Bela Lugosi (born Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956) was a Hungarian-American actor who became one of cinema’s first and most enduring horror icons. After starring in the role on Broadway, he delivered his definitive screen performance in Universal’s Dracula (1931), where his elegant, accented portrayal of aristocratic menace became the timeless blueprint for the cinematic vampire. While Dracula led to decades of typecasting, he delivered another of his finest performances as the cunning, broken-necked blacksmith Ygor in Son of Frankenstein (1939), spoofed his horror persona opposite The Ritz Brothers in the comedy The Gorilla (1939), and starred in a series of classic thrillers opposite his genre rival, Boris Karloff. From his A-list stardom to his later work in the cult films of director Ed Wood, Lugosi’s unmistakable persona has made him a revered and legendary figure in the history of horror.
Birthday
- October 20, 1882
Place of Birth
- Lugos, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary [now Lugoj, Timis County, Romania]
Also Known As
- Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó, Olt Arisztid, Mr. Blasko, Albert Lugesi, Belo Lugosi, Arisztid Olt
