Father Callahan
Father Callahan is a male character who features in 'Salem's Lot.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Donald Frank Callahan was a male human who grew up to be the local Roman Catholic priest of the small Maine town of Jerusalem's Lot.
'Salem's Lot
Father Callahan came to preside over the funeral of a young boy named Danny Glick who, unbeknownst to the townsfolk, was killed by the vampire Kurt Barlow. Life appears to go on as normal, but more and more of the populace are turned into vampires by Barlow and the new vampires he creates. Local writer Ben Mears, schoolteacher Matt Burke and a young boy named Mark Petrie discover what is happening. Joined by doctor Jimmy Cody and Susan Norton, they convince Callahan of the vampire presence and enlist him to help.
Callahan leads a daytime assault on the old house that is Barlow's hiding place, only to find that the vampire has vacated the premises in anticipation of their attack. However, the group uses the opportunity to destroy the vampiric Susan, whom Barlow had turned during an unsuccessful attempt by her and Mark Petrie's to invade the house and destroy Barlow, and purify the house against future vampire occupation.
That night, Callahan encounters Barlow himself when the latter invades the Petrie family's home and kills Mark's parents in retaliation for Mark killing Barlow's trusted human familiar. Barlow then seizes Mark and challenges Callahan to drop the cross he is using to hold him at bay and face him “faith to faith”. Callahan initially refuses, not trusting Barlow to release Mark, but Barlow ups the ante by releasing the boy, who flees. Now confronted with the choice, Callahan's faith fails, with the cross consequently becoming useless against Barlow. Barlow then seizes him, cuts open a vein in his own throat and forces the priest to drink his blood, damning him. Defeated, Callahan returns to his church, but burns his hand on the door and is refused entrance. Callahan leaves the town on a bus, bemoaning how "unclean" he has become.
The Dark Tower
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Callahan was a tall man with piercing blue eyes and a ruddy complexion. His hair was a graying steel color. He had many red and broken veins in his cheeks and around his nose from drinking.
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Father Callahan was created by Stephen King where he featured in the setting of The Dark Tower series.
In other media
Television
- In Salem's Lot, Father Callahan appeared in the 1979 miniseries adaptation live-action television miniseries where he was portrayed by actor James Gallery.
- In Salem's Lot, Father Callahan appeared in the 2004 two-part live-action television miniseries where he was portrayed by actor James Cromwell.
Radio
Appearances
- 'Salem's Lot:
External Links
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