Kenneth Strickfaden (May 23, 1896 – February 29, 1984) was an electrician, film set designer, and electrical
special effects
Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual wo ...
creator. Beginning with his effects on ''
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
'' (1931) he became Hollywood's preeminent electrical special effects expert. He created the science fiction apparatus in more than 100 motion picture films and television programs, from the ''Frankenstein'' films to ''
The Wizard of Oz'' and ''
The Mask of Fu Manchu
''The Mask of Fu Manchu'' (1932) is an American pre-Code adventure film directed by Charles Brabin. Written by Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, it was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer (the sixth in the serie ...
'' to television's ''
The Munsters
''The Munsters'' is an American sitcom depicting the home life of a family of benign monsters. The series starred Fred Gwynne as Frankenstein's monsterEpisodes referring to the fact that Herman is Frankenstein's monster include #55, "Just Anoth ...
'', and his final work, ''
Young Frankenstein
''Young Frankenstein'' is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks. The screenplay was co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred in the lead role as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor ...
'' (1974).
External links
*
Missing Link Classic Horror ListingBook: Kenneth Strickfaden – Dr. Frankenstein's Electrician*
Memorabilia Heritage Auction GalleriesModern Mechanix scan of a Popular Mechanics article from 1949
Special effects people
1896 births
1984 deaths
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