We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

1931 Dracula Bela Lugosi Signed Sketch Personal Gift to Friends w Original 1944 Return of the Vampire Still Death Scene

Hi All,

Here is a 1931 sketch of Bela Lugosi as Dracula by an artist whose name escapes me at the moment. He was well known for doing these sketches. I have his name with the autographed print. Bela commissioned this portrait soon after the film and had these printed on heavy card stock. He would then sign them as gifts for close friends. This example is in Excellent condition, with a bold blue early 1930's Lugosi signature in fountain pen.

The creepy thing about this drawing is that if you look, Lugosi can be seen looking both to his upper right and upper left - when you"see" this, his eyes appear to swivel! I do not believe this has been written about before, despite being a well known piece.

Beneath this is an original still from 1944's Return on the Vampire, which many consider to be the unofficial sequel to the original, and the still depicts Lugosi's final death scene as the vampire. It is a stunning image.

I hope you enjoy them!

Click for large images.

3 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 4, 2023 at 2:30pm

Very cool piece, Eric. That ending scene in that Dracula movie with all that rubble. Stuck in my mind since I was a little kid.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 4, 2023 at 2:48pm

Thank you Christoper :-)

Yes, that scene is a ...killer! That film really captured the look of an actual Universal film too, on a low budget.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 4, 2023 at 2:52pm

Those early movies like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, etc., are the best.

The Invisible Man made in 1933 was magic to me.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 4, 2023 at 2:56pm

To quote Martin Landau as Lugosi in Ed Wood speaking of those films..."They were mythic. They had a poetry to them. Today (1956), everything is giant bugs! Giant spiders, giant grasshoppers - who would believe such nonsense?"

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 4, 2023 at 3:01pm

That's good, Eric!!!

BTW, I love those "giant bugs and giant spiders."

Martin Landau was a terrific actor who had a long career. He had a ton of great parts, but one of favorites of his was the movie "Crimes And Misdemeanors."

Martin "Rollin Hand" Landau never disappointed.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 4, 2023 at 3:09pm

Mo too - Tarantula, THEM!, and I don't recall the titles but there was a giant scorpion and also that preying mantis. Those were great fun on a Saturday morning, or a Thursday evening!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 4, 2023 at 3:10pm

PS - For me one of Landau's best roles was among his last - see Remember with Chris Plummer. It is simply incredible. The ending is superb.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 4, 2023 at 3:16pm

Oh yes!!!

Can't say enough about Christopher Plummer.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on September 4, 2023 at 3:18pm

Speaking of the movie "Remember." Remember The Odessa File.

Permalink Reply by Garrett Meadows on September 4, 2023 at 3:21pm

My late father said Dracula scared the pants off him when he was a kid.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on September 4, 2023 at 3:25pm

I'm not surprised! My mom always told me that Christopher Lee in 1957 scared her very much. I'm not big into the Hammer films although I certainly saw my share growing up in the 70's. My father met Lugosi and Karloff on the same day at an appearance pushing a film on Jamaica Avenue in NY. I met Lugosi Jr and Karloff's daughter on the same day in 1995 at Chiller in NJ.