Characters' names.

I was thinking about the different characters’ names from the different comedies and how they are memorable. The reason I got to thinking about it was because I was thinking of the name … “Griswold.” You know, the Griswolds from Chevy Chase and the National Lampoon Vacation films? So, I was wondering, what are some of your most remembered and favored character names from comedies? I think the name is somewhat, if not pretty important when you are writing. Some names just add so much to the character and you got to be genius to come up with the perfect one. You know, I like to call it: Sun Tzu’s Art of Naming Characters or something like that. Because if you think about it, that name is the name of pretty much another person on this universe. It may just be a movie character, but the way the actor turns them into an actual person is pretty cool and makes the name that is attached to that new person pretty important. We sometimes remember them for a lifetime as if they were a real person.

Here are some of the names that I think I will always recognize and remember:

Clark Griswold

Sam Malone

Peter Venkman

Jeff Spicoli

Ferris Bueller

(See, even as I list them, you feel like your are having memories of that person, huh? Like we are going through a yearbook or something and saying, “Oh yea! I remember him/her!”)

Harold Crick (how many times did they say that name in that film, it was an important part of the film, so it sticks with you. Just the name is a big part of the film because of the narration)

Ricky Bobby (who in America doesn’t know Ricky Bobby, it’s so realistic that some recall seeing him drive on Saturdays on their television. “Ain’t that Ricky Bobby in front of Dale?!” “No Bobbi Jo, Ricky Bobby don’t drive in real-life!” “Well, I didn’t know! You still want this beer with them pork rinds?”)

Mama Fratelli

The whole damn cast of Napoleon Dynamite (LaFawnduh, Napoleon, Kip, Pedro, Summer Wheatley, and of course . . . Uncle Rico.)

McLovin (probably my most recent addition, LOL.)

Irwin Fletcher

Carl Spackler (LOL, I believe there is even a user here named that; he speaks Spanish)

Some of the cast of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Sloan Peterson, Cameron Frye, & Ed Rooney)

Mr. Hand

Uncle Phil

Ace Ventura

Frasier Crane

Smokey

Deebo

Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski// Bruce Wayne// Clark Kent// Eric Cartman// Bart Simpson// Wayne// Garth//

and of course, the already mentioned Carl Spackler…// Roy Munson too.

Commandant Lasard, Eugene Tackleberry, Mahoney and Hightower :)

Ron Burguandy and Veronica Corningstone.

Mick Dundee (I had to be patriotic)

Dirk Diggler

Max Power

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (The man with two brains)

Cheech and Chong

Biggus Dickus

Bobby Bouche

Chazz Michael Michaels

Gosh, there really is alot of memorable names isnt there? I used to love the name Indy when I was a kid, after Indiana Jones. He was my first crush :)

LOL Emma, you always pick the good ones. I like Dirk Diggler, Ron Burgandy, Bobby Bouche and Biggus Dickus. LOL Your first crush was Indiana Jones huh? Well, you’ll be happy to know that Harrison Ford is looking just as good in the next film as he did back then. Me? I had a crush on his little Chinese friend . . . . LOL, nah, I’m kidding.

Cosmo Kramer, Marty McFly, Rocky Balboa, Forrest Gump, Willy Wonka, Luke Skywalker, Archie Bunker,

Sarah Connor

Heathcliff and Catherine (Wuthering heights)

Billy Maddison

Carrie, Damien, Freddy Krueger,

Henry Ipkiss (The Mask)

O’doyle rules! Tyler Durdan (don’t argue that fight club is not a comedy, because it is fucking hilarious) Mole Man, Disco Stu, Duffman, etc…

Chet Donelly (weird science)

Luck Duk Dong (no yanky my wanky, the donner needs food)

Arnold Jackson (different strokes) Michael Scott (office) Long Duck Dong (whassa Happenin Haa stuf?) Chip Douglas (cable Guy) Billy Madison (same) Bobby Buchette (waterboy) Tony Montana (scarface) Henry Hill (goodfellas) Robert Barone (everybody loves raymond)

putty