Igor (Young Frankenstein)
Encyclopedia
Igor is the fictional hunchback
assistant of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
in the 1974 film Young Frankenstein
and its 2007 musical adaptation
.
. When he meets the Doctor, he takes it as a given that he will work for him. ("My grandfather used to work for your grandfather... of course, the rates have gone up.")
Marty Feldman
would add another comic twist to his character, by deliberately swapping which side the hump on his back was located; whenever Doctor Frankenstein asked him about it, he would reply simply: "What hump?"
in the film inspired the song Walk This Way
by Aerosmith
. According to Gene Wilder
, who co-wrote the script and played Doctor Frankenstein
, the joke was added while shooting the scene by Mel Brooks
, inspired by the old "talcum powder" joke.
, who is extremely excited to meet him. Igor tries to convince him to continue in his grandfather's footsteps. Later, Frederick sends Igor to find a brain and entrusts him with the vital organ, but the henchman drops it, surreptitiously replacing the brain with another. They create the creature, who goes on a rampage shortly after waking. The doctor is distressed to find that Igor had provided a different brain whose name he recalls as "Abby Normal".
When describing Igor, Christopher Fitzgerald
said, "Igor is certainly very clown like, Shakespearean clown like. Kind of comments on the action, and has a lot of very bizarre non sequiturs, with a kind of higher status than anyone else in the show. Or believes he does. All of that stuff, that was all my background growing up, a lot of vaudeville stuff traveling around New England doing those types of shows. Igor is a devoted servant who loves to serve, although maybe isn't very good at it. He does it in his own kind of personal way."
Hunchback
Hunchback may refer to one of the following.*A derogatory term for a person who has severe kyphosis*The Hunchback of Notre Dame*Hunchback , an arcade and computer game from the 1980s*The Hunchback, a 1914 film featuring Lillian Gish...
assistant of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein
Frederick Frankenstein
Frederick Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the 1974 comedy film Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and the 2007 Broadway musical of the same name.-1974 film:...
in the 1974 film Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein
Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The supporting cast includes Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard...
and its 2007 musical adaptation
Young Frankenstein (musical)
Young Frankenstein, officially known as The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, is a musical with a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Brooks. It is based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name written by Brooks and Gene Wilder and directed by Brooks, who has...
.
Character
Igor wants to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and live up to the legacy of hunchbacks throughout history who have served the Frankenstein family. Sadly, his desire to serve his new master is not always matched by a sufficient amount of practical know-how.1974 film
In the original film, the character is the lab assistant Herr Falkstein assigned to Dr. Frederick FrankensteinFrederick Frankenstein
Frederick Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the 1974 comedy film Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and the 2007 Broadway musical of the same name.-1974 film:...
. When he meets the Doctor, he takes it as a given that he will work for him. ("My grandfather used to work for your grandfather... of course, the rates have gone up.")
Marty Feldman
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan "Marty" Feldman was an English comedy writer, comedian and actor who starred in a series of British television comedy shows, including At Last the 1948 Show, and Marty, which won two BAFTA awards and was the first Saturn Award winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Young...
would add another comic twist to his character, by deliberately swapping which side the hump on his back was located; whenever Doctor Frankenstein asked him about it, he would reply simply: "What hump?"
Walk this way
Igor's line "walk this way"Walk this way (movie line)
"Walk this way" is a recurrent pun in a number of movies and television shows, most notably movies by Mel Brooks. It may be derived from an old vaudeville joke. It refers to the double usage of "way" in English as both a direction and a manner....
in the film inspired the song Walk This Way
Walk This Way
"Walk This Way" is a song by American hard rock group Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the 1975 album Toys in the Attic. It peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit...
by Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
. According to Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder
Gene Wilder is an American stage and screen actor, director, screenwriter, and author.Wilder began his career on stage, making his screen debut in the film Bonnie and Clyde in 1967. His first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers...
, who co-wrote the script and played Doctor Frankenstein
Frederick Frankenstein
Frederick Frankenstein is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the 1974 comedy film Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks and the 2007 Broadway musical of the same name.-1974 film:...
, the joke was added while shooting the scene by Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is an American film director, screenwriter, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer. He is best known as a creator of broad film farces and comic parodies. He began his career as a stand-up comic and as a writer for the early TV variety show Your Show of Shows...
, inspired by the old "talcum powder" joke.
2007 musical
In the musical adaptation, Igor's character and lines remain mostly the same. Arriving at Transylvania Heights, Frederick meets Igor, the grandson of Victor's henchmanIgor (fictional character)
Igor is the traditional stock character or cliché hunch-backed assistant or butler to many types of villain, such as Count Dracula or a mad scientist, familiar from many horror movies and horror movie parodies, the Frankenstein series and Van Helsing films in particular.-Origins:Dwight Frye's...
, who is extremely excited to meet him. Igor tries to convince him to continue in his grandfather's footsteps. Later, Frederick sends Igor to find a brain and entrusts him with the vital organ, but the henchman drops it, surreptitiously replacing the brain with another. They create the creature, who goes on a rampage shortly after waking. The doctor is distressed to find that Igor had provided a different brain whose name he recalls as "Abby Normal".
Musical numbers
Igor sings in the following songs in the musical:- "Together Again" — with Frederick
- "Roll in the Hay" — with Inga and Frederick (minor part)
- "Life, Life" — with Frederick, Inga, and Frau Blücher (minor part)
- "Translyvania Mania" — with Company
- "Surprise" — with Elizabeth, Frau Blücher, and Entourage (minor part)
- "Puttin' On the Ritz" — with Company
When describing Igor, Christopher Fitzgerald
Christopher Fitzgerald (actor)
Christopher Cantwell Fitzgerald is an American actor, singer, mime, clown, juggler, and acrobat. He is best known for his role as Boq in the musical Wicked and his role of Igor in Young Frankenstein, for which he earned Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award...
said, "Igor is certainly very clown like, Shakespearean clown like. Kind of comments on the action, and has a lot of very bizarre non sequiturs, with a kind of higher status than anyone else in the show. Or believes he does. All of that stuff, that was all my background growing up, a lot of vaudeville stuff traveling around New England doing those types of shows. Igor is a devoted servant who loves to serve, although maybe isn't very good at it. He does it in his own kind of personal way."
Portrayals
- Marty FeldmanMarty FeldmanMartin Alan "Marty" Feldman was an English comedy writer, comedian and actor who starred in a series of British television comedy shows, including At Last the 1948 Show, and Marty, which won two BAFTA awards and was the first Saturn Award winner for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Young...
(Original film) - Christopher FitzgeraldChristopher Fitzgerald (actor)Christopher Cantwell Fitzgerald is an American actor, singer, mime, clown, juggler, and acrobat. He is best known for his role as Boq in the musical Wicked and his role of Igor in Young Frankenstein, for which he earned Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award...
(Musical adaptation) - Cory EnglishCory EnglishCory English , is an American actor.Born into a blue collar family in upstate New York, Cory was the youngest of four boys. Cory attended Wayne Central in Ontario, New York...
(Musical adaptation) - Cory EnglishCory EnglishCory English , is an American actor.Born into a blue collar family in upstate New York, Cory was the youngest of four boys. Cory attended Wayne Central in Ontario, New York...
(Musical national tour)
External links
- Igor at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...