BELA LUGOSI BY PRESTON DUNCAN

Studio Photographer Preston Duncan was mentioned earlier this week. As the head of Universal Pictures' stills photography department, Mr. Duncan had the distinct fortune of having the world's most famous horror actor available to his creative lens. The example of his photograph of Bela Lugosi taken in the 1930's, is all the proof needed.

THE ETHEREAL HELEN CHANDLER

The wispy and ethereal Helen Chandler appeared in this photo as a featured actress in the October, 1931 issue of the NEW MOVIE MAGAZINE. By that time she had already gained notoriety as Mina Harker in Universal's DRACULA, released earlier, in February.

NOTE: This photo also appeared in the January, 1932 issue of SCREENLAND and posted at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD HERE. The photographer was identified as Preston Duncan.

JOAN BENNETT BEFORE 'DARK SHADOWS'

Joan Bennett is most widely known today as playing Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the matriarch of Collinwood, in the TV series, DARK SHADOWS.

Ms. Bennett got her start in Hollywood years earlier at the age of only 6 when she played "An Unborn Soul" in the 1916 silent film, THE VALLEY OF DECISION.

In the 1930's, she starred in films for studios such as Fox and Universal. The photos shown here are from the NEW MOVIE MAGAZINE in the January and February, 1931 issues. The pictures are by Preston Duncan, a studio photographer for Warners and Fox.

HELEN CHANDLER AFTER DRACULA

Born in New York City on 1 February 1909, Helen Louise Chandler enjoyed a hugely successful career on the stage in the 1920's until Hollywood seductively lured her away.

While she is widely remembered for her role as the doleful Mina in DRACULA (1931), she made a number of films afterwards. For example, the portrait shown here from the January 1932 issue of SCREENLAND magazine by photographer Preston Duncan was for a film released on 5 December of the previous year entitled HEART AND HAND. The film was also shown as A HOUSE DIVIDED, and starred Walter Huston. Bette Davis screen tested, but Helen Chandler got the job playing Ruth Evans. Contrary to the photo caption, there were other women who played in the movie.

Chandler was busy in 1931, as she was cast in no less than six films. After that, her film career dwindled. She returned to the stage in 1937. However, she had become an alcoholic and dependent on prescription drugs. She was burned and disfigured in a fire in 1947 and she became even more deeply depressed. She died after surgery for a bleeding ulcer 30 April 1965.