Began acting while a POW in WWI; after war worked in British theater as actor and designer, then director

Moved to London to pursue stage career

Began working with the Oxford Players for three seasons; worked with, among others, John Gielgud, Flora Robson, Alan Napier and Raymond Massey

Directed and did the settings for the plays, "Fortunato and the Lady from Alfaqueque" and "The Dreamers" in England, working with the likes of and up-and-coming John Gielgud and the established Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies

Breakthrough stage success, "Journey's End", a play by R C Sherriff with settings and direction by Whale

Successfully restaged "Journey's End" on Broadway

Moved to Hollywood; first film credit, dialogue director of "The Love Doctor", directed by Melville Brown and starring Richard Dix

Served as dialogue director of "Hell's Angels" and also, uncredited director on some scenes

Made full-fledged directing debut, "Journey's End" (adaptation of his London and Broadway stage success)

Signed contract with Universal Studios (date approximate)

Last stage work for over a decade, "Badger's Green" by R C Sherriff, with settings and direction by Whale, and "The Violet" and "One Two Three", two one-act plays by Ferenc Molnar, in which Whale directed Ruth Gordon

First film for Universal, "Waterloo Bridge"

Replaced Robert Florey as director of "Frankenstein"

Made last of four classic horror films, "Bride of Frankenstein"

Whale's expensive filming of "Show Boat" not completed in time to save Universal from receivership; executive producers Carl Laemmle Sr and Jr replaced by more cost-conscious executives appointed by a bank

Film sequel to "All Quiet on the Western Front", "The Road Back", taken away from Whale and re-edited to offset official protests from Nazi Germany

Whale loaned out to Warner Bros. and MGM, respectively, for two films, "The Great Garrick" and "Port of Seven Seas"

Made "The Man in the Iron Mask" for the independent Edward Small Productions

Last film for Universal, "Green Hell"

Began but did not finish "They Dare Not Love" for Columbia; replaced by Charles Vidor but his contract stipulated that he receive screen credit

Briefly returned to Broadway work during WWII; directed "Hand in Glove" for the Playhouse Theater, but the play's run was short

Turned down an offer from David O Selznick to be put under contract as a director at $1,000 a week

One-shot return to film directing: "Hello, Out There", a 40-minute, one-set segment produced at a TV studio to be used in an RKO anthology film; never released

Turned down an offer by producer William Dozier to film an adaptation of H G Wells' "The Food of the Gods"

Last work as a director: helmed a production of the play, "Pagan in the Parlour", at the Pasadena Playhouse, and later arranged to take the play briefly to England