Austin Powers (character)

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Austin Powers
Austin Powers character
Mike-Myers-Austin-Powers-1-.jpg
First appearance Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Last appearance Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Created by Mike Myers
Based on James Bond
Portrayed by Mike Myers
Aaron Himelstein (young)
Tom Cruise (in Austinpussy )
In-universe information
Full nameAustin Danger Powers
AliasRichie Cunningham
Occupation Spy for the Ministry of Defence
FamilyNigel Powers (father)
Douglas Powers (twin-brother)
Spouse Vanessa Kensington (deceased)
Significant others Felicity Shagwell
Foxxy Cleopatra
Relatives Mini-Me (nephew)
Scott Evil (nephew)
Frau Farbissina (sister-in-law)
Helga Powers (grandmother)
Kyle (great-nephew)
Nationality British

Sir Austin Danger Powers KBE [1] is a fictional character from the Austin Powers series of films, and is created and portrayed by Mike Myers. He is the protagonist of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). [2]

Contents

He is a womanizing, hard partying British spy embodying the Swinging London psyche and hippie culture of the 1960s who, with his nemesis Dr. Evil, was frozen in a cryonics experiment. The series' humor follows his attempts to adjust to the modern world as he continues to try to save it from terrorism.

Personality

Powers' "Shaguar" (Jaguar E-Type) Austin Shaguar.jpg
Powers' "Shaguar" (Jaguar E-Type)

Austin Powers was a character seen as a homage of the 1960s/1970s Bondmania, being influenced by James Bond, and other characters as Evelyn Tremble (played by Peter Sellers) in the spoof James Bond 1967 movie Casino Royale . [3] Other notable influences were Harry Palmer (played by Michael Caine who would go on to play Austin's father, Nigel, in Goldmember), especially his thick horn-rimmed glasses, [4] and the flamboyant dress sense of Jason King (played by Peter Wyngarde). [5]

The character of Austin Powers represents an archetype of 1960s Swinging London, with his advocacy for free love, his use of obscure expressions and his clothing style (including crushed velvet suits and Beatle boots). [6]

Development

Myers, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs formed the faux British 1960s band Ming Tea after Myers's Saturday Night Live stint in the early 1990s. [7] [8] The band members all performed under pseudonyms with 1960s' personas. Myers adopted the pseudonym and character of Austin Powers.

This group made a number of live club and television performances in character. Myers's then wife, Robin Ruzan, encouraged him to write a film based on Austin Powers. [8] [9] Obituaries of Simon Dee (1935–2009), the radio and BBC television presenter, stated that his "Sixties grooviness" made him the inspiration for the character. [10] [11]

Heavily influenced by British pop culture growing up, Mike Myers has claimed that his British-born father was the inspiration behind Austin Powers. [12]

Other media

Filmography

The May 2010 game Red Dead Redemption features an achievement called Austin Overpowered, requiring players to clear out hideouts in the New Austin region of the game. [17]

In November 2010, he was voted #23 in Entertainment Weekly 's list "The 100 Greatest Characters of The Last 20 Years." [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Austin Powers in Goldmember</i> 2002 American spy comedy film by Jay Roach

Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. It is the third and final installment in the Austin Powers film series and stars Mike Myers in four different roles: Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Goldmember, and Fat Bastard. Myers and Michael McCullers co-wrote the screenplay, which also features Beyoncé Knowles in her theatrical film debut, as well as Seth Green, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Sterling, Verne Troyer, and Michael Caine.

<i>Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery</i> 1997 film by Jay Roach

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a 1997 American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. It is the first installment in the Austin Powers series. It stars franchise co-producer and writer Mike Myers, playing the roles of Austin Powers and his arch enemy Dr. Evil. Supporting roles are played by Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, and Michael York. The film is a parody of the James Bond films and other popular culture from the 1960s, centering on a flamboyant, promiscuous secret agent and a criminal mastermind arch-nemesis, who go into and come out of cryostasis at the same time as each other as their conflict spans decades.

<i>Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me</i> 1999 film by Jay Roach

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me is a 1999 American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. It is the second installment in the Austin Powers film series, after International Man of Mystery. It stars franchise co-producer and writer Mike Myers as Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, and Fat Bastard. The film also stars Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling, Rob Lowe, and Elizabeth Hurley. The film's title is a play on the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). The film centers on Dr. Evil returning again from cryostasis to strike at Powers from the past, using a time machine to remove Powers's charisma ("mojo") and deprive him of whatever qualities made him an effective secret agent so he can no longer interfere with Evil's plans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Roach</span> American filmmaker (born 1957)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini-Me</span> Character in the Austin Powers films

Mini-Me is a fictional character from the Austin Powers film franchise, portrayed by Verne Troyer. He debuts in the second film in the trilogy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and appears again in the third film, Austin Powers in Goldmember.

<i>Jason King</i> (TV series) British TV drama series (1971–1972)

Jason King is a British television series starring Peter Wyngarde as the eponymous character. It was produced by ITC Entertainment and had a single season of 26 one-hour episodes that aired from 1971 to 1972. It was shown internationally as well, and has been released on DVD in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Germany.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frau Farbissina</span> Character in the Austin Powers film series

Frau Greta Farbissina is a fictional character played by Mindy Sterling in the Austin Powers film series. Farbissina is a German attack and defense specialist and the founder of "the militant wing of the Salvation Army". She is also Dr. Evil's henchwoman and tries to help in his schemes to terrorize and take over the world. She has a heavy German accent and is well known for a running gag in which she shouts her orders needlessly loud and screeching, often startling Dr. Evil. For her performances, Sterling was nominated for Favorite Supporting Actress in a Comedy at the BMI Film & TV Awards.

Ming Tea is a faux retro-mod band consisting of Mike Myers, Susanna Hoffs, Matthew Sweet, Stuart Johnson, and Christopher Ward. The band was formed by Myers after he appeared on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, and appeared in the Austin Powers film series, with the members performing under pseudonyms.

Michael McCullers is an American writer and director.

Austin Powers is a series of American satirical spy comedy films created by Mike Myers, who stars as the British spy Austin Powers as well as his arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil. The series consists of International Man of Mystery (1997), The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Goldmember (2002), all of which were directed by Jay Roach, and co-produced and released by New Line Cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Bastard</span> Character in Austin Powers films

Fat Bastard is a fictional character appearing in the second and third films of the Austin Powers series: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember. A morbidly obese henchman hailing from Clydebank, Scotland, Fat Bastard serves Dr. Evil in his quest to destroy Austin Powers. The character is portrayed by Mike Myers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Todd</span> American film producer

Suzanne Todd is an American film and television producer, and the owner of the film production company Team Todd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Evil</span> Fictional antagonist of Austin Powers, a series of spy comedy films

Douglas "Dougie" Powers, commonly known as Dr. Evil, is a fictional character portrayed by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers film series. He is the main antagonist and Austin Powers' nemesis. He is a parody of James Bond villains, primarily Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Dr. Evil routinely hatches schemes to terrorize and take over the world, and is usually accompanied by "Number Two", his second-in-command who fronts his evil corporation Virtucon Industries, his personal assistant Frau Farbissina, and his sidekick Mini-Me, a dwarf clone of himself.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to James Bond:

References

  1. ↑ Delbyck, Cole (2017-05-02). "10 'Austin Powers' Moments That Are Totally Shagadelic 20 Years Later". HuffPost. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  2. ↑ "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Big marketers are betting on 'Austin Powers' to endear them to young people". The New York Times. 1999-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  3. ↑ "Myers is funny, but he's no Peter Sellers". Deseret News (Salt Lake City). 28 November 2003. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Michael Caine: Austin Powers in Goldmember". BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Obituary - Peter Wyngarde, flamboyant actor known for Jason King and Flash Gordon". The Herald . Glasgow. July 7, 2019.
  6. ↑ John Storey (2010). "Culture and Power in Cultural Studies: The Politics of Signification". p. 60. Edinburgh University Press
  7. ↑ Digital Hit (1997–2012). "Mike Myers". Digital Hit. Digital Hit Entertainment/ Multiplex Theatre Properties Inc. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  8. 1 2 Cherie D. Abbey; Omnigraphics; Kevin Hillstrom (2004). Biography Today Performing Artists. Omnigraphics. p. 101. ISBN   078080709X.
  9. ↑ "This Sort Of Thing Is His Bag, Baby". Newsweek. May 18, 1997.
  10. ↑ "TV chat show star Simon Dee dies". BBC. 2009-08-30. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  11. ↑ "Dee day for the real Austin Powers". The Age. Melbourne. 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  12. ↑ "Austin Powers has The Force". BBC. 1999-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  13. ↑ Kaplan, Don (1999-05-04). "YEAH, BABY! HBO SINKS TEETH INTO 'AUSTIN POWERS' CARTOON". The New York Post. Retrieved 2010-11-05.[ dead link ]
  14. ↑ Seiler, Andy (1999-06-21). "The spy who won't go away HBO will animate 'Austin Powers,' and a third movie is expected". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  15. ↑ Ressner, Jeffrey (1999-06-21). "Cinema: Austin's Power". Time . Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  16. ↑ "Freebies Power Austin's Promotional Mojo". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  17. ↑ Llado, Miguel Luis (August 18, 2023). "Red Dead Redemption PS4 Trophies Revealed". GameRant. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  18. ↑ "The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
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