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 · Juan G. Cabral · Betty Carter
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
1993
White Cannibal Queen
1980
as Mr. Martin
See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!
2004
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Extra (uncredited)
Kiss Me Monster
1969
as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
Celestine
1974
as Sleeping Man
TV Shows (3)
Movies (127)
White Cannibal Queen
1980
as Mr. Martin
See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico!
2004
Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Extra (uncredited)
Kiss Me Monster
1969
as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
Celestine
1974
as Sleeping Man
Vampir Cuadecuc
1972
as Self
Eugenie de Sade
1973
as Attila Tanner
Marquis de Sade: Justine
1969
Vampyros Lesbos
1971
as Memmet
Eugenie
1970
as Man in Red Ritual Scene (uncredited)
Lorna, the Exorcist
1974
as Doctor (uncredited)
Sadomania
1981
as Lucas
Count Dracula
1970
as Van Helsing's servant (uncredited)
Jesús Franco, manera de vivir
2007
as Himself
Dolls for Sale
1973
Beloved Count
2007
as Self
The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein
1973
as Morpho
Strange Voyage
1964
as Don Venancio
Midnight Party
1976
as Janos Radeck
Ladies House of Pleasure
1976
Sex Is Crazy
1981
as Film Director
Two Undercover Angels
1969
as Napoleon Bolivard
Barbed Wire Dolls
1976
as Maria's Father (uncredited)
The Girl from Rio
1969
as Guitar Player
99 Women
1969
as Official (uncredited)
Female Vampire
1975
as Dr. Roberts
The Well
2005
Lucky, the Inscrutable
1967
as Ciego / Zoltan / Guitarrista
A Virgin Among the Living Dead
1973
as Basilio
Succubus
1968
as Writer
Call Him Jess
2000
as Himself
Bloody Jess
2007
as Self
X312 - Flight to Hell
1971
as Man at John Somers'
She Killed in Ecstasy
1971
as Dr. Donen
The Vengeance of Dr. Mabuse
1972
as Crosby / Drunk Man in Nightclub
The Castle of Fu Manchu
1969
as Insp. Ahmet
Jailhouse Wardress
1981
as Uncle Jess
The Corpse Packs His Bags
1972
as Gonzales
The Other Side of the Mirror
1973
as Roger (uncredited)
The Blood of Fu Manchu
1968
Bloody Moon
1981
as Doctor (uncredited)
Downtown
1975
as Al Pereira
Greta, the Mad Butcher
1977
as Dr. Milton Arcos (as Jess Franco)
Venus in Furs
1969
as Jazz Musician (uncredited)
Kiss Me Killer
1977
as Marcel
Take-Away Spirit
2009
as J.W. Radek
Black Boots, Leather Whip
1983
as Matón en cementerio de coches (voice) (uncredited)
Exorcism
1975
as Mathis Vogel, aka Laforgue
The Awful Dr. Orlof
1962
as Pianist (uncredited)
Jess' Women
2005
as self
Call Me Jess Redux
2014
as Himself
Macumba Sexual
1983
as Recepcionist
Slaves
1977
as Radeck's Assistant
Sinner: The Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac
1973
as Inspecteur Hernandez
Coffins of Light
2009
as himself
The Sinister Doctor Orloff
1984
as Manolo
Night of the Skull
1974
as Andy
The Devil Came from Akasava
1971
as Tino Celli
The Diabolical Dr. Z
1966
as Inspector Tanner
Idoru
2009
Flesh-Eating Mothers
1988
as Policeman
Inferno Rosso: Joe D'Amato on the Road of Excess
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Ban the Sadist Videos!
2005
as Self
En busca del dragón dorado
1983
as Blind Old Man
The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff
1973
as Lord Comfort (uncredited)
Your Caresses
1969
Macumba sexual: Voodoo Jess
2010
as Self
Women Behind Bars
1975
as Bill
The Night Of Open Sex
1983
as Count
Al Pereira vs. the Alligator Ladies
2013
as The Director
Jesús in Furs
2005
as Himself
Robinson and His Tempestuous Slaves
1972
as Director
La última película de Jess Franco
2013
as Self
Judoka Shadow versus Doctor Wong
1985
as Dr. Wong
Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada “S”
2024
as Self - Archive footage
The Hot Nights of Linda
1975
as Dr. Roberts (as Jess Franck)
Death Karate in Torremolinos
2003
as Miyagi
Esmeralda Bay
1989
as Boat Captain
Death Whistles the Blues
1964
as Saxofonista en Club de Nueva Orleans (uncredited)
Bahia Blanca
1984
as The Miseries (uncredited)
Queridos monstruos
2014
as Self
Sexorcismes
1975
as Mathis Vogel
Debris Documentar
2012
as Himself
Daughter of Dracula
1972
as Cyril Jefferson
Residence for Spies
1968
as Casino Piano Player (uncredited)
Dr. Orloff's Monster
1965
as Piano Player
Night Has a Thousand Desires
1984
as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
Attack of the Robots
1966
as Piano Player / Pianist (uncredited)
Anna Said Yes
1958
as Pianista (uncredited)
The Sadist of Notre Dame
1979
as Mathis Vogel
Blood on My Shoes
1983
as Abductor
El misterio del castillo rojo
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
2014
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote
2000
as Self
Perversion Stories
2002
as Self
Drácula Barcelona
2017
as Himself
On the Threshold to Another World
2003
as Himself
Antena Criminal: Making a Jess Franco Movie
2002
as Himself
Wild Session
2019
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Trip to Bangkok, Coffin Included
1985
as Rose Hotel's recepcionist (uncredited)
La cripta de las condenadas
2012
What a Honeymoon
1980
as Dying Man (uncredited)
The Blues of Pop Street
1983
as Sam Chesterfield
The Rhythm of Jess
2013
as Self
Revenge of the Alligator Ladies
2013
as Himself
Girl with the Red Lips
1986
as Professor Karame
Los profundos sueños de Jennifer
2013
as Voz
Tío Jess
2012
as Self
The Troublemakers
1976
Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell
1999
as Dr. James Wong
Soledad Miranda, Flower in the Desert
2015
as Himself (archive footage)
Esa cosa con plumas
1988
Journey into Perversion
2001
as Himself
Por la gracia de Luis
2009
as Himself
Ellos robaron la picha de Hitler
2008
as Padre del Dr. Weissman
Lonely Road
1984
as Doctor Callman
El abuelo, la condesa y Escarlata la traviesa
1992
Vampire Blues
1999
as The Merchant
The Bizarre World of Jess Franco
1983
as Self
Falks Frauen
2014
as (archive footage)
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
- White Cannibal Queen (1980) — as Mr. Martin
- See you later Cowabunga: La maldición del cenachero diabólico! (2004)
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Extra (uncredited)
- Kiss Me Monster (1969) — as Abilene's Contact Man (uncredited)
- Celestine (1974) — as Sleeping Man
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.