The film titled “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” was a comical take on the James Bond-style spy movies, and over three films, Mike Myers’ bumbling secret agent Austin Powers became as renowned a character as those he was mocking. Similarly, Dr. Evil, Austin Powers’ adversary, also portrayed by Myers, gained iconic status. Unlike Austin, who was born from classic British spies, Dr. Evil originated from a more authentic source: the producer of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels.
As a film enthusiast, it’s evident that Dr. Evil is an obvious tribute to Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the notorious Bond villain. However, what many might not know is that the character of Dr. Evil was more influenced by Lorne Michaels, whom Mike Myers collaborated with on Saturday Night Live in the ’90s. It appears the story runs even deeper; it seems that Myers actually borrowed the impression from another Saturday Night Live star and Wayne’s World co-star, Dana Carvey.
Dr. Evil Is A Lorne Michaels Impression
In an article about Lorne Michaels in The New Yorker, during the 50th anniversary celebration of Saturday Night Live, it’s noted that Dr. Evil, a popular character, was originally created by Michaels himself. Interestingly, Dr. Evil’s signature gesture of raising his pinky finger to his mouth is said to have been inspired by Lorne Michaels’ habit of biting his nails as he reviewed SNL sketches.
It was previously known to me that Dr. Evil’s character was influenced by Lorne Michaels. What took me by surprise, though, was learning that the impression wasn’t originally created by Mike Myers as I had thought.
Mike Myers Apparently Stole The Impression From Dana Carvey
According to The New Yorker, the term “caricature theft” has been used because it appears that the original caricature was not created by Myers, but rather by Dana Carvey. Interestingly, even the characteristic baldness of Dr. Evil was said to be part of the impression, as Carvey would only perform it while wearing bald wigs, according to The New Yorker’s explanation.
Myers frequently disputes that the performance was solely about Michael’s work, but in reality, it was a unique instance of comedic plagiarism – a word-for-word mimicking of Dana Carvey’s portrayal of Michael, which Carvey enacted exclusively during makeup sessions, wearing a bald wig, on Saturday Night Live.
Indeed, it would be interesting to learn Dana Carvey’s perspective on these recent events. His bond with Eddie Murphy has been marked by ups and downs, and there was even a time when Carvey contemplated leaving “Wayne’s World.” It’s possible he might feel upset if not informed in advance. However, they seemed to have moved past their differences, sharing the screen again in a “Wayne’s World” Super Bowl commercial a few years back.
Additionally, it would have been fascinating to witness Dana Carvey portraying Dr. Evil instead of Mike Myers. Although Myers’ dual performance is integral to the humor and there’s no denying his brilliance in both roles, envisioning Austin Powers’ sidekicks, Wayne and Garth from Wayne’s World, acting against each other in a spy film setting is another intriguing concept that I can’t help but wish had been realized on the big screen.
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2025-01-14 20:07