fbpx
Wikipedia

Lon Chaney Jr.

Creighton Tull Chaney (February 10, 1906 – July 12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film The Wolf Man (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dracula spelled backward) in Son of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), the Mummy in three pictures, and various other roles in many Universal horror films, making him a horror icon.[1] He also portrayed Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men (1939) and supporting parts in dozens of mainstream movies, including High Noon (1952), and The Defiant Ones (1958).

Lon Chaney Jr.
Chaney Jr. in Indestructible Man (1956)
Born
Creighton Tull Chaney

(1906-02-10)February 10, 1906
DiedJuly 12, 1973(1973-07-12) (aged 67)
OccupationActor
Years active1931–1971
Spouses
Dorothy Hinckley
(m. 1928; div. 1936)
Patsy Beck
(m. 1937)
Children2
Parent
Websitelonchaney.com/lon-chaney-jr/

Originally referred to in films as Creighton Chaney, he was later credited as "Lon Chaney, Jr." in 1935, and after Man Made Monster (1941), beginning as early as The Wolf Man later that same year, he was almost always billed under the name of his immensely more famous father, the deceased cinema giant Lon Chaney, at the studio's insistence. Chaney had English, French, and Irish ancestry, and his career in movies and television spanned four decades, from 1931 to 1971.

Early life edit

 
Lon Chaney, Creighton's father

Creighton Tull Chaney was born on February 10, 1906, in Oklahoma City, the son of then-stage performer Lon Chaney and Frances Cleveland Creighton, a singing stage performer who traveled in road shows across the country with Chaney. In a 1965 interview, Lon Chaney Jr revealed that he was a stillborn baby. "I was all black and not breathing when I was born," he shared. "My father ran out of the house with me and broke a hole in the ice in a nearby lake, and dunked me in time after time until he revived me".[2] His parents' troubled marriage ended in divorce in 1913 following his mother's scandalous public suicide attempt in Los Angeles. Young Creighton lived in various homes and boarding schools until 1916, when his father (now employed in the film industry) married Hazel Hastings and could provide a stable home.

From an early age, he worked hard to avoid his famous father's shadow. In young adulthood, his father discouraged him from show business, and he attended business college and became successful in a Los Angeles appliance corporation. Creighton, who had begun working for a plumbing company, married Dorothy Hinckley, the daughter of his employer Ralph Hinckley. They had two sons: Lon Ralph Chaney and Ronald Creighton Chaney.

Creighton's life changed when his father was diagnosed with throat cancer and died on August 26, 1930, at the age of 47. Many articles and biographies over the years report that Creighton was led to believe his mother had died while he was a boy, and he only learned that she was still alive after his father's death. Creighton always maintained he had a tough childhood.

Career edit

As Creighton Chaney edit

 
Gigi Parrish and Chaney in Girl o' My Dreams (1934)

It was only after his father's death that Chaney began to act in films, billed by his own name. He began with an uncredited bit part in the serial The Galloping Ghost (1931) and signed a contract with RKO who gave him small roles in a number of films, including Girl Crazy (1932), Bird of Paradise (1932), and The Most Dangerous Game (1932) (from which Chaney's few scenes were edited out before the film was released)[3].

RKO gave him the starring role in a serial, The Last Frontier (1932). He got bigger film roles in Lucky Devils (1933), Son of the Border (1933), Scarlet River (1933), The Life of Vergie Winters (1934). Over at Mascot Pictures he supported John Wayne in a serial, The Three Musketeers (1933), which was later re-edited into a film entitled Desert Command (1946).

"I did every possible bit in pictures" said Chaney later. "Had to do stuntwork to live. I bulldogged steers, fell off and got knocked off cliffs, rode horses off precipices into rivers, drove prairie schooners up and down hills."[4]

He had the lead in the independent film Sixteen Fathoms Deep (1934), and a memorable part in which his character sings in Girl o' My Dreams (1934) at Monogram. The last film he made as Creighton Chaney was The Marriage Bargain (1935) for Screencraft Productions. After this point he was billed as Lon Chaney, Jr. until 1942, when he was usually billed, at the insistence of Universal Studios, with his iconic father's name, although the "Jr." was usually added by others to distinguish the two.

As Lon Chaney Jr. edit

He had the lead in A Scream in the Night (1935) made for Commodore Pictures, a crime thriller.[5] He played small roles at Paramount: Hold 'Em Yale (1935), Accent on Youth (1935) and Rose Bowl (1936). A small outfit, Ray Kirkwood Productions, gave him a lead, The Shadow of Silk Lennox (1935).

At Republic he featured alongside Gene Autry in The Singing Cowboy (1936) and The Old Corral (1937). He was a henchman in a serial for Republic, Undersea Kingdom (1936). Universal got him to play a henchman in their serial, Ace Drummond (1937) and he was uncredited in Columbia's Killer at Large (1936). He lent his name to a cafe which was embroiled in a liquor scandal.[6]

Chaney Jr. was the main villain in a Tom Tyler B Western, Cheyenne Rides Again (1937) and was in a serial, Secret Agent X-9 (1937).

20th Century Fox edit

Chaney Jr. signed a contract at 20th Century Fox and appeared in Love Is News (1937) with Tyrone Power, Midnight Taxi (1937) with Brian Donlevy, That I May Live (1937), This Is My Affair (1937) with Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck, Angel's Holiday (1937), Born Reckless (1937) with Brian Donlevy, Wild and Woolly (1937) with Walter Brennan, The Lady Escapes (1937) with Gloria Stuart, Thin Ice (1937) with Tyrone Power, One Mile from Heaven (1937) with Claire Trevor, Charlie Chan on Broadway (1938), Life Begins in College (1937) with the Ritz Brothers, Wife, Doctor and Nurse (1937) with Loretta Young, Second Honeymoon (1937) with Tyrone Power and Loretta Young, Checkers (1937), Love and Hisses (1938) with Walter Winchell, City Girl (1938), Happy Landing (1938) with Ethel Merman, Sally, Irene and Mary (1938) with Fred Allen and Jimmy Durante, Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938) with Peter Lorre, Walking Down Broadway (1938) with Claire Trevor, Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) with Tyrone Power, Josette (1938) with Don Ameche and Robert Young, Speed to Burn (1938) with Lynn Bari, Passport Husband (1938), Straight, Place and Show (1938) with the Ritz Brothers, John Ford's Submarine Patrol (1938) with Nancy Kelly, and Road Demon (1939). He was almost killed by a train while filming a bank robbery scene in Jesse James (1939).[7] Jesse James also coincidentally featured Henry Hull, the star of Werewolf of London (1935), in a supporting role.

Chaney Jr. later made Charlie Chan in City in Darkness (1939) with Lynn Bari and Frontier Marshal (1939) with Randolph Scott and Nancy Kelly.

Of Mice and Men (1939) edit

Chaney Jr's only stage appearance had been as Lennie Small in a production of Of Mice and Men with Wallace Ford.[8] He was cast in that role in the film Of Mice and Men (1939), which was produced by Hal Roach Studios. The film was Chaney Jr's first major role in a film and was a critical success for him. Chaney had a screen test for the role of Quasimodo for the remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), a role which his father played back in 1923, but the role went to Charles Laughton.

One Million B.C. edit

Hal Roach used him in his third-billed character role in One Million B.C. (1940) as Victor Mature's caveman father, Chaney began to be viewed as a character actor in the mold of his father. He had in fact designed a swarthy, ape-like Neanderthal make-up on himself for the film, but production decisions and union rules prevented his following through on emulating his father in that fashion. Cecil B. DeMille used him in a supporting role in North West Mounted Police (1940) and MGM used him in Billy the Kid (1941) with Robert Taylor as Billy and Brian Donlevy as Pat Garrett. That studio considered putting Chaney Jr in a remake of his father's hit He Who Gets Slapped but decided not to make it.[9]

Universal Pictures edit

Universal Pictures offered Chaney Jr the lead in Man-Made Monster (1941), a science-fiction horror thriller originally written with Boris Karloff in mind. Chaney's first horror film, it was successful enough for them to offer him a long-term contract.

Universal kept him in supporting roles for a while: a comedy Too Many Blondes (1941), a musical San Antonio Rose (1941) with Shemp Howard, a serial Riders of Death Valley (1941) featuring Noah Beery Jr., the Western Badlands of Dakota (1941) and the "Northern" North to the Klondike (1942) with Broderick Crawford.

Horror film star: The Wolf Man, The Mummy, Inner Sanctum edit

 
Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man (1941)
 
Evelyn Ankers in The Wolf Man
 
Chaney Jr., Evelyn Ankers and Bela Lugosi in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
 
Patric Knowles, Chaney Jr. and Doris Lloyd in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)
 
Chaney Jr. as the Mummy in The Mummy's Ghost (1944)
 
Chaney Jr. as the Mummy in The Mummy's Ghost (1944)

Chaney Jr. was then given the title role in The Wolf Man (1941) for Universal, a role which, much like Karloff's Frankenstein monster, would largely typecast Chaney as a horror film actor for the rest of his life. Universal dropped the "Jr." and billed him as "Lon Chaney" going forward within that studio, apparently to foster confusion with his father among audiences.

Chaney Jr. was now an official horror star, and Universal gave him the role of Frankenstein's monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), the first B-movie of the series, when Boris Karloff decided not to play the part again; Bela Lugosi returned in his role as Ygor and the leading lady was Evelyn Ankers. He was in a crime film, Eyes of the Underworld (1942) and the wartime shorts Keeping Fit (1942) and What We Are Fighting For (1943).

Chaney Jr. played Kharis the Mummy in The Mummy's Tomb (1942), another hit. He was in a Western Frontier Badmen (1943), then reprised his role as the Wolf Man in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) with Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's monster. The film was originally filmed with the Monster being blind but also speaking in Lugosi's distinctive "Ygor" voice but the studio cut out all references to either so that audiences were left wondering why the Monster staggered around with his arms extended in front of him, not to mention why he had lost the ability to speak since Ghost of Frankenstein, grievously damaging Lugosi's reputation.

Chaney Jr. was given the role of Dracula in Son of Dracula (1943); the film was actually about Dracula himself, who had no son in the film. This made him the only actor to portray all four of Universal's major horror characters: the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's monster, the Mummy, and Count Dracula.

After a cameo in Crazy House (1943) he was given the lead in Calling Dr. Death (1943), based on the Inner Sanctum mysteries. It kicked off another series starring Chaney, the first of which was Weird Woman (1944).

He made a second mummy movie, The Mummy's Ghost (1944) and had a support part in Cobra Woman (1944), starring Maria Montez and Ghost Catchers (1944), with the comedy team Olsen and Johnson.

Dead Man's Eyes (1944) was the third Inner Sanctum, after which he was back as the Wolf Man in House of Frankenstein (1944). The Mummy's Curse (1944) was Chaney's third and final appearance as Kharis.

He played an antagonist in the Abbott and Costello comedy Here Come the Co-Eds (1945), then made more Inner Sanctums: The Frozen Ghost (1945) with Evelyn Ankers and Strange Confession (1945) with Brenda Joyce. He returned as the Wolf Man in House of Dracula (1945), one of the last of the Universal horror cycle. Pillow of Death (1945) was the last Inner Sanctum. The Daltons Ride Again (1945) was a Western featuring Noah Beery Jr. in a supporting role.

Leaving Universal edit

Despite being typecast as the Wolf Man, the 6-foot 2-inch, 220-pound actor managed to carve out a secondary niche as a supporting actor and villain.

He was in a Bob Hope comedy My Favorite Brunette (1947), supported Randolph Scott in Albuquerque (1948) and had a support in The Counterfeiters (1948) and played a villain in 16 Fathoms Deep (1948) for Monogram Pictures, a remake of his 1934 film.

He reprised his Wolf Man role to great effect in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) but it did not cause a notable boost to his career. In April 1948 Chaney was hospitalized after taking an overdose of sleeping pills.[10] He recovered and played Harry Brock in a Los Angeles theatre production of Born Yesterday in 1949.[11]

Chaney kept busy in support roles: Captain China (1950), Once a Thief (1950), Inside Straight (1951), Bride of the Gorilla (1951), Only the Valiant (1951), Behave Yourself! (1951), Flame of Araby (1952), The Bushwackers (1952), Thief of Damascus (1952), Battles of Chief Pontiac (1952) (in the title role), High Noon (1952), Springfield Rifle (1952), The Black Castle (1952) (a return to horror), Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953), A Lion Is in the Streets (1953) with James Cagney, The Boy from Oklahoma (1954), Casanova's Big Night (1954), Passion (1954), The Black Pirates (1954), Jivaro (1955), Big House, U.S.A. (1955), I Died a Thousand Times (1955), The Indian Fighter (1955), and The Black Sleep (1956)

He had a leading role in Indestructible Man (1956) then was back to support parts: Manfish (1956); a Martin and Lewis comedy, Pardners (1956); Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer (1957); The Cyclops (1957) and The Alligator People (1959).

Chaney established himself as a favorite of producer Stanley Kramer; in addition to playing a key supporting role in High Noon (1952) (starring Gary Cooper), he also appeared in Not as a Stranger (1955)—a hospital melodrama featuring Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra—and The Defiant Ones (1958, starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier). Kramer told the press at the time that whenever a script came in with a role too difficult for most actors in Hollywood, he called Chaney.

He became quite popular with baby boomers after Universal released its back catalog of horror films to television in 1957 (Shock Theater) and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine regularly focused on his films.

In 1957, Chaney went to Ontario, Canada, to costar in the first ever American-Canadian television production, as Chingachgook in Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans, suggested by James Fenimore Cooper's stories. The series ended after 39 episodes. Universal released their film biography of his father, Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), featuring a semi-fictionalized version of Creighton's life story from his birth up until his father's death. Roger Smith was cast as Creighton as a young adult.

He appeared in an episode of the western series Tombstone Territory titled "The Black Marshal from Deadwood" (1958), and appeared in numerous western series such as Rawhide. He also hosted the 13-episode television anthology series 13 Demon Street in 1959, which was created by Curt Siodmak.

 
Chaney Jr. in Money, Women and Guns (1958)
 
Chaney Jr. in Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971)

1960s edit

In the 1960s, Chaney specialised in horror films, such as House of Terror (1960), The Devil's Messenger (1961) and The Haunted Palace (1963), replacing Boris Karloff in the last of those for Roger Corman.

He was in a Western Law of the Lawless (1963) with Dale Robertson, Face of the Screaming Werewolf (1964), Witchcraft (1964), and Stage to Thunder Rock (1964).

He starred in Jack Hill's Spider Baby, which was made in 1964 but not released until 1968 and would not attain notoriety until after Chaney's death.[12] Then it was back to Westerns – Young Fury (1965), Black Spurs (1965), Town Tamer (1966), Johnny Reno (1967), Apache Uprising (1967), Welcome to Hard Times (1967) and Buckskin (1968). There was also horror, such as Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors (1967) and Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967).

His bread-and-butter work during this decade was television – where he made guest appearances on everything from Wagon Train to The Monkees – and in a string of supporting roles in low-budget Westerns produced by A. C. Lyles for Paramount. In 1962, Chaney gained a chance to briefly play Quasimodo in a simulacrum of his father's make-up, as well as return to his roles of the Mummy and the Wolf Man on the television series Route 66 with friends Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre (Karloff wore a quickie version of the Frankenstein monster make-up toward the end of the episode).

Final films edit

In later years, he suffered from throat cancer and chronic heart disease among other ailments after decades of heavy drinking and smoking. In his final horror film, Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971), directed by Al Adamson, he played Groton, Dr. Frankenstein's mute henchman. He filmed his part in the spring of 1969, and shortly thereafter performed his final film role, also for Adamson in 1969 in The Female Bunch.[13] Chaney had lines in The Female Bunch but his hoarse, raspy voice was virtually unrecognizable. Due to illness he retired from acting to concentrate on a book about the Chaney family legacy, A Century of Chaneys, which remains to date unpublished in any form. As of 2008, his grandson, Ron Chaney Jr, was working on completing this project.[14]

Personal life edit

Chaney was married twice. He had two sons by his first wife, Dorothy, Lon Ralph Chaney (July 3, 1928 – May 5, 1992) and Ronald Creighton Chaney (March 18, 1930 – December 15, 1987). Dorothy divorced him in 1936 for drinking too much and being "sullen".[15] He married Patsy Beck in 1937.

Chaney was well liked by some co-workers – "sweet" is the adjective that most commonly emerges from those who acted with, and liked him – yet he was capable of intense dislikes. For instance, he and frequent co-star Evelyn Ankers did not get along at all. He was also known to befriend younger actors and stand up for older ones whom he felt were belittled by the studios. One example was William Farnum, a major silent star who played a small role in The Mummy's Curse. According to co-star Peter Coe, Chaney demanded that Farnum be given his own chair on the set and be treated with respect, or else he would walk off the picture.[citation needed]

Chaney had run-ins with actor Frank Reicher (whom he nearly strangled on camera in The Mummy's Ghost) and director Robert Siodmak (over whose head Chaney broke a vase).[16] Actor Robert Stack claimed in his 1980 autobiography that Chaney and drinking buddy Broderick Crawford were known as "the monsters" around the Universal Pictures lot because of their drunken behavior that frequently resulted in bloodshed.[17]

Honors edit

In 1999, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[18]

Death edit

Chaney suffered from a series of illnesses in the year prior to his death. In April 1973, he was released from the hospital after undergoing surgery for cataracts and treatment for beriberi. He also suffered from liver problems and gout. Chaney died on July 12, 1973, in San Clemente, California, at the age of 67. His cause of death was not immediately released to the public.[1] Chaney's death certificate listed his cause of death as cardiac failure due to arteriosclerotic heart disease and cardiomyopathy.[19]

He was honored by appearing as the Wolf Man on one of a 1997 series of United States postage stamps depicting movie monsters (his father appeared as the Phantom of the Opera, while Bela Lugosi appeared as Dracula, and Boris Karloff had two stamps as Frankenstein's monster and the original Mummy). His grandson Ron Chaney Jr. has appeared frequently as a guest at horror movie conventions.[20][21]

Filmography edit

This is a list of known Lon Chaney Jr. theatrical films. Television appearances are listed separately.

Year Film Role Director Notes
1922 The Trap The boy's hands Robert Thornby Only Chaney Jr.'s hands were shown in this silent film[22]
1931 The Galloping Ghost Henchman Benjamin H. Kline Uncredited (unverified); 12-chapter serial[23]
1932 Girl Crazy A chorus dancer William A. Seiter Wheeler and Woolsey comedy[24]
1932 Bird of Paradise Thornton King Vidor
1932 The Last Frontier Tom Kirby, aka The Black Ghost Thomas Storey 12-chapter serial; also released as a 70-minute feature version called The Black Ghost[25].
1933 Lucky Devils Frankie Wilde Ralph Ince starring William Boyd[26]
1933 Scarlet River Jeff Todd Otto Brower starring Tom Keene[27]
1933 The Three Musketeers Armand Corday [Chs. 1, 10] Armand Schaefer, Colbert Clark 12-chapter serial starring John Wayne; later edited into a feature version Desert Command (1946)[28]
1933 Son of the Border Jack Breen Lloyd Nosler starring Tom Keene
1934 Sixteen Fathoms Deep Joe Bethel Armand Schaefer
1934 The Life of Vergie Winters Hugo McQueen Alfred Santell
1934 Girl o' My Dreams Don Cooper Ray McCarey Based on a David Belasco play[29]; Chaney sings a song
1935 The Marriage Bargain Bob Gordon Albert Ray
1935 Captain Hurricane Helen's brother, Dave Charles Kerr Uncredited
1935 Hold 'Em Yale Yale football player Sidney Lanfield Uncredited; based on a story by Damon Runyon[30]
1935 Accent on Youth Chuck Wesley Ruggles
1935 The Shadow of Silk Lennox "Silk" Lennox Ray Kirkwood, Jack Nelson later re-released as Case of the Crime Cartel[31]
1935 A Scream in the Night Jack Wilson / Butch Curtain Fred C. Newmeyer Chaney played two different characters in this film[32]
1936 The Singing Cowboy Martin Mack V. Wright starring Gene Autry[33]
1936 Undersea Kingdom Hakur Joseph Kane, Reeves Eason 12-chapter serial starring Ray Corrigan[34]
1936 Ace Drummond Henchman Ivan Ford Beebe
Clifford Smith
13-chapter serial
1936 Killer at Large Wax museum guard David Selman Uncredited
1936 Rose Bowl Sierra Football Player Charles Barton Uncredited
1936 The Old Corral Simms' partner Joseph Kane starring Gene Autry
1937 Cheyenne Rides Again Girard Robert F. Hill
1937 Love Is News Newsman Tay Garnett Uncredited
1937 Thin Ice American Reporter Sidney Lanfield Uncredited
1937 Midnight Taxi Detective Erickson Eugene Forde
1937 Secret Agent X-9 Maroni Clifford Smith 12-chapter serial based on the Alex Raymond comic strip[35]
1937 That I May Live Engineer Allan Dwan Uncredited
1937 This Is My Affair Federal Agent in Baltimore Bank William A. Seiter Uncredited; co-starring John Carradine[36]
1937 Angel's Holiday Eddie James Tinling
1937 Slave Ship Laborer killed at launching Tay Garnett Uncredited
1937 Born Reckless Garage mechanic Malcolm St. Clair Uncredited
1937 Wild and Woolly Dutch Alfred L. Werker
1937 The Lady Escapes Reporter (bit part) Eugene Forde Uncredited
1937 One Mile From Heaven Policeman (bit part) Allan Dwan Uncredited
1937 Wife, Doctor and Nurse Scott, the chauffeur Walter Lang
1937 Charlie Chan on Broadway Desk reporter Eugene Forde Uncredited; starring Warner Oland[37]
1937 Life Begins in College Gilks William A. Seiter Ritz Brothers comedy[38]
1937 Second Honeymoon Reporter Walter Lang Uncredited
1937 Checkers Man at racetrack H. Bruce Humberstone Uncredited
1937 Love and Hisses Attendant Sidney Lanfield Uncredited
1938 City Girl Gangster Alfred L. Werker Uncredited
1938 Happy Landing Newspaper Reporter Roy Del Ruth Uncredited
1938 Sally, Irene and Mary Policeman with Club Edmund Goulding Uncredited
1938 Walking Down Broadway Delivery Man Norman Foster Uncredited
1938 Mr. Moto's Gamble Joey James Tinling starring Peter Lorre[39]
1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band Photographer on Stage Henry King Uncredited
1938 Josette Boatman Allan Dwan
1938 Speed to Burn Racetrack Mug Otto Brower
1938 Passport Husband Bull James Tinling
1938 Straight Place and Show Martin, the chauffeur David Butler Uncredited; a Ritz Brothers comedy[40]
1938 Submarine Patrol Sailor John Ford Uncredited; co-starred John Carradine[41]
1938 Road Demon Bud Casey, a racketeer Otto Brower
1939 Jesse James one of Jesse James' henchmen Henry King co-starring Henry Fonda and John Carradine[42]
1939 Union Pacific bearded train passenger Cecil B. DeMille starring Barbara Stanwyck
1939 Frontier Marshal Pringle Allan Dwan co-starring John Carradine[43]
1939 Charlie Chan in City in Darkness Pierre Herbert I. Leeds starring Sidney Toler[44]
1939 Of Mice and Men Lennie Small Lewis Milestone Based on the John Steinbeck novel[45]
1940 One Million B.C. Akhoba, a cave man Hal Roach Jr., D. W. Griffith
1940 North West Mounted Police Shorty Cecil B. DeMille
1941 Man-Made Monster Dan McCormick George Waggner co-starring Lionel Atwill[46]
1941 Too Many Blondes Marvin Gimble Thornton Freeland
1941 Billy the Kid 'Spike' Hudson David Miller starring Robert Taylor[47]
1941 San Antonio Rose Jigsaw Kennedy Charles Lamont
1941 Riders of Death Valley Henchman Butch Ray Taylor 15-chapter serial co-starring Glenn Strange[48]
1941 Badlands of Dakota Jack McCall Alfred E. Green co-starring Broderick Crawford[49]
1941 The Wolf Man Lawrence Talbot, the Wolf Man George Waggner co-starring Bela Lugosi and Claude Rains[50]
1941 North to the Klondike Nate Carson Erle C. Kenton from a story by William Castle [51]
1942 The Ghost of Frankenstein The Monster Erle C. Kenton co-starring Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill[52]
1942 Overland Mail Jim Lane Ford Beebe, John Rawlins 15-chapter serial[53]
1942 Eyes of the Underworld Benny Roy William Neill re-released in 1951 as Criminals of the Underworld[54]
1942 The Mummy's Tomb Kharis, the Mummy Harold Young
1942 Keeping Fit Chaney plays himself Arthur Lubin Universal short subject; co-starring Broderick Crawford[55]
1943 Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Lawrence Talbot Roy William Neill co-starring Bela Lugosi[56]
1943 What We Are Fighting For? Bill Wallace Erle C. Kenton Universal short subject
1943 Frontier Badmen Chango Ford Beebe
1943 Crazy House Chaney plays himself Edward F. Cline Uncredited; an Olsen and Johnson comedy co-starring Basil Rathbone[57]
1943 Son of Dracula Count Alucard / Dracula Robert Siodmak
1943 Calling Dr. Death Dr. Mark Steele Reginald LeBorg
1944 Weird Woman Prof. Norman Reed Reginald Le Borg Based on the Fritz Leiber novel Conjure Wife[58]
1944 Follow the Boys Chaney plays himself A. Edward Sutherland Uncredited
1944 Cobra Woman Hava Robert Siodmak shot in Technicolor[59]
1944 Ghost Catchers Bear Edward F. Cline Olsen and Johnson comedy
1944 The Mummy's Ghost Kharis the Mummy Reginald Le Borg co-starring John Carradine [60]
1944 Dead Man's Eyes Dave Stuart Reginald Le Borg
1944 House of Frankenstein Lawrence Talbot, the Wolf Man Erle C. Kenton co-starring John Carradine and Boris Karloff[61]
1944 The Mummy's Curse Kharis the Mummy Leslie Goodwins
1945 Here Come The Co-Eds Johnson Jean Yarbrough starring Abbott and Costello[62]
1945 The Frozen Ghost Alex Gregor / Gregor the Great Harold Young
1945 Strange Confession Jeff Carter John Hoffman
1945 The Daltons Ride Again Grat Dalton Ray Taylor
1945 House of Dracula Lawrence Talbot / The Wolf Man Erle C. Kenton
1945 Pillow of Death Wayne Fletcher Wallace Fox
1947 Laguna U.S.A. Chaney plays himself doing "Lennie" 10-minute Columbia short subject
1947 My Favorite Brunette Willie Elliott Nugent co-starring Bob Hope and Peter Lorre[63]
1948 Albuquerque Steve Murkill Ray Enright
1948 The Counterfeiters Louie Struber Sam Newfield
1948 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Lawrence Talbot Charles Barton co-starring Bela Lugosi and Glenn Strange[64]
1948 16 Fathoms Deep Mr. Demitri Irving Allen
1950 There's a Girl in My Heart John Colton Arthur Dreifuss
1950 Captain China Red Lynch Lewis R. Foster
1950 Once a Thief Gus W. Lee Wilder
1951 Inside Straight Shocker Ninkovitch Gerald Mayer
1951 Only the Valiant Trooper Kebussyan Gordon Douglas
1951 Behave Yourself! Pinky George Beck
1951 The Bushwhackers Artemus Taylor Rod Amateau
1951 Bride of the Gorilla Police Commissioner Taro Curt Siodmak
1951 Flame of Araby Borka Barbarossa Charles Lamont
1952 Thief of Damascus Sinbad Will Jason filmed in Technicolor
1952 High Noon Martin Howe Fred Zinnemann
1952 Springfield Rifle Pete Elm Andre de Toth
1952 The Black Castle Gargon Nathan H. Juran co-starring Boris Karloff[65]
1952 Battles of Chief Pontiac Chief Pontiac Felix E. Feist
1953 Bandit Island Kip Robert L. Lippert Jr. 25-minute novelty short filmed in 3-D; later released in 2-D as The Big Chase[66]
1953 Raiders of the Seven Seas Peg Leg Sidney Salkow
1953 A Lion Is in the Streets Spurge McManamee Raoul Walsh
1954 Jivaro Pedro Martines Edward Ludwig filmed in 3-D
1954 The Boy from Oklahoma Crazy Charlie Michael Curtiz
1954 Casanova's Big Night Emo Norman Z. McLeod
1954 The Big Chase Kip Arthur Hilton
1954 Passion Castro Allan Dwan
1954 The Black Pirates Padre Felipe Allen H. Miner
1955 Big House, U.S.A. Alamo Smith Howard W. Koch co-starring Broderick Crawford and Charles Bronson[67]
1955 The Silver Star John Harmon Richard Bartlett
1955 Not as a Stranger Job Marsh Stanley Kramer co-starring Broderick Crawford
1955 I Died a Thousand Times Big Mac Stuart Heisler
1955 The Indian Fighter Chivington Andre de Toth starring Kirk Douglas
1956 Manfish "Swede" W. Lee Wilder Based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold Bug[68]
1956 Indestructible Man Charles "Butcher" Benton Jack Pollexfen
1956 The Black Sleep Mungo Reginald Le Borg co-starring Bela Lugosi and John Carradine[69]
1956 Pardners Whitey Norman Taurog starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis[70]
1956 Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer Chief Blackfish Albert Gannaway, Ismael Rodríguez
1957 The Cyclops Martin 'Marty' Melville Bert I. Gordon
1958b The Defiant Ones Big Sam Stanley Kramer
1958 Money, Women and Guns Art Birdwell Richard Bartlett
1959 The Alligator People Manon Roy Del Ruth
1960 House of Terror Chaney plays A Mummy and a Werewolf Gilberto Martínez Solares this Mexican film was later re-edited into a 1964 film called Face of the Screaming Werewolf[71]
1961 Rebellion in Cuba Gordo Albert C. Gannaway
1961 The Phantom Jed unsold pilot for a TV series
1962 The Devil's Messenger Satan Herbert L. Strock This film was re-edited from various episodes of a 1959 TV show called 13 Demon Street[72]
1963 The Haunted Palace Simon Orne Roger Corman starred Vincent Price; based on an H. P. Lovecraft novel[73]
1964 Law of the Lawless Tiny William F. Claxton
1964 Witchcraft Morgan Whitlock Don Sharp
1964 Stage to Thunder Rock Harry Parker William F. Claxton first of 8 westerns Chaney made for A. C. Lyles
1964 Face of the Screaming Werewolf A mummy/werewolf Jerry Warren this film was re-edited from a 1960 Mexican film called La Casa del Terror[74]
1965 Young Fury Bartender Christian Nyby
1965 Black Spurs Gus Kile R. G. Springsteen
1965 Town Tamer Mayor Charlie Leach Lesley Selander
1965 Apache Uprising Charlie Russell R. G. Springsteen
1965 House of the Black Death Belial Desard, a warlock Jerry Warren Re-released later as Blood of the Man-Devil; co-starring John Carradine[75]
1966 Johnny Reno Sheriff Hodges R.G. Springsteen
1967 Dr. Terror's Gallery of Horrors Dr. Mendel David L. Hewitt later retitled Return From the Past for TV; co-starring John Carradine
1967 The Far Out West Chief Eagle Shadow in archive footage
1967 Hillbillys in a Haunted House Maximillian Jean Yarbrough co-starring John Carradine and Basil Rathbone[76]
1967 Welcome to Hard Times Avery the bartender Burt Kennedy
1968 Spider Baby Bruno Jack Hill later re-released as The Liver Eaters
1968 Buckskin Sheriff Tangley Michael D. Moore
1968 Fireball Jungle Sammy Jose Priete
1970 A Stranger in Town Doc Whitaker Earl J. Miller Made-for-Educational TV movie, later retitled The Children's West
1971 The Female Bunch Monty Al Adamson, John Cardos
1971 Dracula vs. Frankenstein Groton the zombie Al Adamson co-starring J. Carrol Naish[77]

Selected television appearances edit

Select radio credits edit

  • Inner Sanctum – "Ring of Doom" (1943)[78]
  • The Abbott and Costello Show (June 2, 1948)

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Lon Chaney Jr., Actor, Is Dead at 67". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 14, 1973. p. 28. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  2. ^ Rogers, Ricky. "'Wolf Man' actor tells Nashville readers he was born 'dead'". The Tennessean.
  3. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  4. ^ Smith, Frederick James (July 28, 1940). "Filler of Father's Footwear". Los Angeles Times. p. J6.
  5. ^ Schallert, Edwin (September 7, 1935). "Mary Pickford Considers Leading Drive to Produce Pictures in England: British Films Would Use American Actors Cycle of Kipling Stories Looms Both Here and Abroad; Lon Chaney, Jr., Follows in Noted Parent's Footsteps". Los Angeles Times. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Cash Given to Werners, Says Witness at Hearing: Board Vote Boast Cited by Woman, Owner of Cafe Takes Stand Weinblatt Asked $1000 in Liquor License Renewal, She Testifies". Los Angeles Times. June 18, 1936. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Lon Chaney, Jr., Escapes Injury". The Washington Post. October 20, 1938. p. X7.
  8. ^ "Chaney Jr. Nixes Horror Make-ups". Los Angeles Times. January 15, 1940. p. 9.
  9. ^ Schallert, Edwin (January 4, 1941). "Young Chaney May Do 'He Who Gets Slapped': Preston 'Night' Star Fellows Subject Named Warners Sign Darwell Ink Spots, Faye Cast Bellamy Set for Comedy". Los Angeles Times. p. A9.
  10. ^ "Lon Chaney Jr. Takes Too Many Sleeping Pills". Los Angeles Times. April 23, 1948. p. 1.
  11. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (January 18, 1949). "Kanin's 'Born Yesterday' Well Acted at Biltmore". Los Angeles Times. p. A7.
  12. ^ Hallenbeck, Bruce G. (2009). Comedy-Horror Films: A Chronological History, 1914-2008. McFarland & Company. pp. 86–87. ISBN 9780786453788.
  13. ^ Weldon, Michael (1983). "The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film". Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-34345-X. Page 235
  14. ^ . Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  15. ^ "Lon Chaney Jr. Is Sued for Divorce; Wed 10 Years". Chicago Daily Tribune. June 26, 1936. p. 23.
  16. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). Lon Chaney Jr.: Horror Film Star. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. p. 91. ISBN 978-0786418138.
  17. ^ Stack, Robert (1980). Straight Shooting. New York City: Macmillan Publishing. p. 64. ISBN 9780026133203.
  18. ^ Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ Cumuseumofterror.com October 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ Vest, Jason; Vest, Jason (May 31, 1993). "MEETING THE CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  21. ^ "Monster Bash: It's a Graveyard Smash". Geek Pittsburgh. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  22. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  23. ^ Stedman, Raymond William (1971). Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-0927-5.
  24. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  25. ^ https://creepyclassics.com/last-frontier-the-1932-alpha-dvd/
  26. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  27. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  28. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  29. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  30. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  31. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  32. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  33. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  34. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 203. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  35. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 203. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  36. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 204. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  37. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 205. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  38. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 205. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  39. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 205. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  40. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 206. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  41. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 206. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  42. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  43. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 206. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  44. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 206. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  45. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 206. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  46. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 207. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  47. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  48. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 207. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  49. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 207. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  50. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  51. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 207. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  52. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 208. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  53. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 208. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  54. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  55. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  56. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  57. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  58. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  59. ^ https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/71144/cobra-woman#film-details
  60. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 209. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  61. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 209. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  62. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  63. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  64. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 201. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  65. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 211. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  66. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 211. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  67. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 212. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  68. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 213. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  69. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 213. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  70. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 213. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  71. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 212. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  72. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 214. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  73. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 214. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  74. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 214. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  75. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 214. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  76. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 215. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  77. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 216. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
  78. ^ "Lon Chaney Jr. On Air". Chicago Daily Tribune. April 4, 1943. p. W6.

Biography edit

External links edit

  • Official website from Chaney Entertainment
  • Lon Chaney Jr. at IMDb
  • Lon Chaney Jr. at AllMovie
  • Lon Chaney Jr. Informative Biograph
  • Chaney Jr. Applications of Make-Up Through the 1940s–1960s
  • Additional Information on Chaney's Career
  • Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

chaney, creighton, tull, chaney, february, 1906, july, 1973, known, stage, name, american, actor, known, playing, larry, talbot, film, wolf, 1941, various, crossovers, count, alucard, dracula, spelled, backward, dracula, frankenstein, monster, ghost, frankenst. Creighton Tull Chaney February 10 1906 July 12 1973 known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film The Wolf Man 1941 and its various crossovers Count Alucard Dracula spelled backward in Son of Dracula Frankenstein s monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein 1942 the Mummy in three pictures and various other roles in many Universal horror films making him a horror icon 1 He also portrayed Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men 1939 and supporting parts in dozens of mainstream movies including High Noon 1952 and The Defiant Ones 1958 Lon Chaney Jr Chaney Jr in Indestructible Man 1956 BornCreighton Tull Chaney 1906 02 10 February 10 1906Oklahoma City Oklahoma Territory U S DiedJuly 12 1973 1973 07 12 aged 67 San Clemente California U S OccupationActorYears active1931 1971SpousesDorothy Hinckley m 1928 div 1936 wbr Patsy Beck m 1937 wbr Children2ParentLon Chaney father Websitelonchaney wbr com wbr lon chaney jr wbr Originally referred to in films as Creighton Chaney he was later credited as Lon Chaney Jr in 1935 and after Man Made Monster 1941 beginning as early as The Wolf Man later that same year he was almost always billed under the name of his immensely more famous father the deceased cinema giant Lon Chaney at the studio s insistence Chaney had English French and Irish ancestry and his career in movies and television spanned four decades from 1931 to 1971 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 As Creighton Chaney 2 2 As Lon Chaney Jr 2 3 20th Century Fox 2 4 Of Mice and Men 1939 2 5 One Million B C 2 6 Universal Pictures 2 7 Horror film star The Wolf Man The Mummy Inner Sanctum 2 8 Leaving Universal 2 9 1960s 2 10 Final films 3 Personal life 3 1 Honors 4 Death 5 Filmography 6 Selected television appearances 7 Select radio credits 8 References 9 Biography 10 External linksEarly life edit nbsp Lon Chaney Creighton s fatherCreighton Tull Chaney was born on February 10 1906 in Oklahoma City the son of then stage performer Lon Chaney and Frances Cleveland Creighton a singing stage performer who traveled in road shows across the country with Chaney In a 1965 interview Lon Chaney Jr revealed that he was a stillborn baby I was all black and not breathing when I was born he shared My father ran out of the house with me and broke a hole in the ice in a nearby lake and dunked me in time after time until he revived me 2 His parents troubled marriage ended in divorce in 1913 following his mother s scandalous public suicide attempt in Los Angeles Young Creighton lived in various homes and boarding schools until 1916 when his father now employed in the film industry married Hazel Hastings and could provide a stable home From an early age he worked hard to avoid his famous father s shadow In young adulthood his father discouraged him from show business and he attended business college and became successful in a Los Angeles appliance corporation Creighton who had begun working for a plumbing company married Dorothy Hinckley the daughter of his employer Ralph Hinckley They had two sons Lon Ralph Chaney and Ronald Creighton Chaney Creighton s life changed when his father was diagnosed with throat cancer and died on August 26 1930 at the age of 47 Many articles and biographies over the years report that Creighton was led to believe his mother had died while he was a boy and he only learned that she was still alive after his father s death Creighton always maintained he had a tough childhood Career editAs Creighton Chaney edit nbsp Gigi Parrish and Chaney in Girl o My Dreams 1934 It was only after his father s death that Chaney began to act in films billed by his own name He began with an uncredited bit part in the serial The Galloping Ghost 1931 and signed a contract with RKO who gave him small roles in a number of films including Girl Crazy 1932 Bird of Paradise 1932 and The Most Dangerous Game 1932 from which Chaney s few scenes were edited out before the film was released 3 RKO gave him the starring role in a serial The Last Frontier 1932 He got bigger film roles in Lucky Devils 1933 Son of the Border 1933 Scarlet River 1933 The Life of Vergie Winters 1934 Over at Mascot Pictures he supported John Wayne in a serial The Three Musketeers 1933 which was later re edited into a film entitled Desert Command 1946 I did every possible bit in pictures said Chaney later Had to do stuntwork to live I bulldogged steers fell off and got knocked off cliffs rode horses off precipices into rivers drove prairie schooners up and down hills 4 He had the lead in the independent film Sixteen Fathoms Deep 1934 and a memorable part in which his character sings in Girl o My Dreams 1934 at Monogram The last film he made as Creighton Chaney was The Marriage Bargain 1935 for Screencraft Productions After this point he was billed as Lon Chaney Jr until 1942 when he was usually billed at the insistence of Universal Studios with his iconic father s name although the Jr was usually added by others to distinguish the two As Lon Chaney Jr edit He had the lead in A Scream in the Night 1935 made for Commodore Pictures a crime thriller 5 He played small roles at Paramount Hold Em Yale 1935 Accent on Youth 1935 and Rose Bowl 1936 A small outfit Ray Kirkwood Productions gave him a lead The Shadow of Silk Lennox 1935 At Republic he featured alongside Gene Autry in The Singing Cowboy 1936 and The Old Corral 1937 He was a henchman in a serial for Republic Undersea Kingdom 1936 Universal got him to play a henchman in their serial Ace Drummond 1937 and he was uncredited in Columbia s Killer at Large 1936 He lent his name to a cafe which was embroiled in a liquor scandal 6 Chaney Jr was the main villain in a Tom Tyler B Western Cheyenne Rides Again 1937 and was in a serial Secret Agent X 9 1937 20th Century Fox edit Chaney Jr signed a contract at 20th Century Fox and appeared in Love Is News 1937 with Tyrone Power Midnight Taxi 1937 with Brian Donlevy That I May Live 1937 This Is My Affair 1937 with Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck Angel s Holiday 1937 Born Reckless 1937 with Brian Donlevy Wild and Woolly 1937 with Walter Brennan The Lady Escapes 1937 with Gloria Stuart Thin Ice 1937 with Tyrone Power One Mile from Heaven 1937 with Claire Trevor Charlie Chan on Broadway 1938 Life Begins in College 1937 with the Ritz Brothers Wife Doctor and Nurse 1937 with Loretta Young Second Honeymoon 1937 with Tyrone Power and Loretta Young Checkers 1937 Love and Hisses 1938 with Walter Winchell City Girl 1938 Happy Landing 1938 with Ethel Merman Sally Irene and Mary 1938 with Fred Allen and Jimmy Durante Mr Moto s Gamble 1938 with Peter Lorre Walking Down Broadway 1938 with Claire Trevor Alexander s Ragtime Band 1938 with Tyrone Power Josette 1938 with Don Ameche and Robert Young Speed to Burn 1938 with Lynn Bari Passport Husband 1938 Straight Place and Show 1938 with the Ritz Brothers John Ford s Submarine Patrol 1938 with Nancy Kelly and Road Demon 1939 He was almost killed by a train while filming a bank robbery scene in Jesse James 1939 7 Jesse James also coincidentally featured Henry Hull the star of Werewolf of London 1935 in a supporting role Chaney Jr later made Charlie Chan in City in Darkness 1939 with Lynn Bari and Frontier Marshal 1939 with Randolph Scott and Nancy Kelly Of Mice and Men 1939 edit Chaney Jr s only stage appearance had been as Lennie Small in a production of Of Mice and Men with Wallace Ford 8 He was cast in that role in the film Of Mice and Men 1939 which was produced by Hal Roach Studios The film was Chaney Jr s first major role in a film and was a critical success for him Chaney had a screen test for the role of Quasimodo for the remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1939 a role which his father played back in 1923 but the role went to Charles Laughton One Million B C edit Hal Roach used him in his third billed character role in One Million B C 1940 as Victor Mature s caveman father Chaney began to be viewed as a character actor in the mold of his father He had in fact designed a swarthy ape like Neanderthal make up on himself for the film but production decisions and union rules prevented his following through on emulating his father in that fashion Cecil B DeMille used him in a supporting role in North West Mounted Police 1940 and MGM used him in Billy the Kid 1941 with Robert Taylor as Billy and Brian Donlevy as Pat Garrett That studio considered putting Chaney Jr in a remake of his father s hit He Who Gets Slapped but decided not to make it 9 Universal Pictures edit Universal Pictures offered Chaney Jr the lead in Man Made Monster 1941 a science fiction horror thriller originally written with Boris Karloff in mind Chaney s first horror film it was successful enough for them to offer him a long term contract Universal kept him in supporting roles for a while a comedy Too Many Blondes 1941 a musical San Antonio Rose 1941 with Shemp Howard a serial Riders of Death Valley 1941 featuring Noah Beery Jr the Western Badlands of Dakota 1941 and the Northern North to the Klondike 1942 with Broderick Crawford Horror film star The Wolf Man The Mummy Inner Sanctum edit nbsp Chaney Jr as The Wolf Man 1941 nbsp Evelyn Ankers in The Wolf Man nbsp Chaney Jr Evelyn Ankers and Bela Lugosi in The Ghost of Frankenstein 1942 nbsp Patric Knowles Chaney Jr and Doris Lloyd in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man 1943 nbsp Chaney Jr as the Mummy in The Mummy s Ghost 1944 nbsp Chaney Jr as the Mummy in The Mummy s Ghost 1944 Chaney Jr was then given the title role in The Wolf Man 1941 for Universal a role which much like Karloff s Frankenstein monster would largely typecast Chaney as a horror film actor for the rest of his life Universal dropped the Jr and billed him as Lon Chaney going forward within that studio apparently to foster confusion with his father among audiences Chaney Jr was now an official horror star and Universal gave him the role of Frankenstein s monster in The Ghost of Frankenstein 1942 the first B movie of the series when Boris Karloff decided not to play the part again Bela Lugosi returned in his role as Ygor and the leading lady was Evelyn Ankers He was in a crime film Eyes of the Underworld 1942 and the wartime shorts Keeping Fit 1942 and What We Are Fighting For 1943 Chaney Jr played Kharis the Mummy in The Mummy s Tomb 1942 another hit He was in a Western Frontier Badmen 1943 then reprised his role as the Wolf Man in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man 1943 with Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein s monster The film was originally filmed with the Monster being blind but also speaking in Lugosi s distinctive Ygor voice but the studio cut out all references to either so that audiences were left wondering why the Monster staggered around with his arms extended in front of him not to mention why he had lost the ability to speak since Ghost of Frankenstein grievously damaging Lugosi s reputation Chaney Jr was given the role of Dracula in Son of Dracula 1943 the film was actually about Dracula himself who had no son in the film This made him the only actor to portray all four of Universal s major horror characters the Wolf Man Frankenstein s monster the Mummy and Count Dracula After a cameo in Crazy House 1943 he was given the lead in Calling Dr Death 1943 based on the Inner Sanctum mysteries It kicked off another series starring Chaney the first of which was Weird Woman 1944 He made a second mummy movie The Mummy s Ghost 1944 and had a support part in Cobra Woman 1944 starring Maria Montez and Ghost Catchers 1944 with the comedy team Olsen and Johnson Dead Man s Eyes 1944 was the third Inner Sanctum after which he was back as the Wolf Man in House of Frankenstein 1944 The Mummy s Curse 1944 was Chaney s third and final appearance as Kharis He played an antagonist in the Abbott and Costello comedy Here Come the Co Eds 1945 then made more Inner Sanctums The Frozen Ghost 1945 with Evelyn Ankers and Strange Confession 1945 with Brenda Joyce He returned as the Wolf Man in House of Dracula 1945 one of the last of the Universal horror cycle Pillow of Death 1945 was the last Inner Sanctum The Daltons Ride Again 1945 was a Western featuring Noah Beery Jr in a supporting role Leaving Universal edit Despite being typecast as the Wolf Man the 6 foot 2 inch 220 pound actor managed to carve out a secondary niche as a supporting actor and villain He was in a Bob Hope comedy My Favorite Brunette 1947 supported Randolph Scott in Albuquerque 1948 and had a support in The Counterfeiters 1948 and played a villain in 16 Fathoms Deep 1948 for Monogram Pictures a remake of his 1934 film He reprised his Wolf Man role to great effect in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein 1948 but it did not cause a notable boost to his career In April 1948 Chaney was hospitalized after taking an overdose of sleeping pills 10 He recovered and played Harry Brock in a Los Angeles theatre production of Born Yesterday in 1949 11 Chaney kept busy in support roles Captain China 1950 Once a Thief 1950 Inside Straight 1951 Bride of the Gorilla 1951 Only the Valiant 1951 Behave Yourself 1951 Flame of Araby 1952 The Bushwackers 1952 Thief of Damascus 1952 Battles of Chief Pontiac 1952 in the title role High Noon 1952 Springfield Rifle 1952 The Black Castle 1952 a return to horror Raiders of the Seven Seas 1953 A Lion Is in the Streets 1953 with James Cagney The Boy from Oklahoma 1954 Casanova s Big Night 1954 Passion 1954 The Black Pirates 1954 Jivaro 1955 Big House U S A 1955 I Died a Thousand Times 1955 The Indian Fighter 1955 and The Black Sleep 1956 He had a leading role in Indestructible Man 1956 then was back to support parts Manfish 1956 a Martin and Lewis comedy Pardners 1956 Daniel Boone Trail Blazer 1957 The Cyclops 1957 and The Alligator People 1959 Chaney established himself as a favorite of producer Stanley Kramer in addition to playing a key supporting role in High Noon 1952 starring Gary Cooper he also appeared in Not as a Stranger 1955 a hospital melodrama featuring Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra and The Defiant Ones 1958 starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier Kramer told the press at the time that whenever a script came in with a role too difficult for most actors in Hollywood he called Chaney He became quite popular with baby boomers after Universal released its back catalog of horror films to television in 1957 Shock Theater and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine regularly focused on his films In 1957 Chaney went to Ontario Canada to costar in the first ever American Canadian television production as Chingachgook in Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans suggested by James Fenimore Cooper s stories The series ended after 39 episodes Universal released their film biography of his father Man of a Thousand Faces 1957 featuring a semi fictionalized version of Creighton s life story from his birth up until his father s death Roger Smith was cast as Creighton as a young adult He appeared in an episode of the western series Tombstone Territory titled The Black Marshal from Deadwood 1958 and appeared in numerous western series such as Rawhide He also hosted the 13 episode television anthology series 13 Demon Street in 1959 which was created by Curt Siodmak nbsp Chaney Jr in Money Women and Guns 1958 nbsp Chaney Jr in Dracula vs Frankenstein 1971 1960s edit In the 1960s Chaney specialised in horror films such as House of Terror 1960 The Devil s Messenger 1961 and The Haunted Palace 1963 replacing Boris Karloff in the last of those for Roger Corman He was in a Western Law of the Lawless 1963 with Dale Robertson Face of the Screaming Werewolf 1964 Witchcraft 1964 and Stage to Thunder Rock 1964 He starred in Jack Hill s Spider Baby which was made in 1964 but not released until 1968 and would not attain notoriety until after Chaney s death 12 Then it was back to Westerns Young Fury 1965 Black Spurs 1965 Town Tamer 1966 Johnny Reno 1967 Apache Uprising 1967 Welcome to Hard Times 1967 and Buckskin 1968 There was also horror such as Dr Terror s Gallery of Horrors 1967 and Hillbillys in a Haunted House 1967 His bread and butter work during this decade was television where he made guest appearances on everything from Wagon Train to The Monkees and in a string of supporting roles in low budget Westerns produced by A C Lyles for Paramount In 1962 Chaney gained a chance to briefly play Quasimodo in a simulacrum of his father s make up as well as return to his roles of the Mummy and the Wolf Man on the television series Route 66 with friends Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre Karloff wore a quickie version of the Frankenstein monster make up toward the end of the episode Final films edit In later years he suffered from throat cancer and chronic heart disease among other ailments after decades of heavy drinking and smoking In his final horror film Dracula vs Frankenstein 1971 directed by Al Adamson he played Groton Dr Frankenstein s mute henchman He filmed his part in the spring of 1969 and shortly thereafter performed his final film role also for Adamson in 1969 in The Female Bunch 13 Chaney had lines in The Female Bunch but his hoarse raspy voice was virtually unrecognizable Due to illness he retired from acting to concentrate on a book about the Chaney family legacy A Century of Chaneys which remains to date unpublished in any form As of 2008 update his grandson Ron Chaney Jr was working on completing this project 14 Personal life editChaney was married twice He had two sons by his first wife Dorothy Lon Ralph Chaney July 3 1928 May 5 1992 and Ronald Creighton Chaney March 18 1930 December 15 1987 Dorothy divorced him in 1936 for drinking too much and being sullen 15 He married Patsy Beck in 1937 Chaney was well liked by some co workers sweet is the adjective that most commonly emerges from those who acted with and liked him yet he was capable of intense dislikes For instance he and frequent co star Evelyn Ankers did not get along at all He was also known to befriend younger actors and stand up for older ones whom he felt were belittled by the studios One example was William Farnum a major silent star who played a small role in The Mummy s Curse According to co star Peter Coe Chaney demanded that Farnum be given his own chair on the set and be treated with respect or else he would walk off the picture citation needed Chaney had run ins with actor Frank Reicher whom he nearly strangled on camera in The Mummy s Ghost and director Robert Siodmak over whose head Chaney broke a vase 16 Actor Robert Stack claimed in his 1980 autobiography that Chaney and drinking buddy Broderick Crawford were known as the monsters around the Universal Pictures lot because of their drunken behavior that frequently resulted in bloodshed 17 Honors edit In 1999 a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs California Walk of Stars was dedicated to him 18 Death editChaney suffered from a series of illnesses in the year prior to his death In April 1973 he was released from the hospital after undergoing surgery for cataracts and treatment for beriberi He also suffered from liver problems and gout Chaney died on July 12 1973 in San Clemente California at the age of 67 His cause of death was not immediately released to the public 1 Chaney s death certificate listed his cause of death as cardiac failure due to arteriosclerotic heart disease and cardiomyopathy 19 He was honored by appearing as the Wolf Man on one of a 1997 series of United States postage stamps depicting movie monsters his father appeared as the Phantom of the Opera while Bela Lugosi appeared as Dracula and Boris Karloff had two stamps as Frankenstein s monster and the original Mummy His grandson Ron Chaney Jr has appeared frequently as a guest at horror movie conventions 20 21 Filmography editThis is a list of known Lon Chaney Jr theatrical films Television appearances are listed separately Year Film Role Director Notes1922 The Trap The boy s hands Robert Thornby Only Chaney Jr s hands were shown in this silent film 22 1931 The Galloping Ghost Henchman Benjamin H Kline Uncredited unverified 12 chapter serial 23 1932 Girl Crazy A chorus dancer William A Seiter Wheeler and Woolsey comedy 24 1932 Bird of Paradise Thornton King Vidor1932 The Last Frontier Tom Kirby aka The Black Ghost Thomas Storey 12 chapter serial also released as a 70 minute feature version called The Black Ghost 25 1933 Lucky Devils Frankie Wilde Ralph Ince starring William Boyd 26 1933 Scarlet River Jeff Todd Otto Brower starring Tom Keene 27 1933 The Three Musketeers Armand Corday Chs 1 10 Armand Schaefer Colbert Clark 12 chapter serial starring John Wayne later edited into a feature version Desert Command 1946 28 1933 Son of the Border Jack Breen Lloyd Nosler starring Tom Keene1934 Sixteen Fathoms Deep Joe Bethel Armand Schaefer1934 The Life of Vergie Winters Hugo McQueen Alfred Santell1934 Girl o My Dreams Don Cooper Ray McCarey Based on a David Belasco play 29 Chaney sings a song1935 The Marriage Bargain Bob Gordon Albert Ray1935 Captain Hurricane Helen s brother Dave Charles Kerr Uncredited1935 Hold Em Yale Yale football player Sidney Lanfield Uncredited based on a story by Damon Runyon 30 1935 Accent on Youth Chuck Wesley Ruggles1935 The Shadow of Silk Lennox Silk Lennox Ray Kirkwood Jack Nelson later re released as Case of the Crime Cartel 31 1935 A Scream in the Night Jack Wilson Butch Curtain Fred C Newmeyer Chaney played two different characters in this film 32 1936 The Singing Cowboy Martin Mack V Wright starring Gene Autry 33 1936 Undersea Kingdom Hakur Joseph Kane Reeves Eason 12 chapter serial starring Ray Corrigan 34 1936 Ace Drummond Henchman Ivan Ford Beebe Clifford Smith 13 chapter serial1936 Killer at Large Wax museum guard David Selman Uncredited1936 Rose Bowl Sierra Football Player Charles Barton Uncredited1936 The Old Corral Simms partner Joseph Kane starring Gene Autry1937 Cheyenne Rides Again Girard Robert F Hill1937 Love Is News Newsman Tay Garnett Uncredited1937 Thin Ice American Reporter Sidney Lanfield Uncredited1937 Midnight Taxi Detective Erickson Eugene Forde1937 Secret Agent X 9 Maroni Clifford Smith 12 chapter serial based on the Alex Raymond comic strip 35 1937 That I May Live Engineer Allan Dwan Uncredited1937 This Is My Affair Federal Agent in Baltimore Bank William A Seiter Uncredited co starring John Carradine 36 1937 Angel s Holiday Eddie James Tinling1937 Slave Ship Laborer killed at launching Tay Garnett Uncredited1937 Born Reckless Garage mechanic Malcolm St Clair Uncredited1937 Wild and Woolly Dutch Alfred L Werker1937 The Lady Escapes Reporter bit part Eugene Forde Uncredited1937 One Mile From Heaven Policeman bit part Allan Dwan Uncredited1937 Wife Doctor and Nurse Scott the chauffeur Walter Lang1937 Charlie Chan on Broadway Desk reporter Eugene Forde Uncredited starring Warner Oland 37 1937 Life Begins in College Gilks William A Seiter Ritz Brothers comedy 38 1937 Second Honeymoon Reporter Walter Lang Uncredited1937 Checkers Man at racetrack H Bruce Humberstone Uncredited1937 Love and Hisses Attendant Sidney Lanfield Uncredited1938 City Girl Gangster Alfred L Werker Uncredited1938 Happy Landing Newspaper Reporter Roy Del Ruth Uncredited1938 Sally Irene and Mary Policeman with Club Edmund Goulding Uncredited1938 Walking Down Broadway Delivery Man Norman Foster Uncredited1938 Mr Moto s Gamble Joey James Tinling starring Peter Lorre 39 1938 Alexander s Ragtime Band Photographer on Stage Henry King Uncredited1938 Josette Boatman Allan Dwan1938 Speed to Burn Racetrack Mug Otto Brower1938 Passport Husband Bull James Tinling1938 Straight Place and Show Martin the chauffeur David Butler Uncredited a Ritz Brothers comedy 40 1938 Submarine Patrol Sailor John Ford Uncredited co starred John Carradine 41 1938 Road Demon Bud Casey a racketeer Otto Brower1939 Jesse James one of Jesse James henchmen Henry King co starring Henry Fonda and John Carradine 42 1939 Union Pacific bearded train passenger Cecil B DeMille starring Barbara Stanwyck1939 Frontier Marshal Pringle Allan Dwan co starring John Carradine 43 1939 Charlie Chan in City in Darkness Pierre Herbert I Leeds starring Sidney Toler 44 1939 Of Mice and Men Lennie Small Lewis Milestone Based on the John Steinbeck novel 45 1940 One Million B C Akhoba a cave man Hal Roach Jr D W Griffith1940 North West Mounted Police Shorty Cecil B DeMille1941 Man Made Monster Dan McCormick George Waggner co starring Lionel Atwill 46 1941 Too Many Blondes Marvin Gimble Thornton Freeland1941 Billy the Kid Spike Hudson David Miller starring Robert Taylor 47 1941 San Antonio Rose Jigsaw Kennedy Charles Lamont1941 Riders of Death Valley Henchman Butch Ray Taylor 15 chapter serial co starring Glenn Strange 48 1941 Badlands of Dakota Jack McCall Alfred E Green co starring Broderick Crawford 49 1941 The Wolf Man Lawrence Talbot the Wolf Man George Waggner co starring Bela Lugosi and Claude Rains 50 1941 North to the Klondike Nate Carson Erle C Kenton from a story by William Castle 51 1942 The Ghost of Frankenstein The Monster Erle C Kenton co starring Bela Lugosi and Lionel Atwill 52 1942 Overland Mail Jim Lane Ford Beebe John Rawlins 15 chapter serial 53 1942 Eyes of the Underworld Benny Roy William Neill re released in 1951 as Criminals of the Underworld 54 1942 The Mummy s Tomb Kharis the Mummy Harold Young1942 Keeping Fit Chaney plays himself Arthur Lubin Universal short subject co starring Broderick Crawford 55 1943 Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Lawrence Talbot Roy William Neill co starring Bela Lugosi 56 1943 What We Are Fighting For Bill Wallace Erle C Kenton Universal short subject1943 Frontier Badmen Chango Ford Beebe1943 Crazy House Chaney plays himself Edward F Cline Uncredited an Olsen and Johnson comedy co starring Basil Rathbone 57 1943 Son of Dracula Count Alucard Dracula Robert Siodmak1943 Calling Dr Death Dr Mark Steele Reginald LeBorg1944 Weird Woman Prof Norman Reed Reginald Le Borg Based on the Fritz Leiber novel Conjure Wife 58 1944 Follow the Boys Chaney plays himself A Edward Sutherland Uncredited1944 Cobra Woman Hava Robert Siodmak shot in Technicolor 59 1944 Ghost Catchers Bear Edward F Cline Olsen and Johnson comedy1944 The Mummy s Ghost Kharis the Mummy Reginald Le Borg co starring John Carradine 60 1944 Dead Man s Eyes Dave Stuart Reginald Le Borg1944 House of Frankenstein Lawrence Talbot the Wolf Man Erle C Kenton co starring John Carradine and Boris Karloff 61 1944 The Mummy s Curse Kharis the Mummy Leslie Goodwins1945 Here Come The Co Eds Johnson Jean Yarbrough starring Abbott and Costello 62 1945 The Frozen Ghost Alex Gregor Gregor the Great Harold Young1945 Strange Confession Jeff Carter John Hoffman1945 The Daltons Ride Again Grat Dalton Ray Taylor1945 House of Dracula Lawrence Talbot The Wolf Man Erle C Kenton1945 Pillow of Death Wayne Fletcher Wallace Fox1947 Laguna U S A Chaney plays himself doing Lennie 10 minute Columbia short subject1947 My Favorite Brunette Willie Elliott Nugent co starring Bob Hope and Peter Lorre 63 1948 Albuquerque Steve Murkill Ray Enright1948 The Counterfeiters Louie Struber Sam Newfield1948 Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Lawrence Talbot Charles Barton co starring Bela Lugosi and Glenn Strange 64 1948 16 Fathoms Deep Mr Demitri Irving Allen1950 There s a Girl in My Heart John Colton Arthur Dreifuss1950 Captain China Red Lynch Lewis R Foster1950 Once a Thief Gus W Lee Wilder1951 Inside Straight Shocker Ninkovitch Gerald Mayer1951 Only the Valiant Trooper Kebussyan Gordon Douglas1951 Behave Yourself Pinky George Beck1951 The Bushwhackers Artemus Taylor Rod Amateau1951 Bride of the Gorilla Police Commissioner Taro Curt Siodmak1951 Flame of Araby Borka Barbarossa Charles Lamont1952 Thief of Damascus Sinbad Will Jason filmed in Technicolor1952 High Noon Martin Howe Fred Zinnemann1952 Springfield Rifle Pete Elm Andre de Toth1952 The Black Castle Gargon Nathan H Juran co starring Boris Karloff 65 1952 Battles of Chief Pontiac Chief Pontiac Felix E Feist1953 Bandit Island Kip Robert L Lippert Jr 25 minute novelty short filmed in 3 D later released in 2 D as The Big Chase 66 1953 Raiders of the Seven Seas Peg Leg Sidney Salkow1953 A Lion Is in the Streets Spurge McManamee Raoul Walsh1954 Jivaro Pedro Martines Edward Ludwig filmed in 3 D1954 The Boy from Oklahoma Crazy Charlie Michael Curtiz1954 Casanova s Big Night Emo Norman Z McLeod1954 The Big Chase Kip Arthur Hilton1954 Passion Castro Allan Dwan1954 The Black Pirates Padre Felipe Allen H Miner1955 Big House U S A Alamo Smith Howard W Koch co starring Broderick Crawford and Charles Bronson 67 1955 The Silver Star John Harmon Richard Bartlett1955 Not as a Stranger Job Marsh Stanley Kramer co starring Broderick Crawford1955 I Died a Thousand Times Big Mac Stuart Heisler1955 The Indian Fighter Chivington Andre de Toth starring Kirk Douglas1956 Manfish Swede W Lee Wilder Based on Edgar Allan Poe s The Gold Bug 68 1956 Indestructible Man Charles Butcher Benton Jack Pollexfen1956 The Black Sleep Mungo Reginald Le Borg co starring Bela Lugosi and John Carradine 69 1956 Pardners Whitey Norman Taurog starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis 70 1956 Daniel Boone Trail Blazer Chief Blackfish Albert Gannaway Ismael Rodriguez1957 The Cyclops Martin Marty Melville Bert I Gordon1958b The Defiant Ones Big Sam Stanley Kramer1958 Money Women and Guns Art Birdwell Richard Bartlett1959 The Alligator People Manon Roy Del Ruth1960 House of Terror Chaney plays A Mummy and a Werewolf Gilberto Martinez Solares this Mexican film was later re edited into a 1964 film called Face of the Screaming Werewolf 71 1961 Rebellion in Cuba Gordo Albert C Gannaway1961 The Phantom Jed unsold pilot for a TV series1962 The Devil s Messenger Satan Herbert L Strock This film was re edited from various episodes of a 1959 TV show called 13 Demon Street 72 1963 The Haunted Palace Simon Orne Roger Corman starred Vincent Price based on an H P Lovecraft novel 73 1964 Law of the Lawless Tiny William F Claxton1964 Witchcraft Morgan Whitlock Don Sharp1964 Stage to Thunder Rock Harry Parker William F Claxton first of 8 westerns Chaney made for A C Lyles1964 Face of the Screaming Werewolf A mummy werewolf Jerry Warren this film was re edited from a 1960 Mexican film called La Casa del Terror 74 1965 Young Fury Bartender Christian Nyby1965 Black Spurs Gus Kile R G Springsteen1965 Town Tamer Mayor Charlie Leach Lesley Selander1965 Apache Uprising Charlie Russell R G Springsteen1965 House of the Black Death Belial Desard a warlock Jerry Warren Re released later as Blood of the Man Devil co starring John Carradine 75 1966 Johnny Reno Sheriff Hodges R G Springsteen1967 Dr Terror s Gallery of Horrors Dr Mendel David L Hewitt later retitled Return From the Past for TV co starring John Carradine1967 The Far Out West Chief Eagle Shadow in archive footage1967 Hillbillys in a Haunted House Maximillian Jean Yarbrough co starring John Carradine and Basil Rathbone 76 1967 Welcome to Hard Times Avery the bartender Burt Kennedy1968 Spider Baby Bruno Jack Hill later re released as The Liver Eaters1968 Buckskin Sheriff Tangley Michael D Moore1968 Fireball Jungle Sammy Jose Priete1970 A Stranger in Town Doc Whitaker Earl J Miller Made for Educational TV movie later retitled The Children s West1971 The Female Bunch Monty Al Adamson John Cardos1971 Dracula vs Frankenstein Groton the zombie Al Adamson co starring J Carrol Naish 77 Selected television appearances editVersatile Varieties 1949 1950 The Red Skelton Show five episodes 1954 1959 Studio 57 as Jubal Pickett in The Ballad of Jubal Pickett 1955 Telephone Time as Jules Samenian in The Golden Junkman Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans 1957 Chaney was a regular on this television series portraying the role of Chingachgook Along the Mohawk Trail 1957 The Redmen and the Renegades 1957 The Pathfinder and the Mohican 1957 Tombstone Territory as Marshal Daggett in The Black Marshal from Deadwood 1958 Rawhide as Jesse Childress in Incident on the Edge of Madness 1959 and as Rock in Incident at Spider Rock 1963 The Texan as Wylie Ames in No Love Wasted 1959 General Electric Theater as Bucknell in The Family Man 1959 13 Demon Street host of horror anthology series 1959 Border Patrol as a racketeer in The Homecoming 1959 Wanted Dead or Alive as Sheriff Lon Paulson in The Empty Cell 1959 The Rough Riders as Ben Pa Hawkins in An Eye for an Eye 1959 Have Gun Will Travel two episodes 1959 and 1963 Johnny Ringo as Ben Rafferty in The Raffertys 1960 Lock Up one episode Wagon Train two episodes 1960 1961 Bat Masterson as Rance Fletcher in Bat Trap 1961 The Deputy as Tom Arnold in Brother in Arms 1961 Klondike as Macfin in The Hostages 1961 Stagecoach West as Ben Wait in Not in Our Stars 1961 Dick Powell s Zane Grey Theater as Michael Peters in A Warm Day in Heaven 1961 Surfside 6 as Tank Grosch in Witness for the Defense 1961 Route 66 three episodes 1961 1963 Lawman as Jess Bridges in The Tarnished Badge 1962 The Rifleman as Charlie Gordo in Gunfire 1962 Empire as Bart Howe in Hidden Asset 1963 Pistols n Petticoats as Chief Eagle Shadow four episodes 1966 1967 The Monkees as Lenny in Monkees in a Ghost Town 1966 Select radio credits editInner Sanctum Ring of Doom 1943 78 The Abbott and Costello Show June 2 1948 References edit a b Lon Chaney Jr Actor Is Dead at 67 The New York Times Associated Press July 14 1973 p 28 Retrieved May 22 2021 Rogers Ricky Wolf Man actor tells Nashville readers he was born dead The Tennessean Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Frederick James July 28 1940 Filler of Father s Footwear Los Angeles Times p J6 Schallert Edwin September 7 1935 Mary Pickford Considers Leading Drive to Produce Pictures in England British Films Would Use American Actors Cycle of Kipling Stories Looms Both Here and Abroad Lon Chaney Jr Follows in Noted Parent s Footsteps Los Angeles Times p 5 Cash Given to Werners Says Witness at Hearing Board Vote Boast Cited by Woman Owner of Cafe Takes Stand Weinblatt Asked 1000 in Liquor License Renewal She Testifies Los Angeles Times June 18 1936 p 1 Lon Chaney Jr Escapes Injury The Washington Post October 20 1938 p X7 Chaney Jr Nixes Horror Make ups Los Angeles Times January 15 1940 p 9 Schallert Edwin January 4 1941 Young Chaney May Do He Who Gets Slapped Preston Night Star Fellows Subject Named Warners Sign Darwell Ink Spots Faye Cast Bellamy Set for Comedy Los Angeles Times p A9 Lon Chaney Jr Takes Too Many Sleeping Pills Los Angeles Times April 23 1948 p 1 Scheuer Philip K January 18 1949 Kanin s Born Yesterday Well Acted at Biltmore Los Angeles Times p A7 Hallenbeck Bruce G 2009 Comedy Horror Films A Chronological History 1914 2008 McFarland amp Company pp 86 87 ISBN 9780786453788 Weldon Michael 1983 The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film Ballantine Books ISBN 0 345 34345 X Page 235 Interview with Ron Chaney including references to Lon s book Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved December 23 2008 Lon Chaney Jr Is Sued for Divorce Wed 10 Years Chicago Daily Tribune June 26 1936 p 23 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr Horror Film Star Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Co p 91 ISBN 978 0786418138 Stack Robert 1980 Straight Shooting New York City Macmillan Publishing p 64 ISBN 9780026133203 Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated Archived 2012 10 13 at the Wayback Machine Cumuseumofterror com Archived October 19 2007 at the Wayback Machine Vest Jason Vest Jason May 31 1993 MEETING THE CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Retrieved May 7 2017 Monster Bash It s a Graveyard Smash Geek Pittsburgh Retrieved May 7 2017 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Stedman Raymond William 1971 Serials Suspense and Drama By Installment University of Oklahoma Press ISBN 978 0 8061 0927 5 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 https creepyclassics com last frontier the 1932 alpha dvd Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 202 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 202 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 202 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 202 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 203 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 203 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 204 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 205 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 205 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 205 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 206 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 206 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 206 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 206 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 206 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 207 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 207 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 207 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 207 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 208 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 208 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 https www tcm com tcmdb title 71144 cobra woman film details Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 209 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 209 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 201 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 211 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 211 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 212 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 213 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 213 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 213 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 212 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 214 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 214 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 214 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 214 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 215 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Smith Don G 1996 Lon Chaney Jr McFarland amp Co Inc Pg 216 ISBN 0 7864 0120 6 Lon Chaney Jr On Air Chicago Daily Tribune April 4 1943 p W6 Biography editLon Chaney Jr Horror Film Star 1906 1973 1996 ISBN 0 7864 1813 3External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lon Chaney Jr Official website from Chaney Entertainment Lon Chaney Jr at IMDb Lon Chaney Jr at AllMovie Lon Chaney Jr Informative Biograph Chaney Jr Applications of Make Up Through the 1940s 1960s Additional Information on Chaney s Career Chaney Lon Jr Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lon Chaney Jr amp oldid 1186839826, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.