John van Eyssen isn’t famous in the modern sense of the word, but the South African actor has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on society due to his incredible performances.
Unfortunately, van Eyssen died in 1995, leaving a hole that continues to be hard to fill to this day. However, his legacy lives on in several forms, from acting and producing to literary success.
Personal Life
John van Eyssen was born in South Africa in 1922 in a small town called Fauresmith. As a South African native, van Eyssen answered the call of his country when World War II erupted at the end of the 1930s. He is a decorated war veteran.
After WW2 ended, van Eyssen moved to Britain to pursue his passion for the performing arts. Once he graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama – he claimed the Speech and Drama Prize during his studies – he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Co and began his journey into stardom.
Career
By the 1950s, van Eyssen was a regular on TV, radio, and the stage. One of his main roles during his early career was as Lucifer in the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, which was included within the Festival of Britain in 1951 and 1954. Blind Date in 1959, in the role of Inspector Westover, was another big hit for van Eyssen.
However, the production that catapulted the South African actor into the public eye was Dracula, also known as Horror of Dracula in the US. John played a Jonathan Harker, who is integral to the plot, and contributed to the movie capturing the imagination of audiences worldwide as it was one of the first horror films to feature Nosferatu.
Thanks to van Eyssen and the Horror of Dracula, the theme has transformed into a pop-culture legend in many industries.
Recently, the BBC in Britain released a modern adaptation with a female van Helsing, for example, while movies featuring the Transylvanian native have been hits at the box office, such as Dracula Untold and Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman). Console gaming is another form of entertainment that leverages vampires, with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim video game using them as one of the featured enemies.
It’s reached other sectors of the gaming industry too, online casino libraries tend to hold several titles since the theme helps operators to offer engaging and immersive slots.
For example, this Casino Cruise review highlights that several titles are available, such as Dracula Awakening, Dracula’s Castle, and Brides of Dracula Hold & Win. It doesn’t stop there for the gaming industry, as even Dracula board games, like Dracula’s Feast and The Vampire Ball, have fallen under the Count’s spell.
Other Achievements
As well as the big screen, John van Eyssen achieved numerous successes in the literary world by becoming an agent and working with Tennessee Williams. He subsequently became the head of the literary department at London Management in the 60s.
He was also part of the team that created the Chelsea Film Festival in 1991, helping young adults to showcase their skills before the era of social media.
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