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NOTE: This article is about the version of Kurt Barlow from the mainstream continuity. You may be looking for information on his Tobe Hooper counterpart.

Whoever feeds you... is your god.
~ Kurt Barlow to Father Callahan.
I am not a serpent, but the Father of Serpents
~ Kurt Barlow, on his notes.

Kurt Barlow is the main antagonist of Stephen King's 1975 novel Salem's Lot and its 2004 adaptation. He will return as the main antagonist of the 2024 movie Salem's Lot, the third adaptation of the novel.

He is an ancient and highly intelligent vampire who seeks to turn the town of Jerusalem's Lot into his own personal vampire colony.

In the 1995 BBC radio adaptation, he was voiced by Doug Bradley, who also played Pinhead in the Hellraiser film series. In the 2004 miniseries adaptation, he was portrayed by the late Rutger Hauer, who also played Roy Batty in Blade Runner, Cardinal Roark in Sin City, Lothos in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Master Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts III, and Morgan Edge in Smallville.

Biography[]

Novel[]

Like all other Type One Vampires, Barlow was a lesser evil spirit created from the Prim, at some point, he, along with all the other races of his, manifested on Earth as evil, supernatural bloodsucking creatures known as Vampires. Unlike the rest of his kind, Barlow assumed many human vampire forms throughout the centuries, taking up many names. Before the events of the novel, Barlow's current alias before Barlow was Kurt Breichen and that he was an Austrian nobleman. As Breichen, Barlow corresponded for 20 years with Hubert "Hubie" Marsten, a Depression-era hitman living in Jerusalem's Lot, Maine.

Marsten murdered his wife and committed suicide, but not before burning his letters with Barlow. The novel strongly implies that Marsten entered into an agreement with Barlow that allowed him to eventually come to Jerusalem's Lot.

In 1975, Barlow arrives the town of Jerusalem's Lot in a box shipped overseas by his human assistant, Richard Straker. The two take residence in Marten's abandoned mansion. Barlow and Straker pose as antiques dealers and open a shop in the town; Straker tends to the shop and handles business arrangements while Barlow is seldom seen in public. Straker kidnaps a local boy, Ralphie Glick, and makes a human sacrifice of the child in an appeasement ritual. Ralphie's brother, Danny, becomes a vampire and begins to infect other locals-taking Dud Rogers and Corey Byrant as his first victims.

When the novel's protagonist, Mark Petrie, and Susan Norton sneak into the Marsten House to kill Barlow, Straker catches them and Barlow turns Susan. Mark manages to escape, but mortally wounds Straker as he does so. Straker is later killed by Barlow, who cannot resist drinking his blood from his wounds. Susan's lover, Ben Mears, is later forced to kill her as a result of Barlow turning her.

Father Callahan and Mark head over to Mark's parents' house to save them, but Barlow beats them to death and takes Mark hostage. Callahan pulls out his cross on Barlow, however Barlow challenges the man's faith and takes the cross off Callahan and destroys it before forcing Callahan to drink his blood. Callahan leaves 'Salem's Lot in shame.

Mark escapes and Barlow tries to hypnotize him into killing Ben before the latter can stake him by threatening to castrate him. However they end up succeeding in killing him. Ben Mears stakes Barlow in the heart, causing him to cry out in pain and anguish before dissolving slowly. By morning, Barlow was dead and nothing more than dust and ash, with his fangs being left behind, which briefly attacked the protagonists, before thrown into the wall and shattering.

2004 miniseries[]

In this version, Barlow is an evil spirit manifesting as a vampire through many human forms, his backstory is unknown. Eventually, the demon manifested as a vampire human named Kurt Briechen, who later changed his last name to Barlow. At some point, Barlow made a human named Richard Thomas Straker into servitude, and made a deal with a Satanist and serial killer named Hubie Marsten. Hubie made a deal with Barlow that he could come to Salem`s Lot. Years later, in the early 2000s, Barlow was shipped to 'Salem`s Lot in a box. The box was transported to the Marsten House.

There, Barlow dwelt, while in the day his servant Straker watches the house and goes on his daily business. One night, Barlow goes to the dump, where he meets a hunchback man named Dud Rodgers. Barlow promised Dud that he will grant him the ability to be more important than he ever was before, and infected him into a vampire. Eventually, Straker captured a woman named Susan Norton, and a teen named Mark Petrie. Mark managed to escape and beat up Starker. But before leaving the house, Mark went to check where Susan went, and heard her voice in the basement. Barlow's voice came and told Mark to come down, however, Mark rebukes him and escapes. Barlow eventually drained Straker of his blood for his failure, and killed him. It is unknown whether it was Barlow or the spirit of the Marsten House that hung Straker upside down from the ceiling.

Later, Barlow crashes into Mark's house, where Mark was meeting with his mother and the local church priest, Father Callahan. Barlow grabs and snaps Mrs. Petrie's neck, killing her, before proceeding to try to kill Mark. Callahan, however, challenges Barlow in a duel between their faiths. Barlow agrees and lets Mark go. Barlow challenges Callahan's faith, and tells him of all the wrongdoing he has done. This made Callahan lose the battle, and Barlow, using a glass shard, slits his hand open, and forced Callahan to drink his blood. This corrupted and twisted the church priests' mind, making him turn evil and becoming Barlow's new servant, to replace Straker.

Eventually, all of the town of 'Salem's Lot turned into vampires, and Ben Mears, the boyfriend of Susan Norton, seeks to destroy Barlow so that his reign of terror would end. Ben and Mark eventually reach Barlow, and open his coffin, which was located beneath Eva Miller's boarding house. Barlow hypnotizes Mark to kill Ben, but Ben knocks Mark out. Before Ben could stake Barlow, Barlow bribes Ben into giving him fame, money, power, if he spares him. Barlow tells Ben that he would always be flawed until he embraces evil. Barlow tells Ben that in reality, he is metaphorically the vampire. Ben tells Barlow that he isn't anymore, and stakes Barlow in the heart. Barlow cries out in pain and anguish, and constantly shape shifts into all of the human forms he has taken throughout the centuries. Barlow rapidly decays, until he was dust. Afterwards, Barlow was no more.

Powers and Abilities[]

As explained in the Dark Tower series, Barlow is a "Type One" vampire, which are the rarest and most powerful types of vampires. Type Ones like Barlow have the ability to create "Type Two" vampires. He hypnotizes people with his eyes, and has great superhuman strength. He also has the power to damn someone, making them "unclean, by forcing them to feed on his blood. He has the ability to infect someone into a slave Vampire.

In the 2004 miniseries, Barlow has the same abilities as his novel counterpart, but has even more abilities. He can climb on walls like a spider, can ignite claws out of his hands, and can fly through a window during daytime.

Gallery[]

2004 Mini-Series[]

Trivia[]

  • In scenes cut from the book in earlier drafts, it is revealed that Barlow's original, real name is Sarlinov.

External links[]

Navigation[]

           Kingster KingVillain

Novels/Novellas
Carrie: Carrie White | Mortimer Snerds (Chris Hargensen, Donna and Mary Lila Grace Thibodeau, Helen Shyres, Heather Shyres & Tina Blake) | Margaret White | Billy Nolan | Ralph White
Salem's Lot: Kurt Barlow | Richard Straker | Marsten House
The Shining: Overlook Hotel | Jack Torrance | Hotel Caretaker | Grady Sisters | Lorraine Massey
Children of the Corn: Children of the Corn (Isaac Chroner & Malachai Boardman) | He Who Walks Behind the Rows
Rage: Charlie Decker | Mr. Decker
The Stand: Randall Flagg | Barry Dorgan | Bobby Terry | Harold Lauder | Julie Lawry | Lloyd Henreid | Nadine Cross | The Kid | The Rat Man | Trashcan Man | Whitney Horgan
The Long Walk: The Major | Gary Barkovitch
The Dead Zone: Greg Stillson | Frank Dodd
The Mist: Adrian Garff Mrs. Carmody | The Mist
Firestarter: Captain Hollister | Doctor Herman Pynchot | John Rainbird
Roadwork: Barton George Dawes | Sal Magliore
Cujo: Cujo | Joe Camber | Stephen Kemp
The Running Man: Damon Killian | United States of America
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: Samuel Norton | Byron Hadley | Sisters (Bogs Diamond) | Elmo Blatch
Apt Pupil: Kurt Dussander | Todd Bowden
The Body: The Cobras (John "Ace" Merrill, Richard "Eyeball" Chambers, Billy Tessio, Charlie Hogan, Vince Desjardins, Jack Mudgett & Norman "Fuzzy" Bracowicz)
Christine: Arnie Cunningham | Christine | Repperton Gang | Roland D. LeBay
Pet Sematary: Wendigo | Church | Gage Creed | Rachel Creed | Timmy Baterman
Cycle of the Werewolf: Lester Lowe
The Tailsman: Morgan Sloat
Thinner: Billy Halleck | Tadzu Lempke | Cary Rossington | Duncan Hopley | Gabe Romani | Gina Lempke | Richie Ginelli
Dolan's Cadillac: Jimmy Dolan
It: It | Bowers Gang (Belch Huggins, Henry Bowers, Marcia Fadden, Patrick Hockstetter, Peter Gordon & Vic Criss) | Alvin Marsh | Butch Bowers | Richard Macklin | Tom Rogan | Christopher Unwin | Webby Garton
Misery: Annie Wilkes
The Tommyknockers: Tommyknockers | Nancy Voss
The Dark Half: George Stark
Secret Window, Secret Garden: John Shooter
The Langoliers: Craig Toomey | Langoliers | Roger Toomey
Needful Things: Leland Gaunt | John "Ace" Merrill | Danforth Keeton III | Brian Rusk | Wilma Jerzyck | Nettie Cobb | Hugh Preist | Father Brigham (Father Meehan) | Reverend Rose
Gerald's Game: Gerald Burlingame | Moonlight Man | Tom Mahout
Dolores Claiborne: Joe St. George
Insomnia: Atropos | Crimson King
Rose Madder: Norman Daniels
The Green Mile: William Wharton | Percy Wetmore
Desperation: Tak | Sheriff Collie Entragian
The Regulators: Tak
Bag of Bones: Max Devore | Sara Tidwell | Roggete Whitmore
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon: God of the Lost
Dreamcatcher: Byrus | Mr. Gray
Black House: Charles Burnside | The Crow Gorg | Mr. Munshun
From a Buick 8: The Buick
Cell: Phone Crazies | Raggedy Man
Lisey's Story: Andrew Landon | Jim Dooley | Long Boy
The Gingerbread Girl: Jim Pickering
Duma Key: Perse | Undead Victims
Under the Dome: Jim Rennie | Junior Rennie | Phil Bushey | Leatherheads
1922: Wilfred James | Henry James | Shannon Cotterie
Big Driver: Lester Norville | Ramona Norville
A Good Marriage: Robert Bob Anderson
11/22/63: Lee Harvey Oswald | Frank Dunning
In The Tall Grass: Ross Humboldt | Cal Demuth
Doctor Sleep: The True Knot (Rose the Hat, Crow Daddy, Grandpa Flick, Barry the Chink & Snakebite Andi) | Andy Hallorann
Bill Hodges Trilogy: Brady Hartsfield | Morris Bellamy
Gwendy's Button Box: Richard Farris
The Outsider: The Outsider
Fairy Tale: Gogmagog | Elden | Petra | Kellin | Hana | Red Molly | Peterkin | Christopher Polley

Short Stories
Cain Rose Up: Curt Garrish
The Mangler: Bill Gartley | The Mangler
The Boogeyman: The Boogeyman
Trucks: Westway Refrigerated Truck | Bulldozer
The Ledge: Cressner
Jerusalem's Lot: Philip Boone | James Boon | The Worm
Quitter's Inc.: Mr. Donatti | Quitters Inc.
The Crate: Crate Beast
Crouch End: The Children | The Goat with a Thousand Young
The Monkey: The Monkey
The Raft: Lake Blob
Word Processor of the Gods: Richard Hagstrom | Roger Hagstrom
Gramma: Gramma Bruckner
The Night Flier: Dwight Renfield
Low Men in Yellow Coats: Harry Doolin
Blind Willie: Raymond Fiegler
Why We're In Vietnam: Ronnie Malenfant
Lunch at the Gotham Café: Guy

Films
The Shining: Overlook Hotel (Lloyd, Lorraine Massey & Hotel Caretaker) | Jack Torrance
Creepshow: Creepshow Creep | Crate Beast | Nathan Grantham | Richard Vickers | Upson Pratt | Wilma Northrup
Cat's Eye: Cressner | Mr. Donatti | Quitters Inc. | Troll
Maximum Overdrive: Bubba Hendershot | Camp Loman | Happy Toyz Truck | Ice Cream Truck | M274 Mule | Vending Machine
A Return to Salem`s Lot: Judge Axle
Creepshow 2: Creepshow Creep | Creepshow Bullies | Lake Blob | Sam Whitemoon | The HitchHiker
Sleepwalkers: Charles Brady | Mary Brady | Sleepwalkers
Pet Sematary 2: Gus Gilbert | Renee Hallow | Clyde Parker | Zowie
The Mangler Trilogy: Bill Gartley | The Mangler | Lin Sue | The Mangler Virus
The Rage: Carrie 2: Rachel Lang | Mark Bing
Creepshow 3: Creepshow Creep | Rachel
The Dark Tower: Randall Flagg
It: Part One: It | Bowers Gang (Henry Bowers, Vic Criss | Belch Huggins & Patrick Hockstetter)
Pet Sematary (2019): Ellie Creed
It: Part Two: It | Henry Bowers | Tom Rogan
Doctor Sleep: The True Knot (Rose the Hat, Crow Daddy, Grandpa Flick, Barry the Chink & Snakebite Andi) | Overlook Hotel (Jack Torrance, Hotel Caretaker & Lorraine Massey)
The Boogeyman: Boogeyman

TV Series
The Stand: Randall Flagg | Harold Lauder | Julie Lawry | Nadine Cross | The Rat Woman | Trashcan Man
The Shining: Overlook Hotel | Jack Torrance | Hotel Caretaker | Lorraine Massey
Storm of the Century: André Linoge
Rose Red: Professor Joyce Reardon | Ellen Rimbauer
Under the Dome: Big Jim Rennie | Junior Rennie | Phil Bushey | The Kinship (Christine Price & Dawn Sinclair-Barbara)

Other
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: Ellen Rimbauer

See Also
The Dark Tower Villains

           Dark Tower Logo Villains

The Red
Crimson King | Man in Black | Mordred Deschain | Wolves | John Farson | Rhea of the Cöos | Eldred Jonas

Others
Hax | Jack Mort | Detta Walker | Enrico Balazar | Jack Andolini | Tick-Tock Man | Gasher | Blaine the Mono | Big Coffin Hunters | Cordelia Delgado | Mia | Hitler Brothers | Kurt Barlow | Maerlyn | Bern Kells | Dandelo

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