Favorite character in a horror movie made after 1980? WTF?
Only valid if in a series of movies?
How about the original Frankenstein - that one had people fainting in the theaters. Or the possessed Linda Blair - same thing, people were fainting, leaving the theater, crying, etc.
What about King Kong?
What about Jaws?
The werewolf dude from The Howling that pulled the bullet from his brain was good.
But I'm gong to have to go with Alien. And yes, I consider Alien a horror movie more so than a science ficton movie.
Second might be Norman Bates. Psycho is still an all time classic.