You’re listening to the Creation of the Female Monster, from the Bride of Frankenstein soundtrack, composed by Franz Waxman. You’re on the Sound Beat.
Director James Whale met composer Franz Waxman in 1934 at the home of Austrian actress and screenwriter Salka Viertel. Music industry veteran John Waxman, Franz’ son, tells the story of their meeting.
“My parents were just arrived, and there they were, there for the first time, and they were being introduced around. And when they were introduced to James Whale, he stood up, raised his hand and said, Oh, my God, I’ve been looking all over the world for you. He had seen my father’s score for the film Liliom – And when he heard this score, he determined that was the composer he wanted. Well, my father would have scored Abbott and Costello anything to stay in the United States. So Whale said to him, would you come out to the studio after the holidays, take a look at the film and see if you’re interested? And the rest, of course, is history”
You’re listening to a preservation re-recording of the soundtrack’s plastic pressing acetates, part of the Franz Waxman papers held at the Special Collections Research Center at the Syracuse University Libraries.
Check out the Franz Waxman Papers right here.