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Alan Pangborn
Alan Pangborn
Alan Pangborn
Aliases: Sheriff Pangborn
Alan J. Pangborn
Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Continuity: The Kingdom
Notability: Main character
Supporting character
Type: Law enforcement
Gender: Male
Location: New York City, New York
Castle Rock, Maine
Associations: New York City Police Department
Known relatives: Annie Pangborn
Toby Pangborn
Todd Pangborn
Bob Pangborn
Polly Chalmers
Status: Alive [1]
Deceased [2]
Died: 2018 [3]
Introduction: The Dark Half
Actor: Michael Rooker
Ed Harris
Scott Glenn

Alan Pangborn is a fictional law enforcement officer and a major character featured in the collected works of author Stephen King. He first appeared in the 1989 novel The Dark Half, and then in the 1991 book Needful Things. Both books were adapted into feature films. In The Dark Half, Alan Pangborn was played by actor Michael Rooker. In Needful Things he was played by actor Ed Harris. An alternate version of the character appeared in a supporting cast role on the television series Castle Rock where he was played by actor Scott Glenn.

Overview[]

Alan Pangborn was a police officer from New York City. His wife and children were killed in an automobile accident, and Pangborn could not cope with the grief of it. He left New York for Castle Rock, Maine, where he became the sheriff of the town. Alan Pangborn investigated a string of murders associated with "George Stark", which was a pseudonym and parasitic twin of Thad Beaumont. He also got involved in a bizarre string of nightmarish pranks that erupted throughout Castle Rock as a result of a man named Leland Gaunt, who could very well have been the Devil himself.

Abilities[]

  • Firearms: Alan Pangborn is a skilled law enforcement agent and is trained in the use of police issue firearms including a standard sidearm and a pump-action shotgun.
  • Investigation: As a town sheriff, Alan Pangborn is skilled in at least rudimentary forms of investigative procedures.
  • Prestidigitation: Alan Pangborn is gifted in sleight of hand. This is demonstrated to great affect in the novel, but not so much in the movie. On Castle Rock, there is a flashback scene of Pangborn and Ruth Deaver in bed and he is demonstrating simple palming techniques. [4]

Notes & Trivia[]

Castle Rock notes[]

  • Alan Pangborn was previously married, but his wife died prior to his relationship with Ruth Deaver. This is in contrast to the Needful Things feature film, which establishes that Alan and Polly Chalmers will have a long life with several children. Of course, this may also refer to his family that died prior to meeting Polly, back when he was a cop in New York. The TV version of Pangborn does not appear to have any children. No reference to him having ever lived in New York is made either.
  • Final fate: Shot to death by Ruth Deaver, who mistakenly believed him to be her late husband. [5]

Appearances[]

Novels[]

  1. Dark Half, The (novel)
  2. Needful Things (novel)

Films[]

  1. Dark Half, The
  2. Needful Things

Television[]

  1. Castle Rock: Severance (Also in flashback)
  2. Castle Rock: Habeas Corpus
  3. Castle Rock: Local Color
  4. Castle Rock: The Box
  5. Castle Rock: Harvest (Also in flashback)
  6. Castle Rock: Filter
  7. Castle Rock: The Queen (Killed by Ruth Deaver)

See also[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Per the continuity of the novels and films.
  2. Per the Castle Rock television series.
  3. Castle Rock continuity only. "The Queen".
  4. Castle Rock: The Queen
  5. Castle Rock: The Queen

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This article relates to the works of Stephen King.
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