Count Orlok

Count Orlok is the vampiric antagonist of the silent film Nosferatu and is one of the most iconic villains of horror - rivalling Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman in this regard, he is also notable for being more faithful in many ways to the traditional representation of vampires in folklore, being a hideous demonic creature rather than an attractive gentleman.

Nosferatu was made before the advent of sound in cinema and as such Count Orlok didn't speak - though he made his presence known by his ghoulish body language and dramatic gestures - in a famous scene his terrible shadow is seen on the wall of a home as he climbs the stairs, hunched and deformed.

Also Count Orlok is responsible for the myth that vampires turn to dust if caught in direct sunlight - which arguably makes him one of the greatest influences in modern vampire lore.