Alan Pangborn is one ofStephen King’s most notable characters, but only a few actors have portrayed him. Pangborn isthe sheriff of Castle Rock, the fictional town in Maine that is the primary setting of many Stephen King books. Pangborn first appears in 1989’sThe Dark Half, followed by 1991’sNeedful Things. Pangborn has been also featured in the novellaThe Sun Dog, which was one of the stories in King’s anthologyFour Past Midnightfrom 1990. While there is a mention of Pangborn by name in the 1998 bookBag of Bones, the character doesn’t actually show up.
Pangborn has popped up in two films,The Dark HalfandNeedful Things, and one TV show,Castle Rock. However, there is hope that he’ll come back in one of the other upcomingadaptations of Stephen King’s novels. The straight-laced law enforcement officer has an eventful life in King’s universe. When he is first introduced, he is a married man with two children. However, over time, Pangborn faces trauma and heartbreak.Alan Pangborn is one of King’s most notable characters, making it strange that only four actors have ever had the chance to of bring the sheriff to life on-screen.
4Jeffrey Pierce
Castle Rock(2018-2019)
The first iteration of Alan Pangborn is introduced as a part oftheCastle Rockcastin the opening scenes of the pilot, “Severance.”Jeffrey Pierce portrays a younger version of the character, who appears through various flashbacks in the show. These flashbacks delve into Pangborn’s search for Henry Deaver in January 1991, a time in which he was still serving as sheriff of the titular town.
Initially, it’s a shock to see Pierce on the screen as Pangborn, because he is quite unrecognizable without his staple beard. However, Pierce quickly settles into the role and encapsulates Pangborn’s energy amazingly. Pierce is a varied actor with many types of creative experience under his belt. In recent years, he is perhaps best known as Tommy inThe Last Of UsandThe Last of UsPart II, providing both the voice and motion capture for the character.
Screen Rantinterviewed Jeffrey Pierce for his role as Perry inThe Last of Us.
His efforts have earned him a nomination for the BAFTA Games Award for Performer in a Supporting Role. He also appears inThe Last of UsTV show as Perry. Outside his work onThe Last of Us, Pierce has starred in several ofthe best crime procedurals ever, includingCSI,BoschandNCIS. Although very brief, Pierce does a great job as Alan Pangborn. Despite his limited time on-screen,Pierce is brilliant at embodying the character’s hardships while under pressure,facing one of the most complex and high-stakes investigations of his career and life
Castle Rock
Cast
Castle Rock is a supernatural/horror television series based on the works of Stephen King. Set in the titular town in Maine, the show covers an anthology of supernatural stories surrounding various characters that work, live, and visit Castle Rock, all of which sharply turn the mundane lives of northeasterners into compelling tales of the extraordinary - both good and bad.
Pierce is especially fantastic at demonstrating Pangborn’s feelings for Henry’s mother, Ruth. One specific scene that stands out is when Pangborn lays in bed with Ruth, showing off his sleight of hand tricks.Castle Rockviewers tend to think of Scott Glenn as Pangborn, butPierce is a fabulous casting choiceto portray the same character earlier in life.
3Scott Glenn
Scott Glenn is the most recent actor to play Alan Pangborn. His version of Pangborn serves as the protagonist of the Hulu Stephen King adaptation,Castle Rock. WhileCastle Rockends after season 2, the newest generation of Stephen King enthusiasts generally recognizes Glenn as the face of Pangborn and the town as a whole.The actor slips into the shoes of the character after he makes his long-awaited return to Castle Rock,years after being the town’s sheriff.
The actor slips into the shoes of the character after he makes his long-awaited return to Castle Rock, years after being the town’s sheriff.
To no surprise, the residents still rely on Pangborn’s help, mainly because most of them remember when he was in power. Scott Glenn’s decorated career spans across film, TV, and theater. While he is remembered for making his start on Broadway and in a guest stint on the crime TV showHawkwith Burt Reynolds, his breakthrough is in the 1970 movieThe Baby Maker.
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Glenn starred in that film as Tad Jacks, the boyfriend of protagonist Tish. This is the role that set him on the path to further opportunities. Over the years, Glenn has featured in multiple titles. The actor eventually made a name for himself in many classic movies, ranging from more dramatic fare to large-scale action epics. The peak of his filmography is from the ‘90s, appearing inThe Silence of the Lambsand one of the best naval war movies ever,The Hunt for Red October.
Every Stephen King Story Castle Rock Missed Out On
Hulu’s Castle Rock only referenced two major Stephen King stories in detail. While both seasons have easter eggs, Castle Rock missed out on a lot.
Castle Rockmay not be the actor’s most widely known project, but it did allow him to show off his varied acting talents. Pangborn faces the difficulty of standing out from newer King personalities. However, as a veteran of the author’s character base, Glenn still dominates the screen. Glenn provides a grumpy and abrupt persona as Pangborn, which is a fitting recreation of how King describes him in his novels. Glenn’s chemistry with Sissy Spacek as Ruth Deaver is beautiful.
Both actors are brilliant in their roles, but the scenes they share perfectly encapsulate the underlying tensions of their pasts and presents, especially the events that lead to their romantic relationship, which provewhyCastle Rockis so cursed. Ruth’s dementia makes things more challenging, and Glenn is nothing short of stellar when Pangborn has to deal with this. TheCastle Rockepisode “The Queen” is a particularly striking example of this, and his heartbreaking death caused by Ruth’s confusion is one of the most profound points of the show.
2Michael Rooker
The Dark Half(1993)
One of the multipleStephen King and George Romero collaborations,The Dark Halfis an amazing horror movie that inspiredMalignantand several other titles of the horror genre. It is also the first ever adaptation of King’s novel of the same name. InThe Dark Half, Michael Rooker takes on the role of Alan Pangborn.The Dark Halfis the first story, both on the screen and in the written word, in which Alan Pangborn appears.
This first investigation focuses on several murders undertaken by George Stark, the fictional alter ego of Thad Beaumont who bizarrely comes to life.Michael Rookeris typically remembered for his villainous roles. The actor has famously played many antagonists throughout his career. Rooker rose to prominence inHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killeras the main character, which set up further performances as a bad guy.
The Dark Half
The Dark Half is a psychological horror film directed by George A. Romero, based on Stephen King’s novel. The story follows Thad Beaumont, a successful author who decides to kill off his pseudonym, George Stark, only to find his darker half coming to life and committing a series of brutal murders. Timothy Hutton stars in the dual roles of Thad Beaumont and George Stark. Released in 1993, the film explores themes of identity and the duality of human nature.
His most prominent recent character is Yondu Udonta, Peter Quill’s adoptive father, in the first twoGuardians of the Galaxymovies. Rooker also plays Merle Dixon inThe Walking Dead, another dangerous figure who creates conflict and pain for those around him.Although Rooker quite memorably portrays villains,The Dark Halfproves he can be a hero. Though Rooker isn’t celebrated with any accolades for his performance, he still provides a solid performance as Castle Rock’s sheriff.
As the first person to bring Pangborn to life on the screen, Rooker faces pressure to encapsulate Pangborn’s personality perfectly. With the exception ofHenry, Rooker isn’t exactly known for horror, but he slips into the role well. His facial expressions in some of the film’s most gripping moments, such as when Pangborn receives the creepy prank calls, are enthralling. Rooker isn’t the primary focus inThe Dark Half, butRooker’s performance is eye-catchingenough that he doesn’t become overshadowed.
1Ed Harris
Needful Things(1993)
The second film to feature Alan Pangborn in 1993 isNeedful Things, in which Ed Harris plays the iconic character.Needful Thingsthrows the sheriff into a new challenge, and he takes center stage as he attempts to get to the bottom of Leland Gaunt’s mysterious behavior and the deadly pranks on the various residents of Castle Rock.Needful Thingsmay not be one ofEd Harris’ best movies, butitis definitely Pangborn’s busiest story.
This is especially because it delves further into his relationship with Polly, the first woman he dates following the death of his wife Annie. Academy Award nominee Ed Harris has starred in some ofthe best movies of all time. After making his breakthrough inThe Right Stuff,Harris appears in films likeThe Truman ShowandApollo 13, both of which have earned him Oscar nominationsfor Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Needful Things
Needful Things is a 1993 horror film directed by Fraser Clarke Heston, based on the Stephen King novel. The story centers around a mysterious shop owned by Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow) in Castle Rock, Maine. Gaunt’s seemingly harmless items bring out the worst in the town’s residents, leading to chaos and violence. Ed Harris stars as Sheriff Alan Pangborn, who attempts to uncover Gaunt’s true motives.
His only recommendation for the Leading Role Award, however, is for his performance as artist Jackson Pollock inPollock. In recent years, Harris is perhaps best known for his character Admiral Cain in the movieTop Gun: Maverickor as the mysterious and villainous Man in Black from HBO’sWestworld. Harris has previously stated toNY Magthat he is very serious on set, and this translates in his performance as Pangborn inNeedful Things.
Considering the release ofThe Dark Halfjust months beforeNeedful Things, it would make sense for Harris to fade into the background. However,Harris is a strength in the film. Pangborn brings order to Castle Rock, his monologue at the film’s ending being ncredibly powerful. EvenStephen King praises Harris inNeedful Things’ extended cutas the “unadulterated good guy.” These actors have all brought unique elements to their versions ofStephen King’sPangborn.
Source:Screen Rant,NY Mag
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
