1920
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He entered a stage career in 1902, and began traveling with popular vaudeville and theater acts. In 1905, Chaney, then 22, met and married 16-year-old singer Cleva Creighton (Frances Cleveland Creighton) and in 1906, their only child, a son, Creighton Tull Chaney (later known as Lon Chaney Jr.) was born.
IMDb profile of Lon Chaney, a famous actor and makeup artist of the silent era. Learn about his life, career, family, and legacy in the horror genre.
- January 1, 1
- Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
- January 1, 1
- Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Sep 14, 2021 · Learn about the life and career of Lon Chaney, the silent era actor who created iconic roles with his makeup and expression. Discover how he became the "Man of a Thousand Faces" and died of cancer at 47.
- William J. Wright
Jun 5, 2024 · Lon Chaney, American film actor whose versatility and moving performances in even the most macabre roles are classics of the silent screen. He is perhaps best known for his performances in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925).
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Chaney was extremely private. Born to Deaf parents in 1883, it is said Chaney had a unique ability for non-verbal communication, which allowed him to fully inhabit his characters – especially in the silent era.
- Chaney wrote the Encyclopedia Britannica entry on “makeup.” In contrast to many of the other silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton who perfected their consistent on-screen personas, Chaney’s career was one of continual transformation.
- Chaney was co-stars with Joan Crawford. Actress Joan Crawford spoke highly of her time with Chaney, citing him as an influence for her film career and calling him “the most intense, exciting individual” she’d ever met.
- Chaney believed his characters could find redemption. It is said that Chaney’s upbringing made him sensitive to the experiences of “outsiders.” Early horror movies experimented with non-formative figures, reminiscent of many of the disabled and wounded veterans who had returned from World War I. David J. Skal, a biographer of Tod Browning (one of Chaney’s collaborators), noted that many of these films captured the feeling of powerlessness created by the national trauma of the war and subsequently the Great Depression, likely exacerbated by the growing Eugenics Movement.
Lon Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor during the age of silent films. He is regarded as one of cinema's most versatile and powerful actors, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, sometimes grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. [1]
Learn about the legacy of Lon Chaney, the original Man of a Thousand Faces, and his son Lon Chaney Jr., a Hollywood star in his own right. Explore the Chaney Store for rare items and past events.
