He began his career in theatre, but was most famous for his horror roles in the 1930s. His two most memorable parts were as the crazed, disfigured sculptor in Mystery of the Wax Museum (Warner Brothers, 1933) -- a role also played by Vincent Price in the 1953 remake, House of Wax-- and as Inspector Krogh in Son of Frankenstein (1939), memorably sent up by Kenneth Mars in Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein (1974). He remained a stalwart of the Universal horror films until his career flagged in the 1940s due to a widely publicized sex scandal. He was married four times, lastly to Paula Prueter who carried his only living child, Lionel Anthony Atwill. "Tony" is a retired writer with an only child, Amanda.