Creation

The idea of Victor Frankenstein having an assistant does not come from Mary Shelley's original novel, but rather from the earliest known stage adaptation, Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein (1823), written by Richard Brinsley Peake. In this play, the character Fritz — portrayed by Robert Keeley — appears as Frankenstein’s servant. Mary Shelley herself attended a performance of the play.

The character of Fritz reappears in the first film of the Frankenstein series (1931), portrayed by Dwight Frye. Dwight Frye also portrayed Renfield in Universal’s Dracula. Dwight Frye also played Karl, one of Dr. Pretorius's henchmen in Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

In the horror film Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933), Ivan Igor is the name of the mad wax museum curator. The film was remade as House of Wax (1953), but the name Igor was given to the curator's henchman (Charles Bronson) rather than the curator himself. This character is deaf and mute, rather than a hunchback.

Igor would make his first appearance as early as the 1930s, introduced by Universal Pictures under the spelling Ygor in Son of Frankenstein (1939) and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), portrayed by Bela Lugosi. This character is neither a hunchback nor a lab assistant, but a blacksmith with a broken neck and twisted back as the result of a botched hanging. He reanimates the Monster as an instrument of vengeance against the townspeople who attempted to hang him for grave-robbing. He survives a near-fatal gunshot and appears in the next film in which his brain is placed in the Monster's body.

Universal Studios actively cemented the idea of the hunchbacked assistant to the "mad scientist" in the Frankenstein film series' The House of Frankenstein (1944) with J. Carrol Naish playing a hunchbacked lab assistant named Daniel, who assists Dr. Gustav Niemann in replicating Dr. Frankenstein's experiments.

Over time, the hunchbacked sidekick figure morphed into popular culture, especially with the consolidation of the "Igor" stereotype. Many of these characters began to be portrayed with a voice similar to Peter Lorre's—although the actor never played Igor, his manner of speaking strongly influenced later caricatures. Several films throughout the 20th century helped cement the image of Igor as the mad scientist's grotesque and faithful sidekick.

Major Story Arcs

DC Comics

In The Demon #11-13, Igor is Baron von Rakenstein's assistant.

Skywald

In Psycho #3, Egor helps the Monster bring Dr. Frankenstein to life.

Marvel Comics

Igor appears as Frankenstein’s assistant in Creatures on the Loose #12. In The Frankenstein's Monster #16, Victor is aided by an unnamed hunchbacked grave robber, who is possibly an interpretation of Igor. Additionally, in Sabretooth: The Dead Don’t Talk #1, Mr Sinister has a hunchbacked assistant named Igor.

Bloch Editores (Brazil)

After losing the Marvel license, the Brazilian publisher Bloch Editores released new stories in Capitão Mistério Apresenta Frankenstein issues #9-10, written by R. F. Lucchetti and illustrated by José Menezes, where Victor, with the help of Igor, brings the Monster back to life. In Capitão Mistério #27, the origin of Frankenstein's Monster illustrated by Eduardo Ofeliano, Victor’s assistant is named Fritz—not Igor.

Other Media

Films

In the Hammer film The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), Karl is a hunchbacked assistant to Dr. Victor Frankenstein. He rescues Victor from a death sentence and helps him with the creation of a new body. Eventually, Karl dies, and his brain is transplanted into that new body, effectively becoming the film’s version of the Monster. Instead, Fritz is portrayed as a grave robber who suffers a fatal heart attack upon unexpectedly encountering Dr. Frankenstein alive.

The comedy film Young Frankenstein (1974) features the character Igor, portrayed by Marty Feldman and humorously pronounced “EYE-gore.”

Igor replaced Renfield as Count Dracula’s assistant for the first time in ABC’s 1979 holiday TV film The Halloween That Almost Wasn't (also known as The Night Dracula Saved the World).

In The Bride (1985), the character Paulus serves as the equivalent of Igor, acting as the assistant to Baron Charles Frankenstein.

In The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) by Tim Burton, Igor appears as the hunchbacked lab assistant to Dr. Finkelstein.

In Van Helsing (2004), Igor once again effectively replaces Renfield as Dracula’s assistant.

In Victor Frankenstein (2015), Igor is portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe as a hunchbacked circus performer whose deformity is caused by a large cyst. Victor rescues him, cures his condition, and gives him the name "Igor Straussman" in honor of a missing roommate, turning him into his assistant.

Television

Toonsylvania

Between 1998 and 1999, Igor was one of the protagonists of the animated series Toonsylvania, produced by DreamWorks Television Animation and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. In the series, Igor appears alongside Phil, Frankenstein's Monster, and Dr. Vic Frankenstein.