The Man Who Became Dracula
July 31, 2025
Uncover the legacy of Bela Lugosi, the unforgettable actor who defined Dracula with his haunting presence and dramatic style.
Uncover the legacy of Bela Lugosi, the unforgettable actor who defined Dracula with his haunting presence and dramatic style.
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó was known professionally as Bela Lugosi, he was a Hungarian actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 movie and all his roles in many other horror films in that era. He was basically a vampire to everyone in Hollywood in those days – talk about typecasting! Bela Lugosi auditioned for many roles but was usually a Horror Movie villain alongside Boris Karloff, due to his lack of fluent English. He had a nomadic immigration story, he fled Hungary, for the movie scene in Germany, before arriving in New Orleans as a seaman on a merchant ship, then making his way north to New York City where he acted on Broadway. He then headed West and the rest, as they say, was history. The original horror villain is honored in this macabre Bela Lugosi Dracula Signature Lurking T-Shirt, only for those who live in the shadows.