Motion Picture Director. Best known for his work in the horror film genre, Whale directed the horror classics "Frankenstein," "Old Dark House," "Invisible Man," and "Bride of Frankenstein." James Whale was born in Dudley, England, in 1889 (his plaque incorrectly shows 1893), the sixth of seven children born into a working-class family. Thought to be too frail to follow his brothers into industrial work, James found work as a cobbler. Realizing his love and talent for artistry, he used his extra income to enroll in classes at the Dudley School of Arts and Crafts. In 1915, during World War I, Whale enlisted in the Army and was commissioned second Lieutenant. In August of 1917, Whale was taken a prisoner of war. While imprisoned, Whale continued to draw and sketch and also discovered a flair for staging theatrical productions. After World War I, he moved to Birmingham, England, to embark upon a stage career. In 1928, he was offered a chance to direct the play "Journey's End" starring then-newcomer Laurence Olivier. The play was a huge success and Whale was soon offered the chance to direct the Broadway and film versions of "Journey's End" in the United States. He quickly began directing motion pictures of various genres, but found his niche in horror films, largely due to his unique and innovative use of camera angles. In his later years, the openly gay director began suffering from memory loss due to a stroke. Whale struggled with depression and found it difficult to put the memories of the war behind him. On May 29, 1957, at the age of 67, he committed suicide by drowning himself in his swimming pool. Although he did leave a suicide note detailing why he killed himself, the circumstances of his death were not known until years later. Despite the prevailing mores and attitudes during the period, he lived as an openly gay man during his Hollywood career, a circumstance that seemingly did not affect ability to work.