Bela Lugosi

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BIRTHDAY

October 20, 1882

Lugos, Hungary

DIED

August 16, 1956

RECENT CREDITS

Innocent Blood (FILM) Sep. 25, 1992

Plan 9 From Outer Space (FILM) Jul. 1, 1959

The Black Sleep (FILM) Jun. 1, 1956

Bride of the Monster (FILM) Jan. 1, 1955

Glen or Glenda (FILM) Jan. 1, 1953

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BIOGRAPHY

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Bela Lugosi trained on the Budapest stage and appeared in some German films before arriving in the USA in 1921. He made his indelible mark as "Dracula" in a popular New York stage production and successfully reprised the role in Tod Browning's 1931 film adaptation. His macabre appearance, strikingly theatrical performance style and rich Hungarian accent made him the very incarnation of evil in scores of horror films through the 1950s. His peak came early with such films as "White Zombie" (1932), "The Black Cat" (1934), and "The Raven" (1935). Lugosi's fine supporting turn as the stern commissar in the Greta Garbo vehicle "Ninotchka" (1939) showed that he could play outside the horror and mystery genres, but his career degenerated in the 40s to killer and mad doctor roles in many lackluster B flicks. He nonetheless gave of his best, using his remarkable charisma to breathe some kind of entertaining life into a series of roles as mad doctors and monsters in many films unworthy of his genuine talent. Lugosi's will decreed that he be buried in his trademark Dracula cape.

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