Austin Powers (character)

Sir Austin Danger Powers, KBE 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).[1]

Sir Austin Powers, KBE
Austin Powers character
First appearance	Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
Last appearance	Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Created by	Mike Myers
Portrayed by	Mike Myers (Original) Aaron Himelstein (Teenager) Tom Cruise (Film within a film)
In-universe information
Alias	Richie Cunningham
Occupation	Spy for the Ministry of Defence
Family	Nigel Powers (father) Dr. Evil (brother)
Spouse	Vanessa Kensington (deceased)
Relatives	Mini-Me (brother's clone) Scott Evil (nephew) Frau Farbissina (nephew's mother)
Nationality	British Flemish

He is a womanizing, hard partying British spy embodying the Swinging London mod culture 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 Powers was a character seen as a parody of James Bond, and being influenced by Harry Palmer, characters played by Michael Caine, and also being inspired by the flamboyant dress sense of Jason King.[2][3]

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).[4]

Development

Myers, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs formed the faux British 1960s band Ming Tea after Myers' Saturday Night Live stint in the early 1990s.[5][6] 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' then wife, Robin Ruzan, encouraged him to write a film based on Austin Powers.[6][7] Obituaries of Simon Dee (1935–2009), the radio and television presenter, stated that his "Sixties grooviness" made him the inspiration for the character.[8][9]

Mike Myers has claimed his father was the inspiration behind Austin Powers.[10]

Other media

• HBO purchased the rights to produce a cartoon series based on the Austin Powers films in May 1999. Despite announcing plans for a thirteen-episode season, HBO ultimately shelved the project.[11][12][13]
• Austin Powers has been used for advertising numerous products and endorsements, such as Pepsi Cola.[14]
• He also appears in the music videos for Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger", Beyoncé's "Work It Out" and Britney Spears' "Boys".
• The video games he appears in are Austin Powers Pinball, Austin Powers: Welcome to My Underground Lair!, Austin Powers: Oh, Behave!, and Austin Powers Operation: Trivia.

In popular culture

In November 2010, he was voted #23 in Entertainment Weekly's list "The 100 Greatest Characters of The Last 20 Years."[15]

See also

• Outline of James Bond
• Our Man Flint, another James Bond parody film; Austin calls its sequel, In Like Flint, his favorite movie
• Matt Helm as played in 1960s films by Dean Martin shares many qualities with Austin Powers, including his cover profession as a fashion photographer.

References

1. "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.
2. "Myers is funny, but he's no Peter Sellers". Deseret News (Salt Lake City) via HighBeam Research (subscription required). 28 November 2003. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
3. "Obituary - Peter Wyngarde, flamboyant actor known for Jason King and Flash Gordon". The Herald. Glasgow. July 7, 2019.
4. John Storey (2010). "Culture and Power in Cultural Studies: The Politics of Signification". p. 60. Edinburgh University Press
5. Digital Hit (1997–2012). "Mike Myers". Digital Hit. Digital Hit Entertainment/ Multiplex Theatre Properties Inc. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
6. Cherie D. Abbey; Omnigraphics; Kevin Hillstrom (2004). Biography Today Performing Artists. Omnigraphics. p. 101. ISBN 078080709X.
7. "This Sort Of Thing Is His Bag, Baby". Newsweek. May 18, 1997.
8. "TV chat show star Simon Dee dies". BBC. 2009-08-30. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
9. "Dee day for the real Austin Powers". The Age. Melbourne. 2009-08-31. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
10. "Austin Powers has The Force". BBC. 1999-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
11. Kaplan, Don (1999-05-04). "YEAH, BABY! HBO SINKS TEETH INTO 'AUSTIN POWERS' CARTOON". The New York Post. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
12. 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. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
13. Ressner, Jeffrey (1999-06-21). "Cinema: Austin's Power". Time. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
14. "Freebies Power Austin's Promotional Mojo". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
15. "The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-11-05.