Cursed Horror Stars

Book excerpt: Insightful biographies of five classic horror movie stars whose lives all had tragic aspects: Lon Chaney Jnr, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, Bela Lugosi and Robert Quarry. Lon Chaney Jnr, Basil Rathbone, Peter Lorre, Bela Lugosi and Robert Quarry: five noted 20th Century actors who all, at one time or another in their careers, became associated with horror film roles; and who all faced restrictive typecasting and had their own, more personal demons to battle. In this fascinating and authoritative book, researcher Mark Iveson presents insightful biographies of the five actors, whose lives all had tragic aspects - almost as if they themselves were somehow cursed by their most famous roles. Five amazing, intersecting and often shocking life stories, involving tales of vampires, werewolves, child murderers and other assorted monsters, not to mention Sherlock Holmes - and, behind the scenes, devastating alcoholism, drug addiction, family scandal and financial ruin.