Dick Hallorann

Dick Hallorann is a fictional chef and psychic featured in The Shining multimedia franchise. He first appeared in the 1977 novel The Shining by author Stephen King. The character was adapted in the 1980 feature film of The Shining by director Stanley Kubrick, where he played by actor Scatman Crothers. The character was re-imagined for the 1997 television miniseries, Stephen King's The Shining, where he was portrayed by Melvin Van Peebles. Hallorann also appeared in the 2013 sequel novel Doctor Sleep.

Biography
Dick Hallorann was the head chef at the Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Colorado in the late 1970s. Dick was a psychic and possessed the ability to telepathically communicate with others, which he referred to as "shining". This particular talent seems to have been an inherited ability, for his grandmother had it as well, and Dick would talk about how his grandmother and he could have entire conversations without ever saying a word.

The only other person that Dick ever met who had "the shine" was six-year-old Danny Torrance. Dick met Danny in the winter of 1978 when his father, Jack Torrance, accepted the job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook. Dick greeted Danny telepathically by calling him by his nickname, Doc. Without letting on to his parents that he knew about Danny's power, he gave Jack and Wendy Torrance a tour of the Overlook's kitchen facilities. When he had a moment alone with Danny, the child asked him about Room 237. Dick grew nervous, obviously aware of some of the tragedies that had taken place in the Overlook in the past and warned him to stay out. He knew that Danny might be in danger over the long winter and told him that if he ever needed him to send him a telepathic S.O.S. and he would come for him.

After settling business with the Torrances, Dick Hallorann drove to Miami, Florida for some vacation time. While there, he received a psychic summons from Danny Torrance, who was terrified of the supernatural forces plaguing the Overlook. Dick immediately returned to Colorado and took a snowmobile up to the hotel. As he walked through the reception area, Jack Torrance, now psychotically insane, appeared before him with an axe. He swung the axe into Hallorann's chest, killing him instantly.

Notes & Trivia

 * The character of Dick Hallorann was created by author Stephen King. He was expanded upon by writer/director Stanley Kubrick and screenwriter Diane Johnson for the film.


 * In the original novel, Dick Hallorann did not die. Nor was he killed in the 1997 miniseries of The Shining.


 * The Shining premiered in the United States on Scatman Crothers' seventieth birthday.


 * The death of Dick Hallorann in the original film took forty takes. This is considerably less than what director Stanley Kubrick intended to shoot, but actor Jack Nicholson convinced him to go easy on Crothers because of his age.


 * Actor Scatman Crothers also appeared in the 1976 remake of King Kong, which is notable for the introduction of actress Jessica Lange. The Shining star Jack Nicholson tried to convince Stanley Kubrick to cast Lange for the role of Wendy Torrance, but the part ultimately went to Shelley Duvall.