| Det. Donald G. Schanke | |
|---|---|
| |
| Died | 1995 (explosion and plane crash) |
| Family | Myra Schanke (wife) Jenny Schanke (daughter) |
| Portrayed By | John Kapelos |
| Fan Factions | FoDs Unsuiteds, LaCroissants |
Don Schanke is a veteran detective in the Metropolitan Police, currently assigned to Homicide, where he is partnered with Nick Knight, unaware that Nick is an eight hundred year old vampire.
In 1992, he was assigned as the partner to Det. Nick Knight, an 800 year old vampire, to help investigate a rash of murders concerning the homeless, in which the victims' blood was missing. Knight worked exclusively on the night shift (due to his vampirism), and needed to be partnered with someone who could continue the investigation during daylight hours.
In 1995, Schanke was killed transporting a prisoner from Toronto to Edmonton, along with Capt. Amanda Cohen, when the plane was destroyed by a bomb.
In one episode of Forever Knight, "Close Call", Schanke suspected Nick was a vampire, but Nick's master, LaCroix, convinced Schanke that Nick was a mortal. Schanke died without knowing Nick's true nature.
Schanke is particularly fond of souvlaki, and frequently recommends to Nick new restaurants whose recipe he particularly enjoys.
"I Dream of Jeannie" is Schanke's favorite TV show as revealed in the episode "Father Figure".
Series Information[]
Schanke was portrayed by actor John Kapelos, both in the original 1989 pilot, "Nick Knight", and in the Forever Knight television series. Kapelos was the only actor to appear in both versions of the show.
The character appears in every episode in the first two seasons, but was then written out. He ostensibly is heard on the telephone with Nick in the first half of the Season Three premiere, "Black Buddha"; and his ID is found at the crash scene, though his body is not visible. The character is briefly mentioned in the third episode of the season, "Outside the Lines".
Episodes of Significance[]
The following is a list of those episodes in which Don Schanke plays a role beyond the norm, deepening our understanding of his character. For a full discussion of his role in each episode in which he appears, see Schanke's scenes.
Fan Activities[]
Fan Factions[]
Followers of Don Schanke are referred to as FoDs (Friends of Don). In addition, among the lesser factions are the UnSuiteds (or LaCroissants), who like to see a—usually tongue in cheek—relationship between LaCroix and Schanke.
Fan Fiction[]
The following are works of fan fiction in which Det. Schanke appears among other characters.
- "Trust" [1] by Dorothy Elggren
- in FK4, Schanke appears as a guest character in the flashback to the episode, "Blood Thirst".
- "Malicious Mischief" by Amy R.
- "Close Call: The Unspoken Epilogue"[2] by Nancy Kaminski
- "Ruminations"[3] by Nancy Kaminski
- "Checking In, Checking Out"[4] by Nancy Kaminski
- "A Captive Audience"[5] by Nancy Kaminski