Green lighted by Universal TV as Dr. Frankenstein this production was the dream child of American TV producer Hunt Stromberg Jnr. His ambition was to make a definitive version, which was faithful to the original novel. Stromberg recruited one of his favourite authors, Christopher Isherwood, to pen the script with the American scribe Don Bachardy on hand to oversee the scripts development. Isherwood was also instrumental in convincing Stromberg and Universal that ideal locations could only be found in the UK, despite the novels setting of Switzerland. Stromberg also selected Jack Smight as the director having seen his previous films The Illustrated Man and No Way To Treat A Lady.

With the production based at Pinewood Studios locations were found nearby at a Kensington hospital and around Denham and Bray. British union rules stated that a majority of the production crew had to come from Britain and so Stromberg set about recruiting the cream of British technicians. Cinemaphotography was handled by Arthur Ibbetson who had worked on Anne of Green Gables, Where Eagles Dare and The Railway Children. Roy Ashton, a veteran of many Hammer Films created the make up for the production, whilst special effects were handled by the Casino Royale veteran Roy Whybrow. Production designer Wilfred Shingleton had designed the camouflage used by the Allied invasion fleet in 1944 as well as working on such high calibre films as The Innocents, The African Queen and Roman Polanski's version of Macbeth. Production manager Brian Burgess had previously worked on the Gerry Anderson productions Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the 1969 film Doppleganger. Burgess had recently finished work on Alfred Hitchcock's 1972 film Frenzy. Film editor Richard Marden also had distinguished credits with work on such classic productions as Bedazzled, Anne Of A Thousand Days, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Sleuth.

Casting wise Stromberg also went for respected thespians to compliment his technical staff. The pivotal role of Doctor Frankenstein was given to Leonard Whiting as Stromberg admired his performance in Franco Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet. Michael Sarrazin played the creature itself on the strength of his performance in They Shoot Horses Don't They? Stromberg had wanted James Mason for the role of Doctor Polidori from the start of production, but the actor had recently tried to get away from typecasting in villainous roles. However, on reading the script Mason readily agreed to undertake the role. David McCallum was assigned the role of Frankenstein's mentor the drunken and abrupt Henry Clerval whilst Nicola Pagett undertook the role of Frankenstein's fiancée Elizabeth. Finally, Jane Seymour, hot property thanks to her appearance in the Bond film Live And Let Die, was given a dual role as the doomed peasant girl Agatha and the female creature Prima. Supporting and cameo roles were embellished with veteran and future character actors including Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Agnes Moorhead, Tom Baker and Yootha Joyce.

Principal photography commenced in March 1973 and wrapped in early summer. The original script featured a prologue, which was cut for timing reasons and replaced with a short introduction by James Mason, and the original ending paved the way for a potential sequel. This was vetoed by Stromberg who insisted the production was a one-off. The finished production gave a spin on the old fable. Instead of the creature being ugly and repulsive this version had a creature of intellect and beauty giving he relationship between Frankenstein and his creation a strong homoerotic subtext. Isherwood and Bachardy were reportedly displeased with the finished version and published their own version of the screenplay in novel form as Dr Frankenstein in 1973.

On it's initial broadcast in American Frankenstein: The True Story gained very agreeable viewing figures, whilst in the UK the production was at first released as a cinema presentation in 1974 with a reduced running time of 123 minutes. Critics considered the theatrical version was overlong and fairly dull. It received its UK TV premiere in December 1975, airing on BBC 2 on Saturday 27th December. The production has been released on DVD in the USA.