Bela Lugosi
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'''Bela Lugosi''' was a 20th century Hungarian film actor, best known for his portrayal of [[Count Dracula|Dracula]] in the [[Dracula (film)|1931 film of the same name]]. | '''Bela Lugosi''' was a 20th century Hungarian film actor, best known for his portrayal of [[Count Dracula|Dracula]] in the [[Dracula (film)|1931 film of the same name]]. | ||
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==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
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Lugosi was born in Hungary, where he acted in stage in 1910s before joining the Austro-Hungarian army in [[WWI]]. After the war, he acted in a number of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] plays, sometimes under the name ''Aristzid Olt''. In the 1920s, he emigrated to the [[United States]], notably playing a policeman in [[Tod Browning|Tod Browning's]] 1929 film ''[[The Thirteenth Chair]]''. He played [[Dracula]] on [[Broadway]] before finally becoming a star in Browning's film version. He was offered the role of [[Frankenstein]]'s monster the same year, but refused because his face would be hidden under layers of make-up; instead, the role went to his long-time rival, [[Boris Karloff]]. Over time, the quality of Lugosi's roles diminished, and he was reduced to acting for [[Poverty Row]] studios in the 1940s and '50s. He fell into a quagmire of depression and morphine addiction | Lugosi was born in Hungary, where he acted in stage in 1910s before joining the Austro-Hungarian army in [[WWI]]. After the war, he acted in a number of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] plays, sometimes under the name ''Aristzid Olt''. In the 1920s, he emigrated to the [[United States]], notably playing a policeman in [[Tod Browning|Tod Browning's]] 1929 film ''[[The Thirteenth Chair]]''. He played [[Dracula]] on [[Broadway]] before finally becoming a star in Browning's film version. He was offered the role of [[Frankenstein]]'s monster the same year, but refused because his face would be hidden under layers of make-up; instead, the role went to his long-time rival, [[Boris Karloff]]. Over time, the quality of Lugosi's roles diminished, and he was reduced to acting for [[Poverty Row]] studios in the 1940s and '50s. He fell into a quagmire of depression and morphine addiction | ||
| - | In the '50s, he was re-discovered by Z-grade director [[Ed Wood]], who cast him in the epics of badness ''[[Glen or Glenda]]'', ''[[Bride of the Monster]]'', and Lugosi's final film, ''[[Plan 9 from Outer Space]]''. Lugosi's role in ''Plan 9'' consisted of some leftover footage of him walking out of a house. He was buried in his black Dracula cape; his old friend [[Peter Lorre]] said at his funeral, "Don't you think we should drive a stake through his heart just to make sure?" | + | In the '50s, he was re-discovered by Z-grade director [[Ed Wood]], who cast him in the epics of badness ''[[Glen or Glenda]]'', ''[[Bride of the Monster]]'', and Lugosi's final film, ''[[Plan 9 from Outer Space]]''. Lugosi's role in ''Plan 9'' consisted of some leftover footage of him walking out of a house, because he died before main filming of the movie began. He was buried in his black Dracula cape; his old friend [[Peter Lorre]] said at his funeral, "Don't you think we should drive a stake through his heart just to make sure?" |
==Filmography== | ==Filmography== | ||
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* ''[[The Thirteenth Chair]]'' (1929) | * ''[[The Thirteenth Chair]]'' (1929) | ||
* ''[[Dracula]]'' (1931) | * ''[[Dracula]]'' (1931) | ||
Current revision as of 03:25, 20 December 2007
Bela Lugosi was a 20th century Hungarian film actor, best known for his portrayal of Dracula in the 1931 film of the same name.
[edit] Biography
Lugosi was born in Hungary, where he acted in stage in 1910s before joining the Austro-Hungarian army in WWI. After the war, he acted in a number of Shakespeare plays, sometimes under the name Aristzid Olt. In the 1920s, he emigrated to the United States, notably playing a policeman in Tod Browning's 1929 film The Thirteenth Chair. He played Dracula on Broadway before finally becoming a star in Browning's film version. He was offered the role of Frankenstein's monster the same year, but refused because his face would be hidden under layers of make-up; instead, the role went to his long-time rival, Boris Karloff. Over time, the quality of Lugosi's roles diminished, and he was reduced to acting for Poverty Row studios in the 1940s and '50s. He fell into a quagmire of depression and morphine addiction
In the '50s, he was re-discovered by Z-grade director Ed Wood, who cast him in the epics of badness Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, and Lugosi's final film, Plan 9 from Outer Space. Lugosi's role in Plan 9 consisted of some leftover footage of him walking out of a house, because he died before main filming of the movie began. He was buried in his black Dracula cape; his old friend Peter Lorre said at his funeral, "Don't you think we should drive a stake through his heart just to make sure?"
[edit] Filmography
- The Thirteenth Chair (1929)
- Dracula (1931)
- White Zombie (1932)
- Mark of the Vampire (1935)
- The Phantom Creeps
- The Corpse Vanishes
- The Big Lugosi
- Glen or Glenda
- Bride of the Monster
- Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
