Frankenstein (1931 film) 12, 1931, "Dracula" starring Bela Lugosi had sold 50,000 tickets, building a momentum that culminated in a $700,000 profit, the largest of Universal's 1931 releases. As a result, the head of production, Carl Laemmle Jr., announced immediate plans for more horror films. Immediately, following his success in "Dracula", Bela Lugosi had hoped to play Dr. Frankenstein in Universal's original film concept. However, the actor was expected by producer Carl Laemmle Jr. to play the monster (a common move for a contract player in a film studio at the time) to keep his famous name on the bill. After several disastrous
Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film The Young Artist Award for Best Performance by a Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film is one of the Young Artist Awards presented annually by the Young Artist Association to recognize a young actor under the age of 21, who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry. In its early years, the award was also known as the Youth in Film Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture, as well as by numerous other variations to