Erle C. Kenton

Erle C. Kenton was a movie director most commonly associated with Universal Pictures. Although he began his career as early as 1916, he is most remembered for his work during the 1940s where he directed three films that became part of the "Universal Monsters" franchise. His first film under the Universal Monsters umbrella was 1942's Ghost of Frankenstein.

The 1981 Joe Dante werewolf film The Howling featured several characters who were named after famous genre directors. The aging werewolf Erle Kenton (played by John Carradine) was named for Erle C. Kenton. Additionally, Carradine appeared in two of Kenton's Universal films playing the role of Dracula. Kenton passed away in Glendale, California on January 28th, 1980, slightly more than a year before the release of The Howling.