Lon Chaney Jr.
The Wolfman

Lon Chaney Jr. 

1906 - 1973

The son on legendary actor Lon Chaney, Creighton Tull Chaney (his real name) was pretty much of an unknown. After many years of struggling with his career it was suggested that he change his name to bring more notice to himself. Lon Jr. was born prematurely on February 10, 1906 weighing in at only two and a half pounds. It was said that he was so tiny that his first crib was a cotton lined shoebox with holes punched in the lid.

When Lon was 10 years old he was sent to live with his deaf mute grandparents. While attending Hollywood High School, he became interested in becoming an actor. His father did not want him to go into show business so Lon Jr. was sent to a business college. After finishing college, he married and had two sons.

After many years of acting in Westerns, he finally scored the role of Lenny in the movie, Of Mice & Men. In 1941, he was given what I personally think was one of his best roles, The Wolfman. He played Lawrence Talbot the son of Sir John Talbot (Claude Rains). He shared the screen with Bela Lugosi who played the role of Bela the Gypsy.  It was Bela who passed on the curse of the wolfman to Lawrence.

As a kid, I was a horror movie freak and sat up all hours of the night watching them. One movie of Lons that I saw many times was Son of Dracula. He played the role of Count Alucard. I can remember hollering at the people on the screen, "Can't you fools see that Alucard spelled backwards is Dracula!"

Quote from The Wolfman
Even a man who is pure in heart
and says his prayers by night
may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms
and the autumn moon is bright.

Other Movies of Note
The Ghost of Frankenstein (The Monster) 1942
The Mummys Tomb (Kharis) 1942
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (Lawrence Talbot) 1943
Son of Dracula (Count Alucard) 1943
House of Frankenstein (Lawrence Talbot) 1944
House of Dracula (Lawrence Talbot) 1945