Bela Lugosi

Stats:
Real Name: Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó
Birth: October 20, 1888
Death: August 16, 1956

Bela Lugosi is a timeless screen image that deserves to be remembered at a higher level of respect than he is. Lugosi more or less invented the role of Dracula for which he will be known, but he has become more famous in recent years for his work with Ed Wood.

When Lugosi traveled to America he was already a successful actor, and luckily for him success followed relatively quickly. Lugosi's biggest problem that plagued him on the American stage would be a lot of what kept him from having continued success in Hollywood, he never really learned the English dialect. He would spend hours early on with voice coaches learning scripts verbatim slowly every syllable. Lugosi did eventually learn the language, but it was always a struggle and he often did not understand words in scripts when he saw them for the first time, even up into the 50's.

Lugosi portrayed Dracula on Broadway with incredible success. When Universal began casting for the role, he was not top of their list. Lon Chaney Sr. was, but he succumbed to cancer, Conrad Veidt was high on the last, but he ended up losing the role as well. Eventually Lugosi was brought in to read for the part, which he received. Lugosi had already done a variety of silent films in America, but this role would make him a star. He would sign to do the role for a measly $500 a week, Universal would make millions with the title.

Lugosi would soon after be offered the role of Frankenstein which he swiftly turned down, the role was not sexy enough for him. Karloff would take over the part. The rest is history so they say. Lugosi turned in a riveting role in his consolation film Murders in the Rue Morgue but he had already started down the wrong path. Universal was not going to forget that he thought so highly of himself to not be willing to play the role. Lugosi had not made enough films to be a prim Donna, and it was not appreciated.

Lugosi did still work steadily, nearly always for $500 a week. Lugosi did not have the strong business sense to realize how much more he deserved, and seemed pleased with these wages as long as he kept busy. He could not have understood that he was making a name for himself as a cheap actor, not a label that is attractive to big studios.

Nevertheless he was brought back to Universal regularly, though often to play supporting parts or alongside Karloff, attempting to cash in on the name value of the two stars. The Black Cat, The Raven, and others would be some of the highlights of his career, though the more he worked with Karloff the smaller his role became, and the lower he was billed. In You'll Find Out a Kay Kyser vehicle with Karloff and Peter Lorre Karloff and Lorre both received special star billings, Lugosi was lost in the cast shuffle.

It was while working with Karloff that Lugosi would create one of the most memorable roles ever in horror films, Igor in Son of Frankenstein. The popularity of the character was undeniable and in a lot of ways he is the star of that movie. Universal brought him back to play the broken necked madman again in Ghost of Frankenstein. Lugosi worked hard in the role, but it was obvious at this point that quality of Universal Frankenstein movies was degenerating fast.

Oblivious to the fact the series was going down Lugosi finally played the creature in Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman Universal's first pairing of creatures. His performance has been described as a hissing, bumbling, stiff monster. In his defense originally the creature was to be blind and voiceless from a botched surgery in Ghost, so Lugosi played the creature that way, however, during production studio executives decided a blind mute creature was silly, and suddenly all mention of his handicaps was removed from the script. The costume and make-up were also far to much for a man of the age of Lugosi, and he became ill during production.

Lugosi continued to make bottom of the barrel productions for Monogram and whoever else would hire him while he waited by the phone for Universal to call, but Universal was not going to call him, he would have to call them. While casting Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Lugosi was not even originally considered to play Dracula. John Carradine was the first choice, but due to other projects he could not commit, out of desperation Universal would hire Lugosi, who turned in a great performance.

Lugosi would never work in a major production again. He would hardly work at all. He did spend some time touring Dracula on stage, but he was a novelty, fans went to see him, as they would go visit a wax museum, out of fleeting curiosity. Lugosi did eventually end up working with the infamous Ed Wood. They would make 2 films together, Glen or Glenda and Bride of the Monster. Glen is a surreal picture that never gets any speed and Bride is a throwback to the mad scientist roles Lugosi play a dozen times for Monogram. Black Sleep would be his only non Ed Wood film he would make at this time, he would play a mute in a cast that would include Carradine, Lon Chaney Jr., Tor Johnson, Akim Tamiroff, and Basil Rathbone a who's who of low-budget horror aside from Rathbone, who had maintained his high image.

It was during this time that Lugosi admitted himself for drug abuse, only to be released a few days later due to a lack of finances. Lugosi will forever be remembered for the film he didn't make with Ed Wood. Plan 9 From Outer Space. I don't consider this a film he made with him because the scenes he shot were not for this or any other picture. Lugosi deserved better, and he always will.