Colin Clive was a British actor who rose to fame for his portrayal of Henry Frankenstein, the mad scientist who created the iconic monster, in the 1931 film Frankenstein and its 1935 sequel, Bride of Frankenstein. He was also a successful stage and screen actor who worked with some of the biggest stars of his era, such as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, and Paul Robeson. However, behind his brilliant career, Clive struggled with severe chronic alcoholism and tuberculosis, which eventually led to his premature death at the age of 37. In this article, we will explore the life and death of Colin Clive, one of the most tragic figures in Hollywood history.
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Early Life and Career
Colin Clive was born in Saint-Malo, France, on January 20, 1900, to an English colonel and his wife. He was a descendant of Robert Clive, the famous British military leader who established the British Empire in India. He attended Stonyhurst College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he intended to follow his father’s footsteps and pursue a military career. However, a fall from a horse injured his knee and disqualified him from service. He then turned to acting as an alternative profession.
Clive joined the Hull Repertory Theatre Company and made his stage debut in 1925. He soon gained recognition for his talent and charisma, and landed the role of Captain Stanhope in the play Journey’s End, directed by James Whale. The play was a huge success and transferred to London’s West End and Broadway. Clive also created the role of Steve Baker, the white husband of a mixed-race woman, in the first London production of Show Boat, opposite Cedric Hardwicke and Paul Robeson.
Clive’s stage success attracted the attention of Hollywood studios, and he was invited to reprise his role as Stanhope in the film version of Journey’s End in 1930, also directed by James Whale. This marked his screen debut and established him as a leading man in Hollywood. He went on to star in several films, such as Christopher Strong (1933) with Katharine Hepburn, Jane Eyre (1934) with Virginia Bruce, Mad Love (1935) with Peter Lorre, and Clive of India (1935), a biopic of his ancestor.
Frankenstein and Fame
However, Clive’s most memorable role was that of Henry Frankenstein in James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931), based on Mary Shelley’s novel. Clive played the obsessed scientist who creates a living creature from dead body parts, only to be horrified by his creation. Clive’s performance was praised for its intensity and emotional range, especially in the famous scene where he exclaims “It’s alive! It’s alive!” as he witnesses his monster come to life.
Frankenstein was a huge hit and became one of the most influential horror films of all time. It also launched the horror cycle at Universal Studios, which produced several other classic monster movies, such as Dracula (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), and The Wolf Man (1941). Clive reprised his role as Henry Frankenstein in the sequel Bride of Frankenstein (1935), which many critics consider to be superior to the original. In this film, Clive’s character is coerced by another mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius, to create a mate for his monster.
Clive became a star and a symbol of horror cinema after his role as Frankenstein. He was admired by many fans and co-stars, such as Mae Clarke, who played his fiancée Elizabeth in Frankenstein. Clarke was so smitten with Clive that she suffered a nervous breakdown after filming ended and had to be committed to a sanitarium. She never got over her feelings for him.
Alcoholism and Tuberculosis
However, despite his fame and success, Clive was unhappy and tormented by personal demons. He suffered from crippling stage fright and anxiety, which he tried to cope with by drinking heavily. He became addicted to alcohol and developed severe chronic alcoholism that affected his health and career. He often showed up on set drunk or hungover, and sometimes had to be held upright for shots. He also had frequent mood swings and outbursts that alienated him from some of his colleagues.
Clive was also diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1936, a disease that had no effective cure at the time. He continued to work despite his illness, but his condition worsened rapidly. He lost weight and strength, and had difficulty breathing. He was hospitalized several times and underwent experimental treatments that proved ineffective.
Clive died from complications of tuberculosis on June 25, 1937, at his home in Los Angeles. He was only 37 years old. His wife, Jeanne de Casalis, whom he married in 1929, was by his side. His ashes were scattered at sea, as he had requested.
Legacy and Influence
Colin Clive’s death was mourned by many of his friends and fans, who remembered him as a talented and charming actor who had a tragic fate. His role as Frankenstein has become iconic and has influenced many other actors who have played the character, such as Peter Cushing, Kenneth Branagh, and Benedict Cumberbatch. His films have been preserved and restored by the Library of Congress and the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and have been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Clive’s life and death have also inspired several books, documentaries, and biographical films, such as One Man Crazy: The Life and Death of Colin Clive by Gregory W. Mank (1990), Gods and Monsters (1998), a fictionalized account of James Whale’s last days that features Matt McKenzie as Clive, and Colin Clive: A Biography by Gregory William Mank (2011).
Colin Clive was a brilliant actor who left a lasting mark on cinema history. He was also a troubled man who succumbed to his addictions and diseases. He was, in the words of James Whale, “one man crazy”. He was Colin Clive, the creator of Frankenstein.
