Caractacus Pott

Caractacus Potts
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang character
First appearance	Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Created by	Ian Fleming
Portrayed by	Dick Van Dyke
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Inventor
Family	Grandpa Potts (father, film only)
Spouse	Mimsie Potts
Children	Jeremy Potts Jemimah Potts
Nationality	British

Caractacus Pott is one of the main characters in Ian Fleming's novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and, as Potts, its film adaptation. The film version of the story makes several changes to his character.

Caractacus Pott of the book

In the original 1964 book, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car, Pott is a Royal Navy Commander and eccentric inventor who lives with his wife Mimsy and their twin eight-year-old children, Jeremy and Jemima, on their hilltop farm.

Caractacus Potts of the film

The filmmakers, including screenwriter Roald Dahl, altered a good deal of the book's details when crafting the 1968 film musical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in which Caractacus is portrayed by Dick Van Dyke. The name Pott was changed to Potts and it was felt that a burgeoning romance would serve the story better, and so the character of Mimsie was written out of the story. Caractacus' film character was written as a widower who develops a romantic relationship with Truly Scrumptious, the daughter of the sweets magnate, Lord Scrumptious. The film also did not carry over the naval commander part of his life and there is no hint of it in any of the set design, dialogue or behaviour. His other inventions as seen in the film were designed and created by the craftsman Rowland Emett, and have been on display at Mid-America Science Museum for many years.

In the movie, Caractacus' wife is revealed to have died, leaving him as guardian of their two children Jeremy and Jemimah, but not in poverty. The daily routine is that while Caractacus invents things to sell for his family's sustenance, Jeremy and Jemimah either go to school or play in a garage owned by a neighbour, Mr. Coggins. One day the children discover and grow fond of a decrepit race car that caught fire and exploded in a road race when it was involved in a high-speed accident — a dog and a child ran into the road from the cheering crowd, which the car swerved to avoid and was sent crashing down an embankment — and persuade their father to restore it.

Character name

There was a 1st century AD British chieftain named Caratacus, who led the British resistance to the Roman conquest, and who may have inspired Fleming's choice. Conveniently, the name is also a somewhat obvious pun on the term "crackpot", often used to describe an eccentric person, especially an inventor or scientist.

Other media

A stage musical based on the film premiered in London's West End in 2002, with Caractacus Potts played by Michael Ball. The role has since been played on stage in the West End by Gary Wilmot (also on tour), Jason Donovan, Brian Conley (also on tour) and on tour Tim Flavin, Joseph McFadden, Craig McLachlan, Kevin Kennedy, (after playing the Childcatcher) Matt Baker, Aled Jones, Darren Bennett, Jon Robyns, Jason Manford and Lee Mead. For the 2005 Broadway production the role was played by Raúl Esparza. For the 2012 Australian production the role was played by David Hobson.