968The Astro-Zombies · as Dr. DeMarcoActor
- 1968The Movie Orgy · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1968The Helicopter Spies · as Third-Way PriestActor
- 1968Autopsy of a Ghost · as SatánActor
- 1968They Ran for Their Lives · as LasloActor
- 1968Chewing Gum · as Roberto SánchezActor
- 1968The Mummy's Ghost · as The Egyptian PriestActor
- 1969Blood of Dracula's Castle · as GeorgeActor
- 1969The Good Guys and the Bad Guys · as TickerActor
- 1969The Trouble with Girls · as Mr. DrewcoltActor
- 1969Five Bloody Graves · as Boone HawkinsActor
- 1969The Vampire Girls · as Count Branos AlucardActor
- 1969Madame Death · as Dr. FavelActor
- 1969Daughter of the Mind · as Mr. BoschActor
- 1969The Mummy and the Curse of the Jackals · as Professor CummingsActor
- 1969Secret of Death · as Polito the ClownActor
- 1969Pact with the Devil · as Dr. HalbackActor
- 1970Myra Breckinridge · as SurgeonActor
- 1970Horror of the Blood Monsters · as Dr. RynningActor
- 1970Crowhaven Farm · as Nate CheeverActor
- 1970Bigfoot · as Jasper B. HawksActor
- 1970Shinbone Alley · as Tyrone T. Tattersall (voice)Actor
- 1970Hell's Bloody Devils · as Pet Shop OwnerActor
- 1970Cain's Cutthroats · as Preacher SimmsActor
- 1970The McMasters · as PreacherActor
- 1970Blood of the Iron Maiden · as Dr. GoolieActor
- 1971Blood Legacy · as Christopher DeanActor
- 1971The Seven Minutes · as Sean O'FlanaganActor
- 1971The Gatling Gun · as Rev. HarperActor
- 1971Decisions! Decisions! · as Railroad Ticket ClerkActor
- 1971Threshold · as Old-fashioned UndertakerActor
- 1972Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex *But Were Afraid to Ask · as Dr. BernardoActor
- 1972Boxcar Bertha · as H. Buckram SartorisActor
- 1972Night of the Dark Full Moon · as Charlie TowmanActor
- 1972Demented Death Farm Massacre · as The Judge Of HellActor
- 1972Portnoy's Complaint · as Judge (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1972The Legend of Sleepy Hollow · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1972Richard · as Plastic SurgeonActor
- 1973The Night Strangler · as Llewellyn CrossbinderActor
- 1973Terror in the Wax Museum · as Claude DupreeActor
- 1973Superchick · as Igor SmithActor
- 1973The Cat Creature · as The Hotel ClerkActor
- 1973Bad Charleston Charlie · as Alcoholic ReporterActor
- 1973Shadow House · as UncleActor
- 19731,000,000 A.D. Promo Reel · as The SageActor
- 1974The House of Seven Corpses · as Edgar PriceActor
- 1974Moonchild · as Mr. WalkerActor
- 1974The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute · as SelfActor
- 1974The Lady's Not for Burning · as Old SkipsActor
- 1975Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary · as The ManActor
- 1975Stowaway to the Moon · as Jacob AvrilActor
- 1975Journey Into the Beyond · as Narrator (English Version)Actor
- 1976The Shootist · as BeckumActor
- 1976The Last Tycoon · as Tour GuideActor
- 1976Crash! · as Dr. Welsey EdwardsActor
- 1976The Killer Inside Me · as Dr. SmithActor
- 1976Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood · as DrunkActor
- 1976Death at Love House · as Conan CarrollActor
- 1977The Sentinel · as Fr. Francis Matthew HalloranActor
- 1977The White Buffalo · as Amos BriggsActor
- 1977Shock Waves · as CaptainActor
- 1977Satan's Cheerleaders · as The BumActor
- 1977The Mouse and His Child · as The Tramp (voice)Actor
- 1977Golden Rendezvous · as FairweatherActor
- 1977Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A. · as Grampa SullivanActor
- 1977Tail Gunner Joe · as Wisconsin FarmerActor
- 1977The Lady and the LynchingsActor
- 1978The Bees · as Dr. Sigmund HummelActor
- 1978Vampire Hookers · as Richmond ReedActor
- 1978Sunset Cove · as Judge Harley WinslowActor
- 1978Doctor Dracula · as RadcliffActor
- 1978Salem and the Scarlet Letter · as NarratorActor
- 1979Nocturna · as Count DraculaActor
- 1979Americathon · as Uncle SamActor
- 1979Missile X: The Neutron Bomb Incident · as Professor NikolaeffActor
- 1979The Horror Show · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1980The Boogey Man · as Dr. WarrenActor
- 1980Monstroid · as PriestActor
- 1980A Tribute to Dr. Shock · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1981The Howling · as Erle KentonActor
- 1981The Monster Club · as R.Chetwynd-Hayes, WriterActor
- 1981The Nesting · as Col. LeBrunActor
- 1981Frankenstein Island · as Dr. FrankensteinActor
- 1981The Reluctant Dragon · as NarratorActor
- 1982The Secret of NIMH · as Great Owl (voice)Actor
- 1982Satan's Mistress · as Father StrattenActor
- 1982The Best of Sex and Violence · as Self - HostActor
- 1982The Scarecrow · as Hubert SalterActor
- 1982The Vals · as Mr. Stanton (Head of the Orphanage)Actor
- 1983House of the Long Shadows · as Elijah GrisbaneActor
- 1983Boogeyman II · as Dr. Warren (archive footage)Actor
- 1983Imps* · as GentlemanActor
- 1983The Horror of It All · as SelfActor
- 1983Antony and Cleopatra · as SoothsayerActor
- 1983A Rose for Emily · as Col. SartorisActor
- 1984The Ice Pirates · as Supreme CommanderActor
- 1984Going Hollywood: The '30s · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1984Elvira's MTV Halloween Party · as SelfActor
- 1985Evils of the Night · as Dr. KozmarActor
- 1985Reel Horror · as Alcoholic Reporter (archive footage)Actor
- 1985Frankenstein's BrainActor
- 1986Peggy Sue Got Married · as LeoActor
- 1986Monster in the Closet · as Old Joe ShempterActor
- 1986Star Slammer · as The JusticeActor
- 1986The Tomb · as AndohebActor
- 1986Revenge · as Sen. Martin BradfordActor
- 1986Hollywood Ghost Stories · as Narrator / HostActor
- 1986Lugosi: The Forgotten King · as HimselfActor
- 1987Evil Spawn · as Dr. Emil ZeitmanActor
- 1989Buried Alive · as Jacob JulianActor
- 1990The Alien Within · as Dr. Emil Zeitman (archive footage)Actor
- 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook · as Count Dracula (archive footage)Actor
- 1991Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook · as Count Dracula (archive footage)Actor
- 1992Dracula in the Movies · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1992Legends of the West · as Jeff Blair in 'Cheyenne Autumn' (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1995Jack-O · as Walter MachenActor
- 1995Bikini Drive-InActor
- 1999Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2003Boogeyman II: Redux · as Dr. WarrenActor
- 2005James Dean: Forever Young · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2005The Great Man: W.C. Fields · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2012The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature FeaturesActor
- 2013Blood of 1000 Virgins · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013The Trail of Dracula · as Self (Archival Footage)Actor
- 2014Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films · as Lord Elijah Grisbane (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 2016Lugosi: The Forgotten King of Horror · as SelfActor
- 2021Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2024La Lucha Invade el Cine Mexicano · as Nazi leaderActor
- 2026Jack-O 2: Blood Moon Rising · as Walter Machen (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.