Bela Lugosi

Truth being stranger than fiction sometimes, Bela Lugosi was buried in his full Dracula costume, as per the request in his will, in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. In 2004, his stepdaughter Catherine (Simone Signoret's daughter from her first marriage) published a book titled "World Upside Down" where she revealed that Montand had abused her sexually since she was five years old. He was also the subject of a song by gothic rock band Bauhaus entitled "Bela Lugosi's Dead". He is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France. Instead he was listed as a guest-star, below Tor Johnson, Vampira and Kenne Duncan. In his later years, he maintained a home in Provence until his death. Contrary to Burton's Ed Wood, Lugosi did not receive top billing for Plan 9. His only child, Valentin Montand, the son of his assistant Carole Amiel, was born in 1988.

Wood hired his wife's chiropractor to double for Lugosi, who is easily spotted by the fact that. He was nominated for a Cesar Award for "Best Actor" in 1980 for the film "I comme Icare" and again in 1984 for "Garçon !". However, Lugosi died three years before the funding came through (from the Baptist Church of Beverly Hills, no less). During his career he acted in a number of American motion pictures as well as on Broadway. Wood had had great difficulty in financing the project, and was only able to shoot short, silent scenes that he planned to incorporate into the whole of the film once he had found the remainder of his funding. The following year, a 65-year-old Montand gave one of his most memorable performances as the scheming uncle in the two-part film: Jean de Florette co-starring Gerard Depardieu and Manon des Sources co-starring Emmanuelle Béart. Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space featured footage of Lugosi interspersed with a double who looked nothing like him. In 1951 Montand married the actress Simone Signoret, co-starring several times with her until her death in 1985.

One of Lugosi's most infamous roles was in a movie that was released after he was dead. He would go on to international recognition, starring in numerous films. (The role was later given to Kenne Duncan, and the shots of that production made their way into Wood's Night of the Ghouls, a sequel of sorts to Wood's previous Lugosi films.). In 1944 he was discovered by Edith Piaf in Paris and she made him part of her act, becoming his mentor and lover. The script for Final Curtain, written by Ed Wood, was in his lap. He began a career in show business as a music-hall singer. He died of a heart attack, aged 73, in Los Angeles, California, while sitting in a chair. (Later, when they applied for French citizenship, his father pretended that they did so in order to escape Mussolini's regime, in fact they emigrated in 1921, whereas Mussolini didn't came to power before 1922.) Montand came to grow up in Marseille, where as a young man he worked in his sister's barber shop, and later on the docks.

Because Lugosi appeared in B-Movies, he was featured in several episodes of the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000, most notably, Bride of the Monster. Shortly after his birth, Montand's family left Italy for France. The biographical film Ed Wood, by Tim Burton, portrayed Wood's relationship with Lugosi, who was played by Martin Landau. Yves Montand (October 13, 1921 - November 9, 1991) was a French/Italian actor, born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Alto, Italy. Ed Wood, a long-time fan of Lugosi's, offered him numerous roles in his films, always playing some variant of a mad scientist/vampire type, even in movies — such as Glen or Glenda — in which such a role made no sense. Les Portes de la Nuit (1946). Late in his life, he again got to star in movies, albeit lousy ones. Le Salaire de la Peur (1953).

Later on, the acting jobs dried up and he became addicted to morphine, though he did get to recreate the role of Dracula one last time for the film Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948. La Grande Strada Azzurra (1957). Lugosi's attitude towards Karloff is the subject of contradictory reports, some claiming he was openly resentful of Karloff's long-term success and ability to get good roles beyond the horror arena, while others suggested the two actors were - for a time at least - good friends. Compartiment tueurs (1965). Several films, such as The Black Cat and the aforementioned Son of Frankenstein paired Lugosi with his chief rival in the realm of horror movies, Boris Karloff. La Guerre est finie (1966). He also had a small role in the comedy classic Ninotchka opposite Greta Garbo. Grand Prix (1966).

He declined an offer to appear as The Monster in Frankenstein but made an impression as the insane Ygor in two sequels, Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein before finally consenting to play the creature in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. Vivre pour Vivre (1967). The film was a success, but Lugosi was typecast as a horror heavy with such movies as White Zombie and Scared to Death. Z (1968). He was most famous for his title role in Tod Browning's Dracula (1931) (building on the stage role). L'Aveu (1969). He left from his native Hungary for Germany in 1919 after persecution following his complicity in the forming of an actor's union, and emigrated to the United States in 1921. Le Cercle Rouge (1970).

During World War I he served as an infantry lieutenant for the Central Powers. L'Aveu (1970). He however, became most notably known for his portrayal of Dracula in a stage production of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story. Tout va Bien (1972). Lugosi started his acting career on the stage in Europe in several Shakespearean plays. César et Rosalie (1972). He was born in Lugos, Transylvania, Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), the youngest of four children of a banker. État de Siège (1973).

Béla Lugosi was the stage name of actor Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső (October 20, 1882–August 16, 1956). Vincent, François, Paul...Et les Autres (1974). He covers his face with his cape in every shot. Le Fond de L'air Est Rouge (1977). He looks nothing like Lugosi. I comme Icare (1979). Garçon ! (1983).

Manon des Sources (1986). Jean de Florette (1986). IP5 (1991).