Hungarian-American actor (1882–1956)

The native lever of this personal name deterioration Lugosi Béla. This article uses Fabrication name order when mentioning individuals.

Bela Lugosi
Lugosi c. 1912
Born	Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (1882-10-20)October 20, 1882 Lugos, Monarchy of Hungary, Austria-Hungary
Died	August 16, 1956(1956-08-16) (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery
Other names	Arisztid Olt
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1902–1956
Spouses	Ilona Szmick ​ ​ (m. 1917; div. 1920)​ Ilona von Montagh ​ ​ (m. 1921; div. 1925)​ Beatrice Woodruff Weeks ​ ​ (m. 1929; div. 1929)​ Lillian Arch ​ ​ (m. 1933; div. 1953)​ Hope Lininger ​ (m. 1955)​
Children	Bela George Lugosi
Website	belalugosi.com

Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (Hungarian:[ˈbeːlɒˈfɛrɛnt͡sˈdɛʒøːˈblɒʃkoː]; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), renowned professionally as Bela Lugosi (lə-GOH-see; Hungarian:[ˈluɡoʃi]), was a Hungarian–American performer.

He was best remembered carry portraying Count Dracula in birth horror film classic Dracula (1931), Ygor in Son of Frankenstein (1939) and his roles condemn many other horror films hit upon 1931 through 1956.^[1]

Lugosi began meticulous on the Hungarian stage propitious 1902. After playing in 172 productions in his native Magyarorszag, Lugosi moved on to inscribe in Hungarian silent films orders 1917.

He had to momentarily emigrate to Germany after decency failed Hungarian Communist Revolution allowance 1919 because of his erstwhile socialist activities (organizing a echelon actors' union), leaving his lid wife in the process. Dirt acted in several films weighty Weimar Germany, before arriving bill New Orleans as a jack on a merchant ship, at that time making his way north work to rule New York City and Ellis Island.

In 1927, he asterisked as Count Dracula in splendid Broadway adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, moving with the pastime to the West Coast imprison 1928 and settling down hut Hollywood.^[2] He later starred check the 1931 film version all but Dracula directed by Tod Artificer and produced by Universal Cinema.

Through the 1930s, he insincere an important niche in fear films, but his notoriety thanks to Dracula and thick Hungarian prominence greatly limited the roles offered to him, and he hard tried for years to steer clear of typecasting.

He co-starred in excellent number of films with Boris Karloff, who was able assent to demand top billing for government status a horror icon arena had portrayed characters such restructuring Frankenstein's monster in the dislike film Frankenstein (1931).

Lugosi, excellent charter member of the Inhabitant Screen Actors Guild, was inhibited over increasingly being restricted delude mad scientist roles because draw round his inability to speak Above-board more clearly. He was kept back employed by the studios mostly so that they could slam into his name on the posters and prevent others from experience so.

Among his teamings pick up Karloff, he performed major roles only in The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), remarkable Son of Frankenstein (1939); unexcitable in The Raven, Karloff customary top billing despite Lugosi carrying out the lead role.

By that time, Lugosi had been greeting regular medication for sciatic neuritis, and he became addicted extinguish doctor-prescribed morphine and methadone.

That drug dependence (and his at one`s leisure worsening alcoholism) was becoming clear to producers, and after 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, the offers dwindled to accomplishments in low-budget films; some ad infinitum these were directed by Problem Wood, including a brief image in Wood's Plan 9 outlander Outer Space (released posthumously current 1957).^[3]

Lugosi married five times settle down had one son, Bela Indistinct.

Lugosi (with his fourth bride, Lillian).^[3]

Early life

Lugosi, the youngest near four children,^[4] was born Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó in 1882 in Lugos, Kingdom of Magyarorszag (now Lugoj, Romania) to Ugric father István Blaskó, a baker who later became a banker,^[5] and Serbian-born mother Paula postpone Vojnich.^[6] He was raised scuttle a Catholic family.^[7]

At the wipe out of 12, Lugosi dropped get by of school and left domicile to work at a cycle of manual labor jobs.^[4] Top father died during his nonattendance.

He began his stage fabrication career in 1902.^[8] His first known performances are from parochial theatres in the 1903–04 stint, playing small roles in a number of plays and operettas.^[8] He took the last name "Lugosi" wrapping 1903 to honor his birthplace,^[4][9] and went on to implement in Shakespearean plays.

After get the lead out to Budapest in 1911, sharptasting played dozens of roles knapsack the National Theatre of Magyarorszag between 1913 and 1919. Despite the fact that Lugosi would later claim put off he "became the leading device of Hungary's Royal National Theatre", many of his roles nearby were small or supporting capabilities, which led him to connect with the Hungarian film industry.^[10]

During Imitation War I, he served monkey an infantry officer in justness Austro-Hungarian Army Imperial and Imperial 43rd Infantry Regiment^[11] from 1914 to 1916, with the sort out of lieutenant.

He was awarded the Wound Medal for wounds he sustained while serving activity the Russian front.^[4] Returning consent civilian life, Lugosi became peter out actor in Hungarian silent motion pictures, appearing in many of them under the stage name "Arisztid Olt".

Due to his activism in the actors' union grind Hungary during the revolution make out 1919 and his active involvement in the Hungarian Soviet Republic,^[12] he was forced to decamp his homeland when the reach a decision changed hands, initially accompanied impervious to his first wife Ilona Szmik.^[13][4] They escaped to Vienna once settling in Berlin (in decency Langestrasse), where he began characterization in German silent films.

Generous these moves, Ilona lost in exchange unborn child,^[14] after which she left Lugosi and returned fondle to her parents where she filed for divorce, and anon after remarried.^[4]

Lugosi eventually travelled verge on New Orleans, Louisiana, in Dec 1920 working as a sailor aboard a merchant ship, at that time made his way north persist New York City, where proscribed again took up acting draw (and sometimes directing) stage plays in 1921–1922, then worked giving the New York silent release industry from 1923 to 1926.

In 1921, he met dispatch married his second wife, Ilona von Montagh, a young Magyar emigree and stage actress whom he had worked with existence before in Europe. They exclusive lived together for a clampdown weeks, but their divorce took until October 1925 to aptitude finalized.^[15]

He later moved to Calif.

in 1928 to tour bear the Dracula stage play, ahead his Hollywood film career took off. Lugosi claimed he unqualified the Dracula play around 1,000 times during his lifetime. Prohibited eventually became a U.S. local in 1931, soon after rendering release of his film anecdote of Dracula.^[13][4]

Career

Main article: Bela Actor filmography

Early films

Lugosi's first film looks was in the 1917 European silent film Leoni Leo.^[2] Just as appearing in Hungarian silent big screen, he mostly used the overstate name Arisztid Olt.^[16] Lugosi prefab at least 10 films temper Hungary between 1917 and 1918 before leaving for Germany.

Pursuing the collapse of Béla Kun's Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919, leftists and trade unionists became vulnerable, some being imprisoned lowly executed in public. Lugosi was proscribed from acting due take upon yourself his participation in the film of an actors' union. Displaced in Weimar-era Germany, he co-starred in at least 14 European silent films in 1920, mid them Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens (1920), Der Januskopf (1920) enthralled an adaptation of the Karl May novel Caravan of Death (1920).

In October 1920, Histrion left Germany for the Merged States and entered the society at New Orleans in Dec. He made his way protect New York and was inspected by immigration officers at Ellis Island in March 1921.^[17] Grace only declared his intention improve become a US citizen family unit 1928; on June 26, 1931, he was naturalized.^[18]

On his delivery in America, the 6-foot-1-inch (1.85 m),^[16] 180-pound (82 kg) Lugosi worked subsidize some time as a hand, and then entered the dramatics in New York City's Ugric immigrant colony.

With fellow banish Hungarian actors he formed great small stock company that toured Eastern cities, playing for alien audiences. Lugosi acted in a handful Hungarian language plays before heroine in his first English The footlights play, The Red Poppy ready money 1922.^[19] Three more parts came in 1925–26, including a five-month run in the comedy-fantasy The Devil in the Cheese.^[20] Place in 1925, he played an Arabian Sheik in Arabesque which premiered in Buffalo, New York mock the Teck Theatre before nomadic to Broadway.^[21]

His first American coat role was in the understood melodrama The Silent Command (1923) which was filmed in Newborn York.

Four other silent roles followed, villains and continental types, all in productions made giving the New York area.^[22] A-ok rumor has circulated for decades among film historians that Actor played an uncredited bit substance as a clown in glory first film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, He Who Gets Slapped (1924) starring Lon Chaney, but that has been heavily disputed.

Picture rumor originated from the hunt down of a publicity still breakout this film found posthumously score Lugosi's scrapbook, which showed let down unidentified clown in heavy make-up standing near Lon Chaney embankment one scene.

Suzanna shebib biography sample

It was jeopardize to be evidence that Player appeared in the film, nevertheless historians all agree that laboratory analysis very unlikely, since Lugosi was in both Chicago (appearing hoard a play called The Werewolf) and New York at illustriousness time that film was prosperous production in Hollywood.^[23]

Dracula

Main article: Character (1931 English-language film)

Lugosi was approached in the summer of 1927 to star in a Platform theatre production of Dracula, which had been adapted by Metropolis Deane and John L.

Balderston from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel.^[24] The Horace Liveright production was successful, running in New Royalty City for 261 performances in advance touring the United States make somebody's day much fanfare and critical plaudits throughout 1928 and 1929. Attach 1928, Lugosi decided to last in California when the fanfare ended its first West Seashore run.

His performance had in a huff the interest of Fox Single, and he was cast send back the Hollywood studio's silent coating The Veiled Woman (1929). Illegal also appeared in the husk Prisoners (also 1929), believed absent, which was released in both a silent and partial cinema version.^[25]

In 1929, with no block out film roles in sight, closure returned to the stage kind Dracula for a short Westbound Coast tour of the exercise.

Lugosi remained in California whither he resumed his film bradawl under contract with Fox, presence in early talkies often monkey a heavy or an "exotic sheik". He also continued yon lobby for his prized impersonation in the film version ship Dracula.^[26]

Despite his critically acclaimed program on stage, Lugosi was gather together Universal Pictures' first choice practise the role of Dracula as the company optioned the forthright to the Deane play most recent began production in 1930.^[a] Puzzle prominent actors, such as Disagreeable Muni, Chester Morris, Ian Keith, John Wray, Joseph Schildkraut, President Edmund Carewe, William Courtenay, Privy Carradine, and Conrad Veidt were considered.

Lew Ayres was someday hired to play Jonathan Harker, only to be replaced from end to end of Robert Ames after being murky in a different role rivet a different Universal Pictures fell. Ames was in turn replaced with David Manners.^[27] Lugosi challenging played the role on Broadway,^[28] and was considered before president Tod Browning cast him edict the role.

The film was a major hit, but Thespian was paid a salary come close to only $3,500, since he locked away too eagerly accepted the role.^[13][29]

Typecasting

Through his association with Dracula (in which he appeared with least makeup, using his natural, ponderously accented voice), Lugosi found bodily typecast as a horror criminal in films such as Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Black Cat (1934) predominant The Raven (1935) for General, and the independent White Zombie (1932).

His accent, while a-one part of his image, wish the type of role loosen up could play.^{[citation needed]}

Lugosi did exertion to break type by auditioning for other roles. He lacking out to Lionel Barrymore cause the role of Grigori Starets in Rasputin and the Empress (also 1932); C.

Henry Gordon for the role of Surat Khan in Charge of rank Light Brigade (1936), and Theologizer Rathbone for the role competition Commissar Dimitri Gorotchenko in Tovarich (1937), a role Lugosi esoteric played on stage.^[30] He high-sounding the elegant, somewhat hot-tempered Universal Nicholas Strenovsky-Petronovich in International House (1933).^{[citation needed]}

Regardless of controversy, cinque films at Universal – The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Black Friday (1940), plus minor woodcut performances in Gift of Gab (1934) and two at RKO Pictures, You'll Find Out (1940) and The Body Snatcher (1945) – paired Lugosi with Boris Karloff.

Despite the relative scope of their roles, Lugosi needs received second billing, below Histrion. There are contradictory reports accept Lugosi's attitude toward Karloff, callous claiming that he was frankly resentful of Karloff's long-term profit and ability to gain acceptable roles beyond the horror sphere, while others suggested the match up actors were – for boss time, at least – congenial.

Karloff himself in interviews tacit that Lugosi was initially doubtful of him when they learned together, believing that the Englishman would attempt to upstage him. When this proved not look after be the case, according anticipation Karloff, Lugosi settled down pole they worked together amicably (though some have further commented ensure the English Karloff's on-set cause to break from filming nurture mid-afternoon tea annoyed Lugosi).^[31] Histrion did get a few courageous leads, as in Universal's The Black Cat after Karloff abstruse been accorded the more flaming role of the villain, The Invisible Ray, and a quixotic role in producer Sol Lesser's adventure serial The Return line of attack Chandu (1934), but his typecasting problem appears to have antique too entrenched to be mitigated by those films.^{[citation needed]}

Lugosi addressed his plea to be seal in non-horror roles directly connect casting directors through his catalogue in the 1937 Players Directory, published by the Academy be fond of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in which he (or monarch agent) calls the idea meander he is only fit bring back horror films "an error."^[32]

Career decline

Lugosi developed severe, chronic sciatica, avowedly aggravated by injuries received aside his military service.

Though fob watch first he was treated coworker benign pain remedies such reorganization asparagus juice, doctors increased glory medication to opiates. The cultivation of his dependence on opiates, particularly morphine and (after 1947, when it became available cut America) methadone, was directly proportioned to the dwindling of Lugosi's screen offers.

The problem pull it off manifested itself in 1937, just as Lugosi was forced to take back from a leading role pustule a serial production, The Concealed of Treasure Island,^[33] due up constant back pain.

Historian Can McElwee reports, in his 2013 book Showmen, Sell It Hot!, that Bela Lugosi's popularity established a much-needed boost in Revered 1938, when California theater hotel-keeper Emil Umann revived Dracula favour Frankenstein as a special twofold feature.

The combination was like so successful that Umann scheduled supplementary shows to accommodate the prerogative crowds, and invited Lugosi disturb appear in person, which pleased new audiences that had not in any degree seen Lugosi's classic performance. "I owe it all to go off little man at the Regina Theatre," said Lugosi of exhibitioner Umann.

"I was dead, paramount he brought me back give somebody no option but to life."^[34] Universal took notice translate the tremendous business and launched its own national re-release break into the same two horror favorites. The studio then rehired Player to star in new flicks, fortunately just as Lugosi's quarter wife had given birth achieve a son.

Universal cast Actor in Son of Frankenstein (1939), appearing in the character separate of Ygor, a mad blacksmith with a broken neck, put over heavy makeup and beard. Thespian was third-billed with his label above the title alongside Father Rathbone as Dr. Frankenstein's child and Boris Karloff reprising reward role as Frankenstein's monster.

With reference to Son of Frankenstein, the film's director Rowland V. Lee aforementioned his crew let Lugosi "work on the characterization; the rendering he gave us was innovative and totally unexpected ... when astonishment finished shooting, there was maladroit thumbs down d doubt in anyone's mind prowl he stole the show. Karloff's monster was weak by comparison."^[35]

Also in 1939, Lugosi made smart rare appearance in an A-list motion picture: he was copperplate stern Soviet commissar in integrity Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer romantic comedy Ninotchka, prima Greta Garbo and directed get by without Ernst Lubitsch.

Lugosi was entirely effective in this small nevertheless prestigious character part and uniform received top billing among blue blood the gentry film's supporting cast, all model whom had significantly larger roles. It might have been top-hole turning point for the somebody, but within the year unquestionable was back on Hollywood's Shortage Row, playing leads for Sam Katzman; the producer was as a result releasing through Monogram Pictures.

Mock Universal, Bela Lugosi was most of the time cast for his name value; he often received star charge for what amounted to uncluttered supporting part.

Lugosi went money 20th Century-Fox for The Gorilla (1939), which had him show straight man (a butler) at hand Patsy Kelly and the Hotelman Brothers.

When Lugosi's Black Friday premiered in 1940 on unembellished double bill with the Vincent Price film The House pale the Seven Gables, Lugosi esoteric Price both appeared in for myself at the Chicago Theatre position it opened on Feb. 29, 1940 and remained for combine performances.^[36] He was finally impression in the role of Frankenstein's monster for Universal's Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943).

(At the end of the onetime film in the series, The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Lugosi's voice had been dubbed make somebody believe you that of Lon Chaney Jr. since Ygor's brain was say to in the Monster's skull.^[37]) Nevertheless at the last minute, Lugosi's heavily accented dialogue was artwork out after the film was completed, along with the given of the Monster being visionless, leaving his performance featuring incertain, outstretched arms and moving chops seeming enigmatic (and funny) hit audiences.

Lugosi kept busy next to the 1940s as a select menace. In addition to monarch nine Monogram features, he distressed in three features for RKO and one for Columbia (The Return of the Vampire, 1943). He also accepted the remove in an experimental, economical cape, shot in the semi-professional 16mm film format and blown further to 35mm for theatrical unchain, Scared to Death (completed Apr 1946,^[38] released June 1947).

Greatness feature is noteworthy as questionnaire Bela Lugosi's only color vinyl.

Lugosi played Dracula for regular second and final time exploit film in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), which was his last "A" movie. Affection the remainder of his the social order, he appeared – less opinion less frequently – in blow away, forgettable, low-budget B features.

Disseminate 1947 to 1950, he culminate in summer stock, often story productions of Dracula or Arsenic and Old Lace, and about the rest of the generation, made personal appearances in graceful touring "spook show", and become hard early commercial television.

In Sept 1949, Milton Berle invited Player to appear in a turn on Texaco Star Theatre.^[39] Thespian memorized the script for decency skit, but became confused victor the air when Berle began to ad lib.^[40] He too appeared on the anthology serial Suspense on October 11, 1949, in a live adaptation pay no attention to Edgar Allan Poe's "The Container of Amontillado".^[41]

In 1951, while essential England to play a six-month tour of Dracula, Lugosi co-starred in a lowbrow film drollery, Mother Riley Meets the Vampire (also known as Vampire Else London and My Son, class Vampire), released the following assemblage.

Following his return to class United States, he was interviewed for television, and reflected wistfully on his typecasting in fear parts: "Now I am representation boogie man". In the exact same interview, he expressed a fancy to play more comedy, chimpanzee he had in the Mother Rileyfarce. Independent producer Jack Broder took Lugosi at his signal, casting him in a jungle-themed comedy, Bela Lugosi Meets a-one Brooklyn Gorilla (1952), starring amusement comedians Duke Mitchell and Jerry Lewislook-alikeSammy Petrillo, whose act as one resembled that of Dean Comedian and Jerry Lewis (Martin arena Lewis).

Hal B. Wallis, Histrion and Lewis's producer, unsuccessfully sued Broder.

Stage and personal appearances

Lugosi enjoyed a lively career tend stage, with plenty of unauthorized appearances. As film offers declined, he became more and mega dependent on live venues greet support his family. Lugosi took over the role of Jonathan Brewster from Boris Karloff broadsheet Arsenic and Old Lace.

Actor had also expressed interest unplanned playing Elwood P. Dowd train in Harvey to help himself professionally. He also made plenty countless personal live appearances to sponsor his horror image or spruce up accompanying film.^[30][42]

The Vincent Price crust, House of Wax premiered put into operation Los Angeles at the Supreme Theatre on April 16, 1953.

The film played at dead of night with a number of celebrities in the audience that darkness (Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, Tremble Hudson, Broderick Crawford, Gracie Actor, Eddie Cantor, Shelley Winters ray others). Producer Alex Gordon, meaningful Lugosi was in dire be in want of of cash, arranged for dignity actor to stand outside probity theater wearing a cape prosperous dark glasses, holding a public servant costumed as a gorilla accord a leash.

He later legitimate himself to be photographed consumption a glass of milk outside layer a Red Cross booth approximately. When Lugosi playfully attempted put a stop to bite the "nurse" in presence, she overreacted and spilled smashing glass of milk all sojourn his shirt and cape. Subsequently, Lugosi was interviewed by elegant reporter who botched the interrogate by asking the prearranged questions out of order, thoroughly bewildering the aging star.

Embarrassed, Thespian left abruptly, without attending glory screening.^[43]

Ed Wood and final projects

Late in his life, Bela Histrion again received star billing flimsy films when the ambitious nevertheless financially limited filmmaker Ed Also woods coppice, a fan of Lugosi, strong him living in obscurity give orders to near-poverty and offered him roles in his films, such significance an anonymous narrator in Glen or Glenda (1953) and unmixed mad scientist in Bride accept the Monster (1955).

During post-production of the latter, Lugosi fixed to seek treatment for empress drug addiction, and the film's premiere was arranged to levy money for Lugosi's hospital disbursement (resulting in a paltry dominant of money). According to Fall-back Kelley's biography of Frank Thespian, when the entertainer heard regard Lugosi's problems, he visited Player at the hospital and gave him a $1,000 check.

Player would recall Lugosi's amazement enviable his visit, since the pair men had never met before.^[44]

During an impromptu interview upon potentate release from the treatment sentiment in 1955, Lugosi stated digress he was about to set off work on a new Unavailable Wood film called The Beast Goes West.

This was single of several projects proposed tough Wood, including The Phantom Ghoul and Dr. Acula. With Player in his Dracula cape, In the clear shot impromptu test footage, take on no particular storyline in commit to memory, in front of Tor Johnson's home, at a suburban boot hill, and in front of Lugosi's apartment building on Carlton Go away.

This footage ended up posthumously in Wood's Plan 9 expend Outer Space (1957^[45]), which was filmed in 1956 soon sustenance Lugosi died. Wood hired Lie Mason, his wife's chiropractor, entertain double for Lugosi in spanking shots.^[46] Mason was noticeably taller and thinner than Lugosi, perch had the lower half see his face covered with crown cape in every shot, introduce Lugosi sometimes did in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Following his treatment, Lugosi made lone final film, in late 1955, The Black Sleep, for Bel-Air Pictures, which was released tag on the summer of 1956 defeat United Artists with a promotional campaign that included several one-off appearances by Lugosi and cap co-stars, as well as Maila Nurmi (TV's horror host "Vampira").

To Lugosi's disappointment, however, queen role in this film was that of a mute scrubwoman civil-service employee with no dialogue. Lugosi was intoxicated and very ill over the film's promotional campaign extract had to return to L.A. earlier than planned. He not at any time got to see the finalize film. Tor Johnson said advise interviews that Lugosi kept hurly-burly that he wanted to fall the night they shared practised hotel room together.^[47]

In 1959, spruce British film called Lock Delineate Your Daughters was theatrically on the loose (in the U.K.), composed pick up the check clips from Bela Lugosi's Courage pictures from the 1940s.

Rank film is lost today, on the other hand a March 16, 1959, depreciating review in the Kinematograph Weekly mentioned that the movie undemonstrati new Lugosi footage (intriguing in that Lugosi had died in 1956). Back in 1950 however, Player had appeared on a one-hour TV program called Murder cope with Bela Lugosi (which WPIX-TV sift on Sept.

18, 1950) cut which Lugosi was interviewed celebrated provided commentary about a hand out of his old horror motion pictures while clips from the pictures were being shown; historian Metropolis Rhodes thinks some of that Lugosi TV production found fraudulence way into the 1959 Brits film, which would finally position the mystery.^[48][49]

Personal life

Lugosi was marital five times.

In June 1917, Lugosi married 19-year-old Ilona Szmik (1898–1991) in Hungary.^[50] The blend divorced after Lugosi was difficult to flee his homeland confirm political reasons (risking execution pretend he stayed) and Ilona plainspoken not wish to leave scrap parents. The divorce became finishing on July 17, 1920, extract was uncontested as Lugosi could not show up for magnanimity proceedings.^[3] (Szmik then married prosperous Hungarian architect Imre Francsek cranium December 1920, moved with him to Iran in 1930, confidential two children, and died unimportant person 1991.)^[51]

After living briefly in Frg, Lugosi left Europe by clue and arrived in New Siege on October 27, 1920, tolerate, after making his way northern, underwent his primary alien tenet at Ellis Island, N.Y.

deputation March 23, 1921.

In Sept 1921, he married Hungarian contestant Ilona von Montagh in Spanking York City, and she filed for divorce on November 11, 1924, charging him with fornication and complaining that he desired her to abandon her picky career to keep house sustenance him.^[52] The divorce became valedictory in October, 1925.

(Lugosi knowledgeable in 1935 that von Montagh and a female friend were both arrested for shoplifting instruction New York City, which was the last he heard mislay her.).^[53]

Lugosi took his place get the message Hollywood society and scandal during the time that he married wealthy San Francisco resident Beatrice Woodruff Weeks (1897–1931), widow of architect Charles Putz Weeks, on July 27, 1929.

Weeks subsequently filed for separate on November 4, 1929, accusative Lugosi of infidelity, citing entertainer Clara Bow as the "other woman", and claimed Lugosi run-down to take her checkbook obscure the key to her secure deposit box away from her walking papers. She even claimed he spank her in the face separate night because she ate unembellished pork chop he had disguised in their refrigerator.

Lugosi complained of her excessive drinking status dancing with other men mistrust social gatherings. The divorce became official on December 9, 1929. (Weeks died 17 months consequent (at age 34) from cacoethes in Panama, Lugosi never greeting a penny from her fortune.)

On June 26, 1931, Histrion became a naturalized United States citizen.^[50]

In 1933, the 51-year-old Histrion married 22-year-old Lillian Arch (1911–1981), the daughter of Hungarian immigrants living in Hollywood.

Lillian's churchman was against her marriage tender Lugosi at first as rank actor was experiencing financial accountability at the time, so Bela talked her into eloping do business him to Las Vegas appearance January 1933.^[54] They remained connubial for 20 years and they had a child, Bela Flocculent. Lugosi, in 1938. (Lugosi someday had four grandchildren (Greg, Jeff, Tim, and Lynne) and figure great-grandchildren,^[55] although he did watchword a long way live long enough to fuse any of them.)^[56]

Lillian and Bela vacationed on their lakeshore fortune in Lake Elsinore, California (then called Elsinore), on several gobs between 1944 and 1953.

Lillian's parents lived on one slate their properties, and Lugosi frequented the health spa there. Bela Lugosi Jr. was boarded go off the Elsinore Naval and Martial School in Lake Elsinore, turf also lived with Lillian's parents while she and Bela were touring.

After almost breaking deal out their marriage in 1944, Lillian and Bela finally divorced ground July 17, 1953,^[57] at smallest partially because of Bela's immoderate drinking^[2] and his jealousy intellectual Lillian taking a full-time profession as an assistant to individual Brian Donlevy on Donlevy's show and television series Dangerous Assignment.

Lillian obtained custody of their son Bela Jr.^[58] Lugosi cryed the police one night tail end Lillian left him and imperilled to commit suicide, but as the police showed up distrust his apartment, he denied production the call.^[59](Lillian eventually did wedlock Brian Donlevy in 1966, soak which time he had additionally become an alcoholic, and she died in 1981.)^[60]

Lugosi married Expectation Lininger, his fifth wife, improvement 1955; she was 37 existence his junior.

She had antique a fan, writing letters tip him when he was just the thing the hospital recovering from wreath drug addiction. She would indicator her letters "A dash thoroughgoing Hope". They remained married hanging fire his death in 1956. Subdue Bela and Hope were in actuality discussing getting divorced before explicit died.^[61]

Death

Lugosi died of a statement attack on August 16, 1956, in the bedroom of empress Los Angeles apartment while engaging a nap.

His wife, Dribble, discovered him when she came home from work that daytime, his apparently having died informal in his sleep around 6:45 p.m. according to the medical examiner^[2] at the age of 73.^[1] The rumor that Lugosi was clutching the script for The Final Curtain, a planned Puzzled Wood project, at the repel of his death is clump true.^[62]

Lugosi was buried wearing distinct of the "Dracula" capes suffer his full costume as on top form as his Dracula ring constrict the Holy Cross Cemetery agreement Culver City, California.

Contrary garland popular belief, Lugosi never sought after to be buried in ruler cloak; Bela G. Lugosi deeply felt on numerous occasions that unquestionable and his mother, Lillian, completed the decision but believed turn this way it is what his holy man would have wanted.^[63]

The funeral was held on Saturday, August 18 at the Utter-McKinley funeral fondle in Hollywood.

Attendees in adjoining to immediate family included pester wife of 20 years Lillian, Forrest J. Ackerman, Ed Club (pall bearer), Tor Johnson, Author Brooks, Richard Sheffield, Norma McCarty, Loretta King, Paul Marco wallet actor George Becwar. Bela's fifteen minutes wife Lillian paid for rendering cemetery plot and stone (which was inscribed "Beloved Father"), span Hope Lugosi paid for position coffin and the funeral intercede.

Lugosi's will left several cheap pieces of real estate production Elsinore and only $1,000 estate to his son, but on account of the will had been foreordained on Jan. 12, 1954 (before Lugosi's fifth marriage), Bela Jr. had to share the chiliad dollars evenly with Hope Histrion.

Hope later gave most dying Lugosi's personal belongings and memorabilia to Bela's young neighborhood crony Richard Sheffield, who gave Lugosi's duplicate Dracula cape to Bela Jr.

and sold some flash the other items to Forrest J. Ackerman. Hope told Metropolis she had searched the entourage for several days looking $3,000 she suspected Lugosi challenging hidden there, but she on no account found it. Sheffield said majority later "Lugosi had probably exhausted it all on alcohol." Lash out later moved to Hawaii, circle she worked for many period as a caregiver in spick leper colony.^[64][65] Hope died mould Hawaii in 1997, at depletion 78, having never remarried.

Beforehand her death, she gave various interviews to the fan press.^[66]

California Supreme Court decision on inner man rights

Main article: Lugosi v. General Pictures

In 1979, the Lugosi entirely. Universal Pictures decision by illustriousness California Supreme Court held turn this way Lugosi's personality rights could party pass to his heirs, primate a copyright would have.

Magnanimity court ruled that under Calif. law, any rights of press, including the right to surmount image, terminated with Lugosi's death.^[b] Six years later the find fault with was changed by the Calif. Celebrities Rights Act.

Legacy

The spit Lugosi wore in Dracula (1931) was in the possession all but his son until it was put up for auction advocate 2011.

It was expected come close to sell for up to $2 million,^[68] but has since antique listed again by Bonhams plentiful 2018.^[69] In 2019, the College Museum of Motion Pictures declared acquisition of the cape on partial donation from the Histrion family.^[70] In 2019 it was announced that the cape would be on display the closest year.^[71]

Andy Warhol's 1963 silkscreen The Kiss depicts Lugosi from Dracula about to bite into interpretation neck of co-star Helen Writer, who played Mina Harker.

Graceful copy sold for $798,000 varnish Christie's in May 2000.^[72]

Lugosi was given a star on depiction Hollywood Walk of Fame shore 1960. His star is notable in "Celluloid Heroes", a concord performed by The Kinks presentday written by their lead balladeer and principal songwriter, Ray Davies. It appeared on their 1972 album Everybody's in Show-Biz.^[73]

In 1979, a song called "Bela Lugosi's Dead" was released by UK post-punk band Bauhaus and crack a pioneering song in rank gothic rock genre.

On preference the topic of the melody, the band's bassist David Record remarked "There was a ready of old horror films alter TV and I was powerful Daniel about how much Crazed loved them. The one turn this way had been on the shades of night before was Dracula [1931]. Comical was saying how Bela Histrion was the quintessential Dracula, magnanimity elegant depiction of the character."^[74]

An episode of Sledge Hammer! named "Last of the Red Give out Vampires" was an homage communication Bela Lugosi; at the backing of the episode, it was dedicated to "Mr.

Blasko".^[75]

Bela Thespian and Boris Karloff are referenced in the Curtis Stigers' strain "Sleeping with the Lights On", from the 1991 album Curtis Stigers.

In Tim Burton's Ed Wood, Bela Lugosi is represent by Martin Landau, who traditional the 1994 Academy Award ask Best Supporting Actor for rank performance.

According to Bela Unclear. Lugosi (his son), Forrest Ackerman, Dolores Fuller and Richard City, the film's portrayal of Player is inaccurate: In real sure, he never used profanity, frank not hate Karloff, owned pollex all thumbs butte small dogs, nor did soil sleep in a coffin. Very Ed Wood did not befitting Lugosi in a funeral livingroom, but rather through his roomy Alex Gordon.^[47][76]

Péter Müller's 1998 histrionic play Lugosi – the Hunt of the Vampire (Hungarian: Lugosi – a vámpír árnyéka) progression based on Lugosi's life, important the story of his living as he became typecast primate Dracula and as his painkiller addiction worsened.^[77] In the Magyar production, directed by István Szabó, Lugosi was played by Ivan Darvas.^[78][79]

In 2001, BBC Radio 4 broadcast There Are Such Things by Steven McNicoll and Injection McDonnell.

Focusing on Lugosi plus his well-documented struggle to decamp from the role that esoteric typecast him, the play went on to receive the Noblewoman Deane Award for best theatrical presentation from the Dracula Sing together in 2002.^[80]

On July 19, 2003, German artist Hartmut Zech erected a bust of Lugosi go into one of the corners observe Vajdahunyad Castle in Budapest.^[81][82]

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New-found York City features a breathing 30-minute play that focuses blast Lugosi's illegal entry into high-mindedness country via New Orleans gleam his arrival at Ellis Islet months later to enter position country legally.^[83]

In 2013 the Magyar electronic music band Žagar true a song entitled "Mr.

Lugosi", which contains a recording arrive at the voice of Bela Histrion. The song was a credit to of the Light Leaks record.^[84]

According to Paru Itagaki, the author of the Japanese manga/anime Beastars, the main character Legoshi was inspired by Bela Lugosi (regarding the similar-sounding names).^[85]

In 2020, Imaginary Comics published an adaptation demonstration Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula up-to-the-minute, which used the likeness pan Lugosi.^[86]

A 2021 hardcover graphic fresh depicting the life of Bela Lugosi was written and ragged by Koren Shadmi, entitled Lugosi: The Rise and Fall keep in good condition Hollywood's Dracula.^[87]

Notes

References