Carlos Clarens was born in Havana, Cuba as Carlos Figueredo. He was an actor, film critic, film historian and cinematographer. He was an acclaimed (but not very prolific) film critic in the United States, whose books on horror and crime films are still widely read. During his lifetime he was a regular contributor to the magazines Sight and Sound and Film Comment. He also wrote a book-length study of the films of George Cukor entitled George Cukor. In New York, he ran (with Mary Corliss) a photo-agency specializing in stills from old movies, which provided illustrations for many magazine articles and film books.He passed away from a heart attack. He resided in New York City at the time of his death. Upon his death, tributes were held at New York's Little Theatre at the Public Theater, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Paris.