Sandor Clegane

Sandor Clegane, nicknamed The Hound, is a supporting character in Game of Thrones. He is played by Rory McCann and appears in the first episode.

Sandor Clegane is a skilled warrior in the service of House Lannister, although he refuses to take holy vows and is not a knight. He has a hideously burned face and is known for his fierce demeanour and lack of chivalry. He is the younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane, a monstrously huge knight and arguably the most feared man in Westeros. Sandor is currently serving as bodyguard to Prince Joffrey Baratheon.

Winter is Coming
Sandor Clegane is part of the King's group which visits Winterfell in order to offer Eddard Stark the role of hand of the king. He acts as the bodyguard of Joffrey Baratheon and is present at the feast held in the King's honor.

The Kingsroad
On the kingsroad, the royal party reaches the Crossroads Inn, a noted waystopon the way south to the capital. Sandor Clegane, known as 'the Hound', introduces Sansa to Ser Ilyn Payne, the king's headsman, a frightening-looking man who had his tongue torn out on the orders of the Mad King many years ago. Joffrey saves Sansa from this unpleasantness and takes her for a walk along the riverbank.

Later as Eddard goes to kill the direwolf, Lady, he passes the Hound arriving with Mycah's corpse. "He ran, but not very fast," he says as Eddard passes by.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, House Clegane is a minor vassal house sworn to the Lannisters. Ser Gregor Clegane is an eight-foot-tall warrior, the 'Mountain Who Rides', the most feared warrior in the Seven Kingdoms. He and his brother Sandor detest one another, resulting in Sandor leaving home at a young age to work as a sellsword and freerider. Sandor is known as 'the Hound' for the three dogs which are his house emblem.