1. Harry Callahan from “Dirty Hary”
2.
“Dave Toschi, the SFPD inspector who led the Zodiac Killer case, was an inspiration for Steve McQueen’s character/style in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood’s character in Dirty Harry. George Lucas also named Tosche Station on Tatooine in his honor.”
3. Dr. Strangelove from “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”
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Despite rumors that the character of Dr. Strangelove was modeled on controversial political scientist Henry Kissinger, actor Peter Sellers later clarified that the character was inspired by the infamous German aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun.
5. Lydia Tar from “Tar”
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The team behind Tár never named a specific inspiration for the film’s tangled protagonist, but some fans have noted some similarities between Tár and Marin Alsop, a legendary conductor who was the first woman to win the Koussevitzky Prize. Despite their similarities – although Alsop was never accused of inappropriate behavior – the musician was not exactly thrilled with the film, condemning it as “misogynistic.” “I was insulted: I was insulted as a woman, I was insulted as a conductor, I was insulted as a lesbian,” she told the Sunday Times. “To have the opportunity to portray a woman in that role and make her an abuser – that was heartbreaking for me.”
7. Moe Szyslak from “The Simpsons”
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“Bart Simpson’s prank calls to Moe’s Tavern were largely inspired by the ‘Tube Bar Prank Calls’ on owner Louis ‘Red’ Deutsch, who was often unaware of the prank. When he did notice, he would become hilariously angry and launch into a barrage of insults toward the pranksters.”
9. Auric Goldfinger from the “James Bond” series
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The iconic James Bond villain is said to have been inspired by Charles W. Engelhard Jr., a mining magnate and heir to a multinational mining conglomerate.
11. Daisy Buchanan from “The Great Gatsby”
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“18-year-old wealthy socialite Ginevra King, who was in love with Scott Fitzgerald, wrote and sent him a Gatsby-style short story. In it, she is trapped in a loveless marriage to a rich man but still longs for him, a former lover from her past. Seven years later, it became the basis for ‘The Great Gatsby.'”
13. Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart from “Chicago”
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“The musical ‘Chicago’ is based on a play based on the true cases of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, both of whom were suspected of murder and later acquitted.”
15. Cosmo Kramer from “Seinfeld”
16.
“Kenny Kramer (was) Larry David’s former real-life neighbor. The real Kramer has profited from his connection to the show and continues to do so as owner of the Kramer Reality Tour, a ‘Seinfeld-themed bus tour of New York City.”
17. Charles Foster Kane from “Citizen Kane”
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“William Randolph Hearst’s attempts to suppress Citizen Kane included banning any advertising, reviews or mentions of the film in his newspapers, banning the film from being shown in theaters, accusing Welles of being a communist, and allegedly hiding one of Hearst’s subordinates in Welles’ hotel room closet.”
19. Ignacio/Nacho from “Nacho Libre”
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“The Jack Black film ‘Nacho Libre’ is loosely based on the life of Fray Tormenta (Father Storm), a Mexican priest who supported his orphanage for 23 years as a lucha libre wrestler. He still wears his mask when performing his priestly duties.”
21. Indiana Jones from the “Indiana Jones” series
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While George Lucas and others associated with the Indiana Jones film series have remained tight-lipped about the exact inspiration for the series’ title character, it is speculated that American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews played a role in the creation of Indiana Jones. Andrews is not only known for leading expeditions through China, the Gobi Desert, and Mongolia, but also for discovering the first nest of dinosaur eggs.
23. Hannibal Lecter from “The Silence of the Lambs”
24.
“Thomas Harris based his character Hannibal Lecter on a real person (Alfredo Ballí Treviño), a doctor who murdered and dismembered his victims and treated patients in prison. He spent nearly 40 years in prison before being released in 2000. He resumed his practice as a doctor.”
25. Kendall Roy from “Succession”
26.
Although Waystar Royco heir Kendall Roy draws inspiration from several real-life individuals, he is reportedly based on Rupert Murdoch’s youngest son, James Murdoch. Much like Kendall, James reportedly had a different approach to the office world than his father, as “he may not be emulating his father so much as he is more of a generic idea of a progressive business figure,” according to reporter Michael Wolff.
27. Buzz Lightyear from the “Toy Story” series
28.
While Buzz Lightyear was originally called “Lunar Larry,” his nickname was changed in honor of Buzz Aldrin, who became the second person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.
29. Mr. Burns from “The Simpsons”
30.
The greedy ruler of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant drew inspiration from several real-life figures. In addition to portraying the spirit of old-school capitalists like John D. Rockefeller, Mr. Burns was designed to look like Fox founder Barry Diller… and a praying mantis.
31. Eric Cartman from “South Park”
32.
The “South Park” symbol is named after Trey Parker’s buddy and former high school classmate Matt Karpman, a decision that stemmed from the events of a 1995 Super Bowl party. “At one point, Karpman jumps up to high five all his friends and is met with a ‘Shut up, Karpman’ from one of us, which quickly devolved into even more comical trash talk,” Jason McHugh, a friend of Parker and Karpman, recalled in a GoFundMe campaign raising money for Karpman’s family after Karpman’s ALS diagnosis. “Suddenly, Trey, who had been sitting quietly in the corner watching this hunk, blurts out, ‘Cartman! That’s the perfect name for the fat boy.'” He said it loudly, and we all heard it and started laughing at Karpmen, who quickly responded with something like, ‘F–k you Trey! “I’m going to punch you in the a–!” … in Trey’s mind, ‘The Fat Kid’ had to be called ‘Cartman.’ The deal was done.”
