TRIVIA:

Lugosi derived his professional surname from Lugos, the town of his birth. | Lugosi served in the Hungarian ski patrol of the 43rd Division of the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I, fighting the Russians near the Austrian border. |Lugosi had an extensive stage career in Hungary including roles in many of the classic plays, totaling 172 stage performances. | Because his parents were against his plans to become an actor, he left his family at the age of 12. After working in a mine, he would later join the theater, where he gained his first experience as an actor. Thus classically trained, he subsequently joined the film business, in 1917, and, early on, used the pseudonym Arisztid Olt. | After coming to America by way of New Orleans in 1920, Lugosi quickly went to New York City and was lawfully admitted into the United States through Ellis Island in 1921. | Bela Lugosi created his portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1927 Broadway stage production of Dracula—the make-up, the style of dress, the mannerisms. Along with his distinct accent, this became the characterization for which he is famous. When cast in Universal’s film version, he brought his portrayal to the screen. | Bela Lugosi never wore fangs in his performances as Count Dracula. | Contrary to popular belief, he and Boris Karloff did not hate each other, as the famous scene from Ed Wood (1994) would lead one to believe. Both men's children have said that the only rivalry that existed between them is when they were both up for the same roles, and in reality, although Lugosi and Karloff had almost no relationship off-set, they were reportedly amicable whenever working together. |In his 50 year career, Lugosi played a vampire on film four times and only twice as Count Dracula (Dracula, 1931 and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, 1948), yet Bela Lugosi established himself as the quintessential vampire - he is Dracula. | Were it not for his death, Lon Chaney, rather than Lugosi, would have been director Tod Browning's choice for the starring role in Dracula (1931). | His first stage role in the US was "The Red Poppy". Unable to speak English, he was forced to learn the role by rote. He was rewarded with excellent reviews and earned his first American film role, a villainous part in The Silent Command (1923). | His performance in Tod Browning's Dracula (1931) created such a sensation that he reportedly received more fan mail from females than even Clark Gable. | Appeared with Boris Karloff in eight films: The Black Cat (1934), The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), Son of Frankenstein (1939), You'll Find Out (1940), Black Friday (1940) The Body Snatcher (1945) and Gift of Gab (1934). | Appeared with Lon Chaney Jr. in five films: The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) and The Black Sleep (1956).

VIDEO TRIBUTE:

Bela Lugosi

Bela Lugosi
Active - 1917 - 1959  |   Born - Oct 20, 1882 in Lugos, Austria-Hungary  |   Died - Aug 16, 1956   |   Genres - Horror, Comedy, Mystery, Drama, Thriller | Height: 6’ 1”
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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.

-     IMDb Mini Biography By: ReelDeal-2, Michael Brooke <[email protected]> & anonymous​​
"I guess I'm pretty much of a lone wolf. I don't say I don't like people at all but, to tell you the truth, I only like them if I have a chance to look deep into their hearts and their minds. If I find there something, something worthwhile, some... some human kindness, some sympathy." 

"Circumstances made me the theatrical personality I am, which many people believe is also a part of my personal life. My next picture, Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), will continue to establish me as a weird, gruesome creature. As for my own feelings on the subject, I have always felt I would rather play - say Percy Marmont roles than Lon Chaney types of roles."

- Bela Lugosi
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