John Harker

John HarkerEscape from New York - Mike McQuay - Bantam Books - Published July 1981 - Page 31 - Retrieved 19 October 2024 was an American politician who served as president of the United States at the end of the 20th century. In 1997, Harker was overseeing a war on two fronts with Russia and China when Air Force One crashed into New York Maximum Security Penitentiary. Harker had planned to appear at the Hartford Summit to meet with representatives of both enemy nations with knowledge of a revolutionary nuclear fusion process to end the war. He was captured by the Gypsies and held by the Duke of New York, who intended to use him for ransom. 
With less than a day left in the summit, military veteran and master criminal Snake Plissken was deployed into the city to rescue the President. In the interim, Harker withstood psychological and physical torture at the hands of the Duke. Plissken was able to free the President with the assistance of Harold "Brain" Hellman, "Maggie", and "Cabbie"; all three died in the process of bringing Harker to the prison walls. After killing the Duke, Harker thanked Plissken for rescuing him but spoke dismissively about his other rescuers, prompting Plissken to destroy the tape and replace it with another. Harker, unaware of Plissken's ruse, played the tape for the summit and was humiliated by the result.
==Notes==
===Behind the Scenes === 
*President Harker was portrayed by English actor Donald Pleasence.Escape from New York - IMDB - Retrieved 19 February 2023Donald Pleasence - IMDB - Retrieved 19 February 2023 According to John Carpenter, Pleasence wrote a detailed backstory for the President, involving Margaret Thatcher achieving global dominance and the United States reverting into a British colony. Carpenter elected not to use any of it. Pleasence also came up with the idea to have the President wearing a long blonde wig during one of his torture scenes, and also invested the scene where he kills the Duke with his experience in a POW camp.31 Things We Learned From the ‘Escape From New York’ Commentary - Kate Erbland - 2012 - Film School Rejects - Retrieved 21 October 2024
===References & Connections=== 
*Harker was ranked 115 out of 142 fictional film presidents, ahead of William Haney but behind Tom Beck.Every Fictional President in Film History: Ranked (#120-111—Mostly Inept and Irresponsible Presidents) - 14 June 2018 - America Fun Fact of the Day - Retrieved 19 February 2023
==Appearances==
*Escape from New York (first and final appearance)
== Links ==
* John Harker on the Snake Plissken Wiki
==References==
Category:Humans
Category:Villains
Category:Murderers
Category:Politicians
Category:American politicians
Category:Presidents
Category:American Presidents
Category:American Government
Category:Dictators
Category:World Leaders
Category:Washingtonians
Category:American characters
Category:Film characters
Category:Characters played by Donald Pleasence
Category:20th century births
Category:Science fiction characters
Category:Science fiction villains
Category:Kill count (under 10)
Category:1981 debut