BELA LUGOSI
Bela Lugosi
Bela Lugosi
Bela Lugosi
Bela Lugosi
Bela Lugosi Photos
Dracula on the Web
BORIS KARLOFF
Boris Karloff
Frankenstein:Celluloid Monster
LON CHANEY
Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney
Phantom of the Opera
LON CHANEY JR.
Lon Chaney Jr.
Lon Chaney Jr.
VINCENT PRICE
Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Price Tribute
Vincent Price Gallery
Bela Lugosi was born Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasco, October 20, 1882, in the town of Lugos, Hungary. He was the youngest of four. Many people believe he was actually born in Transylvania, in fact he was born in a province of Transylvania named, Banat. He ran away from home at age 12, after his father died, and got a job working in the mines. After a few years had passed he went to live with his sister, who persuaded her brother-in-law, to give him a chance to be on stage as a chorus boy in an operetta. Bela acted in many stage performances after that, and in 1921, came to the United States. Bela's biggest role came about in 1931, when he starred in "DRACULA" He starred in numerous movies after that, sometimes sharing the screen with horror legend, Boris Karloff. Bela's career started to fizzle out, and after problems with money and marriages, he had himself commited to the "California State Hospital" in 1955. Bela returned to the screen briefly, starrring in a few lackluster movies, but his return was cut short in August 1956, he died. Bela was buried wearing his trademark, the Dracula cape.
Boris Karloff was born William Henry Pratt, in 1887, in a town near London. Following a decade of stage acting throughout Canada and the United States, He made his film debut as an extra in Hollywood in 1916. Finally after 15 years of small roles in over 40 films, he was cast as the monster in Frankenstein. He reprised his role as Frankenstein's monster in two other movies "Bride of Frankenstein" in 1935, and "Son of Frankenstein" in 1939. Throughout the rest of the 30's and through the 50's he continued to star in Horror movies, and when their popularity died down in the 50's, he found success in television,radio, and Broadway. Boris continued to work even as his health started to fail, the effects of crippling arthritis and a respiratory ailment caught up with him in 1969, he died in his native England.
Lon Chaney was born Alonzo Chaney in Colorado Springs, to deaf-mute parents. He started his acting career by touring with his brother, putting in time as an actor,stand up comic,dancer,prop man, and transportation agent. He soon arrived in Hollywood to work as an extra. Lon's first work was "Poor Jake's Demise" in 1913, and later to star in some 70 shorts, mostly westerns, as a villain. He got his success as a villain in the William H Hart western "Riddle Gawne", and got got a contact with Universal Studios. Lon felt unappreciated by Universal, and played a part in Paramount's "The Miracle Man" in 1919, and it made him a star. Universal, now wanted him back, and offered him a better contract, which he accepted. In 1923 he played his most famous role as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and later as "The Phantom of the Opera". Universal started plans on the film version of "Dracula" and Lon was considered, but he had entered the hospital to have a polyp, removed from his throat, it turned out to be throat cancer and he died soon afterward.
I Scratched at the 8-Ball
