The Mummy (1932)

Unlike the other Universal classic monsters, the other Mummy movies have no direct relation to this one. The other films feature a different mummy, named Kharis, who is resurrected by tana leaves to be controlled by a modern person (similar to a voodoo zombie). The Mummy’s Hand (1940) reuses footage from this film, but changes Imhotep to Kharis. It was Kharis who would appear in the other Universal and Hammer films. Imhotep wouldn’t reappear in theaters until The Mummy (1999).

• Karloff, Boris – (November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969) Imhotep / Ardath Bey. Karloff plays the ancient Egyptian priest Imhotep, who is resurrected and seeks his reincarnated lover. His portrayal as both the mummy and the modern “Ardath Bey” is haunting and intense, marking one of his most iconic roles – Frankenstein, Behind the Mask, The Mummy, The Ghoul, The Black Cat, Bride of Frankenstein, The Raven, The Black Room, The Raven, The Invisible Ray, Son of Frankenstein, The Man They Could Not Hang, Tower of London, Black Friday, The Ape, The House of Frankenstein, Isle of the Dead, Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff, The Black Castle, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Voodoo Island, The Haunted Strangler, Frankenstein 1970, Corridors of Blood, The terror, Black Sabbath, Bikini Beach, Die Monster Die!, The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, Mad Monster Party, The Sorcerers, Cauldron of Blood, Curse of the Crimson Altar, Isle of the Snake People, The Incredible Invasion, Fear Chamber, House of Evil
• Johann, Zita (July 14, 1904 – September 20, 1993) – Helen Grosvenor / Princess Ankh-es-en-amon. Johann plays Helen Grosvenor, a young woman who is the reincarnation of Imhotep’s lost love, drawing his obsessive attention as he believes she is his ancient princess reborn – The Struggle, Tiger Shark, The Mummy, Luxury Liner, The Man Who Dared, The Sin of Nora Moran, Grand Canary, Raiders of the Living Dead, D. W. Griffith: Father of Film
• Manners, David (April 30, 1900 – December 23, 1998) – Frank Whemple. Manners plays the archaeologist who discovers Imhotep and eventually becomes Helen’s protector, battling against the mummy’s powers to save her – The Sky Hawk, Journey’s End, Dracula, The Death Kiss, The Mummy, The Black Cat, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Lucky Fugitives
• Byron, Arthur (April 3, 1872 – July 16, 1943) – Sir Joseph Whemple. Byron portrays Frank’s father and a respected Egyptologist who is initially involved in Imhotep’s discovery and is aware of the dangers the mummy presents – Nervy Nat Kisses the Bride, The Mummy, The Silk Express, The House of Rothschild, The Man with Two Faces, Shadow of Doubt, The Prisoner of Shark Island, The Prisoner of Zenda
• Van Sloan, Edward (November 1, 1882 – March 6, 1964) – Dr. Muller. A knowledgeable expert on Egyptology and the occult, Van Sloan’s character warns of the curse and tries to guide the protagonists against Imhotep’s supernatural influence – Slander, Dracula, Frankenstein, Behind the Mask, The Death Kiss, The Mummy, Murder on the Campus, A Shot in the Dark, The Black Room, The Story of Louis Pasteur, Dracula’s Daughter, The Phantom Creeps, The Monster and the Girl, Destination Unknown, Renfield
• Fletcher, Bramwell (February 20, 1904 – June 22, 1988) – Ralph Norton. Fletcher plays the young archaeologist who unwittingly awakens Imhotep, setting off the chain of events that follows. His character’s shock and horror upon realizing what he has unleashed are memorable – Chick, Raffles, Svengali, Daughter of the Dragon, The Mummy, The Monkey’s Paw, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Scarlet Pimpernel, TV episodes of Bread of Freedom (TV Movie), Drama into Opera: Oedipus Rex (TV Movie)
• Johnson, Noble (April 18, 1881 – January 9, 1978) – The Nubian. Johnson plays the silent but loyal servant to Imhotep, who aids him in his quest to reunite with his lost love – Intolerance, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Under Crimson Skies, The Leopard Woman, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, The Ten Commandments, Dante’s Inferno, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu, Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mummy, King Kong, Son of Kong, Dante’s Inferno, Escape from Devil’s Island, The Ghost Breakers, The Mad Doctor of Market Street, Jungle Book, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, North of the Great Divide
• Byron, Kathryn (May 4, 1879 – December 8, 1957) – Frau Muller. Kathryn Byron plays the wife of Dr. Muller, who has limited but significant interaction with the main characters in the film – The Mummy (1932), Arthur Byron and Company in a Famly Affair
• Mudie, Leonard (April 11, 1883 – April 14, 1965) – Professor Pearson. Mudie’s character assists in the archaeological digs and provides scholarly context to the discoveries made by the Whemples – A Message from Mars, The Mummy, The Mystery of Mr. X, Cleopatra, Les Misérables, Captain Blood, Lloyd’s of London, Lost Horizon, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Devil’s Island, Nancy Drew… Reporter, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Son of Dr. Jekyll, The Magnetic Monster, How to Murder Your Wife, The Greatest Story Ever Told, TV episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
• Crane, James (December 4, 1889 – June 2, 1968) – Pharaoh Amenophis. In flashbacks, Crane portrays the Pharaoh who condemns Imhotep to be mummified alive, setting the story’s events into motion – His Bridal Night, The Misleading Widow, Dude Ranch, The Mummy, The Amazing Mr. Williams
• Shaw, Montague (March 17, 1882 – February 6, 1968) – Gentleman. Shaw has a minor role as one of the gentlemen at the British Museum who discusses Egyptology and Imhotep’s curse – With Edged Tools, The Set-Up, The Mask of Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes, The Mummy, Fog, Les Misérables, A Tale of Two Cities, Undersea Kingdom, Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars, The Three Musketeers, Buck Rogers, The Green Hornet Strikes Again!, Thunder Birds, The Pilgrimage Play
• Victor, Henry (October 2, 1892 – March 15, 1945) – The Saxon Warrior. Victor’s character appears in a flashback scene, illustrating ancient Egyptian rituals and the past of Princess Ankh-es-en-amon – The King’s Romance, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Mummy, The Mad Doctor, King of the Zombies, Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, A Royal Scandal

Throughout the film’s production, there was great tension between Zita Johann and director Karl Freund, who disliked each other immensely. According to Johann, on the first day of filming Freund attempted to portray her to the producers as a temperamental actress who was very hard to work with.

Jack P. Pierce’s makeup was considered so outstanding that “Hollywood Filmograph” journal honored him with a special award which was presented at a ceremony by Boris Karloff himself. After Pierce’s death in 1968, the trophy was believed lost. Many years later, when a sink was removed from an old makeup studio at Universal, it was rediscovered.

Further Reading

Sources

• Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mummy_(1932_film)#Reboot
• IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023245/
• Rotten Tomatoes https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_mummy_1932
• Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Mummy