The Invisible Man started Universal’s third horror franchise, after Dracula and Frankenstein.  The series had four direct – and very disparate – sequels before the character was sent up by Abbott and Costello.  Other versions of the story include John Carpenter’s Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1989) which had Chevy Chase exploring the downside of invisibility, with the help of ILM’s computerised effects.

The film also made a star of Claude Rains, a brilliant character actor who would appear in some of Hollywood’s best and most fondly remembered classics, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939), King’s Row (1941) and Casablanca (1943)

LH called him a:

‘Suave, incisive British character actor.’

…and singled him out for special recognition in Filmgoer’s Companion:

‘For his omnipresent urbanity.’

Year: 1933