# Famous Fictional Characters who had Real Life Inspirations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613 "2010-12-28T16:34:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/1 "2010-12-28T16:34:56Z")
Inspired by the SD Classic [Dracula thread](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/431/did-dracula-really-exist). While most moderately informed people know that Dracula was loosely inspired by the real life Carpathian nobleman Vlad Tepes, who are some other famous fictional characters who had real life inspirations? It doesn’t have to be “absolutely inspired by”- i.e. still lots of room for the writer’s imagination- but there are important parallels. King Arthur was _probably_ inspired by an actual personage who lived in the fifth or sixth centuries after the British withdrawal of Rome and was probably Roman-Celtic in culture. The evidence is that there was a generation in which Anglo-Saxon encroachment seemed to stop in the 6th century, the given name Arthur and variants became extremely popular in the 6th and 7th centuries, references to a warlord called ‘The Bear’ in St. Gildas who was contemporaneous with Arthur (Arthur comes from the Celtic word for bear) and a mention of Arthur as a synonym for military brilliance in the 6th century Welsh poem [Gododdin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_Gododdin). The round table, chivalry, the love triangle with Guin & Lance, and most of the other stuff associated with Arthur were almost all certainly medieval embellishments and inventions, but there probably really was a warlord who began the Arthurian ball rolling. John Blackthorn, the main character in the bestseller and miniseries _Shogun_, was patterned- at times very closely- after [Will Adams](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor)), a Tudor-Stuart era English sailor who, like Blackthorn, really was shipwrecked in Japan and really did become a samurai and valued advisor to a Japanese Lord (Tokugawa, inspiration for Torenaga in the novel) who became Shogun. Some Dickensian scholars believe that Ebeneezer Scrooge may have been partly inspired by real life English misers [Daniel Dancer](http://www.trivia-library.com/c/biography-of-english-miser-daniel-dancer.htm) and [John Elwes](http://www.trivia-library.com/c/biography-of-british-parliament-miser-john-elwes.htm), two 18th century figures who were long dead but still well known in pop culture (both inspired things like Toby jugs and tavern names) at the time Dickens wrote _Christmas Carol_ in the early 1840s. Dancer and Elwes (no relation and to my knowledge not acquainted with each other) were both filthy rich- estates worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, easily on the short list of richest men in England- but were both neurotically stingy; Dancer would eat contaminated meat if it was free and Elwes’s sons were illiterate because he wouldn’t pay the pittance to have them given the same education a tavern keeper’s son might get (though he did leave them very rich) and both had overworked underpaid employees ala Bob Cratchit. There’s no evidence either ever went hog wild helping people after one Christmas though. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/2 "2010-12-28T16:41:53Z")
[d’Artagnan,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27artagnan) hero of Dumas’ _The Three Musketeers,_ was based loosely on the real-life [d’Artagnan.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Batz-Castelmore_d%27Artagnan) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/3 "2010-12-28T16:43:51Z")
See [_Roman a clef._](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_a_clef) ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/4 "2010-12-28T16:48:25Z")
Charles Foster Kane from _Citizen Kane_ was based largely on William Randolph Hearst (and the latter was none too happy about it). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/5 "2010-12-28T17:04:37Z")
Robinson Crusoe probably based on Alexander Selkirk. Helen Lawson (Valley of the Dolls) probably based on Ethel Merman (and many more in JS’s novels) DeNiro’s Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver), based on Arthur Bremer (who had shot George Wallace to impress a young thang.) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/6 "2010-12-28T17:08:18Z")
Norman Bates from Psycho, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs are all loosely based on [Ed Gein](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Gein). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/7 "2010-12-28T17:11:19Z")
Margaret Mitchell based Rhett Butler on her first husband [Berrien Kinnard “Red” Upshaw.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlett_O'Hara#Historical_sources_for_the_character) ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/8 "2010-12-28T17:11:59Z")
Charlie Chan was supposedly based on real life Hawaiian cop Chang Apana. [http://www.hawaiianhistory.org/events/2007/0704pgm.html](http://www.hawaiianhistory.org/events/2007/0704pgm.html) Apana sounds infinitely more interesting–like a tiny Indiana Jones as a cop, bullwhip and all. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/9 "2010-12-28T17:12:07Z")
How about Dill from _To Kill a Mockingbird_? He was based on Harper Lee’s childhood friend, Truman Capote. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/10 "2010-12-28T17:15:14Z")
It has been suggested that Sherlock Holmes was based on one of Conan Doyle’s teachers. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/11 "2010-12-28T17:16:32Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > It has been suggested that Sherlock Holmes was based on one of Conan Doyle’s teachers. Dr. Joseph Bell, to be exact. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/12 "2010-12-28T17:20:17Z")
I’d argue that Zap Brannigan was probably based on William Shatner. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/13 "2010-12-28T17:21:31Z")
I’m not sure if the fictional character is “famous”, but it’s an open secret that the villianous character of Irwin in Alan Bennett’s play _The History Boys_ was [modeled](http://www.slate.com/id/2146396/) on my former college advisor, [Niall Ferguson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niall_Ferguson). ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/14 "2010-12-28T17:26:08Z")
[Cyrano de Bergerac](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrano_de_Bergerac) was somewhat based on the real-life personage of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/15 "2010-12-28T17:38:55Z")
[Honor Harrington](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_Harrington) is somewhat based on Admiral Lord Nelson. Even to the point of suffering similar wounds, although at least she could get cybernetic replacements for her lost eye and arm. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/16 "2010-12-28T17:52:27Z")
I always assumed that Doc Savage was based on my life. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/17 "2010-12-28T18:00:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > [Honor Harrington](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor_Harrington) is somewhat based on Admiral Lord Nelson. Even to the point of suffering similar wounds, although at least she could get cybernetic replacements for her lost eye and arm. Well, really she’s based on Horatio Hornblower who was based on Nelson. _The Sound of Music_ is based (with quite a bit of artistic license) on the sort-of-true story of Maria and Georg Von Trapp and their family. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/18 "2010-12-28T18:25:17Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > I always assumed that Doc Savage was based on my life. The show _Burn Notice_ has such a resemblance to my life it’s eerie. I’ve considered lawsuits but I like Bruce Campbell too much to cost him his job. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/19 "2010-12-28T18:48:02Z")
The entire cast of James Bond was based on the SOE. > **[Special Operations Executive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive)** > > The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British World War II organisation. It was officially formed on 22 July 1940 under Minister of Economic Warfare, Hugh Dalton, by the amalgamation of three existing secret organisations. Its purpose was to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, also in occupied Southeast Asia) against the Axis powers, and to aid local resistance movements. > Few people were aware of SOE's existence. Those who were part of i... Bond, Vesper Lind, Q, M… they all show up there, more or less. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613/20 "2010-12-28T18:58:20Z")
Sheridan Whiteside in the Kaufman and Hart play “The Man Who Came to Dinner” was based on Alexander Wolcott, who was originally meant to play the character on Broadway. Because of schedule conflicts he was unable to, but he did play the character in the west coast production. In the same play, the character of Banjo is loosely based on Harpo Marx, who also played “himself” in the west coast production [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-fictional-characters-who-had-real-life-inspirations/565613.md?page=2)