“ELSA LANCHESTER: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” - 11/2/2026 (164)

“ELSA LANCHESTER: CLASSIC CINEMA STAR OF THE MONTH” - 11/2/2026 (164) Elsa Lanchester was one of Hollywood’s most delightfully eccentric actresses, a woman whose extraordinary talent, unmistakable voice, and wonderfully unconventional looks made her a true original. Join us as we celebrate our November Star of the Month, the incomparable Elsa Lanchester. Best remembered for her electrifying, scene-stealing appearance as the wild-haired Bride in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Lanchester enjoyed a remarkable career that spanned more than six decades, moving effortlessly between drama, comedy, musicals, and character roles. From her unforgettable performances in Witness for the Prosecution and The Bishop’s Wife to her deliciously wicked turn in Bell, Book and Candle, she could steal a scene with little more than a raised eyebrow or a perfectly timed remark. But there was much more to Elsa than her famous fright wig, including a fascinating personal life, an unconventional marriage to fellow actor Charles Laughton, and a fiercely independent spirit that made her unlike anyone else in Hollywood. Join us as we celebrate the life, career, triumphs, and eccentricities of one of the silver screen’s most unforgettable personalities. SHOW NOTES: Sources: Elsa Lanchester, Herself (1983), by Elsa Lanchester; Charles Laughton and I (1938), by Elsa Lanchester; elsalanchester.freeservers.com The Dick Cavett Show, August 11, 1970 “Widow of Charles Laughton Had Many Talents: Actress Elsa Lanchester Dies at 84,” December 27, 1986, Los Angeles Times; “Elsa Lanchester, 84, Is Dead; Actress Portrayed Eccentrics,” December 27. 1986, New York Times; “Elsa Lanchester and Bohemian London in the Early Twentieth Century,” February 20. 2014, by Rohan McWilliam, Women’s History Review; “Turnabout, a Celebration of an L.A. Theater,” October 1, 1993, by Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times; wikipedia.com; TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies: The Scarlet Woman (1925) Dracula (1931) Frankenstein (1931) Potiphar's Wife (1931) The Mummy (1932) The Sign of the Cross (1932) Island of Lost Souls (1932) The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) David Copperfield (1935) Naughty Marietta (1935) Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Rembrandt (1936) The Beachcomber (1938) — also known as Vessel of Wrath The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) Ladies in Retirement (1941) Tales of Manhattan (1942) Forever and a Day (1943) Passport to Destiny (1944) The Spiral Staircase (1946) The Razor's Edge (1946) The Bishop's Wife (1947) The Big Clock (1948) The Secret Garden (1949) Come to the Stable (1949) The Inspector General (1949) Mystery Street (1950) The African Queen (1951) Dreamboat (1952) The Glass Slipper (1955) The Night of the Hunter (1955) Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Bell, Book and Candle (1958) Mary Poppins (1964) That Darn Cat! (1965) Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) Rascal (1969) Willard (1971) Murder by Death (1976) Die Laughing (1980) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices