Spooky Season Dracula Actors #1: Bela Lugosi.

 SOPHISTICATED OLD-WOLRD COUNT

As it’s officially spooky season, I’d like to share my love of my most favourite paranormal being ever. Dracula of course. A conversation about the actors who have played Dracula is held between the two MCs in my upcoming Halloween book, Beautifully Haunted. I’m going to be sharing photos of the best actors to have played the immortal Count, plus snippets related to Bram Stoker and Whitby throughout the month of October.

Let’s start with arguably the most famous Dracula of them all – Bela Lugosi.

Bela of course was the second cinematic Dracula after Max Schreck starred in F.W Murnau’s Nosferatu in 1922. It was a miracle this influential film survived after Bram Stoker’s widow sued the makers for not getting permission to make it.

Born Bela Blasko in Lugos, Hungary, Bela was starring in the Broadway production of Dracula at the time Universal were looking to cast someone in the role. The powers that be wanted Lon Chaney—the man of a thousand faces—but he went and died, rather inconsiderately, so they chose Bela.

Bela was handsome with hypnotic blue eyes. He made the role his own and set the stereotype of the tall, black-haired, pale-faced and tux wearing Count Dracula firmly in everyone’s mind for years to come.

He was the first actor I ever saw playing Dracula at the tender age of 10 and was my favourite for a very long time, at least until recently. (Readers who've read my book Beautifully Haunted, will know who my favourite Dracula is, and I'll blog on him last of all). 

Universal's Dracula is a great film, so atmospheric. My favourite scene is when Van Helsing shows him his own non-reflection in a mirrored cigarette box and Dracula slaps the box out of his hand.