Frightfully Fun Friday

Red Death scene from 1925 film of Phantom Of The Opera with Lon Chaney Sr.

Welcome to Ruby's Musings Frightfully Fun Friday! As I mentioned in Tuesday's post, being a huge fan of all things Fall, Halloween, all things spooky I plan to devote a bulk of my posts this month to the subject through photos, movie clips, and as we get closer to the all hallows eve, some ghost stories. Friday's will be dedicated to a few of my all time favorite spooktacular films and actors. Today, Lon Chaney senior. 

Leonidas Frank Chaney 1883-1930

"Although his parents were deaf-mutes, Leonidas Chaney became an actor and also owner of a theater company (together with his brother John). He made his debut at the movies in 1912, and his filmography is vast. Lon Chaney was especially famous for his horror parts in movies like e.g. Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923/I). Due to his special make-up effects he carried the characterization to be "the man with the thousand faces." He only filmed one movie with sound: The remake of one of his earlier films The Unholy Three (1930)." via

My favorite movie of Lon Chaney Sr. is of course the 1925 version of Phantom Of The Opera *see full length film here. I love it for the simple fact that Chaney has a wonderful quality of drawing you in, and making you feel compassion for him, and though when the mask is taken off and the horrific visuals of his face are reviled, once the shock wears off, you still on so many levels cheer him on and hope he gets the girl. 

The was a few more movies that he made that of course I have watched over and over and even one or two that I have just discovered while doing this blog...can hardly wait to settle in with pop corn, curtains drawn and settle in for a good old fashioned fright session. Find full list HERE.

In London After Midnight via

In Mockrey

Hunchback of Notre Dame

Of course how can I leave out the fact that it is rumored that he still haunts Studio 28 at Universal Studios here in California, and there has been many sightings over the years!

"Visitors and employees to Stage 28 have long maintained that it is haunted. For years, there have been sightings by electricians, designers, carpenters, art directors and security guards of a man in a black cape who seems to come and go without warning. Those who have gotten more than just a glimpse of him say that the cloaked man is Lon Chaney himself.

In addition to studio employees, many visitors who do not know the history of Stage 28 have reported the man in the black cape. He is often seen running on the catwalks overhead. Even security guards who have laughed off the idea of a resident ghost, admit to being “spooked” by lights that turn on and off by themselves and by doors that open and close on the empty stage at night.

Could Lon Chaney still be making his presence known on Stage 28, the scene of his greatest screen triumph? Who knows? Regardless, Stage 28 has become the place of legend on the Universal lot."

Final resting place is at Forest Lawn , but it remains unmarked...perhaps that is why he roams Studio 28, so not only to be seen, but to be remembered.