Bela Lugosi
Birthdate: Oct 20, 1882
Birthplace: Lugos, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary [now Lugoj, Timis County, Romania]
Died: Aug 16, 1956
Bela Lugosi was born Béla Ferenc Dezsö Blaskó on October 20, 1882, Lugos, Hungary, Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), to Paula de Vojnich and István Blaskó, a banker. He was the youngest of four children. During WWI, he volunteered and was commissioned as an infantry lieutenant, and was wounded three times.
A distinguished stage actor in his native Hungary, Austria-Hungary, he began his stage career in 1901 and started appearing in films during World War I, fleeing to Germany in 1919 as a result of his left-wing political activity (he organized an actors' union). In 1920 he emigrated to the US and made a living as a character actor, shooting to fame when he played Count Dracula in the legendary 1927 Broadway stage adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. It ran for three years, and was subsequently, and memorably, filmed by Tod Browning in 1931, establishing Lugosi as one of the screen's greatest personifications of pure evil. Also in 1931, he became a U.S. citizen. Sadly, his reputation rapidly declined, mainly because he had been blacklisted by the main studios and had no choice but to accept any part (and script) handed to him, and ended up playing parodies of his greatest role, in low-grade poverty row films. Due to shady blacklisting among the top Hollywood studio executives, he refused to sell out or to compromise his integrity, and therefore ended his career working for the legendary Worst Director of All Time, Edward D. Wood Jr..
Lugosi was married to Ilona Szmik (1917 - 1920), Ilona von Montagh (? - ?), and Lillian Arch (1933 - 1951). He is the father of Bela Lugosi Jr. (1938). Lugosi helped organize the Screen Actors Guild in the mid-'30s, joining as member number 28.
Bela Lugosi died of a heart attack August 16, 1956. He was buried in a Dracula costume, including a cape, but not the ones used in the 1931 film, contrary to popular--but unfounded--rumors.
Known For
Dracula
(1931)
The Black Cat
(1934)
Island of Lost Souls
(1932)
Son of Frankenstein
(1939)
Bela Lugosi Movies
actor
Previous (106)
- 2020 | Big Parade of Horror
- 2018 |
- 2017 | Psychotronic Fiction the Movie
- 2017 | The Trail of Dracula
- 2013 | Extraordinary Talesas Narrator (segment "The Tell-Tale Heart")
- 2013 |
- 2012 | Untitledas Narrator
- 2011 | Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode
- 1997 | Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula
- 1995 | The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood Jr.
- 1995 | Rivals
- 1987 | Mondo Lugosi - A Vampire's Scrapbook
- 1965 | The World of Abbott and Costello
- 1963 | Tri plyus dvaas Mystery Novel Character
- 1956 | The Black Sleepas Casimir
- 1955 | Bride of the Monsteras Dr. Eric Vornoff
- 1953 | Glen or Glendaas Scientist
- 1952 | Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorillaas Dr. Zabor
- 1952 | Vampire Over Londonas Prof. Von Housen - aka The Vampire
- 1951 | Lock Up Your Daughters
- 1948 | Abbott and Costello Meet Frankensteinas Dracula
- 1946 | Genius at Workas Stone
- 1946 | Scared to Deathas Prof. Leonide
- 1945 | The Body Snatcheras Joseph
- 1945 | Zombies on Broadwayas Professor Paul Renault
- 1944 | One Body Too Manyas Merkil
- 1944 | Return of the Ape Manas Prof. Dexter
- 1944 | Voodoo Manas Dr. Marlowe
- 1943 | Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Manas Monster
- 1943 | Ghosts on the Looseas Emil
- 1943 | The Ape Manas Dr. James Brewster
- 1943 | The Return of the Vampireas Armand Tesla
- 1942 | Black Dragonsas Dr. Melcher - aka Monsieur Colomb
- 1942 | Bowery at Midnightas Prof. Brenner aka Karl Wagner
- 1942 | Night Monsteras Rolf
- 1942 | The Corpse Vanishesas Dr. Lorenz
- 1942 | The Ghost of Frankensteinas Ygor
- 1941 | Invisible Ghostas Charles Kessler
- 1941 | Spooks Run Wildas Nardo
- 1941 | The Black Catas Eduardo Vidos
- 1941 | The Wolf Manas Bela
- 1940 | The Devil Batas Dr. Paul Carruthers
- 1940 | The Saint's Double Troubleas The Partner
- 1940 | You'll Find Outas Prince Saliano
- 1939 | The Gorillaas Peters
- 1939 | The Human Monsteras Dr. Feodor Orloff
- 1939 | The Phantom Creepsas Dr. Alex Zorka
- 1939 | Ninotchkaas Razinin
- 1939 | Son of Frankensteinas Ygor
- 1937 | SOS Coast Guardas Boroff
- 1936 | Postal Inspectoras Gregory Benez
- 1936 | Shadow of Chinatownas Victor Poten
- 1935 | Chandu on the Magic Island
- 1935 | Mark of the Vampireas Count Mora
- 1935 | Murder by Televisionas Dr. Arthur Perry
- 1935 | Phantom Shipas Anton Lorenzen
- 1935 | The Best Man Winsas Doc Boehm
- 1935 | The Invisible Rayas Dr. Felix Benet
- 1934 | El Misterioso Mr. Wongas Mr. Fu Wong
- 1934 | The Mysterious Mr. Wongas Mr. Fu Wong aka Li See
- 1934 | The Return of Chanduas Frank Chandler - Chandu
- 1933 | Night of Terroras Degar
- 1933 | The Whispering Shadowas Prof. Adam Anton Strang
- 1932 | Chandu the Magicianas Roxor
- 1932 | Island of Lost Soulsas Sayer of the Law
- 1932 | Murders in the Rue Morgueas Dr. Mirakle
- 1932 | The Death Kissas Joseph Steiner
- 1932 | White Zombieas 'Murder' Legendre
- 1931 | Broadmindedas Pancho Arango
- 1931 | Draculaas Count Dracula
- 1931 | The Black Camelas Tarneverro
- 1931 | The Lugosi Files
- 1930 | Oh, for a Man!as Frescatti
- 1930 | Renegadesas The Marabout - Sheik Muhammed Halid
- 1930 | Such Men Are Dangerousas Dr. Gutman
- 1929 | The Thirteenth Chairas Inspector Delzante
- 1929 | The Veiled Womanas Murdered Suitor
- 1925 | Daughters Who Payas Serge Romonsky
- 1925 | The Midnight Girlas Nicholas Harmon
- 1924 | The Rejected Womanas Jean Gagnon
- 1923 | Ihre Hoheit die Tänzerin
- 1923 | The Silent Commandas Hisston
- 1921 | Apachenrache, 3. Teil - Die verschwundene Millionas Der Schurke
- 1921 | Die Teufelsanbeteras Pir Kamek
- 1920 | Das ganze Sein ist flammend Leid
- 1920 | Daughter of the Nightas Andrew Fleurot
- 1920 | Der Fluch der Menschheit - 1. Die Tochter der Arbeitas Mälzer
- 1920 | Der Fluch der Menschheit - 2. Im Rausche der Milliardenas Mälzer
- 1920 | Der Tanz auf dem Vulkan - 2. Der Tod des Grossfürstenas Andre Fleurot
- 1920 | Die Frau im Delphin, oder 30 Tage auf dem Meeresgrundas Tom Bill
- 1920 | Die Sklavenhalter von Kansas-Cityas George Corvin
- 1920 | Hypnoseas Professor Mors
- 1920 | Leather Stocking: The Deerslayer and Chingachgookas Chingachgook
- 1920 | Leather Stocking: The Last of the Mohicansas Chingachook
- 1920 | Nat Pinkerton im Kampf, 1. Teil - Das Ende des Artisten Bartolinias Gang Leader
- 1920 | The Head of Janusas Dr. Warren's Diener
- 1918 | 99as Kurt Lingner
- 1918 | Küzdelem a Létértas Orlay Pál, építész
- 1918 | Lilias Plinchard
- 1918 | Lulu
- 1918 | Nászdalas Bertram, hegedümüvész
- 1918 | Tavaszi viharas Renner fölbirtokos, a férje
- 1918 | The Colonelas Ezredes
- 1918 | The Picture of Dorian Grayas Lord Henry Wotton
- 1917 | Leoni Leoas Leoni Leo
- 1917 | Masked Ballas René
