Born 1883 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, American actor, director, screenwriter and makeup artist Lon Chaney is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.
Chaney was known for his starring roles in such silent horror films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques that he developed earned him the nickname “The Man of a Thousand Faces”.
Chaney died of a throat hemorrhage in 1930 in a Los Angeles, California hospital at the age of 47. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located on Hollywood Boulevard. In 1994, Al Hirschfeld's caricature of Chaney was featured on a commemorative United States postage stamp.
Take a look at these fabulous photos to see portraits of Lon Chaney during his career.
In one case (the 12th photo) that is in fact Lon Chaney Jr. But . . .
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