10 More Great Actors With Terrible Last Movie Roles
5. Bela Lugosi - Plan 9 From Outer Space
When it comes to the archetypal Dracula, there is no one more important than Bela Lugosi. After playing the role on-stage in his home country of Hungary, Lugosi made it across the globe to America and became Hollywood’s star vampire in 1931’s Dracula.
From there, he became a giant of the early days of cinematic horror starring in classics like Young Frankenstein, The Raven and White Zombie. Unfortunately then, Lugosi’s final appearance on screen is in a movie that is often regarded as the greatest turd in cinema history: Plan 9 from Outer Space.
In fact, Lugosi’s involvement with the picture is a huge to-do since he had died of a heart attack prior to its shooting. The most famous Dracula only appeared on the poster of Plan 9 to attract attention, as Lugosi barely features in the movie for obvious reasons. When he does it’s through repurposed footage that he and director Ed Wood had shot together for other projects.
Not only is some of this footage such bad quality that it should've been deemed unusable but Lugosi’s vampiric cape and cowl make little sense in a picture that is meant to be about alien invasion.
It’s a sad, not to mention confusing, end to a storied career. Lugosi practically defined the role of Dracula and yet his final on-screen appearance essentially abuses his history.