Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2013 December 21

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December 21

Fictional characters with some form of body paralysis

I wanted to create this category for fictional characters whom had paralysis as an important part of their story (not just for one gimmick episode). I could also use more examples; so far I have Doctor Strange, Gregory House, Black Jack (character), Barbara Gordon, John Stewart (comics), Hank Schrader, Chief (comics), Professor X, Christopher Pike (Star Trek) and Batman. I also was not sure whether to include characters with healing factors; or whether to include fictional characters who have had comas; both of which would make the list much longer. CensoredScribe (talk) 17:50, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Frank Cannon and Davros are a couple of obvious candidates. L B Jefferies (Rear Window), as well, although presumably you're looking for characters who appear in a series rather than just one movie. Tevildo (talk) 18:26, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

I think Jimmy Stewart's character was not paralyzed, but merely recovering from a broken leg. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:19, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Ahh, I see the OP has changed "limited mobility" to "paralysis", so we need to restrict the list to characters with neurological problems. Tevildo (talk) 21:07, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

I'd say movies would be acceptable; I mostly wanted to avoid listing characters who are only extremely briefly disabled (in terms of screen time).

You're right, I was thinking of Ironside, not Cannon. Tevildo (talk) 22:11, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Timmy from South Park and Joe from Family Guy. Both are fairly common recurring fictional characters. I can't think of any others that weren't already mentioned. Thanks ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 20:11, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Also the kid from Game of Thrones and Andy from Little Britain. Thanks ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 20:13, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Ironside (TV series). ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:19, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Jake Sully (Avatar). --109.189.65.217 (talk) 20:59, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

TV Tropes can probably help you. See here. --Jayron32 21:02, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Taylor shultz — Preceding unsigned comment added by Taylor italian (talk • contribs) 21:43, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

This list contains some good ones and the comments too feature a lot more. Also, sorry but i found this to be hilarious: "fucking edward scissorhands was all kinds of disabled."

Thanks ツ Jenova20 ^(email) 22:07, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

There's Commander Shore from Stingray (TV series), who "was injured when a hostile submersible attacked the facility and damaged his patrol craft. He managed to ram the enemy in return, and then escape to the surface, but in so doing lost the use of his legs." He uses a 'hoverchair' throughout the series. - Cucumber Mike (talk) 23:10, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

Doctor Strangelove, who, despite his paralysis, has an arm that can't seem to stop doing Nazi salutes. StuRat (talk) 02:57, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

He also stood up and walked at the end of the film. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:01, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Maybe not exactly the same thing, but Lionel Barrymore, Harold Russell and Christopher Reeve are among those who had limited mobility or were otherwise handicapped, and played roles allowing for those handicaps. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:23, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Jason Ritter played a paraplegic in the TV series Joan of Arcadia. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:26, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Stevie Kenarban from Malcolm in the Middle. Dismas|^(talk) 03:42, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Brian Potter, but not Andy Pipkin. Rojomoke (talk) 05:55, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Lincoln Rhyme from a novel series by Jeffery Deaver. Oda Mari (talk) 06:55, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Greg House wasn't paralyzed. Hot Stop 06:59, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

It is only temporary, and may actually have been a form of amputation, rather than paralysis, but Austin Powers lost his mojo. μηδείς (talk) 16:40, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

There's the endlessly annoying narrator Augustus from Oz, who's wheelchair bound. μηδείς (talk) 16:40, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

Apologies if I've missed him somewhere above, but Dr. Everett Scott from the various Rocky Horror versions comes to mind. (The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 94.5.30.4 (talk) 19:18, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

That kid in the wheelchair in Glee? Press Gang had a wheelchair based character. HiLo48 (talk) 22:07, 22 December 2013 (UTC)

For films there are Terry McKay in An Affair to Remember (Deborah Kerr) and Love Affair (1939 film) (Irene Dunne). Lincoln Rhyme in The Bone Collector (Denzel Washington) and Oda Mari has the book series above. Luke Martin in Coming Home (1978 film) (Jon Voight). Mr. Potter, given the time of year that should have been one of the first ones. Ken in The Men (film) (Marlon Brando) and I think several others in the film as well. Lew Wilkison in The Violent Men (Edward G. Robinson). Arliss Loveless in the Wild Wild West (Kenneth Branagh). Jake Sully in Avatar (2009 film) (Sam Worthington). Lieutenant Dan Taylor in [[Forrest Gump](Gary Sinise). The redlinks could be created as redirects and categorised. Rhyme, Sully and Taylor are already redirects so they just need the category added. Martin is a real person but not the one in the film. If it's for fictional characters should it not also include people from books? CambridgeBayWeather (talk) 01:37, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

That's why I mentioned Lionel Barrymore. He was afflicted with arthritis, and played Dr. Gillespie as being in a wheelchair. His Potter character likewise was in a wheelchair, though it was a little less obvious, as he spent the entire movie behind his desk. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:05, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

Regarding Rear Window (mentioned above), in the Christopher Reeve remake, the character was paralyzed — as was Reeve in real life.    → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 02:37, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

Mason Verger from Hannibal (film) (Gary Oldman) and Hannibal (novel).
Bella from Notting Hill (film) (Gina McKee). Oda Mari (talk) 05:35, 23 December 2013 (UTC)

• Christopher Pike. μηδείς (talk) 01:44, 25 December 2013 (UTC)