# 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:** 3
**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:** [May 3, 2020, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/41 "2020-05-03T04:55:21Z")
Adding onto my comment from 2015, I expect the decision to make Bart Simpson left handed was influenced by the blackboard jokes that started every episode. If he was right-handed, the arrangement of the character and text would be a bit clumsy. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/42 "2020-05-03T05:17:56Z")
Watching the series finale of _Young Sheldon_ the other night, I noted that when the older brother and the grandmother were egging Dale’s sporting-goods shop, the brother was throwing with his left hand. Both my parents were left-handed, but I turned out right-handed. I know I have known other lefties, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/43 "2020-05-03T05:22:47Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Both my parents were left-handed, but I turned out right-handed. I know I have known other lefties, but those are the only two I can think of off the top of my head. I can only think of one person I knew personally for sure was a southpaw, and he has passed away. It’s not that I haven’t met plenty of others, but being left handed isn’t something memorable to me. I could name a few baseball players and boxers that I’ve never met, but in those sports it makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/44 "2020-05-03T13:28:54Z")
It’s interesting to see left-handed actors in period pieces, especially since left-handedness was considered “evil” and “devil-spawned.” We just finished watching **The Last Kingdom** and the actor who plays King Alfred is left-handed. My husband was born a lefty and his father forced him to be right-handed. I remember when my younger sister, born in 1970, started school her teacher was trying to make her be right-handed until my mother put a stop to it. My son is left-handed. ---
**Author:** ![Tenagra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Tenagra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenagra)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/45 "2020-05-03T13:51:07Z")
[https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070716/full/070716-4.html](https://www.nature.com/news/2007/070716/full/070716-4.html) This is the latest study I can find. Anecdotally, my younger brother was born a lefty and was forced to be a righty. He has had a lifetime of stuttering. We always assumed … I am also friends with an incredible rock musician, Shawn Phillips, (look him up on YouTube). He did everything lefty EXCEPT playing the guitar. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/46 "2020-05-03T13:55:22Z")
I’m pretty sure I was actually left handed but pushed into using my right hand. It hasn’t done me any harm except for some mild insanity. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/47 "2020-05-04T00:24:30Z")
I know someone who sometimes works with junior surgeons schooled in a conservative/authoritarian country, where they all learned to write right-handed, not because they were forced to, but just because that’s what everyone did. And he gets the opportunity to suggest to them that they try stitching left-handed, because when you use your right hand with your left eye, you get a parallax error that makes locating the target difficult. ---
**Author:** ![SpinyNorma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SpinyNorma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpinyNorma)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/48 "2020-05-04T13:15:53Z")
Just noticed I’d replied to this thread long ago but had forgotten. D’OH! The only thing I have to add to my original post is that my dad started off as a lefty but they made him change over when he started school. He was totally right handed by the time I came along. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/49 "2020-05-04T14:26:52Z")
> [@Tenagra](#): > > * * * > > I am a SUPER movie buff and even have a letter from a pretty good director/producer. And I have noticed an excess of left-hand actors. There’s hardly a director on earth that would tell a right-handed actor to play a left handed one. Well, maybe Stanley Kubrick. I’m going to keep googling this. Maybe it applied to all artists. One famous example comes from the time they did try to get Gary Cooper to play as left handed legend Lou Gehrig in _The Pride of the Yankees_. There is a movie legend regarding how the movie makers flipped the film for scenes of the movie to get the illusion of Cooper being a southpaw: > **[The Pride of the Yankees Seeknay](http://baseballresearcher.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-pride-of-yankees-seeknay.html)** > > Ever hear the story about the classic movie "The Pride of the Yankees" and how director Sam Wood turned the hopelessly right-handed actor... > [@](#): > > on July 13, 1942, just days prior to the movie opening, Shirley Povich of the Washington Post wrote: > > ``` > Samuel Goldwyn, who produced "The Pride of the Yankees," the story of Lou Gehrig, did not completely trust Gary Cooper's ability to simulate a left-handed ball player, which, of course, was a prime essential in the script. > > A heap of hokum came out of Hollywood concerning the efforts of Lefty O'Doul to teach Cooper how to throw and catch a ball left-handed. O'Doul, the old Giant who is a left-hander himself, was supposed to have converted the right-handed Cooper into some semblance of a southpaw first baseman, but apparently it didn't work out very satisfactorily. > > In the "Pride of the Yankees" you'll see Cooper as a left-hander, wearing the first baseman's mitt on his right hand, taking throws pretty well and throwing the ball left-handed. But, chums, it will be an illusion. Everything you see Cooper doing left-handed in the picture, he's actually doing right-handed. > > The camera men finally took charge of the job of converting Cooper into a left-hander. They had the valuable assistance of the wardrobe department. The first move was to rip the letters off the Yankee uniform of the cinema Gehrig and sew them on again, this time exactly as they would appear in a mirror-backward. > > Then, to complete the illusion, they stationed Cooper not at first base for the fielding shots, but at third base. They let him throw right-handed and take all balls right-handed. Then they reversed all of the negatives, and the effect was complete. The word "SEEKNAY" was transformed into "YANKEES" across the chest of Cooper and his right-handed actions became left-handed in the reversed negatives, and everything worked out beautifully. > > ``` That article from [Baseballresearcher.com](http://Baseballresearcher.com), with a lot of details goes to investigate what scenes were flipped and what not. The conclusion is that the movie legend was true, but it was just for fewer shots than it was/is imagined by many, most scenes had a professional left handed double doing the hitting and fielding at a distance. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/50 "2020-05-06T05:59:11Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > 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. I’m left-handed with anything done with one hand, but right-handed with anything done with two hands. So I throw with my left hand, but bat right-handed. I’ve noticed IT has a high incidence of left-handers. It is quite common in our company for at least 50% of attendees to write left handed. Edited to add: Sorry, i didn’t realise this was a zombie. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/51 "2020-05-09T13:54:49Z")
> [@Tenagra](#): > > * * * > > There’s hardly a director on earth that would tell a right-handed actor to play a left handed one. Julia Roberts is right handed. She played a left handed Erin Brockovich. ---
**Author:** ![Tenagra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Tenagra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenagra)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/52 "2020-05-10T11:41:03Z")
Hey, This post started with the question “Do actors have a higher percentage of left handers than the general population?” Science calls a post about Julia Robert’s handedness “anecdotal”. In other words, irrelevant. Look, I don’t want to start a flame war here but I am a scientist. My question has never been answered. So let’s kill this thread as if it was every COVID-19 virus on the plant. Thank you\> ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/53 "2020-05-10T14:16:48Z")
> [@Tenagra](#): > > Science calls a post about Julia Robert’s handedness “anecdotal”. In other words, irrelevant. This coming from someone who’s credentials include being a self-defined SUPER movie buff and claiming to have a letter from an actor/producer. How is that relevant? > [@](#): > > I am a scientist. And we all totally believe you. ---
**Author:** ![Thorondor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorondor/32/13697_2.png) [@Thorondor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thorondor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/54 "2023-03-28T04:54:28Z")
If I can read the lettering in screen in the right view, I can see also the actors as I see them out the screen, and I can also assure you that I can distinguish the right hand from the left. That’s not a mirror imagen, is as you see with your own eyes. And yes, I’ve seen a lot of actors writing with their left hands. Rate of left-handed actors, I can’t say, but a lot more than left-handed than I know in real life. So, the misinterpretation is yours, you should think a littl before posting something. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/55 "2023-03-28T04:59:35Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, Thorondor! Just so you are aware, you replied to a topic which was started 18 years ago, and to a poster (pizzabrat) who hasn’t been active here in 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![Thorondor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorondor/32/13697_2.png) [@Thorondor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thorondor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/56 "2023-03-28T05:02:09Z")
That doesn’t mean he/she/it stopped being an idiot. Maybe still is… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/57 "2023-03-28T05:05:57Z")
> [@Thorondor](#): > > That doesn’t mean he/she/it stopped being an idiot. I will also just note for you, as you are new, that calling other posters idiots (or similar insults) here on the SDMB is against board rules, outside of our “BBQ Pit” forum. From our rules (link below): > [@Reorganized SDMB rules](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reorganized-sdmb-rules/968857/1): > > **Personal insults.** Do not directly insult or personally attack other posters. The general rule when disagreeing is to comment on the post, not the poster – that is, focus on the argument rather than the poster’s personal shortcomings > [@Reorganized SDMB rules](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reorganized-sdmb-rules/968857): > > SDMB rules have been reorganized and are restated below. This version incorporates all recent revisions and adds a new rule about troublesome posters, which is highlighted. Most of these rules are of long standing and in our opinion are reasonably clear. However, if it becomes apparent some misunderstandings remain, we may consider further revisions. TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY The agreement below spells out the rules by which SDMB users are expected to abide. We have one guiding prin… ---
**Author:** ![Thorondor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorondor/32/13697_2.png) [@Thorondor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thorondor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/58 "2023-03-28T05:10:00Z")
Ok, I’m sorry. But for information, I’m not new, but my old mail is dead and I can’t sign with it anymore. For me Stright Dope was down and I stopped visiting. Anyway, greetings and regards. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/59 "2023-03-28T05:12:03Z")
Well, then, welcome back! Do you remember what your old user name was here? The mods may be able to locate your old account / user name, and help you reclaim it. ---
**Author:** ![Thorondor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorondor/32/13697_2.png) [@Thorondor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thorondor)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2023, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761/60 "2023-03-28T05:16:23Z")
Thanks, Kenobi, but as my screen name was accepted and always use it if is available, I don’t think there are records of my old account. I don’t mind, really. If now I’m a newbie again, so be it. Again, thanks anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-inordinate-number-of-left-handed-actors-is-it-my-imagination/300761.md?page=4)