Jesús Franco
Known for Directing · 130 credits
- Born
- 1930-05-12
- Died
- 2013-04-02
- Place of birth
- Madrid, Spain
- Also known as
- Clifford Brown · A.L. Mariaux · Jess Franco · Pablo Villa · Joan Almirall · Rosa M. Almirall
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
TV Shows (3)
Movies (127)
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Extra (uncredited)
Marquis de Sade: Justine
1969
Eugenie
1970
as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
Vampyros Lesbos
1971
as Memmet
Eugenie de Sade
1973
as Attila Tanner
Celestine
1974
as Sleeping Man
Female Vampire
1975
as Dr. Roberts
Greta, the Mad Butcher
1977
as Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
Venus in Furs
1969
as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
Barbed Wire Dolls
1976
as Maria's Father (uncredited)
Midnight Party
1976
as Janos Radeck
Sadomania
1981
as Lucas
Macumba Sexual
1983
as Recepcionist
99 Women
1969
as Official (uncredited)
Bahia Blanca
1984
as The Miseries (uncredited)
Bloody Moon
1981
as Doctor (uncredited)
Count Dracula
1970
as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
Jailhouse Wardress
1981
as Uncle Jess
The Troublemakers
1976
Your Caresses
1969
Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac
1973
as Inspecteur Hernandez
Lorna, the Exorcist
1974
as Doctor (uncredited)
Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S”
2024
as Self - Archive footage
The Other Side of the Mirror
1973
as Roger (uncredited)
Downtown
1975
as Al Pereira
The Girl from Rio
1969
as Guitar Player
The Hot Nights of Linda
1975
as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
Debris Documentar
2012
as Himself
The Blood of Fu Manchu
1968
Succubus
1968
as Writer
Two Undercover Angels
1969
as Napoleon Bolivard
A Virgin Among the Living Dead
1973
as Basilio
White Cannibal Queen
1980
as Mr. Martin
The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
1973
as Morpho
The Castle of Fu Manchu
1969
as Insp. Ahmet
The Night Of Open Sex
1983
as Count
Daughter of Dracula
1972
as Cyril Jefferson
Ladies House of Pleasure
1976
The Devil Came from Akasava
1971
as Tino Celli
The Corpse Packs His Bags
1972
as Gonzales
Esmeralda Bay
1989
as Boat Captain
Slaves
1977
as Radeck's Assistant
The Diabolical Dr. Z
1966
as Inspector Tanner
Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves
1972
as Director
Blood on My Shoes
1983
as Abductor
Death Whistles the Blues
1964
as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
Exorcism
1975
as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
Dolls for Sale
1973
Kiss Me Killer
1977
as Marcel
X312 - Flight to Hell
1971
as Man at John Somers'
Coffins of Light
2009
as himself
Kiss Me Monster
1969
as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
Ban the Sadist Videos!
2005
as Self
Strange Voyage
1964
as Don Venancio
The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff
1973
as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
Sex Is Crazy
1981
as Film Director
Flesh-Eating Mothers
1988
as Policeman
What a Honeymoon
1980
as Dying Man (uncredited)
Idoru
2009
Night Has a Thousand Desires
1984
as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse
1972
as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
Black Boots, Leather Whip
1983
as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
Drácula Barcelona
2017
as Himself
Dr. Orloff's Monster
1965
as Piano Player
Bloody Jess
2007
as Self
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
2014
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
She Killed in Ecstasy
1971
as Dr. Donen
Vampir Cuadecuc
1972
as Self
Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler
2008
as Padre del Dr. Weissman
Attack of the Robots
1966
as Piano Player / Pianist (uncredited)
The Awful Dr. Orlof
1962
as Pianist (uncredited)
The Well
2005
Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies
2013
as The Director
Women Behind Bars
1975
as Bill
Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong
1985
as Dr. Wong
Anna Said Yes
1958
as Pianista (uncredited)
Beloved Count
2007
as Self
Revenge of the Alligator Ladies
2013
as Himself
Night of the Skull
1974
as Andy
La cripta de las condenadas
2012
Death Karate in Torremolinos
2003
as Miyagi
La última película de Jess Franco
2013
as Self
The Sadist of Notre Dame
1979
as Mathis Vogel
Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell
1999
as Dr. James Wong
Lucky, the Inscrutable
1967
as Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
Perversion Stories
2002
as Self
The Blues of Pop Street
1983
as Sam Chesterfield
Queridos monstruos
2014
as Self
Vampire Blues
1999
as The Merchant
En busca del dragón dorado
1983
as Blind Old Man
Lonely Road
1984
as Doctor Callman
Jesús Franco, manera de vivir
2007
as Himself
Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie
2002
as Himself
The Sinister Doctor Orloff
1984
as Manolo
On the Threshold to Another World
2003
as Himself
Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote
2000
as Self
Falks Frauen
2014
as (archive footage)
Residence for Spies
1968
as Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
Los profundos sueños de Jennifer
2013
as Voz
See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!
2004
Sexorcismes
1975
as Mathis Vogel
El misterio del castillo rojo
Call Him Jess
2000
as Himself
Girl with the Red Lips
1986
as Professor Karame
El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa
1992
Tío Jess
2012
as Self
Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included
1985
as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
Por la gracia de Luis
2009
as Himself
Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess
2010
as Self
Take-Away Spirit
2009
as J.W. Radek
Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert
2015
as Himself (archive footage)
Wild Session
2019
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Jesús in Furs
2005
as Himself
Call Me Jess Redux
2014
as Himself
Journey into Perversion
2001
as Himself
White Skin Black Thighs
1976
as Graf Anastasio
Esa cosa con plumas
1988
The Bizarre World of Jess Franco
1983
as Self
The Rhythm of Jess
2013
as Self
About Jesús Franco
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, a… With 130 credits spanning from 1956 to 2024, Jesús Franco has appeared in 127 films and 3 TV shows.
Fans searching for Jesús Franco movies, Jesús Franco filmography, or the latest projects starring Jesús Franco can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Jesús Franco Movies
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Extra (uncredited)
- Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969)
- Eugenie (1970) — as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
- Vampyros Lesbos (1971) — as Memmet
- Eugenie de Sade (1973) — as Attila Tanner
Where to Watch Jesús Franco Films
Most Jesús Franco movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Jesús Franco, check our movies catalogue and browse page.