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Here's what made Bela Lugosi such a unique performer
The actor's son shared why his father was so special.
Bela Lugosi was more than just a formidable actor. While today audiences know him as Count Dracula, many might be surprised to know that the actor was more than capable of tickling the old funny bone.
The actor appeared as the Transylvanian vampire in the 19487 film, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Lugosi’s son, Bela Lugosi Jr., said that his father enjoyed his time on set, according to The Horror Spoofs of Abbott and Costello by Jeffrey S. Miller.
“There was a lot of cutting up going on between takes,” said Lugosi Jr. “I think he did [enjoy it] other than the part where other people would screw up the scene and it would have to be done over and over again, not because of him but because of others. Other than that, I think he really enjoyed himself on the set, seemed to anyway.”
Though Lugosi’s Dracula served as the film’s antagonist, the comedic film offered a change of pace for the actor. Bela Lugosi Jr. believed that his father’s background in stage performance was incredibly helpful in his portrayal of the iconic villain.
“He was unique in the way he portrayed different roles, with his voice and his movement based mostly on his theatrical background and training,” said Lugosi Jr. “So I think he brings some unusualness to any role he does. He stands out, and there’s no two ways about it. And I think that’s one reason why he’s remembered - not because the role was so great but because his portrayal was.”
