The True Story Behind The Bride Of Frankenstein United Archives/Getty Images In 1923, Universal Studios became Hollywood's reigning house of horror with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, starring makeup effects legend Lon Chaney. The studio followed the success of Chaney's take on Victor Hugo's novel with another macabre masterpiece starring the man of a thousand faces. The Phantom of the Opera, released in 1925, had audiences fainting in the aisles thanks to Chaney's performance as Erik, the disfigured madman of the Paris Opera. With Chaney's talents and the vision of production head Carl Laemmle, Jr., Universal was on its way to a 33-year horror dynasty.