Children spend their lives looking up to their fathers. Luckily, Lon Chaney Jr. had a role model both personally and professionally in the same man: His father, Lon Chaney Sr.

Chaney Sr. had previously starred in popular films like The Phantom of the Opera (1929). His son later joined the acting business as well, starring in movies like Man-Made Monster (1941).

During an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Chaney Jr. acknowledged that his father frequently suffered for his craft, sitting for hours in makeup that often became painful when worn for too long.

“On his make-up problems, father carried his dictum against ‘quitting too soon’ to the nth degree,” said Chaney Jr. “He felt that, for the difficult type of characterizations he did, to stop short of actual physical pain to himself was fatal.”

“Another great thing about him that young man might well copy is that he never considered himself self-sufficient. If it would help him to a new success, he would take advice and suggestions from anyone.”

Of course, while Chaney idolized his father, he didn’t have an interest in impersonating the elder Chaney.

“Do I intend to do my father’s parts? Certainly not,” said Chaney Jr. “My father and I are physically and in other ways entirely different individuals. I could not do many of the things he did. But, on the other hand, with my size and appearance, many roles are open to me that he could not have attempted.”

Still, the younger Chaney was proud of his family history. “My father, with his enormous endurance, his terrific self-criticism of his own work, could be an inspiration to any young man who would study his career,” said Chaney Jr. “Certainly, if I can come even part way to living up to his professional ideals and standards, I shall be satisfied.”