Dracula in popular culture Balderston (see below); it starred Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing, both of whom had originated their respective roles on the stage in the aforementioned play, along with Helen Chandler as Mina and Dwight Frye as Renfield. Directed by Tod Browning, it is one of the most famous versions of the story and is widely credited with initiating the Universal horror film series of the 1930s and ‘40s. The 1931 Dracula film was an inductee of the 2000 National Film Registry list. The films had music only during the opening (the famous main theme from
John Forbes-Robertson (actor) John Forbes-Robertson (actor) John Forbes-Robertson (10 May 1928 – 14 May 2008) was a British actor best known for being the only actor other than Christopher Lee to play the title role in the Hammer horror series of Dracula films. He was born in Worthing, Sussex. He was not the son of actor-manager Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson as erroneously stated in the press at the time of his 2008 death. He is related to Sir Johnston, being the grandson of one of Sir Johnston's brothers. He began his acting career on the stage starting at the Intimate Theatre before pursuing a