Linda Thomas-Sundstrom is a native of California, where she lives with her husband and teaches at a major California University.
Linda writes in the genres of fantasy and romance, and at the moment has two more books in the works in the paranormal romance genre. She prefers reading and writing dark historicals, with plenty of gothic-style atmosphere, but on a challenge from an editor is finding light contemporary paranormal also a kick to write.
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Hi vampire fans…
Happy to be with you today, at least in spirit, to celebrate vampires.
I’ve been engaged in writing about them for the last few years, first for Kensington Brava and currently for Nocturne, and loving every minute of it. So, I wanted to share some things about our favorite Night Creatures.
Did you know that if we type the word “vampire” into one of our search engines, we’ll come up with a goldmine of twenty-four million web pages about vampires? Yep. That’s right. Twenty-four million – including chat rooms for lonely enthusiasts wanting to reach folks (or vampires) or like mind. (Yikes!)
I found this out by reading a compendium book on vampires, and also discovered that vampires have been around, virtually spreading out through most of the entertainment industry since before there was an entertainment industry… with folk tales going back to the 1500’s. Heck, movies about vampires date back to the 1920’s. Seems we’ve always had this fascination with the dark side.
And the heartbeat goes on . . . So . . . Well . . .
I thought I might just drop a few names from the industry side of vampires, for fun, and include a few photos. See which of these guys you remember, and which like best, or least. Remember, everyone has a different idea of what floats their boat, so if you share your thoughts, this might a kick!
A partial list of actors playing vampires in film (in the not-too-distant past):
Bela Lugosi – 1931, and rated as the number one vampire film of all time.
Christopher Lee – starting in 1948, Lee played Dracula 17 times in his movie career.
Peter Cushing – okay, he usually played a vampire hunter, Lee’s nemesis, but worthy of mention.
Gary Oldman – 1992 – Francis Ford Coppola’s version of Bram Stoker’s tale.
Frank Langella – 1979 – excuse me, but… YUM !!!!
John Carradine – second only to Lee in the number of times he played a vampire, starting in the 1940’s.
George Hamilton – 1979 – Love at first Bite – a fun, silly, comedy!
Willem Dafoe – 2000 – Shadow of the Vampire
Tom Cruise – 1994 – Interview with a Vampire
Brad Pit – 1994 – Interview with a Vampire
Stuart Townsend – 2002 – Queen of the Damned
Richard Roxburgh – 2004 – Van Helsing
Wesley Snipes – half human, half bloodsucker in the Blade trilogy
Gerard Butler – 2000 -Wes Craven’s Dracula (all that thick dark hair!)
Jonathan Frid – 1970 – gothic soap opera – Dark Shadows
William Marshall – 1972 – Blackula
QUESTIONS for the day:
Who is your favorite actor as a vampire?
Least favorite?
Party with the vamp dudes . . . today . . Right here!
Oh, and for the record, my vampire books, both on the light and dark sides are as follows:
Immortal Bad Boys antho – Kensington Brava
Vampire Lover – Nocturne Bites
Golden Vampire – Nocturne
Night Born – Nocturne Bites
Veronica and the Vampire – goofy, girlie fare
Guardian of the Night – Nocturne – coming in June 2012
Christmas with a Vampire antho – coming in December 2012
The Immortal – Nocturne – TBA
Cheers for now-
Linda
Web Site: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/LindaThomasSundstrom
My favorite actor as a vampire is Stuart Townsend from Queen of the Dead and my least favorite vampire is Robert Pattinson from the Twilight movies.
Favorite is Ian Somerhalder and least is Tom Cruise. Thank you.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorite is George Hamilton just because he was so funny in that movie lol
Not sure who my least favorite would be though…
I have so many favorites its hard to choose one so lets just say that today it will be Ian Somerhalder. My least favorite would be Wesley Snipes.
Well, hello. Gosh, I had ten pictures to include here, and one was Stewart Townsend… but poor Lori – I must have broken the blog with all those jpgs! EEK! hahahahahahah.
Thanks for joining me. Did I purposefully leave out the glittery vampire= Edward???? Freudian slip? So glad you mentioned the newbies. Was hoping somebody would.
And George Hamilton was a hoot!!
xo
Linda
Hey, Linda–cool post! I have to say that, based on sex appeal alone, I have a thing for Gerard Butler in the terrible Wes Craven DRACULA movie, LOL.
Also, Thomas Ian Griffth in John Carpenter’s VAMPIRES. Yum. Feral but hothothot.
Hi Chris! Yes, Butler was a hottie in that movie. Hardly recognized him when I saw it. ha. Fangs for agreeing with me on this….. YAY for fangs.
xo
Linda
Hi Linda,
Great post this morning. i have actually seen all of these and although i know that most think Bella is the best at Dracula i disagree.
The first vampire movie i saw was Dracula in 1979 and it starred Frank Langella (so HOT). to this day in my opinion it is still the best version. he brought a certain something to the role that others have lacked, a class and charm that was mesmerizing to my 11 year old mind. #:P
As for the vampire i have liked the least that would be Tom Cruise in Interview. it was a great book and the movie was good but i just couldn’t quite believe him.
thanks for the chat this morning it was fun,have a Happy Holiday Season and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
Who can resist George Hamilton who tangos, has a reading lamp in his coffin and a wild Renfield?
Least favorite? Keifer Sutherland? Love Lost Boys. Wasn’t fond of him.
Great post, Linda!
Although I think the way Frank Langella’s pupils go back and forth quickly really added to his characterization of Dracula and think Gary Oldman did an awesome job as Dracula, I have to say my favorite is Antonio Banderas as Armand in Interview with a Vampire but honorable mention goes out to Wesley Snipes as Blade. Both are sexy, sexy, sexy! My least favorite as a vampire is probably Edie Murphy in Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). He just didn’t do it for me as a vamp.
Thanks for the opportunity to win.
well i really did love the blade movies.. so ill go with wesley snipes as my fav… and tom cruise as my least fav
Hey Linda! My favorite vamp is Brad Pitt in IV w/ a Vampire. He was so good looking when he was young.
And I actually do like the guy from Being Human, too.
Hope your holidays are bit free!
OOOOOhhhh. Yes! More vamps to add to the list. Antonio B was beautiful in Interview W A Vampire. He outclassed Cruise and Pitt by miles in my MHO also.
And no one has yet brought up the great British actor Bill Nighy as the head fanged dude in the fabulous Underworld saga. I have a love-hate relationship with that series…. and dang if I don’t watch it every time I’m channel surfing and find it’s on!
xo We’re doing well, cyber partiers! Thanks for the comments and additions and opinions so far!
Linda
LINDA –
ooPS – sorry. I’ll start over.
Linda Wisdom….. that reading lamp in Hamilton’s coffin was priceless. And the fake tan, too.
Gad, you have got to love the movies.
xo
Linda
And and and… what about Paul Ruebens (aka PeeWee Herman) as a tacky vamp in the priginal Buffy movie? Not a sexy boy, but deserves mention for perhaps the quirkiest, right, as a vamp minion?
LOL.
Linda
If we’re moving to TV….. ANGEL, anyone? David B when he was kinda hot, too?
L
Thanks for the great post and topic. I agree with much of what other commenters wrote- for the classical vamp, Frank Langella takes the prize; tv- David B. beats out Ian S. no contest – tho Ian is very cute, but not manly enough for me. We got to see David/Angel grow up into quite the hunky vamp from his early years on Buffy to the very last (and great) Angel epi. Can anyone say fan girl?!
Worst? Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
Loved Brad Pitt & Tom Cruz as vampires… very believable! I’m not sure I have a least favorite… I’ll have to think on that a bit more.
Happy Holidays!!!
yadkny@hotmail.com
My favorite would be Alexander Skarsgard from true blood. I don’t have a least favorite! I love all vampires
khelseyrjackson@gmail.com
Ah… True Blood. Does anyone think TV Sookie’s Bill is nice? Naw. How about David Bowie in The Hunger?
Your perfect vampire would be ?????????? From a list of actors who have NOT formerly sported fangs….. ????
Nearly time to hit the pillow, so maybe you’ll still have that perfect suggestion for sweet sweet dreams…..
xo
Linda
Hi Linda –
Gosh I have so many favorites! :)
I think I’d add Chris Sarandon from the original Fright Night to your list… :)
And I’m looking forward to seeing Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins in Dark SHadows! Can’t wait!
Lisa :)
I like them all!
Yay….. randomly chosen winner of today is…..
tammy. So – Miss Tammy, please go to my website, to the CONTACT ME PAGE, and drop me a line with I WON on the header. I’ll email you back if you leave you information, anf get you a download of my book “Veronica and the Vampire.”
Congrats!!!!
http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom(dot)com
Linda
Let’s see, Ian Somerhalder is an awesome vamp, but so was Alex O’Loughlin. Leslie Nielsen too!
Least favorite? That’s easy. Robert Pattinson, hands down.
Since you mention Interview with a Vampire, there’s also the dreamy Antonio Banderas — love that long hair on him!
My favorite actor is Frank Langella as Dracula
Great interview. I loved all your books, even the girlie fare~!
Favorite: Frank Langella and George Hamilton
Least : Keifer Sutherland
Can I be honest – nothing can beat the vampire I imagine when I read the book. The characters come to life and no actor can top that!
My all time favorite is Bela Lugosi. Least favorite is Tom Cruise. I love pretty all vampires even the bad ones. LOL.
“I want to suck your blood.” Bela Lugosi portrayal was so absorbing. As a kid, my imagination soared.
Christopher Lee was a poor follow-up to Bela.
Hi I realy loved Wesley Snipes as Blade .Please dont enter me for Veronica and The Vampire.I ve already read it and love love loved it .I coudlnt put it down .Happy Holidays
flanagan@mebtel.net
Great interview! Favorite vampire is George Hamilton and least favorite is Tom Cruise.
kscathy@yahoo.com
I have to say that I loved the movie Interview with a Vampire. Both actors were enjoyable. I did not really like Westley Snipes vamp character in Blade. I liked the movies, but would have liked them more if there had been some good vamps, besides Blade. I just don’t like all the vamps being bad.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
I like Kate Beckinsale in Underworld. I think she did a good job playing her vampire role. She wasn’t mentioned in the comments that I could see so I thought I would add her name. As for least favorite…well I dont have any that aren’t mentioned already.