# The inordinate number of left-handed actors - is it my imagination? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761 "2005-04-23T15:18:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/1 "2005-04-23T15:18:10Z")
I’m sure I have asked this before but can’t find any thread or any answer. Are far more actors left-handed than the general populace? I have only known 3 left-handed people in my life. Today I watched _In Good Company_ (nice movie) and Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid and Scarlett Johansen are all left-handed. You only see 4 people handle a pen or tennis racquet and 3 are left-handed. Anyone I have ever mentioned it to agrees that they see far more left-handed actors than thay have ever met in real life but does anyone really know? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/2 "2005-04-23T15:29:57Z")
It’s your misinterpretation. Notice that you’re watching the actors in a _movie_, not real life. They hold key items in their left hands because it shows up on the right side of the screen during viewing. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/3 "2005-04-23T15:34:21Z")
No idea. But here’s a [list](http://www.indiana.edu/~primate/left.html#Actors) of 'em. Also, you have to keep in mind that people are either right-handed or left-handed (or ambidexterous, but these folk are few and far between), and since we regard right-handedness as the norm we’re bound to pay a disordinate amount of attention to left-handers on-screen. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/4 "2005-04-23T15:36:27Z")
That’s _in_ordinate. Gah. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/5 "2005-04-23T15:43:04Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > I have only known 3 left-handed people in my life. Given that about 13% of the population ([figures vary](http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/faq.html#percentage)) writes with the left hand, I’m amazed that you think you have known only three left-handed people in your life. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/6 "2005-04-23T16:33:54Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > No idea. But here’s a [list](http://www.indiana.edu/~primate/left.html#Actors) of 'em. Hrmm. Joel Hodgson isn’t on that list. I’ll have to write in; can’t forget the creator of MST3k. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/7 "2005-04-24T01:42:57Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Hrmm. Joel Hodgson isn’t on that list. I’ll have to write in No need to, he’s in the **Miscellaneous Left-Handers** section as > [@](#): > > Joel Hodgson, host of Mystery Science Theater 3000 . As for the OP, I’ve occasionally seen references to the “fact” that left-handers are right-brained and thus typically more creative than righties. It would be interesting (not that I’m volunteering for the job) to compile a list of all members of the Screen Actors Guild or Actors’ Equity and see if the percentage of southpaws appreciably differs from the proportion among the general population. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/8 "2005-04-24T02:15:04Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > As for the OP, I’ve occasionally seen references to the “fact” that left-handers are right-brained and thus typically more creative than righties. It would be interesting (not that I’m volunteering for the job) to compile a list of all members of the Screen Actors Guild or Actors’ Equity and see if the percentage of southpaws appreciably differs from the proportion among the general population. I’ve also seen it that only lefties that mirror write (only about 40% of us) and righties that hook their hands when they write are “really” right-brained - the pencil lead in each case points to the side of the brain that’s dominant, you see - which would mean that even most lefties are left-brained. I’m inclined to think that the OP is just unobservant: they’ve known just three lefties their whole life?! That’s statistically impossible. When I’m with a small group of people who are writing, I could tell you who else are lefties too, because I’m compelled to look. I don’t think righties are usually that interested in that sort of thing; you assume everyone is a rightie until proven otherwise, don’t you? The movie thing, though, ever notice that a character will have a sling or cast on one arm/leg then it moves to the other side in mid-show/movie? That’s often caused by flipping the film for some reason to make it look better. I’m betting that a lot of “lefties” in movies are really righties but the film’s been flipped. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/9 "2005-04-24T04:12:49Z")
They left off Lou Gehrig too. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/10 "2005-04-24T06:41:51Z")
> [@pizzabrat](#): > > It’s your misinterpretation. Notice that you’re watching the actors in a _movie_, not real life. They hold key items in their left hands because it shows up on the right side of the screen during viewing. 😕 Is this an attempted whoosh? If someone facing me is doing something with their right hand (e.g. a right-handed tennis player on the other side of the net), it’s on the left side of my field of vision whether they’re live _or_ on-screen. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/11 "2005-04-24T06:44:31Z")
Thanks for the responses. **pizzabrat** I am only counting actors as left handed if they do something on screen like write, play sport, hammer a nail, use a screwdriver or knife, not just because they hold an object in their left hand. I am absolutely amazed by the figure that **Walloon** quoted but checking around it seems to be the truth. I will have to start checking this out because I can definitely only think of 3 people I know well that are left handed. No-one in my family or my ex-wives’ families is left handed. I have never played cricket with a left handed player (although I have played against some), I have never played golf with a lefty, I have never played tennis against a lefty. I coached one cricketer who batted left handed but he bowled, threw and wrote right handed. I am pretty sure that no-one in my unit at work is left handed but I will check that next week. I am sure that I have met more left handers and not had the opportunity (or the inclination) to notice their handedness but no matter how hard I try I can’t think of any more people I know well that are left handed. I did notice that some authorities quote far lower figures for the older segment of the population but I am still baffled by the disparity. This is even more intriguing than my original question. ---
**Author:** ![Belladonna66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Belladonna66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belladonna66)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/12 "2013-06-30T04:53:23Z")
Being left handed myself, I have been noticing this frequent phenom nearly every time I watch a movie…at least one main actor is writing left handed. It does appear to me and my spouse that an inordinate number of actors are left handed. Now this film flipping theory, that seems like a good possibility. I’m not quite sure how you would “flip the film” though without writing and signs being backwards. Just sayin… ---
**Author:** ![thicksantorum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@thicksantorum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thicksantorum)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/13 "2013-06-30T11:38:45Z")
Could it be that we just notice more details when watching someone on film than in person? It’s rude to stare, so we generally don’t, and end up missing details like which hand someone is using. There’s no such inhibition when watching a film, so we notice details. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/14 "2013-06-30T11:49:38Z")
Funny that this thread has been resurrected. Since I started the original thread I have discovered that my two nephews are kind of left handed. They both write left handed but play guitar and drums right handed. I’ve just never seen either of them writing. I’ve also noticed at work that there are plenty of lefties around. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/15 "2013-06-30T12:31:42Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I have never played golf with a lefty Are you sure? I’m left-handed but I swing a golf club the “conventional” right-handed way. Actually, I’m not sure why a person’s handedness would affect their golf swing. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/16 "2013-06-30T20:06:29Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Funny that this thread has been resurrected. Since I started the original thread I have discovered that my two nephews are kind of left handed. They both write left handed but play guitar and drums right handed. I’ve just never seen either of them writing. I’ve also noticed at work that there are plenty of lefties around. Do your nephews have (right-handed)music teachers who teach them the guitar and drums? If they picked it up on their own without teachers, they could be following the conventions of right-handed musicians. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/17 "2013-06-30T21:44:08Z")
when i worked in an architecture/engineering firm the percentage of rightys to leftys was higher than the average, closer to 50-50. it was really obvious when ordering/giving out scissors. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/18 "2013-06-30T21:53:09Z")
Unless you interact with people while they’re writing, you wouldn’t necessarily know they’re lefties. Society is set up to favor righties, so most lefties learn to do things right-handed just to get along easier. Left handed versions of things are often more expensive or harder to come by, so if you CAN muddle along with the “standard” (ie - right-handed) version, it’s easier and cheaper. Also, just because you’re left-handed, doesn’t mean you’re automatically left-eyed, so it may be more natural for you to do sporting events or activities that require hand-eye coordination to use your natural “eye” rather than your natural “hand.” (Says the right-handed, left-eyed daughter of a leftie.) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/19 "2013-06-30T21:55:31Z")
Lefties run in my family. My father, one of my sons and I were all born left-handed. What’s all this fuss about right-handed people? In my world, they’re the minority. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/20 "2013-06-30T23:54:19Z")
It’s a sinister plot, I tells ya! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761.md?page=2)