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Life in Hollywood for the undead, no matter how famous, can be harsh. Consider the career of one of the world's most famous vampires, Bela Ferenc Dezso Blasko. Born October 20, 1882, Blasko was a matinee idol and Shakespearean star in his native Hungary. But when came to New York seeking fame and fortune, he could only find work in the Hungarian-language theatre. He got his break, though, when he was cast in the title role of the stage adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, "Dracula." When Hollywood bought the play, Blasko went with it, under his more familiar stage name, Bela Lugosi. The film was a sensation. Lugosi's portrayal was as strong as his accent, and as a result he was typecast in horror pictures and B-movies forever more. Although he never stopped working (appearing in more than 100 pictures), he never scaled the heights that his longtime rival Boris "Frankenstein" Karloff reached. In 1994, Martin Landau was awarded an Oscar for his portrayal of Lugosi, an honor the real man, Hollywood's original vampire, never achieved.
Suggested Sites...
- Bela Lugosi.com - Lugosi's official site, with photos and information about the actor.
- Wikipedia: Bela Lugosi - extensive biography with information about Lugosi's life and career in Hungary, New York, and Hollywood.
- Internet Archive: White Zombie - watch Lugosi in the 1932 horror classic, thought lost for some 30 years.
- Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula - documentary about the life and times of Bela Lugosi. Hear the actor read Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart."
- Lugosiphilia - dedicated to the exchange of information about Bela Lugosi, the man who was Dracula.
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Directory categories:
Bela Lugosi, Classic Hollywood Actors, Horror Movies, Dracula, Boris Karloff |
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Archived under: Actors, Celebrities, Entertainment, Horror, Movies, Vampires |
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Comments
" One of my father's favorite and myself personally he was to intelligent for the roll to play. "
Posted by: vdolphin007 at October 20, 2006 9:30 AM
Bela was simply one of the best, and this movie sets the standard for generations to come.....
Posted by: madmanmkp at October 23, 2006 11:26 PM
My husband has been suspicious of my eyes for years, (I am from Hungarian roots), and now he has proof! Just stare into those powerful and wicked eyes for too long and...well ask my husband...
Posted by: audreycorosky at October 24, 2006 6:40 AM
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