Compelling examination of Karloff, Cushing, and Lee, celebrating their contributions while acknowledging the complexities of their legacies. A valuable resource for anyone interested in the golden age of horror and the enduring impact of its most iconic figures. Their legacies will last for as long as the iconic monsters they played.

Boris Karloff (23 November 1887–2 February 1969)
- Born William Henry Pratt in Camberwell, London, England, to a large family.
- Karloff began his acting career in Canada, eventually moving to the United States. He gained fame for his roles in Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
- Karloff struggled with typecasting, but his iconic performances in horror films cemented his legacy. He became a household name.
- Personal Life: Karloff married six times and had one daughter. He was known for his gentle and kind nature, contrasting with his on-screen personas. He was humble and dedicated to his craft.

Peter Cushing (26 May 1913–11 August 1994)
- Born in Kenley, Surrey, England, to a family of modest means.
- Cushing began his acting career on stage, transitioning to film and television. He is best known for his collaborations with Hammer Film Productions, particularly the Frankenstein and Dracula series, often starring alongside Christopher Lee.
-Cushing faced typecasting, but his prolific career and iconic performances have made him a horror legend. He was known for his professionalism and versatility as an actor.
- Personal Life: Cushing married Violet Beck in 1943, and the couple remained together until her death in 1971. He was known for his love of painting.

Christopher Lee (27 May 1922–7 June 2015)
-Born in Belgravia, London, England to a family of nobility.
-Lee served in the RAF during WWII, then began his acting career. He is known for his iconic roles in the Dracula series with Hammer Film Productions, as well as his performances in Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings franchises.
- Lee faced typecasting early in his career but overcame it, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He was knighted in 2009 for his services to drama and charity.
-Personal Life: Lee married Birgit "Gitte" Kroencke in 1961, and the couple had one daughter. He loved languages, sports, heavy metal and opera music, and reading.

Through their timeless performances, all 3 actors influenced the horror genre and established horror tropes such as the mad scientist, the monster, and the vampire. They inspired others.

The Godfathers of Horror Films: Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee by Jennifer Selway is a fun and engaging trip through a large part of the history of horror films, and of film itself in the early days.

This is not meant to be an academic analysis but an overview that highlights three of the icons of horror (to which Lon Chaney Jr, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price would also qualify as "godfathers") and the similarities and differences between them as actors and between the periods during which they peaked. Assessed as such, this book is a complete success. Enough biography to connect the actors as actors, enough film history to link their roles, and enough anecdotes to keep the reader entertained while learning a bit.

The list for further reading is also excellent if you want more books on the topic. While I have read a number of them there are a few I plan to search out.

If you'd studied film you will find yourself, as I did, going back to some of the film books to get even more context for what was happening during the time of each film or life event covered in the book. Selway does, however, do a great job of placing things in a historical context.

Recommended for those who love horror films, film in general, and broad biographies. There is plenty in here to please every reader.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

This is a clever, well written triple biography spanning a period of 128 years from the birth of Boris Karloff (then called, William Henry Pratt!) in 1887 to the death of Christopher Lee in 2015. The life of Peter Cushing (1913 - 1994) is also included along the way.
I have no interest in horror films whatsoever, but thankfully with the lives of three such fascinating Englishmen lying at the core of this book, this didn't matter a jot. The book is full of fascinating nuggets of information ranging from the ease with which Karloff seems to have drifted into marriage on five separate occasions, to the ageing Cushing's doubts about filming Star Wars to the macabre detail that Lee witnessed the last guillotine execution in France in 1977..
Author Jennifer Selway has produced a fascinating book steeped in anecdote which should captivate and enthral all readers.

This is an affectionate homage to three of the godfathers of horror who were the quintessential English gentlemen in their personal and professional lives. Boris Karloff who forever will Frankenstein’s monster, Christopher Lee who will be Hammer’s Dracula and Peter Cushing, his friend and coworker will always be Van Helsing are the three godfathers.. Other actors have played the roles and no doubt will again in the future but they each brought something special to the roles that made them their own. Had they not done other work, they would still be remembered. But they did other work, often some of their finest, but their signature roles would overshadow.

The book is filled with lots of interesting trivia. I found myself repeating something I read to the nearest person. There were a lot of “I never knew that” moments. But what I like the best is the respect and affection that is shown in the text. I suspect the actors would approve wholeheartedly. So, if you are a fan of classic horror or just a fan of film history, this is a good addition to your library. Five purrs and two paws up.

This was great. Really informative. Really enjoyed it. As a film nerd, this was right up my street. I learned loads about these gents from this!

In *The Godfathers of Horror Films*, Jennifer Selway offers a richly evocative tribute to three titanic figures of Gothic and cinematic history—Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing, and Christopher Lee—whose iconic performances helped to shape the visual, psychological, and cultural lexicon of horror throughout the 20th century. This work is as much a study in artistry as it is a meditation on legacy, crafted with an evident reverence for the genre and its most indelible voices.

Selway deftly traces the intersecting lives and careers of these three actors—not as mere biographical subjects, but as transformative presences who gave depth and dignity to roles often dismissed as pulp or spectacle. From Karloff’s elegiac creature in *Frankenstein* (1931), to Cushing’s clinical resolve in *Horror of Dracula* (1958), to Lee’s towering presence as both villain and antihero, each man contributed not only to the genre’s commercial success, but to its enduring artistic legitimacy.

What distinguishes this book is Selway’s balanced approach: she provides ample context on the evolution of horror cinema—particularly within British and American studios—while also offering nuanced portraits of her subjects as individuals. Karloff is depicted as introspective and gentle, Cushing as scholarly and haunted by personal loss, and Lee as fiercely intelligent and commanding. Their artistic philosophies and professional decisions are explored with insight, framing their collaborations (especially with Hammer Films) as more than commercial ventures—they were aesthetic partnerships forged in atmosphere, restraint, and theatrical gravitas.

Selway’s prose is accessible yet sophisticated, weaving cinematic history with critical commentary. Fans of classic horror will find detailed references to specific films, performances, and production histories, while general readers will appreciate the broader cultural reflection on why these figures still loom large in the modern imagination.

**Final Verdict:**
*The Godfathers of Horror Films* is a reverent, intelligent, and deeply enjoyable homage to three men who elevated horror to high art. Jennifer Selway captures the charm, discipline, and eerie magnetism of Karloff, Cushing, and Lee with both biographical sensitivity and cinematic flair. This is essential reading for enthusiasts of classic horror, Gothic cinema, and the timeless tension between fear and fascination on the silver screen.

**Rating**: ★★★★★

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a really interesting summary of the lives and filmography of Karloff, Cushing, and Lee, veritable kings of horror. The book covers a wide range of topics, including films, personal history, career history, and a lot of other surrounding topics that further contextualise the history of the three of them.

It was really interesting and detailed in the examination of all three of them, although part of it could have gone a little further, particularly the filmography side of it. I think the cadence of the book was really good and flowed well, especially given it was covering three lives of incredibly eminent men.

I do feel like there could have been a bit more of a focus on all three of them in different ways, with a bit less on filmography for Cushing and more for Lee, and a bit more of Karloff generally. That said, all in all, it was definitely an interesting book, and I learnt quite a lot, so a solid read across the board.

A great biographical book which features the lives and story of how Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee rose to fame and the films that gave them their Hollywood status. I did enjoy this!

I was excited to be selected for an ARC of this book, but it fell flat. It felt more like reading an encyclopedia than a compelling biographical piece. Not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: three middle-class Englishmen whose names are synonymous with the history of the horror movie. Karloff was born in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and Lee, the youngest, died in 2015, when Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch.

This is a quick but interesting read. The book is packed with facts and seems to have been researched well. It makes a dry subject very readable, painting a vivid picture of the time.

I just finished The Godfathers of Horror Films by Jennifer Selway, and I absolutely loved it. As someone who’s always been fascinated by classic horror films, this book was a fantastic deep dive into the lives and legacies of the genre’s most iconic figures. Selway does a brilliant job of blending biography with film history, providing fascinating insights into how these pioneers shaped the horror genre we know and love today.

What I really enjoyed was how accessible the writing was—whether you're a film buff or just a casual fan, Selway’s engaging style kept me hooked from start to finish. I learned so much about the directors and actors who made these films iconic, and it made me want to revisit all the classic horror movies mentioned. If you’re a fan of horror films, this is a must-read!

This book is much more than biographies of three incredible actors. Their stories are set in the context of changing times, both socially and in the entertainment world where music halls and theatre gave way to cinemas and ultimately to small screen. I live the original horror films. Low budget, but such great camera work and I find them far more tense and exciting than the multi million pound colour epics produced now. I knew little if these actors and certainly didn’t realise they came from the same small area, although from very different backgrounds. They gave the world a legacy of films that will be unsurpassed and after some 80 or 90 years, , they still stand the test of time. They were each masters of the genre and this title fleshes out the people behind the characters they played. Really well written with a number of interesting plates and what appears to be meticulous research. Of interest to film buffs and those who like a bit of social history.

I don’t normally read biographies but this triple biography, weaving the lives of three stalwarts of horror through the social and historical time they were in seemed intriguing.

Also all three of these actors were integral to my youth, Saturday nights on the black and white tv at my Nans, watching reruns, the Dr Who films, and so many of their other works were just there for me through the early 70s.

My big takeaway from this book and I was so pleased about this is that they were all nice people, liked by the people they worked with and were kind to others.

The format looks at various aspects of their lives; early years, striking out from home, wartime lives, early careers, late careers, and others and talks about how the world around them shaped how they interacted with it and highlights how each of them dealt with each part.

I know enough about each actor to know that there was nothing new revealed in this tri-ography but the way that the three lives were woven through the years added a bit of insight into how each of them approached the acting life.

This really worked for me as a format and I’ve bookmarked the end so I can watch all the recommended films 🙂

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A must-read for old-school horror movie fans!

Watching horror movies with my dad is one of my best childhood memories. Boris Karloff, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were familiar faces to me. This book was a delight to read and a fantastic nostalgia boost. There was so much information that I never knew, all presented in an easy-to-read and entertaining format. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. I could tell the author truly appreciated these actors and movies as much as my dad and I did.

Thanks so much for granting my wish!