I was struck dumb when I first saw Austin Powers. I felt as if it were a direct copy of Prof. Larrabee in "WU,D?". Especially when the professor comes in for the first time into the ballroom with his glasses on.
The GLASSES, The TEETH, The HAIR!~
I am surprised no one has said anything about this before. Mike Myers even took Austin's first name, by golly!
Cheers,
Enrique Sanchez,
Miami, FL
Oh..I almost forgot!
Even the INITIALS are both "A.P."!
cheers,
Enrique Sanchez
Darn, you're right! Never thought of it but Powers always seemed oddly familiar. But I think it's totally unintentional.
shareThanks for writing,göp!
I am so glad that someone has finally found my post and agrees. The instant that I saw Austin Powers, I made the connection because What's Up Doc? is among my favorite movies.
Mike Myers has said that he "created" Austin Powers as an amalgamation of different types from the 60's and 70's...I wouldn't be surprised if he is reticent to admit the Austin Pendleton connection...it is too uncanny...even if it was unintentional.
Thanks again,
Enrique
[deleted]
Pick up a yearbook from the early seventies. Everyone looked like Austin Pendleton, jocks, nerds, etc. They also look prematurely old. Horn rimmed glasses could make your grandmotehr look like him.
Howard: You... YOU!
Judy: niss.. EuNICE.. Eunice, Howard. We almost have that stammer cleared up. Sit down dear.
Howard: How... How?
Judy: Howard. He still gets stuck on names. It must be the excitement of meeting you for the first time.
""Pick up a yearbook from the early seventies. Everyone looked like Austin Pendleton, jocks, nerds, etc.""
Hello OneP2:
I'm afraid I was one of those '74 grads. But I removed my glasses for the photographer....but, I digress...we had no Nerds that looked as bad as Austin Pendleton OR Powers...
Enrique
Mr. Larabee: You ought to feel it, gentlemen.
Mr. Larabee: Sit down, gentlemen!
I saw Austin Powers FIRST. I just saw What's Up Doc today, and the first thing I thought when the Prof made his entrance was Austin Powers. I thought, is that Mike Myers? Hmm, no, he would only be like 5 years old at this time!
My life has major plot holes.
COOL! I am so glad I am not the ONLY one who has been struck by the resemblance. :)
Enrique Sanchez
They do resemble each other, but I imagine it's a coincidence. You put the long hair (de rigeur for the time period) with the glasses (likewise very common) along with a certain type of face (including prominent teeth and weak chin) and you get a pretty close approximation of Frederick Larrabee and Austin Powers. The name is probably coincidental too, though I guess Mike Meyers could've been subconsciously thinking of Austin Pendleton (or maybe even consciously) when he conceived the character.
shareBud:
I would be surprised if Mike Myers had never seen this movie. The "Austin Powers" movies, as some may note, have many homages to old movies. I can only hope that Myers saw "WUD?" since this is a classic...and he is a comic actor, etc,etc...
Yes, the teeth, the glasses, the hair, the name...IMHO just too many coincidences to be an independently inspired whim from Myers' own brain.
So, I cannot be convinced that it wasn't a total "lift" from this movie. Maybe one day Myers will bone up?
Enrique Sanchez
If you "cannot be convinced," I would be foolish to try, despite the fact that the idea sounds silly to me. I suspect Myers bones up fairly often, perhaps even daily, but he's married and thus has something productive to do with it. As to whether he'll OWN up, who knows?
shareI just saw this movie last night and my first thought when I saw Larrabee was "Martin Short? No, couldn't be!" Curiously, I'd seen SCTV posters insist Myers had appropriated much of Powers from Short's Jackie Rogers Jr. character.
shareAH...never thought of that one!~ Good observation!
Just goes to show you there are no original ideas. :)
Thanks for writing.
Cheers,
Enrique Sanchez
I TOTALLY see this connection, Enrique!!! I went to see this at the movies last night, a revival of films made in San Francisco, where I live, and I was surprised I hadn't noticed the connection before. I love Austin Pendleton and I absolutely think Mike Meyers was inspired for the Austin Powers character by him, especially from Austin's performance in this particular movie.
Susan