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Bela LugosiActor
Date of Birth: 20.10.1882
Country:  Hungary |
Content:
Bela Lugosi: Biography
Bela Lugosi, originally named Bela Blasko, was born in Lugos, Hungary. He studied dramatic arts and began his career in theater in 1901. In 1915, he transitioned to film acting. During the establishment of the communist regime, Lugosi organized an actors' union. However, he fled to Germany after the defeat of the Commune. In 1921, he immigrated to the United States where he achieved great success in both theater and film.
Lugosi's breakthrough came in 1927 when he played the title role in the Broadway production of "Dracula." In 1931, he reprised the role in the film adaptation of "Dracula," instantly becoming a star. During the mid-1930s, Lugosi received more fan mail than Clark Gable. However, he became typecast as a killer, monster, and mad scientist, which stuck with him throughout his career.
Under pressure from producers and for promotional purposes, Lugosi began behaving eccentrically. He would appear in public dressed as a vampire or lie in a coffin during interviews. In 1934, he starred alongside Boris Karloff in the film "The Black Cat." Although Karloff was a much more talented actor, Lugosi envied and disliked him. Nevertheless, they would go on to appear together on several more occasions.
In the 1940s, Lugosi became careless in choosing his roles, appearing in low-budget productions. As a result, his fame quickly diminished. The actor began struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. Towards the end of his life, he befriended Ed Wood, infamous as the worst director of all time. Lugosi appeared in several of Wood's films, possibly including the worst of them all, "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (1956). The story of their relationship inspired Tim Burton's film "Ed Wood" (1994).
