| Dr. Armand Tesla | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Dr. Hugo Bruckner (impersonating alias) | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Species | Vampire | ||
| Gender | Male | ||
| Place of origin | Romania | ||
| Current status | Destroyed | ||
| Biology | |||
| Body type | Humanoid | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Diet | Hematophagous | ||
| Abilities | Mesmerism Teleportation | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Sapient | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | The Return of the Vampire | ||
| Performed by | Béla Lugosi | ||
Dr. Armand Tesla was a Romanian scientist who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and published a book called The Supernatural and its Manifestations, in which he discussed the phenomenon of the undead, such as vampires and werewolves. Eventually, he was turned into a vampire himself.
About two hundred years later, in 1918, Tesla was living in a crypt in London where he was assisted by his brainwashed lycanthrope servant, Andréas Obry, and sustained himself by preying on local victims.
Biology
Like many other vampires, Tesla is mostly active at night and capable of teleportation. He also casts no reflection on mirrors and is highly adept at mesmerism, being capable of controlling the minds of those whose blood he has drunk, influencing them even from distance. He has an extreme aversion to crucifixes.
History
After he attacked a young girl named Nikki Saunders in 1918, Tesla was pursued by her grandfather, Prof. Walter Saunders, along with Lady Jane Ainsley. He was found sleeping in his coffin and was staked through the heart by the Professor.
Twenty four years later, however, Tesla's coffin was once again exposed following a German bombing during World War Two. A couple of gravediggers who found his body removed the stake from his heart and reburied him. At the same night, Tesla rose from his improvised grave. He later located and hypnotized Nikki, and eventually brought her to his crypt, intending to turn her into his new vampire bride.
Fortunately, the now reformed Andréas Obry managed to free himself from his master's control and saved Nikki by driving Tesla away with a crucifix, just as the cemetery was once again bombarded. The next morning, the wounded Andréas dragged the equally wounded Tesla out of the crypt and into the sunlight and staked him though the heart. The sun caused the vampire's lifeless body to decay quickly. Andréas also died soon afterwards, but Nikki survived her injuries and was saved from the vampire curse.
Appearances
- The Return of the Vampire (1943)
