Bela Lugosi soared to fame as the face of Dracula, but behind the cape was a life filled with heartbreak, addiction, and the crushing weight of Hollywood’s unforgiving spotlight.

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IN THIS EPISODE: He began as an obscure actor, became a universally loved monster, but ended in destitution. We’ll look at the career of Bela Lugosi. (The Rise and Fall of Bela Lugosi) *** Nearly a century has passed, and the grisly crime committed by two sisters remains as mysterious as ever. We’ll look at the Papin Sisters and the shocking gruesome murder they committed in 1933 that horrified France. (The Murderous Papin Sisters) *** You think you know what Halloween is all about, but you might not—not really. After all, it wasn't always about carving pumpkins and collecting candy. (Why Celebrate Halloween) *** When it comes to murder investigations, the skeletons in everyone’s closets – even those who are only peripheral characters in the drama – can still have their darkest secrets revealed. (The Mystery of the Poisoned Powder) *** And if I was to tell you I had a story called “The Woodchipper Murder” you might think it sounds like something out of the movie “Fargo” - but for Helle Nielsen, it was all too real. (The Woodchipper Murder of Newtown, Connecticut)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Lead-In
00:01:00.389 = Show Open
00:03:01.036 = The Rise and Fall of Bela Lugosi
00:19:58.491 = The Murderous Papin Sisters
00:27:37.993 = Why Celebrate Halloween?
00:40:34.747 = Mystery of the Poisoned Powder
00:48:35.037 = The Woodchipper Murder
00:59:17.970 = Show Close

SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
Episode Page at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BelaLugosi
“The Rise and Fall of Bela Lugosi” by Quinn Armstrong for Ranker’s Entertainment: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/f3jaaphz
“The Murderous Papin Sisters” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yhkwymzm
“Why Celebrate Halloween” by Charlotte Hilton Andersen for Reader’s Digest: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2fyzrarh
“The Mystery of the Poisoned Powder” from Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/nrdbvuc5
“The Woodchipper Murder of Newtown, Connecticut” from The Scare Chamber:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/n2yhsppx
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Originally aired: October, 2022