Bela Lugosi

Béla Lugosi was the stage name of actor Béla Ferenc Dezs? Blaskó (October 20, 1882–August 16, 1956). He was born in Lugos, Transylvania, Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), the youngest of four children of a banker. He is best known for his portrayal of Dracula in the American stage production, and subsequent film, of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story.

Decline

After Universal changed management in 1936, he found himself consigned, along with their entire approach to horror films, to Universal's b-film unit, at times in small roles where he was obviously used for "name value" only. In the early 1940s, Universal did not renew its contract with Lugosi, and he ended up having to contract with the poverty row company Monogram Pictures, where he received star billing in a succession of horror, psycho and mystery B-films produced by Sam Katzman.

Related Topics:
B-film unit - Poverty row - Monogram Pictures - Psycho - Mystery - Sam Katzman

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Later on, the acting jobs dried up and Lugosi became addicted to morphine, originally prescribed him for severe back pain in the early 1940s, though he did get to recreate the role of Dracula one last time in the film Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948.

Related Topics:
Morphine - Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein - 1948

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Late in his life, he again received star billing in movies when Ed Wood, a would-be filmmaker and fan of Lugosi's, found him living in obscurity and near-poverty and offered him roles in his films, such as Glen or Glenda (in which his role made no more sense than the rest of the movie) and as a mad scientist in Bride of the Monster. During post-production of the latter, Lugosi entered treatment for his morphine addiction, and the premier of the film was ostensibly intended to help pay for his treatment expenses. The extras in the DVD release of Plan 9 from Outer Space include an impromptu interview with Lugosi upon his exit from the treatment center, which provide some rare personal insights into the man.

Related Topics:
Ed Wood - Glen or Glenda - Bride of the Monster - Plan 9 from Outer Space

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Following his treatment, Lugosi made one final film, in late 1955, The Black Sleep, for Bel-Air Pictures, which was released in the summer of 1956 through United Artists Corp. with an a-film campaign that included several personal appearances. To his disappointment, however, his role in this film was of a mute, with no dialogue.

Related Topics:
The Black Sleep - Bel-Air Pictures - United Artists Corp. - A-film

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