15 Fictional Characters Surprisingly Inspired By Real People

Summary

There are somefictional characterswho , despite seeming impossibly big than life sentence , were shockingly based on real the great unwashed . Across various picture and video shows certain characters have always resist out as being complete fabrication that have interesting real - life story breathing in behind them and actual citizenry who add to their growth . The narration behind the real - life intake for fictional characters can come from the creator ’s menage member , people they cognise about in their daytime - to - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. lives , or historical figures whose sinful life-time stories were stranger than fiction .

Thefictional part who were amazingly based on literal peopleinclude animated cartoon characters like Springfield ’s most outrageous familyThe Simpsonsand even the strongest sailor human race in all media , Popeye . Another example was the trespassing neighbor who lived next threshold toSeinfeldco - Divine Larry Davidwho managed to inspire one of the most iconic characters in sitcom history . There was even a real - life adventurer who act as the basis for the party whip - wielding fancied archaeologistIndiana Jones .

15Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones' title character was inspired by the adventurer Roy Chapman Andrews

The adventures of archeologist Indiana Jones play as creator George Lucas ’ homage to the activeness heroes of thirties cinema serial . However , Indiana Jones also had roots in a real - life naturalist and paleontologist mention Roy Chapman Andrews . Andrews was a genuine Internet Explorer ( viaForbes ) who started his vocation as the janitor at the American Museum of Natural account in New York and before long was off on expeditions across Indonesia , China , and Japan collect rarified creature specimens . Andrews was a talented storyteller and issue various accounts of his adventures which helped breathe in the fabricated zep of Indiana Jones .

14Auric Goldfinger

James Bond’s famous rival Auric Goldfinger was inspired by the architect Ernő Goldfinger

The primary antagonist of theJames BondmovieGoldfingerfelt like such an over - the - top baddie that there was no way he could have been base on a veridical soul . However , James Bondauthor Ian Fleming base the character ’s name and aspects of his appearance on his neighbour Ernő Goldfinger ( viaGuardian . ) InGoldfinger , Auric Goldfinger was an external atomic number 79 moon-curser , however , the real Goldfinger was a Hungarian architectwho designed tower block buildings in post - World War II England . After the film was released , Goldfinger was reportedly the recipient of japery phones from viewer pretending to be Agent 007 .

13Cosmo Kramer

Seinfeld co-creator Larry David’s neighbor Cosmo Kramer was inspired by Kenny Kramer

Cast

Despite the outrageous characteristic of theSeinfeldcast many of them have real - lifetime twin . While Jerry was base on himself , and George Costanza has a muckle in common with co - Maker Larry David , perhaps the most disgraceful literal - lifeSeinfeldconnection was the world who shape the basis of Cosmo Kramer . The literal Kramer was diagnose Kenny Kramer and was Larry David ’s neighborwhile he was a struggling comedian in New York . The real Kramer , much like his fictional counterpart , had no issue charge into David ’s flat unheralded , eating his food , and come up with mint of get - rich - straightaway schemes .

12Popeye

Popeye the sailor man was inspired by Frank Fiegel

While it may be hard to believe due to his atrociously cartoonish nature , but an articleWe Are the Mightyclaimed thatPopeye the Sailor Man was in fact base on a literal person . Reportedly , E.C Segar , who createdPopeyein 1919 , base the case on Frank Fiegel , a one - eyed bartender from Segar ’s hometown of Chester who never deform down a conflict . However , it was said that Fiegel was much more likely to down a few bourbons rather than spinach plant to work up his top-notch effectiveness .

11Norman Bates

Psycho protagonist Norman Bates was inspired by the serial killer Ed Gein

Norman Bates , the proprietor of the Bates Motel visualise in Robert Bloch ’s novelPsychoand its many adaptation , had such a dark and sinister floor that it felt as if it had to be entirely fictional . With a split personality , Norman would take on the alter ego of his mother as he slay his victims . However , the true inspiration behind Normanwas just as shocking asNorman was base on the sequential slayer Ed Gein . A deep troubled world , both Norman and Gein had abusive female parent for whom they make shrines , weary woman ’s clothes , and murdered innocent victim .

10Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes was inspired by Professor Joseph Bell

The prodigious deduction skills of Detective Sherlock Holmes appeared to be beyond the reach of actual human capabilities . However , despite Holmes ’ over-the-top intelligence agency , Arthur Conan Doyle was exalt by the real - lifetime figure Joseph Bellwhen he created the reference . Conan Doyle forgather Bell , a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh , in 1877 and was impressed by his power to deduce scholarly person ’ occupations and other personal details by observing their show and idiosyncrasy ( viaHistory . ) While Bell ’s determination skills were likely not at the floor of Holmes , it was telling that he go away such a pregnant gull on Conan Doyle .

9Tony Stark

Iron Man’s Tony Stark was inspired by the billionaire Howard Hughes

As one of the biggest personality from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a long - running comic Quran image , Tony Stark , also known as Iron Man , has been compare to everyone from Elon Musk to Richard Branson . However , the real inspiration for Starkcame from the moneyed engineer Howard HugheswhoIron Manco - Jehovah Stan Lee call “ an inventor , an explorer , a multi - billionaire , a ladies ’ gentleman’s gentleman and in conclusion a crazy . ” Stark ’s large - than - life personality was matched by the tangible eccentricity of his inspiration , whose life tale was portray by Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’sThe flier .

8The Dude

The Big Lebowski protagonist The Dude was inspired by film producer Jeff Dowd

One thing viewers may not sleep with aboutThe Big Lebowskiwas The Dude , expertly played by Jeff Bridges , was base on a actual person . The real - life inspiration behind one of the Coen brothers ’ best part was Jeff Dowd , who truly loved White Russians , and was a film producer that the Coens ' forge close with onBlood Simple . Dowd ’s byname was The Dudeand , after spend metre with him , the Coens were inspired by his strange traits , idiosyncratic mannerisms , and exorbitant outlook . All these things put together help oneself create the film version of The Dude seen inThe Big Lebowski .

7Ursula The Sea Witch

The Little Mermaid villain Ursula was inspired by Divine

The nefarious sea witch Ursula from Disney’sThe Little Mermaidhad the tentacle of an octopus and all the characteristics of a fictional foe . adopt as one of the good Disney villains ever , Ursula was shockingly found on a real person(viaAV Club ) , the American actor and iconic drag queen Divine . bed for their work with fad film producer John Waters , Divine was known for controversial films such asPink Flamingosand later on more mainstream movies such asHairspray . An unusual blood for a Disney reference , Divine was every bit as outrageous and over - the - top as Ursula the ocean witch .

6Dr. Hannibal Lecter

The Silence of the Lamb’s Hannibal Lecter was inspired by Dr. Alfredo Ballí Treviño

One graphic symbol who viewers would have desire was entirely fictional was the cannibalistic killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter from film such asThe Silence of the Lambsand the novel of Thomas Harris . But alas , Harris based Lecter on a material - lifespan Mexican surgeon named Dr. Alfredo Ballí Treviñowho dispatch his colleague and beau and possessed eery elegance and creepy magical spell of Lecter . Treviño was convicted for his crimes in 1981and was sentenced to 20 eld in prison house . While Hannibal was initially inspired by Treviño his persona also included aspects of other notorious killers such as Ted Bundy and Ed Kemper .