Jesús Franco
Biography
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 Faceless and Killer Barbies, his films after 1984 are quite disliked and obscure due to their incredibly low budgets. 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.
Known For
Acting
1973
asMorpho
1969
asInsp. Ahmet
1970
asVan Helsing's servant (uncredited)
1971
asTino Celli
1972
asGonzales
1999
asThe Merchant
2002
asHimself
2001
asHimself
1966
asInspector Tanner
2014
as(archive footage)
2021
asSelf (archive footage)
1999
asDr. James Wong
1968
asWriter
1966
asPiano Player
1965
asPiano Player
1969
asJazz Musician (uncredited)
1971
asDr. Donen
1973
asAttila Tanner
1976
asMaria's Father (uncredited)
1974
asAndy
1977
asMarcel
1975
asDr. Roberts
1984
asManolo
1972
asCrosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
2009
asJ.W. Radek
1981
asUncle Jess
1981
asFilm Director
1969
asGuitar Player
1971
asMemmet
1975
asAl Pereira
1975
asBill
1975
asMathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
1981
asLucas
1985
asDr. Wong
1976
asJanos Radeck
2003
asMiyagi
1970
asMan in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
1974
asSleeping Man
2013
asThe Director
2012
as
1972
asDirector
1977
asRadeck's Assistant
2013
asSelf
2000
asSelf
1973
asInspecteur Hernandez
2013
asSelf
1983
asRecepcionist
2000
asHimself
1981
asDoctor (uncredited)
2014
asHimself
2003
asHimself
1969
as
1964
asDon Venancio
1980
asMr. Martin
1984
asTom
1972
asSelf
1973
as
1976
as
1983
asAbductor
1983
asSam Chesterfield
1983
asBlind Old Man
1986
asProfessor Karame
1992
as2013
asVoz
1979
asMathis Vogel
1969
asAbilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
1976
asDr. Seward
1983
asCount
1969
as
1968
as
2003
asJess Franco
1973
asLord Comfort (uncredited)
2013
asHimself
2012
asHimself
1988
asPoliceman
1967
asCiego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
2007
asPete
2004
as
1984
asPsychiatrist (uncredited)
1979
asStrange Guy
1984
asDoctor Callman
1983
asMatón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
1975
asDr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
1956
asExtra (uncredited)
1988
as
2012
asSelf
2007
asHimself
2017
asHimself
1969
asNapoleon Bolivard
2005
as
2009
as
2008
as
1969
asOfficial (uncredited)
2014
asSelf
2005
asSelf
2015
asHimself (archive footage)
2009
ashimself
2009
asHimself
1980
asDying Man (uncredited)
as 
2014
asSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
1989
asBoat Captain
1966
asPianist (uncredited)
2005
asHimself
2019
asSelf - Filmmaker (archive footage)
1972
asCyril Jefferson
1977
asDr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
1962
asPianist (uncredited)
1973
asBasilio
1976
as
1984
asThe Miseries (uncredited)
1968
asCasino Piano Player (uncredited)
1964
asSaxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
1984
asBernardo
2008
asPadre del Dr. Weissman
1958
asPianista (uncredited)
2007
asSelf
2002
asSelf
2007
asSelf
1976
asGraf Anastasio
1971
asMan at John Somers'
2024
asSelf - Archive footage
1975
as1983
asSelf
2010
asSelf
2005
asself
1975
asMathis Vogel
1985
asRose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
1973
asRoger (uncredited)
asSelf
asDon Manolito
Production
1998
as
1998
as
1983
as
1986
as
1983
as
1988
as
1984
as
1997
as1989
as
1976
as
1994
as
1986
as1993
as2012
as
2012
as2013
as
1983
as
1984
as1985
as
1985
as1984
as
1963
as1958
asCrew
2009
as
1987
as
1965
as1979
as
2010
asDirecting
1985
as1973
as
1972
as1998
as1968
as1969
as1970
as
1975
as1971
as1972
as1999
as1998
as1983
as
2000
as1999
as
2001
as1969
as1968
as1966
as1965
as1969
as1971
as1973
as1974
as1977
as1966
as1962
as1977
as1976
as
1988
as1975
as
1986
as
1982
as
1985
as1986
as1983
as
1982
as1984
as
1983
as1972
as1988
as1981
as1984
as
1982
as1981
as
1989
as
1974
as1997
as
1970
as1969
as
1982
as
1986
as1971
as
1980
as
1976
as1981
as1975
as
1978
as
1978
as1973
as1984
as1983
as
1972
as
1981
as1975
as
1978
as
1977
as1983
as
1962
as1981
as1969
as
1980
as
1977
as1976
as1985
as1975
as
2002
as1969
as
1974
as1970
as1964
as
1976
as
1979
as2010
as1973
as
1977
as
1973
as
1973
as
1977
as1980
as1971
as
1974
as
1981
as1969
as
1977
as
1975
as1967
as1984
as
1999
as1994
as
1973
as1973
as1974
as2013
as1965
as
1962
as
1959
as
2005
as
1996
as2012
as2012
as
1960
as1972
as
2000
as1977
as1976
as1973
as
2002
as
1973
as
1986
as1972
as
1976
as2013
as
1986
as1975
as
1963
as2007
as
2006
as
1964
as
2005
as
1974
as1977
as
1980
as
1960
as1968
as
2008
as1989
as1976
as
1974
as
1972
as
1976
as1987
as
1987
as
1981
as
1980
as
1975
as1984
as
1987
as
1978
as1973
as1976
as
1981
as1983
as1983
as1983
as1983
as
1983
as
1983
as1985
as
1985
as1986
as1986
as1991
as1992
as1993
as
1987
as1983
as
1983
as1983
as1979
as1984
as1976
as1982
as
1979
as
1986
as1984
as
1986
as1986
as
1955
as1979
as
1957
as1959
as1959
as1960
as1960
as
1986
as
1999
as1985
asas 1984
as1985
as
1955
as
1956
as1980
asas 
1954
as
1968
as
2005
as
1954
as
1957
as
1957
as
1958
as1975
as
1983
as
1981
as1986
as1975
as
1975
as
