Bela Lugosi ran away from home at the age of eleven because of a very strict father. To survive he had to take on many jobs, which apart from his regular acting, were jobs in mining, building railroads, and working for the army (which he got out of by successfully feigning mental illness).

Bela Lugosi began his acting career on stage, mainly in Shakespearean roles, when he was a young man in Hungary, born in Transylvania on October 1882.

His real name was Ba`^(1)0/00la Ferenc Dezs Blask, and his first stage name whists acting in films for the Cinema of Hungary, was Arisztid Olt before changing it to Bela Lugosi as we know it today.

He had major struggles and challenges in his life, including him being involved with post-collapsed Hungarian Soviet Republic persecutions of left-wingers and trade unionists. Later he got addicted to morphine, which was prescribed to lessen the intense back pain he suffered. In the 30EUR^(TM)s and 40EUR^(TM)s he had difficulties finding regular work, which was a worry as he had to support his family. He also got a telegram for an offical divorce from a wife who had enough of him, Lugosi Bela ended up marrying five times throughout his life.

You may have seen many Bela Lugosi pictures over the years. Maybe you heard his classic staccato EURoeI vahnt-to suck-your blud.EUR? Or you might have seen some of the 109 movies that this definitive star made in his career spanning over forty-two years.

Lugosi Bela performed his Count Dracula role on stage, running for 33 weeks in 1929, two years before the movie version (which slated Lon Chaney for the part originally, only casting Lugosi after Chaney died and after heavy negotiations and pleading).

Most household names earn their status because these actors know that are beautiful, sexy, and are casted in roles in which they deliver great lines. One household name may not include characteristics of great beauty or indomitable sex appeal, but the gifts he brought to the silver screen are unparalleled. Bela Lugosi is the name. You recognized it immediately, didnEUR^(TM)t you?

Bela Lugosi was paid $3500 for his role in Dracula, which was much less than the star with second-billing, David Manners.Bela Lugosi died at the age of seventy-three of a heart attack and drug related complications, he was sitting in a chair reading a script by Ed Wood, the quirky but clever director who had sought out Lugosi and resuscitated his acting career.

He was buried in one of the Dracula capes he had worn in the stage productions of Horace Liveright and John BalderstonEUR^(TM)s Dracula, adapted from Bram StokerEUR^(TM)s novel of the same name.