Today let's conclude talk Universal Studios Classic Monster - Dracula. While Bela Lugosi only portrayed Count Dracula in the original 1931 movie Dracula, he was considered "the ghoul king" because of that portrayal. Others played the part of The Count in several movies throughout the years, but none captivated the character role as well as Lugosi. It wasn't until 1948 that Lugosi returned to the role in the comedic spoof, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Lugosi played the part of Count Dracula, Lon Chaney, Jr. played the wolf man, and Glenn Strange played the part of the Frankenstein Monster for laughs.
Chick Young (Bud Abbott) and Wilbur Grey (Lou Costello) are two hapless freight handlers who work as railway baggage-clerks in LaMirada, Florida. When Wilbur mishandles two crates belonging to McDougal's House of Horrors museum, Mr. McDougal (Frank Ferguson) demands that they deliver them in person so that they can be inspected by an insurance agent. McDougal boasts to Wilbur's girlfriend, Dr. Sandra Mornay (Lénore Aubert), that the crates contain "the remains of the original Count Dracula" (Lugosi) and "the body of the Frankenstein Monster" (Strange). Meanwhile, Larry Talbot (Chaney), alias the wolf man, has taken the apartment across the hall from Wilbur and Chick. He has tracked Dracula and the Monster from Europe, and knows them to be alive. Talbot asks the boys to help him find and destroy the villains. Wilbur agrees, but Chick is a non-believer --at least for a while. Soon they are being chased by the monsters at Dracula's castle. After all, seeing is believing!
So for a scary, yet comical "Monster Mash Month" selection, we recommend watching the 1948 classic film, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Jr., and Glenn Strange as the monster trio. Join "Let's Talk Classic Movies" next week to read about the Universal Studios Monster werewolf - The Wolf Man.
**Trivia Question for Today: In Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, the transformation of Count Dracula to a bat and visa versa was animated. Who was responsible for this transforming animation of Dracula?
Trivia Bonus: What villain appears at the end of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein? Who portrays this villain?
Trivia Answer for Previous Post: In The Wolf Man, Bela Lugosi plays the small, but pivotal role of Bela, the gypsy fortune teller/werewolf that bites Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.), marking him as a werewolf, too.
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