# Words in movies that aren't in them, like "Ewok" and "X-Wing" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021 "2009-03-27T19:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/1 "2009-03-27T19:15:19Z")
I know the thread title sucks. Let me explain. In the thread on why people hate George Lucas an article is linked in which the author claims the Ewoks were added to “Return of the Jedi” purely to sell toys, and as proof of their being a merchandising device he offers as proof the fact that we all know what Ewoks are, **even though that word is never spoken in the film.** Now, to be honest, I’d swear C3PO says “Ewoks” at least once, but maybe he doesn’t. But “Star Wars” has these too - the X-Wing Fighter and its nemesis, the TIE Fighter. It seems to me everyone in the world knew what an X-Wing and a TIE Fighter were about ninety seconds after the movie’s premiere. But the terms “X-Wing” and “TIE Fighter” **are never uttered in “Star Wars.”** “X-Wing” is not heard until the following movie (and then only once) and “TIE Fighter” is never uttered until “Return of the Jedi.” I can only conclude we all knew they were X-Wings and TIE Fighters because the toys hit the shelves pretty hard in 1977. The Empire Strikes Back, of course, even has a character example; Boba Fett, who is never named in the film. He’s named in Return of the Jedi, but every kid knew his name long before then 'cause of the toys. Are these examples of such things becoming **very commonly known by their names even though the names were never used in the films?** I don’t mean some obscure Jedi from a crappy Star Wars novel who appears briefly onscreen in “Attack of the Clones,” I mean something even my Mom knows. My Mom knows what an Ewok and an X-Wing fighter are. What other examples are there? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/2 "2009-03-27T19:19:43Z")
There’s gotta be a Harry Potter He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named joke in there. I do hear you though - when Star Wars came out when I was 12, I knew about all that geekery within seconds. Can’t remember how - I got some Official Sketchbooks with Joe Johnston’s (??) drawings that named a bunch of things, but can’t remember when that was published relative to the movie release… Was Arnold’s terminator model named in the first movie? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/3 "2009-03-27T19:26:38Z")
Actually Bobba Fett first appeared in the much-mocked “Star Wars Christmas Special.” He’s the villain in the animation sequence, and I think his name gets mentioned there. (Of course, no one can blame you for blocking that detestable production out of your memory.) From the Warner Brother cartoons: the martian that Bugs Bunny (and later Duck Dodgers) clashed with - although he’s commonly called [Marvin the Martian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_the_Martian), he was never actually called that until about 30 years after his initial appearances. Same goes for [Michigan J. Frog](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_J._Frog). ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/4 "2009-03-27T19:44:43Z")
Trivia: Many Star Wars toys did not come out in 77, they sold empty boxes at Christmas because they could not meet the demand. The box gave you a coupon for the toy when it finally came out. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/5 "2009-03-27T19:50:25Z")
I think a number of your examples show up right in the credits - “Jeremy Bulloch as Boba Fett”, “Ewok Warriors…”, that kind of thing, so lots of people would know the who’s and what’s before they left the movie. A lot of reviewers seem to have that terminology handy as well, perhaps fed by studio synopses in addition to the credits. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/6 "2009-03-27T19:52:57Z")
May not quite be the same thing, but at least in the same spirit. Despite the fact that much of _Diamonds are Forever_ takes place in Las Vegas, nobody ever actually says “Las Vegas” or even “Vegas” in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/7 "2009-03-27T19:53:34Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > From the Warner Brother cartoons: the martian that Bugs Bunny (and later Duck Dodgers) clashed with - although he’s commonly called [Marvin the Martian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_the_Martian), he was never actually called that until about 30 years after his initial appearances. > > Same goes for [Michigan J. Frog](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_J._Frog). For that matter, Bugs Bunny appeared in several cartoons before being named. The Pink Panther was introduced in the movie **The Pink Panther** , but the movie referred to a jewel, not the cartoon character. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/8 "2009-03-27T19:54:20Z")
The Skipper on Gilligan’s Island was Jonas Grumby but I don’t know if that name was ever said on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/9 "2009-03-27T20:04:06Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Was Arnold’s terminator model named in the first movie? Yes, there was a scene where Reese is naming models and explains how close to human they are – sweat and bad breath and all. ---
**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:** [March 27, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/10 "2009-03-27T20:09:41Z")
Another Warner Brothers character that wasn’t named in the first short he appeared in is[Gossamer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossamer_(Looney_Tunes)). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/11 "2009-03-27T20:16:34Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Yes, there was a scene where Reese is naming models and explains how close to human they are – sweat and bad breath and all. Oh, that’s right - Reese does say something about “the new model x (800 or something, right?) which was much closer to human…” Thanks! ---
**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 27, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/12 "2009-03-27T20:17:07Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > The Skipper on Gilligan’s Island was Jonas Grumby but I don’t know if that name was ever said on the show. Only in the pilot. The Professor’s name was stated in the pilot, too, never to be heard again. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/13 "2009-03-27T20:22:26Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > The Skipper on Gilligan’s Island was Jonas Grumby but I don’t know if that name was ever said on the show. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Only in the pilot. The Professor’s name was stated in the pilot, too, never to be heard again. [That’s not really the pilot](http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/nonames.asp). ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/14 "2009-03-27T20:37:10Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Only in the pilot. The Professor’s name was stated in the pilot, too, never to be heard again. To expand a bit, the voice on the radio identifies the characters (not necessarily in order) as: The Skipper, Jonas Grumby His first mate, Gilligan\* Millionaire Thurston Howell III His wife, Lovey\* Movie star Ginger Grant Nebraksa farm girl Mary Ann Summers Professor Roy Hinkley \*In his book, Bob Denver insists that Gilligan’s first name was supposed to be Willy, but that it was deliberately never mentioned on the show. However, in _his_ book, Sherwood Schwartz claims that Bob is wrong, and that he (Schwartz) deliberately wanted it to be ambiguous as to whether Gilligan was the character’s first name or last name. Schwartz even stated that he and Denver argued about this decades after the show went off the air. \*Likewise, Mrs. Howell was not supposed to have a name. According to Sherwood Schwartz, Lovey was a term of affection, not a name. However, in one episode she was referred to on the radio as Eunice Wentworth Howell. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/15 "2009-03-27T20:38:04Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Another Warner Brothers character that wasn’t named in the first short he appeared in is[Gossamer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossamer_(Looney_Tunes)). I was watching a game show years ago. The way it was played was they had a board with twelve names on it; eight of them were correct (for whatever the category was) and four were bogus, and you had to bid how many you could get right. One category was Warner Brothers cartoon characters. Now, I bow to few men when it comes to WB cartoon trivia, but I could only find seven. Do you know who Hippity Hopper is? ---
**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:** [March 27, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/16 "2009-03-27T20:41:10Z")
Carol Tyler Martin would only be named in the first show. Consequently she and her three daughters, the whole bunch, would use the last name “Brady.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/17 "2009-03-27T20:42:47Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Do you know who Hippity Hopper is? The kangaroo that Sylvester keeps confusing for a giant mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/18 "2009-03-27T20:44:00Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Do you know who Hippity Hopper is? He’s a [really big mouse.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippity_Hopper) ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/19 "2009-03-27T22:24:45Z")
My personal favorite from Star Wars: The Stormtrooper who picks up a random bit of junk out of the desert, holds it up, and says, “Look sir, droids!” That guy, with his single line, has a name: Davin Felth. I’m not sure if it appears in the credits or not–if not, it may not quite fit into this category. (Better still, the guy he says “Look sir, droids!” **to** also has picked up a name: Mod Terrik.) ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021/20 "2009-03-27T22:30:50Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > My personal favorite from Star Wars: The Stormtrooper who picks up a random bit of junk out of the desert, holds it up, and says, “Look sir, droids!” That guy, with his single line, has a name: Davin Felth. I’m not sure if it appears in the credits or not–if not, it may not quite fit into this category. > > (Better still, the guy he says “Look sir, droids!” **to** also has picked up a name: Mod Terrik.) The best part is that guy is probably still getting royalties from that one line. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-in-movies-that-arent-in-them-like-ewok-and-x-wing/491021.md?page=2)