IT: Welcome to Derry, the horrifying new series based on the Stephen King tale, has finally hit our TV screens. Set in Derry, Maine in the 1960s, the series expands on the town’s bloody past, driving home the horror and violence as Pennywise terrorizes the children who live there. Welcome to Derry introduces us to a lot of interesting characters. For long-time Stephen King devotees, there’s one in particular that stands out. That would be the familiar telepath Dick Hallorann, portrayed by Chris Chalk.
Where We’ve Seen Him Before
If the name “Dick Hallorann” rings familiar to you, you’re not going crazy. You may recognize the character from his first on-screen appearance in The Shining, though he was about ten years older. In fact, Hallorann has made several appearances throughout the Stephen King universe. Here’s every mention of the character up until this point.
The Shining
We first see the titular character in Stanley Kubrick’s psychological classic The Shining. Hallorann is a cook at the Overlook Hotel and possesses a gift called The Shining. He shares the ability with young Danny Torrance, with whom he warns of the dangers surrounding it. Hallorann plays a central role throughout the film, extending a hand to the Torrance family as Jack Torrance is possessed by the house. The character is later reprised in the Mick Garris 1990s mini-series.
IT
While Hallorann does not make an on-screen appearance in the 2019 film adaptation, he is mentioned in the Stephen King novel IT. Hallorann is revealed to be an army cook and member of a Black nightclub in Derry, Maine called “The Black Spot,” which is burned down in 1930 by the Legion of White Decency. Because of his telepathic abilities, Hallorann is able to save several Black clubgoers, including Mike Hanlon’s father.
Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep is a sequel to The Shining. The film expands on Hallorann’s backstory, revealing more context about the origins of his Shining ability. Hallorann tells Danny Torrance about his grandparents: his grandmother, Rose Hallorann, who shares his shine, and his abusive grandfather, Andy. After his grandfather’s passing, Rose teaches Dick how to lock away bad shine in a mental lockbox. Hallorann passes this knowledge to Danny.
Chris Chalk is the fourth actor to assume the role of Dick Hallorann, following Scatman Crothers in 1980 (The Shining), Melvin van Peebles in the ’90s (mini-series), and Carl Lumbly in the 2019 sequel (Doctor Sleep). In an interview with Nerdist, Chalk walks through his take on the iconic character.
“The previous depictions of Dick Hallorann informed me for about 45 minutes, and then I had to cut it off because then I had to do my job, which is creating my version of the guy with as much information as I have.” – Chris Chalk
How Will Hallorann Tie Into Welcome to Derry?
Stephen King fanatics are very interested to see exactly how the established character will factor into the terrifyingly gory new series. Naturally, we have to assume his powers come into play in Welcome to Derry, but how?
Episode One
In episode one, Hallorann is briefly introduced while working on the air force base Leroy Hanlon is stationed at. The episode leaves a bit of mystery surrounding the character, establishing him as a central piece to the story. The series immediately sparks a connection between IT and the telepath’s role in The Shining.
The episode emphasizes Hallorann’s focus on Hanlon, as well as his ability to sense the supernatural events unfolding in Derry. Hallorann is the only sane adult able to see IT in its varying forms, which will surely come into play as the series continues.
“One of the best things about this show and this version of Dick is that it is all new information,” said Chris Chalk, when asked how Derry will expand the character. “Everything in this version is new information that is leading up to a future point. So in some ways, I had an easier job than everybody else.
“One, I knew I wasn’t going to die. And then two, I have an incredible landmark, so long as I honor some of what has already been created. I can then with [director] Andy [Muschietti], with my castmates, with the script, develop everything I want on my own. It was very rare that anyone gave out character notes. So I think filling in those blanks of how he became who he is, that is a different exercise, but it’s also a very fun exercise as an actor,” he continued.
It’s safe to say that Hallorann’s Shining ability will play a crucial role as the series unfolds. It might even be the key to stopping the infamous clown himself. Be sure to check back at this post after each episode as more information is revealed.
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The post How Will Dick Hallorann Factor Into WELCOME TO DERRY appeared first on Nerdist.
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