Frederick Chilton - in Other Media

In Other Media

In Manhunter, the first film adaptation of Red Dragon, Chilton is played by Benjamin Hendrickson. In both The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon, he is played by Anthony Heald.

The films portray Chilton in the same manner as the novels, though some scenes with the character are altered in their adaptations. The Silence of the Lambs especially goes into detail about his ultimate fate. While the novel leaves Chilton's demise at the hands of Lecter an open question, the ending of the film shows Lecter sitting in a small cafe, contacting Starling to tell her that "I'm having an old friend for dinner." He then proceeds to follow Chilton through a small Caribbean village as the credits roll.