Ron Chaney
Encyclopedia
Ronald Curt Chaney is the great-grandson of film actor and make-up pioneer Lon Chaney
, and the grandson of the actor Lon Chaney, Jr.
; his father Ronald Creighton Chaney (1930–1987) was a rancher and farmer. He was born in California
of French
, English
, and Irish
ancestry.
Aged 17, when he was a junior in high school, his grandfather died. Early in college he took some acting classes. Acting was always something he wanted to do, but due to his involvement in both his personal and professional life, his acting career didn't go very far. He played the Wolf Man in a short film which was dedicated to his famous grandfather; he also played the character of Captain Wallace in the film Mach 2 (2001). He starred as Bela Reinhardt in Eben McGarr's 2009 film House of the Wolf Man
, an affectionate tribute to the 1940s Universal
horror films starring his grandfather, particularly Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
, House of Frankenstein
, House of Dracula
and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
.
He is currently finishing A Century of Chaneys, a book begun by his grandfather, Lon Chaney, Jr., in 1969. Ron took on the project and has been researching, interviewing, collecting and archiving the Chaney family history for the past ten years. It will be about the collective careers of Lon Chaney, Sr., Cleva Creighton Chaney, and his grandfather, Lon Chaney, Jr.
He hopes to someday make a film about the lives of his grandfather and great-grandfather.
An entrepreneur
who runs Chaney Entertainment, he lives in Palm Springs, California
and often attends film conventions and discusses his grandfather's and great-grandfather's lives and film careers.
Lon Chaney, Sr.
Lon Chaney , nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American actor during the age of silent films. He was one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema...
, and the grandson of the actor Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
; his father Ronald Creighton Chaney (1930–1987) was a rancher and farmer. He was born in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry.
Aged 17, when he was a junior in high school, his grandfather died. Early in college he took some acting classes. Acting was always something he wanted to do, but due to his involvement in both his personal and professional life, his acting career didn't go very far. He played the Wolf Man in a short film which was dedicated to his famous grandfather; he also played the character of Captain Wallace in the film Mach 2 (2001). He starred as Bela Reinhardt in Eben McGarr's 2009 film House of the Wolf Man
House of the Wolf Man
House of the Wolf Man is an American monster horror film produced in 2009 by My Way Pictures. The film was inspired by the Universal Monsters movies, and was shot in the same style.-Plot:...
, an affectionate tribute to the 1940s Universal
Universal Monsters
Universal Monsters or Universal Horror is the name given to a series of distinctive horror, suspense and science fiction films made by Universal Studios from 1923 to 1960...
horror films starring his grandfather, particularly Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, released in 1943, is an American monster horror film produced by Universal Studios starring Lon Chaney, Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's monster. This was the first of a series of "ensemble" monster films combining characters from several film...
, House of Frankenstein
House of Frankenstein (1944 film)
House of Frankenstein is an American monster horror film produced in 1944 by Universal Studios as a sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man the previous year. This monster rally approach would continue in the following film, House of Dracula, as well as the 1948 comedy Abbott and Costello Meet...
, House of Dracula
House of Dracula
House of Dracula was an American horror film released by Universal Pictures Company in 1945. It was a direct sequel to House of Frankenstein and continued the theme of combining Universal's three most popular monsters: Frankenstein's monster, Count Dracula and The Wolf Man...
and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is a 1948 American comedy horror film directed by Charles Barton and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is the first of several films where the comedy duo meets classic characters from Universal's horror film stable...
.
He is currently finishing A Century of Chaneys, a book begun by his grandfather, Lon Chaney, Jr., in 1969. Ron took on the project and has been researching, interviewing, collecting and archiving the Chaney family history for the past ten years. It will be about the collective careers of Lon Chaney, Sr., Cleva Creighton Chaney, and his grandfather, Lon Chaney, Jr.
He hopes to someday make a film about the lives of his grandfather and great-grandfather.
An entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
who runs Chaney Entertainment, he lives in Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
and often attends film conventions and discusses his grandfather's and great-grandfather's lives and film careers.