Dick Halloran was a former army cook.

In the 1930s, he survived a fire at the Black Spot, a nightclub in Derry founded by Will Hanlon. Some time after that, he went on to be the head chef at the Overlook Hotel, where, in the 1970s, he instructs Danny Torrance on how to use "the shining," a form of telepathy that they share.

On the winters during his tenure at the Overlook hotel, Hallorann also acted as the chef at a restaurant in Key West.

He later rescued Danny and his mother Wendy from their insane father and husband, respectively, Jack. After sustaining injuries, he resigns from his post at the Overlook, accepting a position in a Maine resort. There he continues his instructions to Danny, teaching how to create "lockboxes", something Danny uses as an Adult.

Hallorann died on January 19, 1999, but later appeared to Danny (now just Dan) to provide insight as to how to protect the Abra Stone from the cult of the True Knot.