Stock
Related: character - stock footage - stereotype
Stock character
A stock character is a fictional character that relies heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for its personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to members of a given culture. Because of this, a frequent device of both comedy and parody is to wildly exaggerate the expected mannerisms of stock characters.Stock characters in the western tradition originate from the theatres of ancient Greece and Rome, and, somewhat more recently, from the Italian Commedia Dell'arte.
In the United States, courts have determined that copyright protection can not be extended to the characteristics of stock characters in a story, whether it be a book, play, or film. Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corporation, 45 F.2d 119 (2d Cir. 1930). --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_character [Apr 2005]
List of stock characters
A * Absent-minded professor * Action hero * Anti-hero * Archmage B * Bimbo * Boy genius C * Child (archetype) * Comic relief * Competent Man * Contender * Court jester D * Damsel in distress * Dark Lord * Dumb blonde E * Elderly Martial Arts Master * En travesti * Evil clown * Evil genius * Evil twin F * Femme fatale * Fop G * Gag character * [Genius ] * Generic character * Grotesque * Gunslinger H * Henchman * Hero * Hooker with a heart of gold I * Igor * Ingenue (stock character) J * Jokester L * Lipstick lesbian M * Mad scientist * Magical Negro * Miles Gloriosus * Miser N * Nine Worthies * Noble savage O * Outlaw P * Paladin * Pantomime dame * Prince Charming R * Rake * Redshirt (science fiction) S * Sidekick * Spoiled brat * Superhero * Supervillain T * Tough guy * Town drunk * Trickster V * Valley girl * Villain W * Whiz kid * Wise Old Man --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Stock_characters [Jun 2005]
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