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Hugh Albert Preist is a major antagonist in the Stephen King novel Needful Things. Hugh is a local barfly whom often hangs around Henry Beaufort's bar known as The Mellow Tiger, which he is often kicked out of for erratic behavior and inability to pay. Hugh is one of the many civilians of Castle Rock to have fallen under the influence of Leland Gaunt, whom manipulated him into killing Nettie Cobb's dog.
In the 1993 film adaption, he was portrayed by Duncan Fraser as an adult and Mike Chute as a high-schooler.
Hugh is a short-tempered drunk that was shown to be so obsessed with drinking that it impeded on his work as a repairman. When drunk, Hugh was shown to become aggravated easily as he would forcefully kick the bars jukebox for not functioning properly. This aggressive personality would only continue to worsen after finding his car tires slashed, as he attempted to kill Henry under the assumption that it was him that had done this.
After visiting Leland Gaunt's Needful Things store, it was revealed that Hugh had a somewhat nostalgic side, finding himself attracted to an item in the store that reminded him of his past. Like most other civilians, Hugh demonstrated his greed by going so far as to kill a woman's dog in order to settle its price. This action also supports the aforementioned wrathful nature.
Biography[]
Hugh is first seen at The Mellow Tiger when a record in the bar's jukebox had began to repeat the lyric over and over. He angrily approached the machine and began to kick it in order to make it work again, telling the bartender that he needed to have it fixed. Henry along with other annoyed patrons would become annoyed at this, telling him to knock it off. Henry would also take Hugh's keys away as he believed Hugh to be too intoxicated to drive. Hugh would then leave because of this, but not before giving the machine one last kick (despite the first kick having fixed it).
The scene switches to Dan leaving the bar, and during his walk home he would notice the Needful Things store. After coming inside, he would become particularly interested in an item that gave him a sense of nostalgia (a fox tail in the novel and a varsity jacket in the film). Hugh would request to purchase it, but when asking for its price, Leland Gaunt would refuse any sort of financial exchanger. Instead; he told Hugh that he could keep the jacket as long as he skinned a dog belonging to a local woman named Nettie Cobb. Hugh would eventually make it to Nettie's home while she was away and do exactly what was requested of him.
Hugh is seen again later on being thrown out of The Mellow Tiger by Henry, where he landed right in front of his car. After looking up, he realized that his tires had been slashed. He would immediately make it back to the Needful Things store, where he purchase a shotgun after having it presented to him by Leland. Hugh would quickly make it back to The Mellow Tiger with the firearm, where he shot and destroyed the jukebox. He then turned the gun to Henry, whom also had a shotgun in order to defend himself. The two then fired at the same time, both shots ending in their deaths.
Gallery[]
Hugh Preist kicking Henry's jukebox.
Hugh Preist murdering Nettie Cobb's dog.
Hugh Preist finding his tires slashed.
Hugh Preist confronting Henry with a shotgun.
Trivia[]
At the beginning of the novel, Hugh is mentioned as being the man whom was in charge of repairing public stairs, which he neglected due to his drinking.
In the novel, Hugh has a brief interaction with another antagonist known as Brian Rusk.
Although Hugh believed that his tires were slashed by Henry, it would turn out to have been done by Father Meehan, whom was also repaying his debt.
