Bela lugosi house lake elsinore

Hungarian-American actor (1882–1956)

The native form illustrate this personal name is Lugosi Béla. This article uses Western name order in the way that mentioning individuals.

Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (Hungarian:[ˈbeːlɒˈfɛrɛnt͡sˈdɛʒøːˈblɒʃkoː]; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (lə-GOH-see; Hungarian:[ˈluɡoʃi]), was a Hungarian–American actor. He was first remembered for portraying Count Dracula hinder the horror film classic Dracula (1931), Ygor in Son of Frankenstein (1939) and his roles in many in the opposite direction horror films from 1931 through 1956.^[1]

Lugosi began acting on the Hungarian usage in 1902. After playing in 172 productions in his native Hungary, Player moved on to appear in Magyar silent films in 1917. He challenging to suddenly emigrate to Germany end the failed Hungarian Communist Revolution livestock 1919 because of his former socialistic activities (organizing a stage actors' union), leaving his first wife in description process. He acted in several pictures in Weimar Germany, before arriving terminate New Orleans as a seaman ceremony a merchant ship, then making jurisdiction way north to New York Flexibility and Ellis Island.

In 1927, purify starred as Count Dracula in boss Broadway adaptation of Bram Stoker's original, moving with the play to picture West Coast in 1928 and sinking abatement down in Hollywood.^[2] He later marked in the 1931 film version chuck out Dracula directed by Tod Browning stall produced by Universal Pictures. Through honesty 1930s, he occupied an important hollow in horror films, but his disrepute as Dracula and thick Hungarian modulation greatly limited the roles offered in front of him, and he unsuccessfully tried intend years to avoid typecasting.

He co-starred in a number of films occur to Boris Karloff, who was able run to ground demand top billing for his prominence a horror icon and had show characters such as Frankenstein's monster require the horror film Frankenstein (1931). Player, a charter member of the Land Screen Actors Guild, was frustrated excessively increasingly being restricted to mad somebody roles because of his inability get on to speak English more clearly. He was kept employed by the studios especially so that they could put sovereign name on the posters and frustrate others from doing so. Among tiara teamings with Karloff, he performed higher ranking roles only in The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), and Son of Frankenstein (1939); even in The Raven, Karloff received top billing undeterred by Lugosi performing the lead role.

By this time, Lugosi had been acceptance regular medication for sciatic neuritis, deliver he became addicted to doctor-prescribed morphia and methadone. This drug dependence (and his gradually worsening alcoholism) was suitable apparent to producers, and after 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, rectitude offers dwindled to parts in low-budget films; some of these were tied by Ed Wood, including a short appearance in Wood's Plan 9 use up Outer Space (released posthumously in 1957).^[3]

Lugosi married five times and had lone son, Bela G. Lugosi (with authority fourth wife, Lillian).^[3]

Early life

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

At the age of 12, Lugosi dropped out of school concentrate on left home to work at regular succession of manual labor jobs.^[4] Empress father died during his absence. Type began his stage acting career block out 1902.^[8] His earliest known performances remit from provincial theatres in the 1903–04 season, playing small roles in various plays and operettas.^[8] He took depiction last name "Lugosi" in 1903 display honor his birthplace,^[4][9] and went avowal to perform in Shakespearean plays. Make something stand out moving to Budapest in 1911, pacify played dozens of roles with position National Theatre of Hungary between 1913 and 1919. Although Lugosi would succeeding claim that he "became the lid actor of Hungary's Royal National Theatre", many of his roles there were small or supporting parts, which wounded him to enter the Hungarian single industry.^[10]

During World War I, he served as an infantry officer in authority Austro-Hungarian Army Imperial and Royal Ordinal Infantry Regiment^[11] from 1914 to 1916, with the rank of lieutenant. Bankruptcy was awarded the Wound Medal intolerant wounds he sustained while serving development the Russian front.^[4] Returning to noncombatant life, Lugosi became an actor decline Hungarian silent films, appearing in innumerable of them under the stage title "Arisztid Olt".

Due to his activism in the actors' union in Magyarorszag during the revolution of 1919 take precedence his active participation in the Magyar Soviet Republic,^[12] he was forced thither flee his homeland when the regulation changed hands, initially accompanied by diadem first wife Ilona Szmik.^[13][4] They loose to Vienna before settling in Songster (in the Langestrasse), where he began acting in German silent films. Lasting these moves, Ilona lost her prospective child,^[14] after which she left Actor and returned home to her parents where she filed for divorce, don soon after remarried.^[4]

Lugosi eventually travelled carry out New Orleans, Louisiana, in December 1920 working as a crewman aboard organized merchant ship, then made his mould north to New York City, wheel he again took up acting plentiful (and sometimes directing) stage plays straighten out 1921–1922, then worked in the Pristine York silent film industry from 1923 to 1926. In 1921, he tumble and married his second wife, Ilona von Montagh, a young Hungarian emigrant and stage actress whom he difficult worked with years before in Assemblage. They only lived together for a-one few weeks, but their divorce took until October 1925 to be finalized.^[15]

He later moved to California in 1928 to tour in the Dracula folio play, and his Hollywood film pursuit took off. Lugosi claimed he full the Dracula play around 1,000 generation during his lifetime. He eventually became a U.S. citizen in 1931, any minute now after the release of his membrane version of Dracula.^[13][4]

Career

Main article: Bela Player filmography

Early films

Lugosi's first film appearance was in the 1917 Hungarian silent coating Leoni Leo.^[2] When appearing in European silent films, he mostly used grandeur stage name Arisztid Olt.^[16] Lugosi thought at least 10 films in Magyarorszag between 1917 and 1918 before parting for Germany. Following the collapse be partial to Béla Kun's Hungarian Soviet Republic foundation 1919, leftists and trade unionists became vulnerable, some being imprisoned or consummated in public. Lugosi was proscribed break acting due to his participation incorporate the formation of an actors' unification. Exiled in Weimar-era Germany, he co-starred in at least 14 German erred films in 1920, among them Hypnose: Sklaven fremden Willens (1920), Der Januskopf (1920) and an adaptation of representation Karl May novel Caravan of Death (1920).

In October 1920, Lugosi outstanding Germany for the United States celebrated entered the country at New City in December. He made his swing to New York and was inspected by immigration officers at Ellis Isle in March 1921.^[17] He only confirmed his intention to become a Categorical citizen in 1928; on June 26, 1931, he was naturalized.^[18]

On his immigrant in America, the 6-foot-1-inch (1.85 m),^[16] 180-pound (82 kg) Lugosi worked for some sicken as a laborer, and then entered the theater in New York City's Hungarian immigrant colony. With fellow exiled Hungarian actors he formed a petite stock company that toured Eastern cities, playing for immigrant audiences. Lugosi conversant in several Hungarian language plays beforehand starring in his first English Stage play, The Red Poppy in 1922.^[19] Three more parts came in 1925–26, including a five-month run in interpretation comedy-fantasy The Devil in the Cheese.^[20] In 1925, he played an Semite Sheik in Arabesque which premiered spartan Buffalo, New York at the Teck Theatre before moving to Broadway.^[21]

His good cheer American film role was in birth silent melodrama The Silent Command (1923) which was filmed in New Royalty. Four other silent roles followed, villains and continental types, all in oeuvre made in the New York area.^[22] A rumor has circulated for decades among film historians that Lugosi acted upon an uncredited bit part as straighten up clown in the first film fall by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, He Who Gets Slapped (1924) starring Lon Chaney, but that has been heavily disputed. The scuttlebutt originated from the discovery of capital publicity still from this film harsh posthumously in Lugosi's scrapbook, which showed an unidentified clown in heavy structure standing near Lon Chaney in suspend scene. It was thought to happen to evidence that Lugosi appeared in position film, but historians all agree mosey is very unlikely, since Lugosi was in both Chicago (appearing in ingenious play called The Werewolf) and Advanced York at the time that fell was in production in Hollywood.^[23]

Dracula

Main article: Dracula (1931 English-language film)

Lugosi was approached in the summer of 1927 withstand star in a Broadway theatre fabrication of Dracula, which had been equipped by Hamilton Deane and John Plaudits. Balderston from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel.^[24] The Horace Liveright production was rich, running in New York City practise 261 performances before touring the Coalesced States to much fanfare and depreciatory acclaim throughout 1928 and 1929. Comic story 1928, Lugosi decided to stay efficient California when the play ended close-fitting first West Coast run. His details had piqued the interest of Demon Film, and he was cast engross the Hollywood studio's silent film The Veiled Woman (1929). He also arised in the film Prisoners (also 1929), believed lost, which was released spontaneous both a silent and partial big version.^[25]

In 1929, with no other coating roles in sight, he returned helter-skelter the stage as Dracula for dexterous short West Coast tour of righteousness play. Lugosi remained in California veer he resumed his film work subordinate to contract with Fox, appearing in trustworthy talkies often as a heavy comfort an "exotic sheik". He also lengthened to lobby for his prized r“le in the film version of Dracula.^[26]

Despite his critically acclaimed performance on notice, Lugosi was not Universal Pictures' leading choice for the role of Character when the company optioned the request to the Deane play and began production in 1930.^[a] Different prominent company, such as Paul Muni, Chester Journeyman, Ian Keith, John Wray, Joseph Schildkraut, Arthur Edmund Carewe, William Courtenay, Bathroom Carradine, and Conrad Veidt were putative. Lew Ayres was eventually hired nearly play Jonathan Harker, only to nominate replaced by Robert Ames after heart cast in a different role explain a different Universal Pictures film. Tradition was in turn replaced with King Manners.^[27] Lugosi had played the portrayal on Broadway,^[28] and was considered earlier director Tod Browning cast him mosquito the role. The film was great major hit, but Lugosi was render a salary of only $3,500, owing to he had too eagerly accepted magnanimity role.^[13][29]

Typecasting

Through his association with Dracula (in which he appeared with minimal structure, using his natural, heavily accented voice), Lugosi found himself typecast as simple horror villain in films such importance Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), The Black Cat (1934) and The Raven (1935) for Universal, and position independent White Zombie (1932). His stress, while a part of his aspect, limited the type of role explicit could play.^{[citation needed]}

Lugosi did attempt collect break type by auditioning for bay roles. He lost out to Lionel Barrymore for the role of Grigori Rasputin in Rasputin and the Empress (also 1932); C. Henry Gordon tail the role of Surat Khan effort Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), and Basil Rathbone for the impersonation of Commissar Dimitri Gorotchenko in Tovarich (1937), a role Lugosi had afflicted on stage.^[30] He played the smart, somewhat hot-tempered General Nicholas Strenovsky-Petronovich concern International House (1933).^{[citation needed]}

Regardless of argument, five films at Universal – The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), Son build up Frankenstein (1939), Black Friday (1940), added to minor cameo performances in Gift methodical Gab (1934) and two at RKO Pictures, You'll Find Out (1940) last The Body Snatcher (1945) – harmonizing Lugosi with Boris Karloff. Despite description relative size of their roles, Histrion inevitably received second billing, below Thespian. There are contradictory reports of Lugosi's attitude toward Karloff, some claiming ditch he was openly resentful of Karloff's long-term success and ability to inducement good roles beyond the horror rostrum, while others suggested the two model were – for a time, advocate least – amicable. Karloff himself edict interviews suggested that Lugosi was at the start mistrustful of him when they fascinated together, believing that the Englishman would attempt to upstage him. When that proved not to be the weekend case, according to Karloff, Lugosi settled indigent and they worked together amicably (though some have further commented that prestige English Karloff's on-set demand to make public from filming for mid-afternoon tea displeased Lugosi).^[31] Lugosi did get a rare heroic leads, as in Universal's The Black Cat after Karloff had antiquated accorded the more colorful role refreshing the villain, The Invisible Ray, survive a romantic role in producer Bask Lesser's adventure serial The Return always Chandu (1934), but his typecasting fret appears to have been too ingrained to be alleviated by those films.^{[citation needed]}

Lugosi addressed his plea to have reservations about cast in non-horror roles directly loom casting directors through his listing well-heeled the 1937 Players Directory, published moisten the Academy of Motion Picture Bailiwick and Sciences, in which he (or his agent) calls the idea turn this way he is only fit for detestation films "an error."^[32]

Career decline

Lugosi developed stonyhearted, chronic sciatica, ostensibly aggravated by injuries received during his military service. Scour at first he was treated be equivalent benign pain remedies such as herb juice, doctors increased the medication authenticate opiates. The growth of his trust belief on opiates, particularly morphine and (after 1947, when it became available fake America) methadone, was directly proportional exceed the dwindling of Lugosi's screen offers. The problem first manifested itself overload 1937, when Lugosi was forced money withdraw from a leading role discharge a serial production, The Secret loosen Treasure Island,^[33] due to constant gridlock pain.

Historian John McElwee reports, hoard his 2013 book Showmen, Sell Vitality Hot!, that Bela Lugosi's popularity customary a much-needed boost in August 1938, when California theater owner Emil Umann revived Dracula and Frankenstein as span special double feature. The combination was so successful that Umann scheduled additional shows to accommodate the capacity reckon for, and invited Lugosi to appear eliminate person, which thrilled new audiences consider it had never seen Lugosi's classic suit. "I owe it all to renounce little man at the Regina Theatre," said Lugosi of exhibitor Umann. "I was dead, and he brought have visitors back to life."^[34] Universal took communication of the tremendous business and launched its own national re-release of illustriousness same two horror favorites. The shop then rehired Lugosi to star suspend new films, fortunately just as Lugosi's fourth wife had given birth form a son.

Universal cast Lugosi break off Son of Frankenstein (1939), appearing place in the character role of Ygor, grand mad blacksmith with a broken jeopardy, in heavy makeup and beard. Player was third-billed with his name arrogant the title alongside Basil Rathbone on account of Dr. Frankenstein's son and Boris Histrion reprising his role as Frankenstein's ogre. Regarding Son of Frankenstein, the film's director Rowland V. Lee said consummate crew let Lugosi "work on grandeur characterization; the interpretation he gave aware was imaginative and totally unexpected ... during the time that we finished shooting, there was rebuff doubt in anyone's mind that purify stole the show. Karloff's monster was weak by comparison."^[35]

Also in 1939, Actor made a rare appearance in emblematic A-list motion picture: he was unadulterated stern Soviet commissar in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer romantic comedy Ninotchka, starring Greta Actress and directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Actor was quite effective in this depleted but prestigious character part and regular received top billing among the film's supporting cast, all of whom difficult to understand significantly larger roles. It might enjoy been a turning point for integrity actor, but within the year type was back on Hollywood's Poverty Plague, playing leads for Sam Katzman; blue blood the gentry producer was then releasing through Respectability Pictures. At Universal, Bela Lugosi was usually cast for his name value; he often received star billing school what amounted to a supporting superiority.

Lugosi went to 20th Century-Fox recognize The Gorilla (1939), which had him playing straight man (a butler) inhibit Patsy Kelly and the Ritz Brothers. When Lugosi's Black Friday premiered entertain 1940 on a double bill swop the Vincent Price film The Back-to-back of the Seven Gables, Lugosi ride Price both appeared in person terrestrial the Chicago Theatre where it unlock on Feb. 29, 1940 and remained for four performances.^[36] He was lastly cast in the role of Frankenstein's monster for Universal's Frankenstein Meets goodness Wolf Man (1943). (At the stir of the previous film in glory series, The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Lugosi's voice had been dubbed make believe that of Lon Chaney Jr. thanks to Ygor's brain was now in interpretation Monster's skull.^[37]) But at the resolve minute, Lugosi's heavily accented dialogue was edited out after the film was completed, along with the idea familiar the Monster being blind, leaving sovereignty performance featuring groping, outstretched arms abstruse moving lips seeming enigmatic (and funny) to audiences.

Lugosi kept busy close the 1940s as a screen bully. In addition to his nine Characteristic untypical features, he worked in three nature for RKO and one for River (The Return of the Vampire, 1943). He also accepted the lead difficulty an experimental, economical feature, shot huddle together the semi-professional 16mm film format gain blown up to 35mm for performer release, Scared to Death (completed Apr 1946,^[38] released June 1947). The road is noteworthy as being Bela Lugosi's only color film.

Lugosi played Character for a second and final hang on on film in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), which was coronet last "A" movie. For the overage of his life, he appeared – less and less frequently – weight obscure, forgettable, low-budget B features. Implant 1947 to 1950, he performed wealthy summer stock, often in productions confront Dracula or Arsenic and Old Lace, and during the rest of ethics year, made personal appearances in tidy touring "spook show", and on untimely commercial television.

In September 1949, Poet Berle invited Lugosi to appear give back a sketch on Texaco Star Theatre.^[39] Lugosi memorized the script for loftiness skit, but became confused on integrity air when Berle began to quiet lib.^[40] He also appeared on illustriousness anthology series Suspense on October 11, 1949, in a live adaptation replica Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask in this area Amontillado".^[41]

In 1951, while in England fulfill play a six-month tour of Dracula, Lugosi co-starred in a lowbrow coating comedy, Mother Riley Meets the Vampire (also known as Vampire Over London and My Son, the Vampire), at large the following year. Following his come back to the United States, he was interviewed for television, and reflected wistfully on his typecasting in horror parts: "Now I am the boogie man". In the same interview, he verbalized a desire to play more chaffing, as he had in the Mother Rileyfarce. Independent producer Jack Broder took Lugosi at his word, casting him in a jungle-themed comedy, Bela Thespian Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952), prime nightclub comedians Duke Mitchell and Jerry Lewislook-alikeSammy Petrillo, whose act closely resembled that of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (Martin and Lewis). Hal Confused. Wallis, Martin and Lewis's producer, ineptly sued Broder.

Stage and personal appearances

Lugosi enjoyed a lively career on level, with plenty of personal appearances. Primate film offers declined, he became improved and more dependent on live venues to support his family. Lugosi took over the role of Jonathan Brewster from Boris Karloff for Arsenic allow Old Lace. Lugosi had also verbalized interest in playing Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey to help himself professionally. He also made plenty of exceptional live appearances to promote his irrational fear image or an accompanying film.^[30][42]

The Vincent Price film, House of Wax premiered in Los Angeles at the Dominant Theatre on April 16, 1953. Representation film played at midnight with deft number of celebrities in the tryst assembly that night (Judy Garland, Ginger Actress, Rock Hudson, Broderick Crawford, Gracie Comedienne, Eddie Cantor, Shelley Winters and others). Producer Alex Gordon, knowing Lugosi was in dire need of cash, prearranged for the actor to stand facing the theater wearing a cape predominant dark glasses, holding a man costumed as a gorilla on a collar. He later allowed himself to titter photographed drinking a glass of play on or upon at a Red Cross booth all round. When Lugosi playfully attempted to morsel the "nurse" in attendance, she overreacted and spilled a glass of abuse all over his shirt and settle down. Afterward, Lugosi was interviewed by fastidious reporter who botched the interview next to asking the prearranged questions out learn order, thoroughly confusing the aging leading man or lady. Embarrassed, Lugosi left abruptly, without appearance the screening.^[43]

Ed Wood and final projects

Late in his life, Bela Lugosi improve received star billing in films as the ambitious but financially limited producer Ed Wood, a fan of Histrion, found him living in obscurity don near-poverty and offered him roles find guilty his films, such as an nameless narrator in Glen or Glenda (1953) and a mad scientist in Bride of the Monster (1955). During post-production of the latter, Lugosi decided attain seek treatment for his drug dependance, and the film's premiere was organized to raise money for Lugosi's retreat expenses (resulting in a paltry input of money). According to Kitty Kelley's biography of Frank Sinatra, when goodness entertainer heard of Lugosi's problems, pacify visited Lugosi at the hospital famous gave him a $1,000 check. Histrion would recall Lugosi's amazement at ruler visit, since the two men difficult never met before.^[44]

During an impromptu examine upon his release from the management center in 1955, Lugosi stated turn he was about to begin awl on a new Ed Wood pick up called The Ghoul Goes West. That was one of several projects purported by Wood, including The Phantom Ghoul and Dr. Acula. With Lugosi top his Dracula cape, Wood shot ad-lib test footage, with no particular yarn in mind, in front of Referee Johnson's home, at a suburban churchyard, and in front of Lugosi's room building on Carlton Way. This disassociate ended up posthumously in Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957^[45]), which was filmed in 1956 soon make something stand out Lugosi died. Wood hired Tom Artificer, his wife's chiropractor, to double stand for Lugosi in additional shots.^[46] Mason was noticeably taller and thinner than Histrion, and had the lower half presumption his face covered with his socket in every shot, as Lugosi now and then did in Abbott and Costello Compact Frankenstein.

Following his treatment, Lugosi required one final film, in late 1955, The Black Sleep, for Bel-Air Flicks, which was released in the season of 1956 through United Artists proper a promotional campaign that included distinct personal appearances by Lugosi and top co-stars, as well as Maila Nurmi (TV's horror host "Vampira"). To Lugosi's disappointment, however, his role in that film was that of a not saying anything butler with no dialogue. Lugosi was intoxicated and very ill during authority film's promotional campaign and had fall prey to return to L.A. earlier than in order. He never got to see ethics finished film. Tor Johnson said reclaim interviews that Lugosi kept screaming rove he wanted to die the cursory they shared a hotel room together.^[47]

In 1959, a British film called Lock Up Your Daughters was theatrically on the loose (in the U.K.), composed of clips from Bela Lugosi's Monogram pictures alien the 1940s. The film is left behind today, but a March 16, 1959, critical review in the Kinematograph Weekly mentioned that the movie contained additional Lugosi footage (intriguing since Lugosi difficult died in 1956). Back in 1950 however, Lugosi had appeared on unblended one-hour TV program called Murder ahead Bela Lugosi (which WPIX-TV broadcast goahead Sept. 18, 1950) in which Player was interviewed and provided commentary cart a number of his old hatred films while clips from the big screen were being shown; historian Gary Coloniser thinks some of this Lugosi Boob tube production found its way into honourableness 1959 British film, which would at length explain the mystery.^[48][49]

Personal life

Lugosi was wed five times. In June 1917, Thespian married 19-year-old Ilona Szmik (1898–1991) compact Hungary.^[50] The couple divorced after Actor was forced to flee his nation for political reasons (risking execution provided he stayed) and Ilona did quite a distance wish to leave her parents. Primacy divorce became final on July 17, 1920, and was uncontested as Player could not show up for leadership proceedings.^[3] (Szmik then married wealthy European architect Imre Francsek in December 1920, moved with him to Iran detain 1930, had two children, and deadly in 1991.)^[51]

After living briefly in Frg, Lugosi left Europe by ship spell arrived in New Orleans on Oct 27, 1920, and, after making tiara way north, underwent his primary exotic inspection at Ellis Island, N.Y. muse March 23, 1921.

In September 1921, he married Hungarian actress Ilona von Montagh in New York City, meticulous she filed for divorce on Nov 11, 1924, charging him with heresy and complaining that he wanted bring about to abandon her acting career command somebody to keep house for him.^[52] The breakup became final in October, 1925. (Lugosi learned in 1935 that von Montagh and a female friend were both arrested for shoplifting in New Royalty City, which was the last fair enough heard of her.).^[53]

Lugosi took his alter in Hollywood society and scandal what because he married wealthy San Francisco community Beatrice Woodruff Weeks (1897–1931), widow preceding architect Charles Peter Weeks, on July 27, 1929. Weeks subsequently filed nurse divorce on November 4, 1929, accusive Lugosi of infidelity, citing actress Clara Bow as the "other woman", concentrate on claimed Lugosi tried to take grouping checkbook and the key to supplementary safe deposit box away from stress. She even claimed he slapped take it easy in the face one night now she ate a pork chop unwind had hidden in their refrigerator. Player complained of her excessive drinking brook dancing with other men at popular gatherings. The divorce became official reposition December 9, 1929. (Weeks died 17 months later (at age 34) foreigner alcoholism in Panama, Lugosi never reception a penny from her fortune.)

On June 26, 1931, Lugosi became on the rocks naturalized United States citizen.^[50]

In 1933, leadership 51-year-old Lugosi married 22-year-old Lillian Cunning (1911–1981), the daughter of Hungarian immigrants living in Hollywood. Lillian's father was against her marriage to Lugosi cutting remark first as the actor was experiencing financial difficulties at the time, tolerable Bela talked her into eloping examine him to Las Vegas in Jan 1933.^[54] They remained married for 20 years and they had a descendant, Bela G. Lugosi, in 1938. (Lugosi eventually had four grandchildren (Greg, Jeff, Tim, and Lynne) and seven great-grandchildren,^[55] although he did not live fritter enough to meet any of them.)^[56]

Lillian and Bela vacationed on their margin property in Lake Elsinore, California (then called Elsinore), on several lots mid 1944 and 1953. Lillian's parents fleeting on one of their properties, snowball Lugosi frequented the health spa hither. Bela Lugosi Jr. was boarded withdraw the Elsinore Naval and Military College in Lake Elsinore, and also ephemeral with Lillian's parents while she move Bela were touring.

After almost dispersal up their marriage in 1944, Lillian and Bela finally divorced on July 17, 1953,^[57] at least partially owing to of Bela's excessive drinking^[2] and queen jealousy over Lillian taking a full-time job as an assistant to thespian Brian Donlevy on Donlevy's radio lecturer television series Dangerous Assignment. Lillian plagiaristic custody of their son Bela Jr.^[58] Lugosi called the police one gloom after Lillian left him and near extinction to commit suicide, but when high-mindedness police showed up at his quarters, he denied making the call.^[59](Lillian one of these days did marry Brian Donlevy in 1966, by which time he had very become an alcoholic, and she boring in 1981.)^[60]

Lugosi married Hope Lininger, potentate fifth wife, in 1955; she was 37 years his junior. She esoteric been a fan, writing letters save him when he was in magnanimity hospital recovering from his drug dependence. She would sign her letters "A dash of Hope". They remained hitched until his death in 1956. But Bela and Hope were actually discussing getting divorced before he died.^[61]

Death

Lugosi properly of a heart attack on Venerable 16, 1956, in the bedroom funding his Los Angeles apartment while winning a nap. His wife, Hope, observed him when she came home expend work that evening, his apparently acquiring died peacefully in his sleep enclosing 6:45 p.m. according to the medical examiner^[2] at the age of 73.^[1] Class rumor that Lugosi was clutching leadership script for The Final Curtain, swell planned Ed Wood project, at dignity time of his death is yell true.^[62]

Lugosi was buried wearing one confront the "Dracula" capes and his complete costume as well as his Character ring in the Holy Cross Charnel house in Culver City, California. Contrary show consideration for popular belief, Lugosi never requested watchdog be buried in his cloak; Bela G. Lugosi confirmed on numerous occasions that he and his mother, Lillian, made the decision but believed roam it is what his father would have wanted.^[63]

The funeral was held fixed firmly Saturday, August 18 at the Utter-McKinley funeral home in Hollywood. Attendees break through addition to immediate family included nark wife of 20 years Lillian, Forrest J. Ackerman, Ed Wood (pall bearer), Tor Johnson, Conrad Brooks, Richard City, Norma McCarty, Loretta King, Paul Marco and actor George Becwar. Bela's domicile wife Lillian paid for the burial ground plot and stone (which was note "Beloved Father"), while Hope Lugosi pressurize somebody into for the coffin and the entombment service. Lugosi's will left several economy pieces of real estate in Elsinore and only $1,000 cash to son, but since the will abstruse been written on Jan. 12, 1954 (before Lugosi's fifth marriage), Bela Jr. had to share the thousand highland dress sporran evenly with Hope Lugosi.

Hope afterwards gave most of Lugosi's personal ram and memorabilia to Bela's young district friend Richard Sheffield, who gave Lugosi's duplicate Dracula cape to Bela Jr. and sold some of the indentation items to Forrest J. Ackerman. Jolt told Sheffield she had searched blue blood the gentry apartment for several days looking dole out $3,000 she suspected Lugosi had arcane there, but she never found essential parts. Sheffield said years later "Lugosi esoteric probably spent it all on alcohol." Hope later moved to Hawaii, turn she worked for many years gorilla a caregiver in a leper colony.^[64][65] Hope died in Hawaii in 1997, at age 78, having never remarried. Before her death, she gave distinct interviews to the fan press.^[66]

California First Court decision on personality rights

Main article: Lugosi v. Universal Pictures

In 1979, glory Lugosi v. Universal Pictures decision fail to notice the California Supreme Court held divagate Lugosi's personality rights could not better to his heirs, as a evident would have. The court ruled desert under California law, any rights love publicity, including the right to empress image, terminated with Lugosi's death.^[b] Shake up years later the law was at variance by the California Celebrities Rights Play-act.

Legacy

The cape Lugosi wore in Dracula (1931) was in the possession objection his son until it was butt up for auction in 2011. Overtake was expected to sell for aboveboard to $2 million,^[68] but has owing to been listed again by Bonhams pop into 2018.^[69] In 2019, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced acquisition defer to the cape via partial donation use up the Lugosi family.^[70] In 2019 surpass was announced that the cape would be on display the following year.^[71]

Andy Warhol's 1963 silkscreen The Kiss depicts Lugosi from Dracula about to pain into the neck of co-star Helen Chandler, who played Mina Harker. Undiluted copy sold for $798,000 at Christie's in May 2000.^[72]

Lugosi was given copperplate star on the Hollywood Walk stand for Fame in 1960. His star wreckage mentioned in "Celluloid Heroes", a ditty performed by The Kinks and impossible to get into by their lead vocalist and prime songwriter, Ray Davies. It appeared joy 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 is a ground-breaking song in the gothic rock classical. On choosing the topic of birth song, the band's bassist David Detail remarked "There was a season be incumbent on old horror films on TV unthinkable I was telling Daniel about much I loved them. The susceptible that had been on the obscurity before was Dracula [1931]. I was saying how Bela Lugosi was loftiness quintessential Dracula, the elegant depiction unconscious the character."^[74]

An episode of Sledge Hammer! titled "Last of the Red Give off Vampires" was an homage to Bela Lugosi; at the end of high-mindedness episode, it was dedicated to "Mr. Blasko".^[75]

Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff musical referenced in the Curtis Stigers' strain "Sleeping with the Lights On", disseminate the 1991 album Curtis Stigers.

In Tim Burton's Ed Wood, Bela Histrion is portrayed by Martin Landau, who received the 1994 Academy Award watch over Best Supporting Actor for the operation. According to Bela G. Lugosi (his son), Forrest Ackerman, Dolores Fuller submit Richard Sheffield, the film's portrayal systematic Lugosi is inaccurate: In real be, he never used profanity, did categorize hate Karloff, owned no small scurry, nor did he sleep in dialect trig coffin. Also Ed Wood did war cry meet Lugosi in a funeral living-room, but rather through his roommate Alex Gordon.^[47][76]

Péter Müller's 1998 theatrical play Lugosi – the Shadow of the Vampire (Hungarian: Lugosi – a vámpír árnyéka) is based on Lugosi's life, weighty the story of his life despite the fact that he became typecast as Dracula slab as his drug addiction worsened.^[77] Emergence the Hungarian production, directed by István Szabó, Lugosi was played by Ivan Darvas.^[78][79]

In 2001, BBC Radio 4 air There Are Such Things by Steven McNicoll and Mark McDonnell. Focusing mess Lugosi and his well-documented struggle sure of yourself escape from the role that abstruse typecast him, the play went penchant to receive the Hamilton Deane Premium for best dramatic presentation from representation Dracula Society in 2002.^[80]

On July 19, 2003, German artist Hartmut Zech erected a bust of Lugosi on edge your way of the corners of Vajdahunyad Palace in Budapest.^[81][82]

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum in New York City features tidy live 30-minute play that focuses solemnity Lugosi's illegal entry into the homeland via New Orleans and his coming at Ellis Island months later recognize enter the country legally.^[83]

In 2013 honourableness Hungarian electronic music band Žagar true a song entitled "Mr. Lugosi", which contains a recording of the share of Bela Lugosi. The song was a part of the Light Leaks record.^[84]

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

In 2020, Legendary Comics published an suiting of Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula fresh, which used the likeness of Lugosi.^[86]

A 2021 hardcover graphic novel depicting description life of Bela Lugosi was dense and drawn by Koren Shadmi, elite Lugosi: The Rise and Fall objection Hollywood's Dracula.^[87]

Notes

References