# Question about Stephen King's novel "IT" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884 "2012-11-13T14:20:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/1 "2012-11-13T14:20:29Z")
It’s been awhile since I’ve read the book, but I specifically remember Pennywise referring to himself by the name Robert Gray. I don’t believe this moniker was ever explained in the book. Anyone know what this name refers to? ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/2 "2012-11-13T14:36:01Z")
A quick google drew a blank, as did a search on a Stephen King wiki. But I did find a Robert Gray intestinal cleaning programme. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/3 "2012-11-13T14:41:13Z")
> **[It (Stephen King)](https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/It_(Stephen_King))** > > NOTE: This page is only about the version of It in Stephen King's original novel and 1990 TV adaptation. For It's 2017-19 film adaptation, see here. It's most famous quote, referring to causing their victims to "float".You'll float too! I am eternal,... It doesn’t state the origin, but does list the aliases: Pennywise the Dancing Clown, Pennywise the Clown, Robert Gray (also Bob Gray), The Spider ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/4 "2012-11-13T14:45:52Z")
I doubt anyone knows. Not even King himself, seeing as he admits to not remembering writing the book. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/5 "2012-11-13T14:46:08Z")
My fanwank guess would probably be a play on the the alien reference “grey”. Wasn’t IT of extraterrestrial origin? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/6 "2012-11-13T15:32:59Z")
I have no recollection of the name “Robert Gray,” but I think the scene where the pre-teen girl pulls a train burned the rest of the book out of my memory. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/7 "2012-11-13T15:52:22Z")
When I read **It** , my interpretation was that there really was a creepy child killer (named Bob Grey) who dressed like a clown at one point and that became one of the characters Pennywise would use as his “avatars”, so to speak. That’s based on nothing, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/8 "2012-11-13T15:59:45Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > When I read **It** , my interpretation was that there really was a creepy child killer (named Bob Grey) who dressed like a clown at one point and that became one of the characters Pennywise would use as his “avatars”, so to speak. That’s based on nothing, of course. I hadn’t considered that. It’s as good a guess as any. Better than my interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/9 "2012-11-13T19:11:11Z")
It’s been a while, but I was under the impression that Pennywise was the stage name of Robert Grey, who in turn was the father of the lady Bev meets in her old house. I can’t really remember any exposition on him other than that. So, Hogarth may be right. Also, Mr. Grey is a character in Dreamcatcher, which also takes place in Derry. I always assumed there was a connection, but I don’t believe I’m observant enough to figure out what exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/10 "2012-11-13T19:40:26Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I have no recollection of the name “Robert Gray,” but I think the scene where the pre-teen girl pulls a train burned the rest of the book out of my memory. I didn’t know that was the way you said it. I mean, that the girl pulled a train on all the guys. Anyway, it’s an awesome book, except for this bit of weirdness near the end. I don’t remember Robert Gray at all. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/11 "2012-11-13T23:58:59Z")
I played Pennywise the Dancing Clown for Halloween twice and introduced myself as Robert Gray to anyone who asked. Read the book three times. My favorite parts were the Derry Interludes. Why do you ask, Da-da-da-da Darth?? How 'bout a balloon? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/12 "2012-11-14T00:04:29Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > It’s been a while, but I was under the impression that Pennywise was the stage name of Robert Grey, who in turn was the father of the lady Bev meets in her old house. I can’t really remember any exposition on him other than that. . Pennywise also introduces himself as Bob (or maybe he said Robert) Grey when he’s talking to Bill’s little brother Georgie. Georgie says he’s not supposed to talk to strangers, P. introduces himself and says that now they’re not strangers, and then they have a lovely chat right up until Pennywise rips Georgie’s arm off like he’s pulling the wing off a fly. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/13 "2012-11-14T02:53:26Z")
> [@Musky\_Moon](#): > > Also, Mr. Grey is a character in Dreamcatcher, which also takes place in Derry. I always assumed there was a connection, but I don’t believe I’m observant enough to figure out what exactly. I think it’s Gray in Dreamcatcher because it was an anagram of Gary, the character who was unknowingly the host. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/14 "2012-11-14T03:57:37Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > When I read **It** , my interpretation was that there really was a creepy child killer (named Bob Grey) who dressed like a clown at one point and that became one of the characters Pennywise would use as his “avatars”, so to speak. That’s based on nothing, of course. That was my impression too. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/15 "2012-11-14T04:04:13Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I didn’t know that was the way you said it. I mean, that the girl pulled a train on all the guys. I have never heard of that expression either. And here I was desperately trying to remember a literal train pulling scene in the book. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/16 "2012-11-14T07:20:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I doubt anyone knows. Not even King himself, seeing as he admits to not remembering writing the book. Though that was “Cujo” he didn’t remember writing, due to being drunk/stoned throughout. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/17 "2012-11-14T08:08:42Z")
Not to point out the obvious, but isn’t looking for continuity and reason in a Stephen King book like looking for ice on the sun? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/18 "2012-11-14T08:40:37Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Though that was “Cujo” he didn’t remember writing, due to being drunk/stoned throughout. The whole mid to late 80’s were a bit of a haze; he claims to have hit his nadir with Tommyknockers. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/19 "2012-11-14T08:46:59Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The whole mid to late 80’s were a bit of a haze; he claims to have hit his nadir with Tommyknockers. You mean he was fucking sober when he wrote The Langoliers?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884/20 "2012-11-14T13:48:02Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > I have never heard of that expression either. And here I was desperately trying to remember a literal train pulling scene in the book. :smack: I’ve heard the expression, but I always heard it from the other POV: the guys ran a train on her. (Funny thing is, I actually first heard it from an old urban legend. Bunch of frat guys run a train on a sorority sister who’s leaning out the window. Last guy pulls her up and whoops! it’s his sister.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-stephen-kings-novel-it/640884.md?page=2)