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nDracula has been around for a long long time, and a pretty eclectic group of actors have portrayed him through the ages. Some of the stories behind these adaptations are very interesting; for example, in the case of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu (1922), Murnau wanted to make an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula but was denied the rights to it, so he just changed the name of his vampire to ‘Count Orlock’. But we know it’s really Dracula! The story is the same! Some fit the part perfectly, like for example Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman all of who were perfect embodiments of the character, but others, like Lon Chaney Jr., I never bought as a villain! I mean sure he was great as The Wolf Man (1941) because that character had a duality to him, but Dracula is supposed to be all evil, and Chaney Jr. had this good nature to him, I couldn’t believe he’d be Dracula. Other portrayals of the character focus on the more romantic side of things, like Frank Langella in John Badham’s Dracula (1979) which also has the distinction of being called “Disco Dracula” by this Film Connoisseur, the guy just looks so 70’s. Finally, even though it’s Bela Lugosi who is often associated with the character, its Christopher Lee who will go down as the guy who played Count Dracula the most. So anyhows, here’s a list of actors who have portrayed the character through out the ages and the movies they have appeared in, in no particular order. Enjoy!
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nActor: Bela Lugosi
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nFilms: Dracula (1931), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankensteinn(1948)
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nQuote: “I am Dracula, I bid you welcome”
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nActor: Christopher Lee
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nFilms: Horror of Dracula (1958), Castle of the Living Dead (1964),nDracula Prince of Darkness (1966), Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968), Tastenthe Blood of Dracula (1970), Scars of Dracula (1970), Jess Franco’s CountnDracula (1970), Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), InnSearch of Dracula (1975)
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nQuote: “Sleep well Mr. Harker”
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nActor: Frank Langela
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nFilm: Dracula (1979)
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nQuote: “I am the King of my kind”
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nActor: Max Schreck
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nFilm: Nosferatu (1922)
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nQuote: “Is this your wife? What a lovely throat!”
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nActor: Klaus Kinski
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nFilm: Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night (1979)
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nQuote: “There are things more horrible than death”
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nActor: Jack Palance
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nFilm: Dracula (1974)
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nActor: John Carradine
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nFilm: House of Dracula (1945)
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nQuote: “I will explain everything, before sunrise”
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nActor: Lon Chaney Jr.
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nFilm: Son of Dracula (1943)
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nQuote: “We’re here to meet a friend of the Caldwell’s, anCount Alucard”
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nActor: Udo Kier
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nFilm: Blood for Dracula (1974)
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nQuote: “The blood of these whores is killing me”
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nActor: George Hamilton
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nFilm: Love at First Bite (1979)
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nQuote: “Children of the Night: Shut up!”
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nActor: Duncan Regehr
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nFilm: The Monster Squad (1987)
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nQuote: “Give me the amulet YOU BITCH!”
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nActor: Leslie Nielsen
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nFilm: Dracula Dead and Loving It (1995)
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nQuote: “I never drink wine….oh what the hell, let me try it”
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nActor: Gerard Butler
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nFilm: Dracula (2000)
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nQuote: “I don’t drink…coffee”
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nActor: Richard Roxburgh
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nFilm: Van Helsing (2004)
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nQuote: “I am at war with the world and every living soul innit!”
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nActor: Thomas Kretschmann
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nFilm: Dario Argento’s Dracula (2012)
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nActor: Ferdy Mayne
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nFilm: The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967)
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nQuote: “I am a night bird, I am not much good in the daytime”
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nActor: Dominic Purcell
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nFilm: Blade: Trinity (2004)
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nQuote: “Kill a man, you’re a murderer. Kill a million, anking. Kill them all, a god”
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nActor: Rutger Hauer
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nFilm: Dracula III: Legacy (2005)
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nQuote: “There are no dead here, just the fucked up dead!”
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nActor: David Niven
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nFilm: Vampira (1974)
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nActor: John Forbes Robertson
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nFilm: The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974)
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nActor: Gary Oldman
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nFilm: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1994)
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nQuote: “I am the monster breathing man would kill, I am Dracula!”
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