This film's impressive visual effects, specifically the scene in which Vincent Price transitions from invisible to visible earned it an Academy Award nomination.
There were communication problems during the shooting of the film. The German director spoke no English, and Vincent Price - being fluent in German - had to translate all the instructions to the other cast members.
Despite going over budget, this was one of the more profitable of Universal's horror films. It eventually grossed nearly four times its cost of $230,000.
This was one of Vincent Price's first featured roles but, despite playing the title character, he was billed second after the better-known Cedric Hardwicke.
Shooting lasted from October to December, 1939, released January 15, 1940. Vincent Price made this film right after James Whale's Die grüne Hölle (1940), which was released one day before, on January 14.