LON CHANEY DEAD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 9

LON CHANEY DEAD

"MAN OF THOUSAND FACES"

(Received 27th August, 10 a.m.) HOLLYWOOD, 26th August. The death is announced of Lon Chancy, the motion picture character actor, from lobar pneumonia at the age of 47. Ho leaves a widow and -son.

Lon Chancy, "the man of a thousand faces," was undoubtedly a great actor, and his legion of admirers regarded him as the perfect character man. Although his roles were played with the ease of the experienced artist, there was profound study behind each characterisation, especially in the art of trioky make-up. Lon Chancy, while rarely the hero of the story, was nevertheless one of the most popular male players on the screen. Born on Ist April, 18£3, in Colorado Springs, Chancy desired to go on the stage at an early age. His stage career began as property man and wardrobe man with a travelling show. Interposod with such, theatrical connections was an odd job here in the transportation business and a change as an interior decorator.. He later developed into a dancer of no mean agility. In 1912 his " hankering _to bo an actor" led him to the motion picture studios, and he found himself cast as a slapstick comedian. The directors, however, soon singled him out for villainous roles and character parts. His outstanding success was m "The Miracle Man," released about ten years ago, and he followed with "Thej Penalty." "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "The Phantom of the Opera," made for Universal, were two of his most famous roles. Among his more recent films were "The Unholy Three," "The Tower of Lies," "The Birr City," "The Unknown," "He Who Gets Slapped," "The Eoad to Mandalay," "Tell It to the Marines," "Where East is East," and "Laugtj, Clown, Laugh," while just before his death He made two talkios.

Chancy, who achioved a distinguished place in fllmdom for his impersonations and disguises, saw his name become a household word. Last year ho was voted by the exhibitors of 'America the greatest box office attraction of the screen.