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On the right is a picture of Count Orlok (aka Count Dracula). Notice the rat-like appearance.

This is not your handsome, dashing, "Good evening, I want to drink your blood" kind of vampire. What kind of pickup line is that anyway?

This guy is pure evil, Ok? Got it? Good. Now keep reading!

People frequently ask us what the deal was with Max Schreck. "Was he really a vampire?" In fact, we were sort of wondering too until Chuck Logsdon set us straight. He writes:
"At one place in your website you ask if anyone knows anything about Max Schreck's film career - was he a mysterious figure? The answer is no. He, like many of his film contemporaries was primarily a stage actor and of very solid reputation, if not a star of any reknown. He was part of Germany's elite Max Reinhardt acting company. Primarily a character actor due to his guant appearance, he appeared in only a few of films before Nosferatu. Murnau hired Schreck for the role of Orlock after meeting him personally, having been introduced by Reinhardt and recognizing his talent. After Nosferatu, he appeared in numerous (over 20) films and his increased fame brought him more desireable stage roles."

"So, he was not very mysterious - certainly not the Vampire character portrayed so brilliantly by Willam DaFoe in 'Shadow of the Vampire'. The film is fully fictionalized - the actual troubles on the set being supplanted by (DaFoe's) Schreck's mayhem in this contemporary myth. I quite liked "Shadow of the Vampire" and feel that Schreck would have been quite flattered by the idea that his performance could be interpreted in such a way."

© 2000-2001 Silent Orchestra
Schreck quote © 2001 Charles Logsdon, used by permission.