Béla “Dracula” Lugosi has been my biggest journal asset since I discovered him in autumn 2020, and this continues to be so. My aha moment came by chance when I was searching for a possible Hungarian Halloween-themed story whilst writing for the Budapest Times. This first of my many Dracula articles eventually attracted clicks by the thousands and duly became my prized online story ever since – as well as a repeat annual Halloween event. But what’s important with all my Lugosi and Dracula endeavours is to combine both entities and not just merely write about Dracula only. I always felt it was as important to talk about the original Dracula with the otherwise lesser known but intriguing Transylvanian mystery man behind the cape.
It’s incredible to think that Lugosi, the very ambitious artist, made his way by sheer mind over matter from the sleepy, far-away, nondescript small town of Lugos – as then known in Hungarian and now known as Lugoj in Romanian – in the remote depths of Western Transylvania to Hollywood. When he made this epic land and sea voyage soon after the First World War it must have taken weeks or even months to achieve. Once on American soil he still needed to make his final way from New York to Hollywood, which he did by working on a Dracula nationwide theatre tour in the late 1920s before hitting superstardom with his nemesis in the 1931 film. So this turning point crusade took place over some ten years, from playing the role on Broadway to finally making it to the entertainment capital of the world and into cinema history.
Five years after my first Lugosi article I finally felt it was high time to check out a mere proportion of his remarkable example and go to Los Angeles too. This I did for a long weekend in June 2025, achieving the journey within roughly 15 hours from Budapest to LAX Airport, via Vienna.
My first real sight was at the atmospheric Griffith Observatory and park in evening light, witnessing a glorious and very clear panoramic view of Downtown Los Angeles on one side of this hilly peak, with the slightly hazy and out of focus Hollywood Sign on the other. But at least I was in moderate range and held on as best I could to my introductory “15 minutes” of fame and recognition, despite the low-lying mist that intervened. I hope for better with my photographic endeavours, and it won’t look too similar to a mirage when it comes to another time.
The following day, with time short, it was my task to seek out Lugosi landmarks. On arrival at a bus stop in Hollywood, by great fortune I found the Lugosi star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame almost immediately. This dedication has been there since August 1960, on a corner where the Ivar Avenue side-street joins the busy Hollywood Boulevard. In a second stroke of luck there was an unexpected farmer’s market nearby and I stocked up on high-value snacks for the rest of the day.
Walking along Hollywood Boulevard I passed many other A-list stars, of which some were of interest to me and others not. The stand-out Hard Rock Café (which is an essential Jim Morrison and Doors locale) suddenly came to attention and – high-value snacks notwithstanding – I had an all-American lunch with Jim, Robbie, John and Ray.
A short stroll later came the fanciful Hollywood Museum on Highland Avenue. This delightful must-see shrine is filled with vintage memorabilia from the classic, golden years of Hollywood, such as the famous glittering red shoes worn by Dorothy in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz”, plus items relating to Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, “The Dukes of Hazzard” and much more. But when it came to Lugosi, there was only an original 1931 Dracula film poster on display. Later that day I stood by the famous “Universal Studios” globe in North Hollywood, and reflected that somewhere within those confines shooting had begun in September 1930 on the original, first-of-its-kind Lugosi-Dracula film.
It’s always great to meet with local people on my trips, and I got along fine with everyone and found my eventual way to everywhere I needed. However, I felt that due to the present-day and not-so-affable global political climate, there was one thing I should perhaps cover up whilst in La-La-Land. Should I tell those I encountered along the way of my English or my Hungarian identities? I opted to talking about my English side, only because I really did not want to have conversations relating to the wild, temperamental present-day President Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán relationship. Need I say more?
During my time, most of which was in Hollywood itself, I concluded that sampling the delights and charms of Tinseltown was most gratifying. And as a real bonus I even saw the original 1960s Batmobile on the street too, which was most thrilling! Although the edgier Downtown LA and Hollywood still twinkle in their own distinct ways, I felt there was less general twinkling going on than in the past, as I naively expected.
My time was too short and I could not see it all, and perhaps write a more insightful report. I like the Los Angeles area and its general atmosphere and modernist 20th century architecture, but I think central Hollywood clearly peaked during those golden times of the mid-1900s and probably has never been the same again.
Although, modern-day Hollywood and its entertainment still have good moments. My family and I are very keen on “The Rookie”, a present-day cops-and-robbers show based in Los Angeles and in similar vein to “C.H.I.P.S.”, which those from my generation can surely recall in 1970s and 1980s childhood times.
The next day I paid respect to the great thespian himself at the reposeful Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, which is a hilly and peaceful suburb overlooking the city. This was a very unique and defining moment in my ever-fulfilling Lugosi project. I feel I will probably never equal it again.
Finally, for a real getaway and change of scenery I went from Drac-watch to Baywatch, and took the bus to the majestical Venice Beach, which looks out onto the Pacific Ocean. As when finally there, it dawned on me that this popular television series also played out somewhere along this coastline some time ago. What a pity I missed the auditions! Also, more tantalising – I could not find Pamela or David anywhere! But on a more serious note, Venice Beach is where The Doors come from. Looking out for them was definitely my number two priority and is another story for another time. The next day it was time to leave Los Angeles altogether.
I really enjoyed this challenging and rewarding time away, and it was Californian Dreamin’ all the way. Although I achieved what I could and would love to see more, alas I did not reach full-circle this time with my Lugosi quest. There is still one last thing from my itinerary left to do, and that is to meet the present-day Lugosi family. This I really hope to do when it comes to another time, either again in Los Angeles, Budapest or Lugos itself if they visit. Then and only then will my Lugosi quest be finally complete.
