Home > Abraham Van Helsing

He is a Dutch doctor, of advanced age and a wide range of interests and accomplishments, partly attested by the string of letters that follows his name: " MD, DPh, DLitt , etc, etc.", but is best known as a vampire hunter.

In the novel, Van Helsing is called in by his former student, Dr Seward, to assist with the mysterious illness of Lucy Westenra. It is Van Helsing who first realises that Lucy is the victim of a vampire, and Van Helsing who guides Dr Seward and his friends in their efforts first to save Lucy and then to end the vampire's threat once and for all.

Adaptations of the novel have tended to play up Van Helsing's role as the vampire expert, sometimes to the extent that this is depicted as his major occupation. In the novel, however, Dr Seward is unaware of this side of his old friend (and furthermore, has no suspicion that vampires really exist, let alone that one is involved in the case), and requests Van Helsing's assistance simply because Lucy's affliction has him baffled and Van Helsing "knows as much about obscure diseases as any one in the world".

Van Helsing is described by his former student thus:

He is a seemingly arbitrary man, this is because he knows what he is talking about better than any one else. He is a philosopher and a metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day, and he has, I believe, an absolutely open mind. This, with an iron nerve, a temper of the ice-brook, and indomitable resolution, self-command, and toleration exalted from virtues to blessings, and the kindliest and truest heart that beats, these form his equipment for the noble work that he is doing for mankind, work both in theory and practice, for his views are as wide as his all-embracing sympathy. [Dracula, ch.9]

Notable actors to have played Van Helsing in various screen versions include Edward Van Sloan in Universal Studios' Dracula series; Peter Cushing in Hammer Films' Dracula series; Laurence Olivier in the 1979 Dracula; Anthony Hopkins in Bram Stoker's DraculaBram Stoker's Dracula is a 1992 movie produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola based on the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. It starred Keanu Reeves, Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins and Winona Ryder. It is arguably the closest film adaptation of the novel (1992); and Mel BrooksMel Brooks (born June 28, 1926) is an American actor, writer and director, best known as a creator of broad film farces and parodies. Born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, Brooks served in the US Army during World War II as an engineer. He started o in the parody (1995).