Dr. Hannibal Lecter
is a fictional character in a series of suspense novels by Thomas
Harris. He is a respected Baltimore forensic psychiatrist, as well
as a cannibalistic serial killer. After he is caught and
incarcerated for his crimes, he consults with the FBI to assist them
in finding other serial killers.
Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon. The
novel and its sequel, The Silence of the Lambs, feature Lecter as
one of the primary antagonists. In the third novel, Hannibal, Lecter
becomes a protagonist. His role as the antihero occurs in the fourth
novel, Hannibal Rising, which explores his childhood and development
into a serial killer.
The first film adapted from the Harris novels was Manhunter (based
on Red Dragon) which features Brian Cox as Lecter, spelled
"Lecktor".
Anthony Hopkins won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the
character in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). He would reprise the
role in Hannibal in 2001 and in a second adaptation of Red Dragon
made in 2002 under the original title.
