8 Things You Didn’t Know About Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff’s Monster Life
First things first: Frankenstein is the doctor who assembled (from old body parts and chemicals) the giant creature known as “the monster,” who was famously played by Boris Karloff. Often people mistake Frankenstein as the monster, as well as the famous actors who portrayed both the monster and another horror favorite, Dracula (Bela Lugosi). Over a century later, these two Hollywood horror icons continue to fascinate. Here are 8 things you may, or may not have known, about these legendary monsters.
1Boris Karloff Wasn’t Invited To The Frankenstein Premiere
Everett Collection
Karloff was in his 40s when he got the role of the legendary monster and wasn’t even invited to the movie’s 1931 premiere. “I was just an unimportant freelance actor, the animation for the master costume,” he explained years later.
2A Double-Feature Frenzy
FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images
After horror films began to stale for Universal Pictures, the studio revamped itself and put out a double feature of Drac and Frank, showing the 1931 Frankenstein and the 1930 Dracula. The grisly pair was a hit. Even Salt Lake City’s Victory Theatre in 1938 sold out by 10am. “Four thousand frenzied Mormons milled around outside, finally broke through the police lines, smashed the plate glass box office, bent in the front doors and tore off one of the door checks in their eagerness,” cited a passage in the book Frankenstein: A Cultural History.
3Bela Was Terrified Of Death
Pictured with his fourth wife, Lillian, in 1951. Ron Case/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“He was terrified of death,” shared Bela Lugosi’s fifth wife, Hope. “Towards the end he was very weary, but he was still afraid of death. Three nights before he died, he was sitting on the edge of the bed. I asked him if he were still afraid to die. He told me that he was. I did my best to comfort him, but you might as well save your breath with people like that. They’re still going to be afraid of death.” Lugosi was just 73 when he died in 1956 of a heart attack at his Los Angeles home (5620 Harold Way) after years of drug addiction. (Frank Sinatra once even tried to help, giving him $1,000 for treatment.)
4His Real Name Was William Henry Pratt
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Known to the world as Boris Karloff, in real life he was William Henry Pratt, a charming and sweet-natured person who was originally going to be a diplomat. Karloff would enjoy a long and successful career in Hollywood. He died in 1969 of a respiratory ailment (he was an extreme cigarette smoker) at age 81.
5The Feud: Bela Vs. Boris
The Black Cat, 1934 Everett Collection
When the established Lugosi was passed up for the role of the monster because of his thick Hungarian accent, he originally shrugged it off, but once Karloff skyrocketed to fame it created a bit of rivalry between the top two monsters of the time. The two later became friends and collaborated on several projects including The Raven (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), You’ll Find Out (1940) and The Body Snatcher (1945).
6From The “Monster Mash” To The Grinch
Impersonating Karloff’s voice, singer Bobby Pickett scored a gold single with his 1962 hit song “Monster Mash.” Karloff’s voice continued to find new audiences, especially as the narrator for 1966’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
7Bela Was Bankrupt
Harold Clements/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
It was well known at the time of Lugosi’s death in 1956 that he was in serious financial straits. The famed vamp was only paid $3,500 (which would be around $70,000 today) for his role as Dracula, and residuals didn’t exist during those times. Lugosi’s agent Evan Hoskins once shared: “Bela was hopping mad, and I know for a fact that he never really recovered from that, especially since the film went on to make millions for the studio. Every revival of the picture was a reminder to him that he could have been a wealthy man.”
8Where is Dracula’s Infamous Cape?
While Lugosi was rumored to be buried in his famous cape, it was really one of his stage and public appearance capes. In 2019, the official cape found its permanent home at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Bela’s son, Bela G. Lugosi, said: “My father’s screen-worn cape has had a very special place in my life and in the lives of my children and grandchildren. In fact, it has been a part of my mother’s household and then my household since I was born — for over 80 years. After several years of discussions with Founding Director Kerry Brougher, who showed such care and appreciation of its important role in film history, it became clear that there is no better home for the cape than the Academy Museum, allowing movie lovers to view a piece of classic horror film history and enjoy Bela Lugosi’s acclaimed performance for years to come.”
Remind 
Frankenstein
October 2024
Frankenstein’s monster has haunted us onscreen for nearly 100 years. Celebrate the O.G. creature in the movies and culture.
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