How Bela Lugosi Created One of Hollywood’s Most Haunting Feuds
Once upon a time, in an alternate universe, the great Bela Lugosi would have taken center stage in James Whale’s gothic masterpiece Frankenstein, trading his cape for bolts and forever altering the course of horror history. It would have cemented him, not just as cinema’s first great monster, but as the all-time greatest actor of the genre, a king of the macabre.
But he handed that crown over willingly.
In 1931, Universal was still riding high on the success of its horror blockbuster Dracula. Eager to strike while the iron (and the box office) was hot, production chief Carl Laemmle Jr. set his sights on another gothic classic to keep the chills coming. His choice was Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein, which he envisioned as the studio’s next macabre masterpiece for the silver screen.
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So, they brought in their newest, brightest star Lugosi for to test the overall look and makeup for the film’s director, filmmaker Robert Florey, who was attached to the picture at that time.
According to Paul M. Jensen’s Boris Karloff and His Films (1975), Lugosi wasn’t too keen on the part.
“I made up for the role and had tests taken, which were pronounced OK. Then, I read the script, and didn’t like it. So I asked to be withdrawn from the picture. Carl Laemmle said he’d permit it if I’d furnish an actor to play the part. I scouted the agencies — and came upon Boris Karloff . I recommended him. He took tests. And that’s how he happened to become a famous star of horror pictures — my rival, in fact.”
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And that’s how Karloff stepped into the towering boots of the Monster, while Lugosi — once destined for the role — stepped away from what would become one of cinema’s most iconic performances. In doing so, Karloff not only redefined the creature but also his own career, transforming from a little-known character actor into the new face of Universal horror.
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