Cleva creighton biography definition

ByWilliam J. Wright

Although the genesis of horror cinema lies in the German Expressionist classics Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the golden age of the genre as an American phenomenon begins in 1925 with the appearance of the first universally recognized movie monster, the Phantom of the Opera.

The man behind the iconic makeup was horror's first superstar, Lon Chaney. Already well-established as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" prior to The Phantom of the Opera's release, Chaney's skills as a makeup artist combined with his mastery of physical expression made him not only the silent era's most important character actor but the prime influence on the development of cinematic special effects.

Advertisement

Despite Chaney's popularity and enduring influence, he remains a mystery.

A private artist who, in Hollywood's classic age ballyhoo, avoided the public eye, Lon Chaney preferred t Biography of Lon Chaney, Jr. - Oklahoma County, OK DIME