In 1931, Universal Studios shot its classic horror film Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi as the bloodsucking count from Transylvania. But after production wrapped for the day, an entirely new cast and crew arrived at night to redo all the scenes in Spanish.
This version of Dracula en Español starred Carlos Villarías as the caped vampire out for blood. He had been a stage actor in Spain and his resemblance to Bela Lugosi was uncanny, said the late actress Lupita Tovar, who played the lovely Eva.
"There were so much alike, but the main difference was their hands," she said in a video for the complete legacy collection of Dracula. "Lugosi had long, long fingers, you know, and Carlos Villarías has got shorter fingers."
Tovar reminisced about working the graveyard shift. "We shot all night long till next morning because we used exactly the same sets. As matter of fact, we had the same marks the English cast got, we stepped in the same place."
She remembered the creepy scenery and its dark shadows, lit candles and cobwebs.
"Once you went into that set, it was a different world. You became under the spell of Dracula," she said. "You know, if anybody will touch me, I think I would scream. I was frightened. I really felt scared of Dracula, you know?"
The actors were from different Spanish-speaking countries, but director George Melford didn't speak the language. His directions were translated for the cast and crew.
"We wanted our version to be the best," Tovar said. "And according to the critics, I think it was."
By all accounts, that's true. This version of Dracula was 29 minutes longer than the English version.
Tovar's son, Pancho Kohner, said Melford and Villarías would watch scenes shot during the day and make improvements. They were able to set up better camera angles and add more exciting elements. "They didn't have to contend with the Hays Office, the censorship," Kohner said from his home in LA's Pacific Palisades neighborhood. "My mother wore a low-cut negligee and it was very sexy. My father, who was in love with my mother, he was on the set. He was producing it, made sure that it was a better film."
