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Universal Horror Films have their beginnings with Lon Chaney's ability as a make-up man. Before Chaney, there were few horror films to speak of, though what few there were are classics today with F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" leading the pack.

But with Lon Chaney, Hollywood now had a star who could take a horror film and turn it into a box office smash and that smash would be 1925's Phantom of the Opera!

Chaney created a makeup that was so horrifying to audiences that many women fainted in the theatres.

Chaney would continue to create wild makeup, but he would not appear in another strickly horror film again, before he died.

He was however contracted to star in what would become Universal's 1931 classic, "Dracula" before his death of throat cancer in 1930.

The role would go to Bela Lugosi who had acted as Dracula in the long running stage play. Tod Browning, who previously worked on a number of Chaney films, would direct.

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