Born in England James Whales came from a working class family in a working class town. He joined the army at the out break of World War II and was sent to Flanders. Whales was captured by the German's and lived the war in a prison camp. It was in the camp that Whales got involved with the theater. At the end of the war and his release Whales returned to England and started working as a cartoonist. The theater still attracted him and eventually acting and directing became his focus. During this time Whales was living openly as a homosexual but at the same time had a fiancee. Whale and Doris Zinkeisen, a scenic and costume designer were engaged for almost a year. In the late 20's Whale became involved with the war play "Journey's End" in London which eventually brought him to Broadway. "Journey's End" ran for two years.
When the "talkies" came to Hollywood stage directors were imported in droves to help the screen actors talk. Whale was one of them. He first went to Paramount and when his contract expired Whale signed with Howard Hughes. After Hughes Whale moved to Universal where he made a his first film Waterloo Bridge. It was a success and Carl Leammle gave Whale his choice of Universal's properties for his next film. He chose "Frankenstein".
Whale was at this time openly living with film producer David Lewis. They lived together until almost the end of Whale's life. "Frankenstein" was the movie to make Whale's name in Hollywood. He cast the then unknown Boris Karloff as the monster making both of their careers take flight. This was only the first horror movie that Whale was involved in. Horror became a moneymaker and a millstone for him. Films including "The Invisible Man" and "The Bride of Frankenstein" followed. He was offered the film "Dracula's Daughter" but was able to get out of it and finally break free of the Horror director enigma. Whale later directed 1935's "Showboat" considered the best version of the Broadway show ever filmed.
It was after "Showboat" that his career started to peter out. David Lewis, Whale's partner was during this time coming to his own as a producer and worked all the time. Whale was given some paint and canvas and started a new career as a painter. He worked as a painter until the end of his life. Sporadically Whale would direct plays. He worked with Pasadena Playhouse and travelling shows.
Whale went to visit a friend in Paris where he met a bartender who was described as a hustler. He returned to Los Angeles where he informed Lewis he was bringing the bartender Pierre over to work as his chauffeur. Lewis was appalled and moved out. There were a lot of problems in the relationship and Pierre everntually moved out and was put in charge of a gas station that Whale owned. It was during this time Whale suffered a slight stroke. Lewis arranged for a full time male nurse to take care of Whale. This didn't sit well with Pierre who fired the live in male nurse and hired a female day nurse. Whale had for many years suffered with depression.
James Whale was found drowned in his pool on May 29, 1957. There was a suicide not that Lewis held onto for 20 years. He wanted Whale's death to be considered an accident. The Note read:
"To ALL I LOVE,
Do not grieve for me. My nerves are all shot and for the last year I have been in agony day and night—except when I sleep with sleeping pills—and any peace I have by day is when I am drugged by pills.
I have had a wonderful life but it is over and my nerves get worse and I am afraid they will have to take me away. So please forgive me, all those I love and may God forgive me too, but I cannot bear the agony and it [is] best for everyone this way.
The future is just old age and illness and pain. Goodbye and thank you for all your love. I must have peace and this is the only way.
Jimmy"
The film "Gods and Monsters" is the story of the end of Whales life.
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