He is a young man who works as a real estate agent and lives in the German city of Wisborg with his wife Ellen Hutter.

Due to Ellen's psychic connection with her husband, she senses him and walks over the balcony railing while she distracts Orlok, saving Hutter.

Horrified, he returns to his room and, at night, sees Orlok carrying coffins to go to Wisborg and discovers that the vampire has trapped him in the castle.

Concerned for his wife, Hutter attempts to escape through his window using tied sheets but falls to the ground, losing consciousness.

Due to Orlok's journey with his rats, Wisborg becomes infected with plagues and several people die in the process, leading the local authorities to declare a quarantine.