Halloween at FilmPhiles...: Lon Chaney Jr.

There are four classic movie monsters: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and The Wolfman. Only one person has played all four roles: Lon Chaney Jr.

Lon Chaney Jr. was born Creighton Chaney on February 10, 1906 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the son of Lon Chaney Sr. and Frances Cleveland Creighton.

As a young boy, he traveled with his parents while they appeared in vaudeville. His father discouraged a career in motion pictures, wanting his son instead to pursue a more stable business.

In his early years, he worked as a butcher, ice man, clothing salesman, newsboy and plumbers helper.
In 1922, at the age of 14, he appeared as an uncredited extra in his father's film The Trap, he was merely the hands of the boy.

He attended business school and became successful working in a Los Angeles appliance corporation.
It was not until after his father's death, that he went to work in films.

His first film appearances were under his real name Creighton Chaney. However, in 1935, the studio insisted he change his name to Lon Chaney Jr. as a marketing ploy. He was uncomfortable with the ploy but also was aware that the famous name could help his career.

Lon Chaney's first credited role was the part of Tom Kirby in The Black Ghost (1932).

In 1941, Lon Chaney Jr. starred in the title role of The Wolfman, a role which would typecast him for the rest of his life.

Lon Chaney Jr. appeared in classic horror movies as The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Mummy's Tomb (1942), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Son of Dracula (1943), The Mummy's Curse (1944), House of Frankenstein (1944), and The Mummy's Ghost (1944).

Lon Chaney Jr. also appeared in such classic films as The Three Musketeers (1933), Jesse James (1939), Union Pacific (1939), Of Mice and Men (1939), My Favorite Brunette (1947), High Noon (1952), and The Defiant Ones (1958).

Lon Chaney Jr. final film appearance was in 1971 in Dracula vs. Frankenstein.

In addition to his film career, Lon Chaney Jr. also appeared on classic television shows as The Pat Boone Show, The Monkees, Rawhide, Have Gun Will Travel, Wanted Dead or Alive, Route 66, The Rifleman, Lawman, Wagon Train and The Red Skelton Show.

Lon Chaney Jr. died at the age of 67 on July 12, 1973.

The Raven

The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe
(published 1845)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;-
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door-
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never- nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
On this home by Horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted- nevermore!

1 comment:

ClassicBeckyOctober 23, 2009 at 3:53 AM
ShariLee, I always liked Lon Chaney, Jr., especially for Of Mice and Men, and of course The Wolfman. It must have been difficult to follow such a famous and talented father. But at least he had those 2 great movies to his credit. Oh, and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Lon Chaney Jr. was really a big part of that hilarious movie.

Halloween at FilmPhiles...

Lon Chaney Jr.

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