characters in TV and movies that you never see, but that are frequently referred to, often for funny

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

colombo's wife
vera from cheers
MARIS

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

when did this start?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

this is slightly different from characters whose voices you hear but you never see, like charlie (of the angels).

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

You see Vera's arm in one ep. of Cheers.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

And hear her voice, I think.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

Another example of the second category is Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

i hate that dr. claw!!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

you hear vera's voice?!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

mork's superiors

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

Though there were schoolyard legends of a mysterious episode where Dr. Claw's face was revealed.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

"my friend bob sacamano"

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

'er indoors

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

fat naked guy from friends!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

THANK GOD RIGHT?!?!?!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Lorenzo Music's "Carlton"?
collected character from St. Olaf

― kingfish, Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

snuffalupaguss

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

We saw him!

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

i still refuse to accept that

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

that last winnie the pooh movie that was all about those things only eeyore could see was such a disgrace.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:40 (twenty years ago)

the upper half of the nanny from muppet babies!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

The teacher from Charlie Brown

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

Wally Bazoom in Game On. for fucks sake why do i remember this?

― $V£N! (blueski), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

the Gooch from Different Strokes

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

so when did this start?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:49 (twenty years ago)

It's probably been around in theater for hundreds of years. For the sake of economy (not having to hire another actor for a small part) and for the sake of comedy and/or drama (imagination can be more powerful than the reality that you can present).

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

there's no way imagination can be more powerful than the fantastical dreamworld of inspector gadget.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

the Amigos from the firing line sketches on You Can't Do That On Television

― kingfish, Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

i do think you're right though. necessity the mother of invention and all that--lack of an extra actor is turned into a comic device unto itself.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

The face of George Steinbrenner on Seinfeld as well.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

i was gonna mention that! how does that fit in? the real person thing? like the "president" in many movies that you kinda ALMOST see

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:55 (twenty years ago)

the upper half of the nanny from muppet babies!

Also the maid from the house Tom & Jerry live in.

Mrs Columbo.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:55 (twenty years ago)

i already said that!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:55 (twenty years ago)

Diane from Twin Peaks... but not really!

― Leeenge de Bruijn (Leee), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

So you did. I thought Maris initially before I even read the thread and was drawn to that in your initial post, thereby ignoring the other ones. < /excuse>

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

Reuben Kinkaid's other band

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:02 (twenty years ago)

Vera comes into the Thanksgiving dinner all covered in food.
Why the fuck do I know Cheers trivia?

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:07 (twenty years ago)

everyone is useful at least once.

I suggest you milk it.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

you prove your own aphorism wrong.

― ()ops (()()ps), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

Kramer's friend, Bob Sacamento, on "Seinfeld".

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:24 (twenty years ago)

we had a theory that dr. claw was actually gadget's superior, the dude with the moustache, cuz at the end during the credit when you heard claw's voiceover going 'i'll get you next time gadget! next time!' moustache dude was on the screen. we figured this was a big clue. it also made sense since gadget was always getting those messages to self destruct at moustache dude's expense.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

Abigail in Abigail's Party.

― Cathy (Cathy), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

kevin costner in the big chill

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 13 April 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

http://www.progressiveboink.com/mike/img/drclaw/madcatpet.gif

Careful. Some things were never meant to be known.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 14 April 2005 03:13 (twenty years ago)

oh lord

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 14 April 2005 03:22 (twenty years ago)

Tino from My So-Called Life

― bruno ponce-jones, Thursday, 14 April 2005 04:10 (twenty years ago)

Ziggy in Quantum Leap

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 14 April 2005 04:58 (twenty years ago)

I keep thinking of the opening monologue of The Glass Menagerie when Tom says "there's another character in our play" and then gestures to the photograph of the dead father on the wall. The idea, supposedly, is that his spirit is always present. This seems like a lame addition, though.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 14 April 2005 05:23 (twenty years ago)

God.

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Thursday, 14 April 2005 05:37 (twenty years ago)

God appears in Dogma

― Davel (Davel), Thursday, 14 April 2005 07:46 (twenty years ago)

"Ziggy in Quantum Leap"

Wasn't Ziggy a computer?

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Thursday, 14 April 2005 07:50 (twenty years ago)

o man i wish i hadn't looked at the face of dr. claw (on the same site as THE DUGOUT nonetheless)

― j blount (papa la bas), Thursday, 14 April 2005 07:56 (twenty years ago)

I remember seeing Colombo's wife!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 14 April 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

http://images.allposters.com/images/MMPH/228186.jpg

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 14 April 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

And seen but not heard: Morn in DS9.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 14 April 2005 09:20 (twenty years ago)

oggy from the office

― lukey (Lukey G), Thursday, 14 April 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

godot!

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 14 April 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Oggy is Stephen Merchant!

― kit brash (kit brash), Thursday, 14 April 2005 10:17 (twenty years ago)

Charlie, he for whom there were Angels.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 14 April 2005 13:21 (twenty years ago)

Burt Fry's Frieda in The Archers

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 14 April 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

yeah sacamano is the classic example of this. well that and columbo's wife i guess but everyone knows he doesn't actually have a wife. jury's out on sacamano.

i have no idea who MARIS is or WHY he gets all caps but i'd like to knw. i feel like i'm missing out here. i bet it's something to do w/ lost, or something.

― televison stacion, Thursday, 14 April 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

yeah whenever Kramer mentions Bob Sacamano I burst into a pavlovian fit of laughter, he really sold it. Bob Sacamano's father got a mention(he lived in Florida near Senfeld's parents apparently). He also namedropped "Lomaz" and "Corky Ramirez"(pronounced 'Rammerez') and "Rudy down on 45th street" iirc

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Thursday, 14 April 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

Harvey

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Thursday, 14 April 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

Oooh good one!

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 14 April 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

fat naked guy from friends!

Hold on, wasn't he called "ugly naked guy"? ARE YOU IMPLYING FAT = UGLY??!

The teacher from Charlie Brown

No any adults in Charlie Brown are shown, that's one of it's main themes, that the kids act like adults.

Harvey is shown in a painting, isn't he?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:13 (twenty years ago)

Two movie examples: Norman Bates' mother in Psycho and Rupert Pupkin's mom in The King of Comedy. The second one I think is an allusion to the first.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Well I'm not sure if Norman Bates' mom counts since she is (UNNECESSARY SPOILER ALERT) dead and actually Norman Bates in drag (END UNNECESSARY SPOILER ALERT) and she's not really referred to for comedy purposes either, though I suppose the "often" in the thread title leaves things open-ended.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

also you see her hideously mummified body!!

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

uh end spoiler alert

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

SPOILER CONTINUES:

Yeah, but until the end of the film the audience thinks she is referred to but not clearly shown, so I think she sorta belongs to the same category.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 14 April 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

'im upstairs from the trap door.

BERK!!!!!!!!!!

― JimD (JimD), Thursday, 14 April 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

Luke Skywalker's Dad.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 14 April 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

are dr. claw and boba fett (pre-prequels) in the same categories? characters whose FACE you don't see but you see other stuff?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 14 April 2005 18:17 (twenty years ago)

Didn't Newhart have a neighbour you never saw on his 70s sitcom?

― Huk-L, Thursday, 14 April 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

FANG!

― Huk-L, Thursday, 14 April 2005 18:28 (twenty years ago)

On The Bob Newhart Show, the one with Suzanne Pleschette, the only neighbor I know of is Howard Borden, who you in basically every episode.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:23 (twenty years ago)

The "canadian girlfriend" in "Weird Science"

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

NEIGHBOR IN HOME IMPROVMENT SORT OF

NAKED PEOPLE OUT WINDOW ON SEINFELD

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

oh the home improvement one is good

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:42 (twenty years ago)

the uncle who always sent postcards on fraggle rock

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:43 (twenty years ago)

Sheridan, from Keeping Up Appearances.

― C J (C J), Thursday, 14 April 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

the Fraggles' Uncle Travelling Matt was always shown, tho. just wandering around various mid-80's environments, usually.

also, the teenage daughter on Spaced.

― kingfish, Thursday, 14 April 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.