Bela Lugosi

Born Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó in Lugoj, Hungary (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), Lugosi embarked on a stage career before fleeing political persecution and eventually landing in Hollywood. His definitive portrayal of Count Dracula in the 1931 film made him an icon, but also a prisoner of the role, leading to a career largely defined by horror films and B-movies.

Despite a name that sounds vaguely Yiddish to the untrained ear, and coming from a region with a significant Jewish population, Lugosi himself was not Jewish by birth or practice. He was, in fact, Catholic, meaning his "Jew or Not Jew" score for both identity and origin remains firmly at zero.

Lugosi’s later life was marred by financial troubles and drug addiction, a far cry from the aristocratic villain he famously played. While his groundbreaking Dracula performance is undeniably kvell-worthy, the subsequent career decline and personal struggles temper the nachas. Still, without him, modern vampires would likely be far less charming, and for that, we owe him a bloodsucking debt of gratitude.