Ernest Thesiger

Acting / Production / Writing / Creator

Biography

Ernest Thesiger, CBE, was an English stage and screen actor. He is best known for his distinctive performance as Dr. Septimus Pretorius in James Whale's 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein.

Personal Information

Place of Birth

Chelsea, London, England, UK

About

Acting, Male

Birthday

15 January 1879, 146 years old

Known For

Bride of Frankenstein

Scrooge

The Old Dark House

The Robe

The Man in the White Suit

Henry V

The Million Pound Note

The Ghoul

Caesar and Cleopatra

Filmography

Production

Writing

Creator

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies

Self - (archive footage)

2025

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman

Self (archive footage)

2007

Universal Horror

(archive footage)

1998

Report

Doctor Pretorius (archive footage - Bride of Frankenstein (1935))

1967

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

Stefano

1961

Sons and Lovers

Mr. Hadlock

1960

The Battle of the Sexes

Old Macpherson

1960

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

The Dean

1960

The Horse's Mouth

Hickson

1958

The Truth About Women

Judge

1957

Doctor at Large

Examiner

1957

Three Men in a Boat

3rd Old Gentleman

1956

Who Done It?

Sir Walter

1956

An Alligator Named Daisy

Notcher (uncredited)

1955

Quentin Durward

Lord Crawford

1955

Value for Money

Lord Dewsbury

1955

Make Me an Offer!

Sir John Nightingale

1954

Father Brown

The Vicomte

1954

The Million Pound Note

Mr. Garrett, Bank Director

1954

Meet Mr. Lucifer

Mr. Macdonald

1953

The Robe

Emperor Tiberius

1953

The Woman's Angle

Judge

1952

The Magic Box

Earl

1952

Scrooge

The Undertaker

1951

The Man in the White Suit

Sir John Kierlaw

1951

Laughter in Paradise

Endicott

1951

Last Holiday

Sir Trevor Lampington

1950

The Bad Lord Byron

Count Guiccioli

1949

Brass Monkey

Ryder-Harris

1948

Quartet

Henry Dashwood (segment "The Colonel's Lady")

1948

The Winslow Boy

Mr. Ridgeley Pierce

1948

The Ghosts of Berkeley Square

Dr Cruickshank

1947

Jassy

Sir Edward Follesmark

1947

The Man Within

Farne

1947

Beware of Pity

Baron Emil de Kekesfalva

1946

Caesar and Cleopatra

Theodotus

1945

A Place of One's Own

Dr. Richard Marsham

1945

Henry V

Duke of Berri - French Ambassador

1944

Don't Take It to Heart

Justices' Clerk

1944

The Lamp Still Burns

Chairman

1943

My Learned Friend

Ferris

1943

The Ware Case

Carter

1938

They Drive by Night

Walter Hoover

1938

The Man Who Could Work Miracles

Maydig

1936

Bride of Frankenstein

Doctor Pretorius

1935

My Heart Is Calling

Fevrier

1935

The Night of the Party

Adrian Chiddiatt

1934

The Ghoul

Laing

1933

The Only Girl

The Chamberlain

1933

The Old Dark House

Horace Femm

1932

Ashes

Announcer

1930

Week-End Wives

Bertram

1929

The Vagabond Queen

Lidoff

1929

The Adventures of Mr. Pickwick

Mr. Jingle

1921

The Bachelor's Club

Israfel Mondego

1921

A Little Bit of Fluff

Bertram Tully

1919

Nelson

Wiliam Pitt

1918

The Life Story of David Lloyd George

Joseph Chamberlain

1918

The Real Thing at Last

Witch

1916