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You'll enjoy Mr. Barlow, and he will enjoy you.
~ Straker's most famous quote.

Richard K. Straker is the main antagonist of the 1979 two-part miniseries, Salem's Lot, based off of the Stephen King novel of the same name. This version of Straker is a human familiar servant of master-vampire Kurt Barlow, and his mouthpiece, and seeks to spread vampirism from his master to the New England town of Salem's Lot. In this version, Straker is the main antagonist and a more prominent villain than Barlow, unlike the novel, and was alive until the climax of the miniseries.

He was portrayed by the late James Mason, who also portrayed Phillip Vandamm in North By Northwest and Humbert Humbert in Lolita.

Appearance[]

Straker is an elder gentleman who appears to be in his late 50s to early 60s. He almost always wears a black or grey businessman suit with a tie.

Personality[]

On the outside, Straker appears to be a calm, polite elderly man; however, this is a ruse. Straker, in reality, is actually a sadistic, malicious person who lives to see chaos and destruction and serves his master, the head vampire, Kurt Barlow. He has no standards of killing children or animals and can be pretty brutal when it comes to killing people by himself, such as how he killed Dr. Bill Norton.

Powers and Abilities[]

Straker, though appearing to be a normal human, has limited supernatural powers. He can summon a storm of wind that can separate people from each other. Straker also has superhuman strength and can easily lift up heavy objects, or other people without difficulty. He can also withstand a few injuries that can easily kill another person, but Straker is still mortal and can die if he gets more injuries.

Straker also is telepathically linked with his master, Kurt Barlow. Since Kurt Barlow himself cannot speak, he lets Straker do the talking for him, making Straker not only Barlow's mortal watchdog, but also his mouthpiece.

Biography[]

Richard K. Straker was a man born in England. He somehow met the master vampire Kurt Barlow and dedicated his life to becoming Barlow's familiar vampire servant. In public, Straker was an antique businessman in Europe and pretended that his never seen master Kurt Barlow is his business partner, but retired and moved to the small town of Salem's Lot, Maine, to open his own . Straker made a deal with Lawrence "Larry" Crockett and bought the town's haunted house, the "Marsten House", a mansion that once belonged to Hubie Marsten, a satanist who would sacrifice children to Satan and made a deal with Barlow years prior that he would invite him to Salem's Lot.

Straker is first seen in the miniseries when Ben Mears, a novelist, arrives at Salem's Lot. He eyes him suspiciously before going to his black car and driving to the town of Salem's Lot. He would drive to the town to meet Larry Crocket. After talking with Crockett about the items needed to be shipped into town, the former asks Straker of his business partner Mr. Kurt Barlow, to which Straker replies that he will come really soon. Later that night, Ben Mears stares at the Marsten House, only to be found by Straker, who gives him a strange look before saying "Good evening" before walking back to the house.

At the grand opening of the "Barlow and Straker Antique Store" Straker talks with Ben Mears for a bit asking him about the house and Barlow. Straker replies that Barlow is still on a buying trip in Europe.

However, Straker had other plans. One night, two boys, Danny Glick and his younger brother Ralphie Glick were out in the woods. At the same time, two men were shipping a crate, containing Barlow's coffin, to the Marsten House. However, they would be separated by Straker, who summoned a wind storm to separate the two. Straker sacrificed Ralphie and took him to the basement of the Marsten House, were he unwrapped Ralphie, placed his body on the table, as an offering for his master, Barlow.

The town of Salem's Lot begins to investigate the disappearance of Ralphie Glick, and, after finding a piece of black cloth, Straker, who usually dresses in a black suit, becomes one of the suspects. Constable Gillespie, the local town sheriff, asks Straker to bring his suits to the police station for further investigation. Straker agrees and brings his spare suits to the police station. Salem's Lot rapidly over time begins to get infected with vampires.

One night, the local church priest Father Callahan visits the home of the Petrie family, as they called him for assistance given that their son, Mark, claimed to have seen a vampire Danny Glick. However, as the two discussed, Straker and Barlow infiltrate the house, with Barlow using his supernatural abilities to shake the house before breaking in through the window and killing Mark's parents. Mark lounged himself at Barlow, but Barlow grabbed Mark by the throat. Straker entered the room, and, being the mouthpiece of Barlow through telepathy, speaks of his master's intentions. Straker tells Father Callahan that Barlow would kill Mark, however, Barlow would want to arrange a deal with Callahan. He would spare the boy for another night, if Callahan would throw away his cross and test his faith against Barlow's. Callahan agreed, and Barlow let go of Mark, allowing Mark to run away. However, Callahan's faith faltered, and Barlow grabs the cross from Callahan's hand, and crushes it, presumably killing him offscreen afterwards.

Later, Mark, eager to avenge his deceased parents, arrives at the Marsten House, intending on staking Barlow once and for all. Susan Norton, Ben Mears's girlfriend, follows him inside. However, Mark would be knocked unconscious by Straker, and Straker would take Susan to Barlow offscreen, having her turned into a vampire by Barlow. Later, Straker ties Mark into a rope strapped on a chair, and when Mark asks to Straker what he had done to Susan, Straker replied that he took her to the "man she came to meet", Barlow.

Ben Mears, and Susan's father Dr. Bill Norton, would arrive at the Marsten House to destroy Barlow. However, when Dr. Norton wandered upstairs, he was confronted by Straker, who easily picks up Bill and impales him on a wall full of sharp antlers, killing him. Meanwhile, Mark escapes from the chair that Straker bound him in, and bumps into Ben Mears. Straker spots the two, and picks up a broken staircase, intending on killing the two. However, Ben Mears shoots Straker in the chest, but Straker keeps on moving forward. After a few more shots, Straker succumbs to his wounds, and dies.

Shortly afterwards, his master, Barlow, would be killed by Mark and Ben, and the entire Marsten House is set ablaze on fire, burning it down.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • In the original book and 2004 miniseries adaptation, Straker was killed halfway through the story after getting knocked and beaten up by Mark Petrie, leaving him to bleed and be wounded. Barlow would come later and hang Straker upside down, draining him of his blood and ripping his throat, killing him. This was omitted in this version of Straker, who is alive until the climax and has a much more prominent role than Barlow.
  • Despite being human, Straker has limited supernatural abilities. He possibly has these abilities because he has a mental link with his master, Barlow.
  • Alongside the infamous Danny and Ralphie Glick vampire window scenes, and vampire Mike Ryerson and his master Kurt Barlow, Straker is considered the highlight of the Tobe Hooper miniseries.
  • It remains unknown what the middle initial of Straker's name stood for (however, it seems to be either Kenneth, Keene, Kyle, Kevin, Kendall, or Keith).

External Links[]

Navigation[]

           

Novels/Novellas
Carrie: Carrie White | The Ultras/Mortimer Snerds (Chris Hargensen, Donna and Mary Lila Grace Thibodeau, Helen Shyres & Tina Blake) | Margaret White | Billy Nolan | Ralph White
Salem's Lot: Kurt Barlow | Richard Straker (Stephen King) | Marsten House
The Shining: Overlook Hotel | Jack Torrance | Lloyd | 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 | Poke Freeman | The Kid | The Rat Man | Trashcan Man | Whitney Horgan
The Long Walk: The Major | Gary Barkovitch
The Dead Zone: Greg Stillson | Frank Dodd | Sonny Elliman
The Mist: The Mist | Mrs. Carmody
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 Talisman: Morgan Sloat
Thinner: Billy Halleck | Tadzu Lempke | Cary Rossington | Duncan Hopley | Gabe Romani | Gina Lempke | Richie Ginelli
Dolan's Cadillac: Jimmy Dolan
IT: It/Pennywise | 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
The Library Policeman: Ardelia Lortz
Secret Window, Secret Garden: John Shooter
The Langoliers: Craig Toomey | Langoliers | Roger Toomey
The Sun Dog: The Sun Dog | Pop Merrill
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 | Ed Deepneau | Charlie Pickering | Sandra McKay & Frank Felton
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 C***k & Snakebite Andi) | Andy Hallorann
Bill Hodges Trilogy: Brady Hartsfield | Deborah Hartsfield | Morris Bellamy | Andrew Halliday | Felix Babineau | Ruth Scapelli
Gwendy's Button Box: Richard Farris
The Outsider: The Outsider | Jack Hoskins | Ollie Peterson
If It Bleeds: Chet Ondowsky
Fairy Tale: Gogmagog | Elden | Petra | Kellin | Hana | Red Molly | Peterkin | Christopher Polley
Holly: Emily and Rodney Harris | Charlotte Gibney
Never Flinch: Trig | Chrissy Stewart | Andy Fallowes | Daniel Gibson | Cary Tolliver

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 | New Bates Football Players (Mark Bing | Coach Walsh | Brad Winters | Eric Stark | Lou Stark | Tracy Campbell | Chuck Potter | Monica Jones | Jay)
Creepshow 3: Creepshow Creep | Rachel
The Dark Tower: Randall Flagg
IT Chapter One: It/Pennywise | Bowers Gang (Henry Bowers, Vic Criss | Belch Huggins & Patrick Hockstetter) | Alvin Marsh | Butch Bowers
Pet Sematary (2019): Wendigo | Ellie Creed | Church
IT Chapter Two: It/Pennywise | Henry Bowers | Tom Rogan | Christopher Unwin | Webby Garton
Doctor Sleep: The True Knot (Rose the Hat, Crow Daddy, Grandpa Flick, Barry the C***k & Snakebite Andi) | Overlook Hotel (Jack Torrance, Hotel Caretaker & Lorraine Massey)
The Boogeyman: Boogeyman
Salem's Lot: Kurt Barlow (Richard Straker, Mike Ryerson & Danny Glick)
The Monkey (2025): The Monkey | Bill Shelburn

TV Series
Salem's Lot: Kurt Barlow | Richard Straker
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)
The Mist: The Mist | Mrs. Carmody | Adrian Garff
The Outsider: The Outsider
IT: Welcome to Derry: It/Pennywise | TBA

Other
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: Ellen Rimbauer

See Also
The Dark Tower Villains