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

Eurotrash

White Cannibal Queen

Around the World in 80 Days

Marquis de Sade: Justine

Eugenie

Female Vampire

Eurotika!

Greta, the Mad Butcher

All Movies (128)

• Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S”2024 · as Self - Archive footage
• Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Wild Session2019 · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
• Drácula Barcelona2017 · as Himself
• Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert2015 · as Himself (archive footage)
• Queridos monstruos2014 · as Self
• Call Me Jess Redux2014 · as Himself
• Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror2014 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Falks Frauen2014 · as (archive footage)
• Revenge of the Alligator Ladies2013 · as Himself
• La última película de Jess Franco2013 · as Self
• The Rhythm of Jess2013 · as Self
• Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies2013 · as The Director
• Los profundos sueños de Jennifer2013 · as Voz
• Tío Jess2012 · as Self
• La cripta de las condenadas2012
• Debris Documentar2012 · as Himself
• Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess2010 · as Self
• Por la gracia de Luis2009 · as Himself
• Idoru2009
• Take-Away Spirit2009 · as J.W. Radek
• Coffins of Light2009 · as himself
• Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler2008 · as Padre del Dr. Weissman
• Jesús Franco, manera de vivir2007 · as Himself
• Beloved Count2007 · as Self
• Angel of Death 2: The Prison Island Massacre2007 · as Pete
• Bloody Jess2007 · as Self
• Ban the Sadist Videos!2005 · as Self
• The Well2005
• Jesús in Furs2005 · as Himself
• Jess' Women2005 · as self
• See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!2004
• On the Threshold to Another World2003 · as Himself
• Death Karate in Torremolinos2003 · as Miyagi
• Red Venice2003 · as Jess Franco
• Perversion Stories2002 · as Self
• Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie2002 · as Himself
• Journey into Perversion2001 · as Himself
• Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote2000 · as Self
• Call Him Jess2000 · as Himself
• Vampire Blues1999 · as The Merchant
• Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell1999 · as Dr. James Wong
• El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa1992
• Esmeralda Bay1989 · as Boat Captain
• Flesh-Eating Mothers1988 · as Policeman
• Esa cosa con plumas1988
• Girl with the Red Lips1986 · as Professor Karame
• Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included1985 · as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
• Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong1985 · as Dr. Wong
• A Crack for Two1984 · as Tom
• Lilian, the Perverted Virgin1984 · as Bernardo
• The Sinister Doctor Orloff1984 · as Manolo
• Night Has a Thousand Desires1984 · as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
• Lonely Road1984 · as Doctor Callman
• Bahia Blanca1984 · as The Miseries (uncredited)
• Macumba Sexual1983 · as Recepcionist
• The Night Of Open Sex1983 · as Count
• Black Boots, Leather Whip1983 · as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
• Blood on My Shoes1983 · as Abductor
• The Blues of Pop Street1983 · as Sam Chesterfield
• En busca del dragón dorado1983 · as Blind Old Man
• The Bizarre World of Jess Franco1983 · as Self
• Jailhouse Wardress1981 · as Uncle Jess
• Sadomania1981 · as Lucas
• Bloody Moon1981 · as Doctor (uncredited)
• Sex Is Crazy1981 · as Film Director
• White Cannibal Queen1980 · as Mr. Martin
• What a Honeymoon1980 · as Dying Man (uncredited)
• Justine and the Whip1979 · as Strange Guy
• The Sadist of Notre Dame1979 · as Mathis Vogel
• Slaves1977 · as Radeck's Assistant
• Kiss Me Killer1977 · as Marcel
• Greta, the Mad Butcher1977 · as Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
• Shining Sex1976 · as Dr. Seward
• White Skin Black Thighs1976 · as Graf Anastasio
• The Troublemakers1976
• Ladies House of Pleasure1976
• Barbed Wire Dolls1976 · as Maria's Father (uncredited)
• Midnight Party1976 · as Janos Radeck
• Downtown1975 · as Al Pereira
• Exorcism1975 · as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
• The Hot Nights of Linda1975 · as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
• Female Vampire1975 · as Dr. Roberts
• Women Behind Bars1975 · as Bill
• Sexorcismes1975 · as Mathis Vogel
• Lorna, the Exorcist1974 · as Doctor (uncredited)
• Celestine1974 · as Sleeping Man
• Night of the Skull1974 · as Andy
• Dolls for Sale1973
• A Virgin Among the Living Dead1973 · as Basilio
• The Other Side of the Mirror1973 · as Roger (uncredited)
• Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac1973 · as Inspecteur Hernandez
• The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein1973 · as Morpho
• Eugenie de Sade1973 · as Attila Tanner
• The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff1973 · as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
• The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse1972 · as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
• Daughter of Dracula1972 · as Cyril Jefferson
• The Corpse Packs His Bags1972 · as Gonzales
• Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves1972 · as Director
• Vampir Cuadecuc1972 · as Self
• She Killed in Ecstasy1971 · as Dr. Donen
• X312 - Flight to Hell1971 · as Man at John Somers'
• Vampyros Lesbos1971 · as Memmet
• The Devil Came from Akasava1971 · as Tino Celli
• Count Dracula1970 · as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
• Eugenie1970 · as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
• Your Caresses1969
• Venus in Furs1969 · as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
• The Castle of Fu Manchu1969 · as Insp. Ahmet
• Marquis de Sade: Justine1969
• Kiss Me Monster1969 · as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
• Two Undercover Angels1969 · as Napoleon Bolivard
• The Girl from Rio1969 · as Guitar Player
• 99 Women1969 · as Official (uncredited)
• The Blood of Fu Manchu1968
• Succubus1968 · as Writer
• Residence for Spies1968 · as Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
• Lucky, the Inscrutable1967 · as Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
• The Diabolical Dr. Z1966 · as Inspector Tanner
• Attack of the Robots1966 · as Piano Player
• Attack of the Robots1966 · as Pianist (uncredited)
• Dr. Orloff's Monster1965 · as Piano Player
• Strange Voyage1964 · as Don Venancio
• Death Whistles the Blues1964 · as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
• The Awful Dr. Orlof1962 · as Pianist (uncredited)
• Anna Said Yes1958 · as Pianista (uncredited)
• Around the World in 80 Days1956 · as Extra (uncredited)
• El misterio del castillo rojo—

All TV Shows (3)

• Martes de Carnaval2009 · as Don Manolito
• Eurotika!1999 · as Self
• Eurotrash1993