Count

A Count is a title relating to noble bearing in European culture. It denotes a rank of authoritative virtue and is often a hereditary title. The feminine equivalent to a Count is a Countess. Counts are often portrayed as wealthy landowners whose rank amongst the nobility is an intermediate one between the highest, a King, and that of lower titles such as a Lord.

The character of Edmond Dantès from Alexandre Dumas' 1844 adventure novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, was known by this alias as he went from being a man wrongfully imprisoned to an anti-hero, seeking revenge against those who have wronged him. This character has been portrayed in films by actors such as Robert Donat in the 1934 film version of The Count of Monte Cristo by Rowland V. Lee, Gérard Depardieu in the 1998 French television miniseries (where the character was known as Abb Busoni) and more recently in the 2002 Kevin Reynolds adventure film adaptation, The Count of Monte Cristo, where he was played by actor Jim Caviezel. Fictionalized versions of the infamous vampire character Dracula have erroneously portrayed him as a Count. Count was not a title used in Southeast Europe at the time, and the historical Dracula was actually addressed by the title of Voivode. One of the more well-known actors to play Dracula in film is Christopher Lee, who played the role in seven films produced by Hammer Film Productions between 1958 and 1973.

Coincidentally, Christopher Lee would go on to play another evil Count years later. He played Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyrannus in the George Lucas prequel series of Star Wars films. He appeared in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith as well as the various "Clone Wars" spin-off media.

Of somewhat lesser reknown on the vampiric sides of being a count, there is Count Yorga, or Iorga, who was the titular antagonist of the 1970 film Count Yorga, Vampire and its 1971 sequel, The Return of Count Yorga. Count Yorga, played by actor Robert Quarry, was a Bulgarian mystic who caused all sorts of trouble after participating in a séance with a bunch of hippies.