"The Bride", the most obscure of Universal Studios' Classic Monsters, is on screen for less than five minutes and is the only "Classic Monster" never to have killed anyone.
Valerie Hobson, who plays Dr. Frankenstein's fiancé/bride in the film, was only 17 years old when she appeared in the film (Colin Clive, who portrayed Dr. Frankenstein, was 35.)
Boris Karloff protested against the decision to make The Monster speak, but was overruled. Since he was required to speak in this film, Karloff was not able to remove his partial bridgework as he had done to help give the Monster his sunken cheek appearance in the first film. That's why The Monster appears fuller of face in the sequel.
Boris Karloff sweated off 20 pounds laboring in the hot costume and makeup.
Elsa Lanchester never receives on screen credit as "The Bride". The character is listed as being played by "?".
Elsa Lanchester said that her spitting, hissing performance was inspired by the swans in Regent's Park, London. "They're really very nasty creatures," she said.
Elsa Lanchester was not the only person to have a dual role in this film. In addition to her role as Minnie, Una O'Connor also appeared in the prologue, as Shelley's maid who is holding the leash as the dogs go off screen.
Elsa Lanchester was only 5'4" but for the role was placed on stilts that made her 7' tall. The bandages were placed so tightly on her that she was unable to move and had to be carried about the studio and fed through a straw.
Elsa Lanchester's shock hairdo was held in place by a wired horsehair cage.
Claude Rains was offered the role of Dr. Pretorius but he was unavailable due to filming Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Marilyn Harris, who played Maria, the girl The Monster accidentally kills in the original Frankenstein, appears uncredited as another young girl.
2007: The movie's line "We belong dead" was voted as the #63 of "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere magazine.
As a result of audience reactions from the film's preview screenings during the first week of April 1935, the film was extensively re-edited. Many scenes were deleted and trimmed, and at least one, the scene where the Monster stumbles into the Gypsy Camp, was added in. As a result of the editing, the original uncut film was approx. 15 minutes longer than its official release length of 75 minutes.
Director James Whale originally did not want to do a sequel to Frankenstein. For a time, Universal considered producing a sequel without Whale's involvement. One possible story included an educated monster continuing Henry's research, while another chronicled Henry's creation of a death ray on the eve of a world war. However, after 4 years of badgering by Universal, Whale agreed to do the film.
Director James Whale was once derided by a disgusted audience member for laughing during a screening.
Doctor Pretorious' full name is "Septimus Pretorious"; this is actually Latin and means "royal seven", a reference to the seven deadly sins - as well as an indicator of his true nature.
Due to his overwhelming fame as a "thriller" actor, Boris Karloff was billed simply as "Karloff" - no first name needed.
During the "bottle" sequence in Dr. Pretorius' apartment, the Doctor, while showing Dr. Frankenstein the miniature "devil" character, makes a wry comment that he sees a "certain resemblance" between him and his tiny creation. In fact, the miniature devil in the bottle was played by Peter Shaw, who was actually actor Ernest Thesiger's stand-in/film double in the picture.
Editing after previews resulted in the loss of a subplot in which Karl imitates the Monster's murderous modus operandi to eliminate his miserly aunt and uncle and direct the blame away from himself.
In the opening and closing credits the cast list says "The Monster's Mate" followed by a question mark.