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The Hamilton Deane Award
The Hamilton Deane Award is named after the man who first made Dracula famous on the stage, and is awarded by The Dracula Society annually.
Nominations are invited at the beginning of every year for the best dramatic performance, or involvement with a presentation, in the Gothic horror/supernatural genres during the previous year.
Nomination forms are sent to all members, and all members then vote for the winner from those nominations which have been accepted by the Society Committee.
Although the majority of the Award's previous recipients have been actors, the Award is also open to writers, directors, producers and anyone else involved in any of the performing arts such as theatre, film, radio and television.
Winners so far have been:
2022
Actor James Hyland for his one-man stage show Dracula's Guest.
2021
Actor, writer, producer, and director Mark Gatiss became our first ever three-time Hamilton Deane Award winner!
This time was primarily for his BBC TV 'Ghost Story at Christmas' adaptation of M. R. James' The Mezzotint, but also for his adaptation of The Amazing Mr. Blunden and A Christmas Carol.
2020
Writer and actor Jonathan Goodwin
of "Don't Go Into The Cellar!"
This was a special award made to Jonathan as one of those who kept Gothic horror performance alive online during the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Jonathan and Robert Lloyd Parry of Nunkie Productions were nominated for the award by the Society Committee, and a members' vote decided the winner.
2019
Writer and producer Steven Knight, for his adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (BBC TV)
The Hamilton Deane award made for Steven Knight
2018
No award made
2017
Actor Michael Sheen, for his part as the narrator of the BBC Radio play The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula.
The Hamilton Deane award made for Michael Sheen
2016
Television writer and producer Ashley Pharoah, for the BBC TV series The Living and the Dead.
2015
Director Guillermo del Toro, for the film Crimson Peak.
He became our second two-time winner, having also won in 2006 for Pan's Labyrinth.
The Hamilton Deane award made for Guillermo del Toro
2014
For the first time ever, the award for 2014 was shared, as there was a dead heat in the voting by members!
The joint winners were Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton for the TV series Inside No.9 (BBC TV) and John Logan for the TV series Penny Dreadful (Sky TV)
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton with their Hamilton Deane Award at our Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner in November 2015.
John Logan was unable to attend our Dinner in person, but was later presented with his award by series star Eva Green at the Irish 'Penny Dreadful' filming location.
2013
Actor, writer, producer, and director Mark Gatiss became our first ever two-time Hamilton Deane Award winner.
After winning as an actor, writer, and co-producer in 2008 for Crooked House, in 2013 he was a winner again, this time as a writer and director, for the BBC TV "Ghost Story at Christmas" adaptation of M. R. James' The Tractate Middoth.
He also wrote and presented a documentary on James to accompany his adaptation.
2012
Screenwriter Jane Goldman for the screenplay of the 2012 Hammer Films' production of Susan Hill's The Woman in Black.
Actress Pauline Moran (the "Woman in Black" in the 1989 television production) receiving the Hamilton Deane Award on behalf of Jane Goldman at the Society's Annual Dinner in November 2013.
2011
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch for the theatre production Frankenstein.
Hammer Films actor Anthony Higgins collecting the Hamilton Deane Award on behalf of Benedict Cumberbatch at the Society's Annual Dinner in November 2012.
2010
Writers Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson for the theatre production Ghost Stories.
Jeremy Dyson collecting the award on behalf of himself and Andy Nyman at the Society's Annual Dinner in November 2011.
2009
Actor Aidan Turner for Being Human (BBC TV)
"Being Human" creator and writer Toby Whithouse thanking the Society for the Hamilton Deane Award, which he accepted on behalf of Aidan Turner at the Society's Annual Dinner in November 2010.
2008
Writer and actor Mark Gatiss for Crooked House (BBC TV)
2007
Actor Robert Lloyd Parry for the theatre production Oh Whistle...
2006
Director Guillermo del Toro for the film Pan's Labyrinth
2005
Actress Lesley Sharp for Afterlife (ITV)
2004
Director Paco Plaza for the film Romasanta
Horror film critic, journalist and broadcaster Alan Jones receiving the award on behalf of Paco Plaza.
2003
No award made
2002
Actor Joseph Millson for the theatre production The Lifted Veil
2001
There Are Such Things - BBC Radio 4 play
2000
Actor Christopher Lee for his TV portrayals of Flay in Gormenghast and of M. R. James in Ghost Stories at Christmas
Horror film critic and historian Jonathan Rigby receiving the award on behalf of Christopher Lee.
1999
Actor Ian McKellen for his portrayal of Frankenstein director James Whale in the film Gods and Monsters
1998
Ultraviolet (Channel 4 TV)
Presented to the director, Joe Ahearne
1997
No award made
1996
Nightmare, The Birth of Horror (BBC TV)
Presented to the Writer/Presenter, Christopher Frayling
1983-1995
No awards made during this period
1982
Actor Ian Richardson for his performance as Frederick Fairlie in The Woman in White (BBC TV)
1981
An award gifted by the Dracula Society Committee, and named as a Hamilton Deane Special Award, was given (uniquely) to actor John Carradine.
1980
Actor David Hemmings for his performance in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (BBC TV)
1979
Actor George Hamilton for his performance as Dracula in the film Love at First Bite.
1978
No award made
1977
Actor Vladek Sheybal for his performance in the The Night of the Marionettes (BBC TV)
1976 (2)
Actor Patrick Troughton for his performance in the film The Omen, released in the UK in October 1976.
This award was presented at our Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner in November 1977. This time frame has been maintained ever since, and the award has been presented at the Dinner in the year after that during which the award was earned.
1976 (1)
Actor Denholm Elliott for his performance in the film To the Devil a Daughter, released in the UK in March 1976.
This was the first award made under the name "The Hamilton Deane Award", and it was presented at our Bram Stoker Birthday Dinner in November 1976, outside of the present Hamilton Deane Award time frame where it would have been presented at the Dinner in 1977.
1975
No award made
1974
The "Most Promising Actor of the Year" was awarded to actor Murray Brown for his performance as Jonathan Harker in Dan Curtis's film version of Dracula.
1973 - 2023
