Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American stage and film
actor, director and screenwriter. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup. Chaney is known for his starring roles in such silent
horror films as
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and
The Phantom of the Opera (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces."