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
Donald Cook (actor) Donald Cook (actor) Donald Cook (September 26, 1901 – October 1, 1961) was an American stage and film actor who had a prolific career in Pre-Code Hollywood films and on Broadway. Cook is perhaps best known for his film roles in "The Public Enemy" (1931), "Safe in Hell" (1931), "Baby Face" (1933), and "Viva Villa!" (1934), as well as for his stage role as David Naughton in "Claudia", which ran for a total of 722 performances on Broadway between 1941 and 1943. He was also one of the first actors to play Ellery Queen. Cook was born and raised in