The Art of the Sidekick

Aug 30th 2009
Karen RoseKaren Rose & On Writing! & romance novels

94 Responses to “The Art of the Sidekick”

1. Emmanuelle on 31 Aug 2009 at 1:53 am #

   Nice topic for your blog !!!

   Secondary characters are important for me too. To REALLY enjoy a book I need to love everyone in it (maybe that’s a reason why I love romance so much… a character can be a secondary character in one book and the hero of the next one).
   My all time favorite character would be Will Lockwood III (or is it IV, can’t remember). He’s Myron Bolitar’s psycho best friend. He comes from old money and looks like it. A crazy mix of good and bad. He’s loyal and would do anything for his friend. He’s a good guy with bad guy’s MO. I love his humor and his crazy logic. I probably love Will just much as I love Myron. He’s one of the main reason why I anticipate each new book so much.

   Did I metion I love giveaways ???

2. Michelle B on 31 Aug 2009 at 5:14 am #

   Great topic, Karen, and I totally agree that secondary characters are just as important as the main ones.

   I spent the weekend with some friends and their kids who loved the Harry Potter books. Me too! George and Fred Weasley are a couple of my favorite secondary characters in that series. They are so ornery, funny, and have that twins communication thing going on. Loyal to Harry, drive their Mom, Molly, nuts, and pick on Ron their brother. Very indearing.

3. LoriHandeland on 31 Aug 2009 at 5:20 am #

   I love Lula from the Stephanie Plum books. I’m usually laughing so hard I have to stop reading at some of her antics. Also Gramma Mazur.

   Peabody is another fave.

   As for TV shows–I’ve enjoyed Castle and I think the Mom in that show is a hoot. Also Sweets on Bones and Brandon on The Tudors.

4. Deb Marlowe on 31 Aug 2009 at 5:28 am #

   Hi Karen!

   I *adore* secondary characters! This is one of the reasons I love Jane Austen–she has so many lively, funny or painfully familiar characters interacting with her protagonists. Mr. Colins, anyone? Or Mrs. Jennings?

   One of my favorites is Kemble, who appears in nearly every Liz Carlyle novel. I think he has his own fan club!

   Loretta Chase’s Bertie Trent is another one.

   Claudia’s Lord Ruan is fascinating. He’s been in the background so far in the Courtesan series, but I’m hoping we get to see more of him!

   I really enjoyed the old folks in the CSI/Mystery Club in Karen’s Talk of the Town. I really enjoy older folks in real life, too.

   Wait until you meet the fab new guy, Freddie, in Sabrina’s The Truth About Lord Stoneville! Adorable and funny!

   Of my own secondary characters, I have a fondness for Olivia, the little girl in An Improper Aristocrat, who cannot quite get her family’s names out correctly, but can look at an old portrait and state “codpiece” very clearly. And I’m currently obsessing about a certain villain from my up and coming Tall, Dark and Disreputable, but that may be because his story is rolling around in my head right now!

5. Claudia Dain on 31 Aug 2009 at 6:45 am #

   The minute you mentioned great secondary characters, I thought of everyone in Return to Me. Without *all* those secondaries, the movie would have been as flat and dull as dirty dishwater! Even the kid who brings the hero his take-out every night is adorable, and he had, what?, two 45 second scenes and three lines of dialogue? Yet it’s those little moments that highlight the h/h.

   I’m with Lori; I’m in deep love with Lula from Stephanie Plum’s world, ditto Grandma Mazur. Fun, outlandish, jump-off-the-page characters.

   I love the mom in Castle. She gets the best lines!

   DebMarlowe, thanks for the Lord Ruan Love! He’s a Man of Mystery now, but when the time is right, he’ll be the hero of his own book.

6. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 6:57 am #

   Emmanuelle – you’re so right about romance and all the secondary characters. Many of my secondary characters go on to get their own books. It’s like visiting old friends for me.

   And , yes, you did mention you love giveaways

7. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 6:59 am #

   MichelleB – I was also thinking of the Potter books! So many sidekicks and secondary characters that get so fully flushed out as the series progresses.

   One of my faves in that series has to be Mrs. Weasley. I liked Snape, too.

8. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:01 am #

   Lori – I’ve read a few of the Plum books and the grandma makes me LOL every time! Sweets on Bones is very cute. Really liked Zach, but grrrr.

   Everyone’s telling me to watch Castle, so when this book is finished (Please Let It Be Soon!), I’ll find it on Hulu or something. Is it out on DVD yet?

9. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:12 am #

   DebM – how cute! I do like using kids in books, too. You’re a tease, taunting us about Sabrina’s upcoming book!

   Claudia – you’re right – all the characters in Return To Me are wonderful. I’m not sure Driver and Duchovny could have pulled it off without them, but as a whole, this is a sweet, wonderful movie! I always think of the kid who delivers his food and the old guys arguing about the Rat Pack as they play cards. I felt like I’d known the Hunt/Belushi couple forever. What on-screen chemistry!

10. TrishD on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:19 am #

    Like everyone else here, secondary characters mean quite a bit to me. Karen, your secondary characters are fab! I love the entire Hunter, Reagan and Ciccotelli clans! Growing up with one older sister, I love big families in the books I read.

    The secondary characters in the book I’m currently reading are annoying, spoiled, narcissistic, egomaniacs and I’m just loving them!

    In TV shows I like Jimmy, Ducky’s assistant in NCIS, he’s just so adorably uncomfortable at times; Carol and Susan in Friends, I loved how much Ross worried about his son being raised by 2 woman; Klinger in MASH, he could always make me laugh; Wolowitz and Koothrappali in The Big Bang Theory just because of who they are and how the embrace their nerdiness and of course Lilly from Hannah Montana (which my 8 year old makes me watch!), I think every woman, whether a teenager or 40 year old, wants to have a friends as loyal as Lilly.

11. nancyg on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:21 am #

    When I think of sidekicks, I automatically go to Alfred the butler in Batman or Sherlock Holmes’ Watson.

    books:
    I love Ferguson & Harry Salter in Jack Higgins’ Sean Dillon series. Ari Shamron in Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series. Reeves in K-Hawk’s duo. Helena in Lindsey Davis’ Falco series.

    movies:
    Best friend Cyn (Joan Cusack) in WORKING GIRL “$5,000? It’s not even leather!”. Hugh Grant’s roommate, Spike in NOTTING HILL. George (Rupert Everett) in MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING. C3PO in the STAR WARS series. Matthew McConaughey (Wooderson) in DAZED & CONFUSED.

    TV:
    Hodgens the conspiracy theorist in BONES. Stacy the dumb blonde model best friend in DROP DEAD DIVA. Drama and Turtle in ENTOURAGE. The struggle of conscience of Charles Brandon in THE TUDORS. The down-home wisdom of D.A. Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson) in the LAW & ORDER series.

    That’s about all I can think of right now.

12. nancyg on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:23 am #

    oh, how did I forget agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Pivin) from ENTOURAGE? He gets the best lines!!

13. Erica Ridley on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:24 am #

    I second (or third) Grandma Mazur–gotta love her! Love to hate Snape, and the psychiatrist in Terminator 2 & 3. Secondaries in Office Space were great. And most of all I especially love books where the hero or heroine was a beloved secondary character in a previous book. (Yes, I’m looking at you, KR! It’s like visiting a friend. *g)

14. Sewicked on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:25 am #

    I can endure boring secondary characters; but when the 2ndary characters are good, I love the book. I loved Master Robinton in the Dragonsinger of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (whose name I may be mis-spelling – thanks, migraine). Then there’s that flawed Sgt Bothari from the Vorkosigan series, such heartbreak. Of course, I love Willow (just like me, except you know the Jewish thing & the hair..oh & the massive magical power).

    In Death series has my favorite butler; Summerset. He’s just so snarky. The lovely thing about connected titles is have 2ndary characters getting their own stories: ie the Bastion Club.

15. Cail on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:28 am #

    Kemble Kemble Kemble. Deb, you stole mine! He’s is probably my all time favorite on going secondary character.

    Often, however, my favorite secondary characters end up having their own books and becoming the main characters. At least that’s how it’s been going lately in the Romance genre.

    In the Harry Potter books, Neville and Luna became some of my favorite secondary.

    Musical Theater also produces quite a few amazing secondary characters. Usually comic relief. Back in my theater days I was constantly cast as those supporting cast roles. They’re also really fun to BE!

16. Kristen Howe on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:43 am #

    HI Karen. I love this blog. I would have to start off with the classic Watson to Sherlock Holmes, Robin to Batman, and as we discussed in Twitter, Bill to Ted in those movies. So much for superheroes. In CSI, I love Flack for Stella and Mac, and in Law and Order, I love all sidekicks. That’s all off the top of my head.

17. Claudia Dain on 31 Aug 2009 at 7:54 am #

    Karen, I think some stories can shine without very much secondary support, Bringing Up Baby comes to mind, but with Return To Me (one of my favorite romances) the secondaries need to be there. They’re holding that story together, making it sweet and fun, while the h/h are the achy spot in the movie, the pain anchor holding the story in place. I think the same is true of While You Were Sleeping—we need those secondaries, they provide the sparkle!

18. Freshechelle on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:11 am #

    Here I thought everyone would be posting about Karen and Jack from Will & Grace. I think the evolution of that show should have led to a name change admitting Will & Grace were the secondary characters.

    Sue Ann Nivens from Mary Tyler Moore is my favorite secondary character because of her one track mind and incredible conceit which was funnier and better written IMO than Ted Baxter’s flaws.

19. LisaK on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:12 am #

    Hey Ka-Rawk, I immediately had to think about your secondary characters (and not because you wrote that blog!) – because they always give me hopes of many, many more books to come, tee-hee. No, seriously, I love how you describe the families of the protagonists; they sometimes make me like a character even more because they act so nicely when around their family.

    And of course Ka-Hawk’s Trudy and especially the MMC-members in “Talk of the Town” – when they’re watching the mayor while pretending to watch birds is just hilarious!!!

    And having read “The Darkest Whisper” by Gena Showalter only yesterday, I also think of the Lords of the Underworld-secondary characters. I think they are different from many others because you already know that eventually every single one of them will have their book and they already take much space even in books that aren’t theirs which I absolutely love! The relationship between the different Lords (and the one Lady!) and the lovers of some of them is just amazing.

    And Legion, the little green scaly she-demon definitely is my all-time-favourite secondary character!

20. Pesky on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:19 am #

    A hero or heroine should not exist in a vacuum. Secondary characters are da bomb!

    You guys have hit most of my favorites.

    Julie Garwood does a great job of the secondary characters, most of them end up getting their own book though so I’m not sure if this means they remain secondary characters? The butler Sterns who eats his master’s food if he’s late still makes me smile.

    Tom Donner is one of my favorite sidekicks. In Suzannes’ Rick and Samantha series he provides the voice of too much reason, but no matter how pissed off he is at Samantha, his friend Rick’s happiness comes first.

21. Karen Hawkins on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:35 am #

    Karen, I ADORE secondary characters. Because they’re not weighted down with a goal — to fall in love or solve a mystery — they can be spontaneous and goofy. Sort of like the back stage antics at a play.

    For TV, the entire cast of Rescue Me other than Leary are incredible secondary characters. The entire cast deserves an Emmy. I also love the secondary cast in The Office. Each one of them represents someone I’ve worked with over the years, sometimes with uncanny accuracy, and though they’re not main characters, their presence adds to the entire scenario.

    For movies, I have to agree that the cast at Hogwarts add so much to the story, even the ghosts! Snape is my fave, but then I’m a huge Alec fan.

    And Karen, who doesn’t love While You Were Sleeping? I felt Lucy’s loneliness so strongly and the ending — perfect. Getting a little misty eyed just remembering it.

    As for books, Karen, I’m like many here, whenever I see one in your books, I give a little happy jump hoping they’ll have their own book one day. I love that possibility and it makes those potential heroes and heroines really stand out as I read.

22. Pesky on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:35 am #

    TV: Hmmm…Angela and Hodges from Bones and Specer Reed from Criminal Minds. I also love Fargo from Eureka, he’s so loveably hateable.

23. Becky on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:53 am #

    I love secondary characters! They add so much to the story and it’s hard to imagine it without them!
    Some of my favs are: Geoffrey Chaucer in the movie A Knight’s Tale, Lady Danbury in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, Caroline from the TV show Bones, Abby from NCIS, Giles from The Perfect Waltz by Anne Gracie, All of the nuns and Max Detweiler from Sound of Music, and I am totally with you, Karen, on Sam Gamgee from LOTR. He is my absolute fav.
    And I LOVE While You Were Sleeping!
    I confess, I, too, am one of those people that fall so in love with secondary characters that I want them to get a story. It even happens to me as I write. It makes for a very interesting time!

24. Sabrina Jeffries on 31 Aug 2009 at 8:59 am #

    Y’all have already mentioned a lot of my favorites (definitely Kemble is one). I like Ruan, too, a lot, not to mention Sophia’s Native American nephews. They’re great! And very sexy.

    I love, love, LOVE While You Were Sleeping. That family is fabulous. Did anybody happen to notice that the grandmother is the same actress who played the mother in Mary Poppins? I didn’t realize that until recently.

    TrishD, you mentioned a lot of the ones I loved–Jimmy in NCIS, Spike in Notting Hill, though I also loved the married couple in that movie with the wisecracking disabled wife. And I adored all of Bridget’s friends in Bridget’s Diary. They were funny.

    I too love Bentner from Almost Heaven and the entire Ciccotelli clan. And Deb Marlowe’s Olivia really is adorable. I also adored the two aunts in KarenH’s A Belated Bride. I have never laughed so hard as I did at the scene where they lift the hero’s sheet to check out his “attributes.”

    I know there are tons more. We could probably talk about favorite secondaries all day long!

25. Rachel Gibson on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:04 am #

    Grandma Mazur and Lulu in the Stephanie Plum books are great. As is Mammy in Gone with the wind. Iona and Ducky in Pretty In Pink. The dog Eddie in the tv sitcom Frasier.

26. Ellen on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:15 am #

    I think the secondary characters are the reason I love to read your books. After I rule out the possibility that they are the killers, I get to ponder whether or not you will reintroduce them in a later book….AND, when you do, I am always happy to meet up with them again. It’s like bumping into an old friend.

27. Barbie on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:22 am #

    I think I’ve told you before, that it was reading your books that I’ve learned that secondary characters are more important for a good book to happen than main characters. And, believe me, I’ve been sharing this opinion with about everyone. I’ve always been the kind of girl that often liked the “best friend” better than the heroine, but it wasn’t until your books that I realized how important they were. When I looked back, I’ve realized how many books with mediocre plots and annoying main characters I’ve loved because of secondary characters!
    My favorites?

    1)Suze Cleath-Stuart, in the Shopaholic Series, by Sophie Kinsella. She’s cool, funny, cute, sweet.

    2) Angela Montenegro, Bones. She’s the best friend anyone could ever had. I mean… the woman went to jail not to testify against Brennan’s father. Doesn’t get any better than that. Besides, she’s hilarious.

    3) Noah Clayborne, in Julie Garwood’s Buchanan Brothers series. He makes all the books fun. And, he works as a hero, too. Some secondary don’t.

    (do you realize I can go forever here?)

28. Jennifer on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:26 am #

    Katie MacAlister has great secondary characters. Her demon-dog, Effrijim, the mummies, the ghosts… they’re all hilarious. Mary Jo Putney has great secondary romances (siblings, friends, etc.) in her books. Kasey Michaels has some of the best supportive casting, with Backworth-Maldon family in Someone To Love standing out like a beacon. The whole is what usually sells her books to me the most. But I agree, without sychophantic sucking up, I promise (NOT that anyone here is doing that!) that I’ve been most impressed with the secondary casts of the authors here, as well (which is why I come here!). I’ve loved the school itself in Ms. Jeffries books.

    A great cast of characters can even make a book that is, in itself, not so great… a book worth reading.

    Pesky, Bones is an awesome show (David Borneaz is all kinds of yummy), and you’re right about Angela and Hodgins.

    The cast of the show Psych is AMAZING. Love that show. Gus is a great straight-man.

29. Barbie on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:28 am #

    4) Sara Linton’s family in the Grant County series, by Karin Slaughter. I love the dynamics between them.

    And, now, and I swear I’m not sucking up.

    # Mia, Spinnelli, Murphy, Rachel, Becca, Kyle, Annie, Sean, Ruth, Jack and Julia, in “I’m Watching You” (best secondary characters EVER) and every other book they’ve been secondary.

    #Kristen and Abe, of course, though they’re perfect as main, they’ll do secondary! ;-D

    #Olivia and David, again, in every book they’ve been secondary, but mainly in “ICSY”. The book was awesome, and *they* made it perfect. CAN’T WAIT for their book. I hope they work as well as main as secondary. Because, unfortunately, some characters were born to be secondary, I guess.

    #Dana, whom, personally, I like a million times better as secondary in DT and CTT than as a heroine.

    

30. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:46 am #

    Thank you, Trish D!! I didn’t have a big family growing up and always wanted one, so I make them up in my books. I’ve seen only an episode of Big Bang, but loved the characters. The girl in their building is from Charmed. Took me a minute to remember where I’d seen her – but she’s great in BB.

    Nancy – Dr. Watson has always been one of my fave sec chars. I love the stories and on TV, the Jeremy Brett version is the quintessential best. It portrays Watson not as a bumbling fool, but like the caring, intelligent doctor he was in the stories. Must go back and watch those again.

    Loved Working Girl and Joan Cusack. Had forgotten that line. I wonder how that movie holds up. Must go back to find out! And Hodgins on BONES – wonderful! I follow Bones’s Hart Hanson on Twitter and he said that the Hodgins character is based on an old friend, who I don’t think was a consp. theorist. The Bones actor made the character his own.

    I wonder how many sec chars are based on real life people? Some of my villains have elements of people I’ve known or read about, but I consider them main characters, usually.

31. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:50 am #

    Hi Erica – Yes, I loved to hate Snape, but I also felt a little sorry for him, too!

    Sewicked – LOL – oh, yeah, there is that massive magical power thing, too. I loved Willow. I loved the episode where she’s trying to make Spike feel better because he can’t kill her. Do love Sommerset, too. He’s snarky, but there’s a layer beneath that pure marshmallow puff. Hope your migraine gets better!

32. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:53 am #

    Cail – didn’t know you did theater! I bet the sec chars are fun to do. They can be more flamboyant since exposure to them is short and sweet. If a hero or heroine had flamboyance, that might get old, real fast!

    KristenH – Yes, all the sec chars in L&O are fantastic! Love the Arthur Branch character and the geeky nerd-tech who’s always finding cool things in the lab – love him too. And the redheaded ME – she has some of the best lines on the show. Love her, too.

33. Lorena on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:53 am #

    My number one choice for favorite secondary character won’t surprise you–I’ve bugged you about it often enough. David Hunter.

    ’nuff said

    Whether they ever get their “own” story (Ron Weasley, from Harry Potter, does come to mind), I think the mark of a great secondary character is that you WANT them to at least have their own happily ever after, even if you don’t see it. I love books with strong secondaries because it makes the whole story that much stronger. The first Rachel Gibson book I read was Sex, Lies and Online Dating, and the heroine’s best friends were such great characters I was dying to read their stories. Kay Hooper’s Bishop novels are another good example–Noah Bishop holds the entire series together, story by story, but he’s the primary in only one story. And not even the first story in the series.

34. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:57 am #

    Claudia – absolutely – there are so many stories and movies that can brilliantly shine with only the h/h characters. I like those, too. But there’s something about a kooky cast that warms my heart.

    Thinking about Bring/Baby made me think of my fave Cary Grant romp, Arsenic and Old Lace. That movie is MADE by the secondary characters. “He looks like Boris Karloff.” and “Charge!” as “Uncle Teddy” runs down to the basement to dig another lock for the Panama Canal. And the two little old ladies that kill people with poison in their elderberry tea, priceless!

35. LauraR on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:58 am #

    Fresh you are so right. Sue Ann Nivens in MTM was great but I think Betty White as Sue Ann was the real scene stealer. The sparkle in her eyes as she delivered those scandalous comments added so much to the show.
    Kemble is a terrific character as well. I just read the last book in that series where he had a greater role but was still not the main character.

36. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:00 am #

    Hey, Fresh – oh yes, SueAnn Nivens. She was brilliant in that show! DH’s favorite episode was one of hers – the Veal Prince Orloff episode. Makes me cringe. Comedy done perfectly!

    Lisa K – thank you! I love the whole family interaction. I think in books where the killer murders a dozen people, you need the lightness and hope of family to balance.

    I suppose family is also good when you don’t have a dozen people murdered, too!

37. Ellen on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:04 am #

    Jennifer, I think you nailed it. I first came to Mt Oly by invite from Ms Rose. Once here I learned how much I liked the other Goddesses. They made me laugh and cry with their words on this blog. Soooo, I started reading their work too. Imagine how thrilled I was when I fell in love with their books too. And even though they don’t share the same genres, they are incredible storytellers who never pass up the opportunity to insert some fascinating secondary characters.

    How boring life would be without our secondary characters!

    I think Bob Newhart had a real flair for involving secondary characters. He always allowed his cast to rise above their characters and move to the front.

    I also think Tim Conway was one of the most incredible secondary characters in television history. I can picture him stealing scenes without saying a single word.

38. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:05 am #

    Pesky – seconding the Angela/Hodgins pair.

    I’m watching the series from the first show and you know automatically that Angela’s going to be a pistol when she shows her bra to the airport guy to get his attention, LOL.

    I just saw the episode where they have to prove a serial killer ready to die on Death Row really is guilty. Angela brings her boyfriend to the institute and says she’s a freak when he sees what they do. (Totally suspending reality here, because SO MANY FACTS were wrong about that scene!) Anyway, she says, “It’s so hard to describe this job online.”

    It’s a murmured line in passing, but very telling. She’s this party girl, always going out – but she has to meet men on line. Hodgins just glances at her, and you know he knows there is more to Angela than a flighty party girl. She’s alone, like he is.

    I love the theme of lonely people meeting and falling in love.

39. Madeline Hunter on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:05 am #

    Okay, I’ll probably get his name wrong. Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Mcquire. I thought he was the best part of that movie, although the little boy was no slouch. It was a movie where I thought the secondary characters almost carried it on their own. Show me the money!

    And who can forget when Antonio Bandaras showed up in Interview with a Vampire, and Brad Pitt suddenly became a wimpy nonentity who just faded, faded away in comparison? (I probably spelled his name wrong too)

40. Ellen on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:14 am #

    One of my favorite Joan Cusack lines in WG is when they hold up a beautiful and elegant black cocktail dress and she says, “It needs some bows or somethin’…”

    My sisters and I use that line all the time when we get dressed up for a special occasion.

41. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:25 am #

    KarenH – oh, thank you! You’re right about the freedom of sec chars – they have no goals so they’re free to be a bit more over the top and spontaneous. Must watch RESCUE ME. Looks good. I’ve been forcing myself to watch my DVD’s while I treadmill, so I’m stockpiling ideas for good series and movies.

    Becky – Sound of Music – so many wonderful secondary characters! Especially the nuns. Especially the one who swiped the German’s distributor cap. She rocked.

42. Emmanuelle on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:28 am #

    How could I forget Sweets from Bones !!! I just love him. He is adorable and funny in a goofy (but cute) way… one of my favorite secondary character in a tv show. Of course there is also Ducky from NCIS…

43. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:29 am #

    Sabrina – yes, I knew that the grandmother Elsie is Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins. DH is a film buff. He tells us EVERY TIME we watch Sleeping. But he’s so cute about it!

    Must check out this Kemble character. And now I have to go get KarenH’s Belated Bride to find out why they’re checking for his attributes

44. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:31 am #

    Rachel – I think Mammy made the movie. “You can’t show your bosoms afore three o’clock.”

45. TrishD on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:35 am #

    Joan Cusack has to be the queen of secondary characters. She steals every movie she is in.

46. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:40 am #

    Ellen – thanks, doll! Ha! Ruling out if they are the killer. Sometimes I hope that’s not so easy to do!

    I do love meeting secondary characters again – Brie Concannon in Born in Ice and John Media in All The Queen’s Men are two more of my favorites!

    You’re right about Bob Newhart. Both his long running shows have been ensemble casts and Bob is the center pin, but he does let the comedy swirl up around him. I think that takes a LOT of self-confidence. And it worked for him, beautifully.

    Now I can see Tim Conway shuffling across the floor. “Mrs. Hwiggins?”

47. dbrown3400 on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:42 am #

    One of my favorites is Elvis Cole’s buddy, the enigmatic and deadly Joe Pike, in the Robert Crais thrillers.

48. Julia London on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:44 am #

    I don’t think I have ever seen While You Were Sleeping. I must ‘flix it.

    Secondary characters — I don’t know which ones I like the best but I do know that I like writing them the best.

49. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:46 am #

    Jennifer – we authors of Mt. Oly thank you! Yes David B is all kinds of of a hero! I love how conflicted he is. A sniper that’s so dedicated to his country. Who believes in Heaven and God. Who wants to put away as many killers as he’s killed himself.

    It is awesome angst. I love his character. That he’s completely yummy does not hurt a tiny little bit.

    But the sec chars on that show also rock, so it works. Love the balance.

50. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:49 am #

    Julia, say it isn’t so!!! You must flix.

    Altho if you don’t, we will still let you play with our toys in the sandbox. I think I’m the only person I know that didn’t get the hype around Princess Bride. It was just okay, and everyone looks at me like I’m an axe murderer when I say that.

    So if you don’t like Sleeping, it’s okay.

    PS – I do enjoy the evolution of new verbs. You must ‘flix it. Flix, flax, flex?

51. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:50 am #

    Donna – haven’t read any Crais. I’ll have to put that on my list once I catch up with all my Connelly books.

52. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:53 am #

    Barbie – thanks, hon! I loved bringing Abe and Kristen back in books 5 and 6. Loved showing how they’d become a real family and how they’re daughter has grown.

    Must go back to do some more books with them in the future.

    Lorena!! Am finishing David and Olivia’s book. I hope you all like it! SILENT SCREAM, to be released 6/10!

53. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:56 am #

    Laura – Ha! I bet Betty White loved saying those lines. She had quite a sparkle! I heard she was in the recent Sandra Bullock flick, The Proposal, playing a scandalous role. Anybody see this? Was she good?

    Madeline – I like reading your account of Antonio. Pitt just fade, fades away. Makes me want to see the movie just for that scene.

54. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:57 am #

    Must go back to revisions and hit the gym. Trying to stay with my exercise program. Will be back in a little while! Keep posting. Who doesn’t love free giveaway books?!?

55. Emmanuelle on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:01 am #

    Karen… you didn’t like Princess Bride !!!!!! I can’t believe it, I just loved the movie lol
    You remind me of my 9 y.o son’s classmates. I accompanied their teacher to the theatre where they were showing “classics” (of all periods and Princess Bride was one of them).
    I told the kids “you’ll just love it, it’s a very cool movie…” and so on.
    Well it turned out they weren’t too impressed with it. “it was okay” they told me… so you see, you’re not alone !!!lol

56. Lorena on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:04 am #

    Oh, good…I was so hoping Olivia wasn’t going to be the next “unrequited love” character (victim?) when I read those scenes with her and David in ICSY … and I always thought she showed so much courage in going to Chicago…can’t wait to see her bring out the best of him!

57. Lorena on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:06 am #

    PS As long as we’re on the subject, can I just say I REALLY was relieved when Tom showed up in ICSY … speaking of characters and how their children have grown LOL. Just when I was thinking she was going to get into more trouble….(trying not to give the story away to anyone who hasn’t read it). He made for a great secondary character as well!

58. Suzanne Enoch on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:13 am #

    Pesky – that’s a great description of Tom Donner from the Jellicoe books. “The voice of too much reason.” I love it!

    For tv sidekicks, I like Natalie from “Monk”, and LOVE Sam Axe from “Burn Notice”.

    Oh, and the nerdy scientists from “Stargate: SG1″. Love when they finally get their own episode and go to rescue the heroes (who’ve intentionally let themselves be captured). That episode also has my favorite SG1 line of all time, when the Jafa grab O’Neill and threaten him. O’Neill replies, “You ended that sentence with a preposition, you bastard.” Hee hee

59. Barbie on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:14 am #

    Karen… Abe and Kristen can totally be in Murphy’s book, y’know? Since Abe’s his colleague and legal counseling is always useful in romantic suspense books
    They’re my favorite characters EVER ;-D

60. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:17 am #

    Suzie – I love that nerdy SG-1 episode!! Don’t they wear red shirts at some point?

    I was flipping channels on On Demand last night and they have hte Stargate CHildren movie . Have you seen it? Did you like it?

61. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:20 am #

    Lorena, someday Tom will have a book. He’s still a little young, though. Give him some more time to grow up. There’s still an angry, angry boy inside him. He behaves like he’s fine, that he’s gotten over his past – but there’s a lot of unresolved rage at his biological father. Don’t know what will happen to Tom, but he’ll be a great hero someday!

    Oh, I lied, didn’t I? Now I’m going to find my exercise clothes and hit the gym!

62. Suzanne Enoch on 31 Aug 2009 at 11:45 am #

    Yes – “Stargate: Children of the Gods”. It’s the remastered pilot episode of the series. But they cut out the best line, when Carter’s trying to fix a piece of equipment and she says she’ll have to Macgyver it. *g*

63. evlqn on 31 Aug 2009 at 12:24 pm #

    Love Secondary characters for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else, hoping they get their own book, movie, show. I am reading Jean Johnson’s Sons Of Destiny series about eight magical brothers, each one will have their own book, I am on brother four right now. I really like the heroine’s son in this one, because he is so straight forward and honest; like all kids, he thinks it he says it.
    I loved Princess Bride, I liked the all the secondaries even more than Wesley or Buttercup.
    Henry Higgins mother and Eliza’s dad were outstanding, a total embarrassment to their children but loved just the same.

64. GSM on 31 Aug 2009 at 12:25 pm #

    Karen–What a fun topic. There are so many great choices out there. A few of my favorites are:
    Hawk in Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series
    Sam the bar owner in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
    Mammy in “Gone With the Wind”
    Henry the landlord in Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series
    So many from the movie “Casablanca,” but my favorite is head waiter Carl
    Scout from “To Kill a Mockingbird”
    Computer expert Chloe O’Brian on TV’s “24”
    Joe Pike from the Elvis Cole series by Robert Crais

65. TrishD on 31 Aug 2009 at 12:31 pm #

    Barbie, I have to agree with you… Abe and Kristin are my all time favs too!

66. TrishD on 31 Aug 2009 at 12:36 pm #

    GSM, I like Sam too but my fav from the Sookie books is Pam.

67. Kim on 31 Aug 2009 at 1:10 pm #

    Ohhh, my absolute favorite is Rose from Two and a half Men. I LOVE HER!

68. Claudia Dain on 31 Aug 2009 at 1:41 pm #

    KarenR, you are SO RIGHT. Arsenic and Old Lace is NOTHING without all the secondaries. Heck, Cary’s love interest, the darling Priscilla Lane, was a secondary.

    I’m glomming Firefly right now. Naturally, I missed this show when it was on TV and am seeing it now in DVD. What a fun bunch of secondaries! Nathan Fillion (aka Castle) is the star, and he does stardom so well.

69. Claudia Dain on 31 Aug 2009 at 1:42 pm #

    Madeline, so true. Antonio in Interview/Vampire stole every scene he was in with Brad. The man is mesmerizing.

70. Claudia Dain on 31 Aug 2009 at 1:43 pm #

    KarenR (yes, I can’t stop talking), Betty White was WONDERFUL in The Proposal (and the movie was great too). You must see it.

71. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:00 pm #

    Back from the gym!

    Fun – my trainer is a national karate champion and will be competing for the US Martial Arts Team at the World Games in Sydney, Australia in 12 days! She’s going to take a bunch of signed foreign editions of my books with her to give out to those who win. This is a Big Deal for her as the World Games are approved by the IOC.

    So, here’s to Sonie! I hope you knock ‘em on their butts. (She’s #1 Black Belt in fighting in the US, #2 in Weapons and #2 in Forms. Had to brag. I’m so proud of her!)

72. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:04 pm #

    Thanks, Claudia! Will go see the Proposal – hope it’s still playing locally. Maybe will ‘Flix the Vampire flick. And Firefly is on my TBViewed list.

    Suzie, I’ve seen the SG-1 pilot, long ago. I loved that MacGyver line! Why’d they hack it out? I read somewhere that that’s how Amanda Tapping landed the Carter role – she was auditioning and improvised that line in and RDAnderson thought it was great.

    I miss RDA.

73. Lorena on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:07 pm #

    Oh, I can wait for Tom’s book–I mean, I’m old enough to be his mother, so he’s got all the time in the world to grow up

    But he did make a pretty good hero-in-the-making in ICSY….and considering I was waiting for disaster to strike at that particular moment, I was almost as glad to see him as she was!

    My goddaughter is in karate–passed her “yellow belt with black stripe” exam this week. She is fierce! Then she comes home and giggles about getting to hold the hamster her first grade teacher keeps…

74. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:23 pm #

    Kim, which one is Rose? Is she the mom?

    Emmanuelle – I’m so glad I am not alone! I’m hoping I don’t have to give up my romance writer card because I don’t like Princess Bride. Didn’t like Sleepless in Seattle too much either. She is MEAN to poor Walter. He deserved better than that.

    (PS – no real card, that was a figure of speech.)

    Evqln – Eliza’s dad – he was a terrific character. I rooted for ‘Enry’s mom.

75. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:24 pm #

    GSM – Carl in Casablanca? I have to watch that one again, too. Don’t remember it.

76. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:25 pm #

    Lorena – so cute! I’m a yellow belt, too. Am working on flexibility for my back and hands so that I can return to the dojo soon!

77. Tanya on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:28 pm #

    TV – Laffayette from True Blood is the absolute best secondary character! He has the best lines in the whole show! I would watch just for him.

78. Tanya on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:29 pm #

    How could I forget about Jacob from Twilight? I loved him so much!

79. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:36 pm #

    GSM, to clarify, I don’t remember Carl. Of course I remember Casablanca!

80. Karen Rose on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:37 pm #

    Tanya, I haven’t gotten into True Blood or Twilight yet. My last vampire binge was Buffy and Angel. By the time I get to new series, they’ve become old series…

81. Charlotte M on 31 Aug 2009 at 2:58 pm #

    Don’t include me in the drawing b/c I’ve already bought a copy of I Can See You and it was awesome!!!! And speaking of favorite secondary characters, I love David (who’s been a secondary in several of your books) and I’m hoping he’ll soon be among my favorite Heroes. Hint!

    Other favorites include Provenza from The Closer and Abby from NCIS. They both add a little something special to the show. I also like Sam, the gay interior designer neighbor in Knock Em Dead by Rhonda Pollero. The quirkier the better if you ask me.

82. Becky on 31 Aug 2009 at 4:10 pm #

    Oh, my gosh, Suzanne, far too much time during my college years was spent watching seasons of SG1. I LOVE Children of the Gods, and Carter’s line was indeed a classic. I like it when she stuffs it to Jack about the location of reproductive organs! Oh, there were so many funny lines…..

83. nancyg on 31 Aug 2009 at 4:36 pm #

    Claudia:
    You are watching Firefly? My friend from high school is on that show – Alan Tudyk. I did debate, he did dramatic interp. He’s the redhead that plays “Wash”. He was also one of the sidekicks in “A Knight’s Tale” with Heath Ledger.

84. Judy F on 31 Aug 2009 at 6:04 pm #

    I love Abby on NCIS. She makes the show for me.

    The show the Big Bang theory has some funny 2ndry characters.

    You know I love David from your books. I love how the 2ndry characters you want to have their own book some day.

85. Karen W. on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:03 pm #

    You already picked my favorite — Angel from “Buffy.” But I have more.

    Ive also always liked “Joe” from “Highlander,” “Bobby” from “Supernatural,” Rose & Bernard from “Lost,” and “Ducky” from “Pretty In Pink.”

86. Gwynlyn MacKenzie on 31 Aug 2009 at 9:33 pm #

    I, too, like Abby from NCIS, but I also like Zack from Bones, Micheileen, the good reverend and the priest from The Quiet Man, the brownies in Willow, the priests and nuns in Sister Act, and a host of servants, friends, and incidental characters in books—-way too many to mention—yet without them, the story would lose a great deal.

87. Kim on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:18 pm #

    Karen-Rose is Charlie’s stalker. She was also in Rose Red. I LOVE her! The episode where she tells Charlie she’s moving to London and then he thinks he’s going crazy because every woman looks like her. Its her in all these different wigs. Too funny.

88. Patricia Barraclough on 31 Aug 2009 at 10:29 pm #

    Every good movie has good or great secondary characters.
    I’m glad I’m not the only one that thought Princess Bride was a fantastic movie. It was OK, but I could never figure out what all the hype was about. While You Were Sleeping is also one of my favorite. It is sweet and touching.
    Last Of The Mohicans has great secondary characters. What would the movie be without Uncas and his son, the sister, and that pain in the neck british officer who sacrifices himself at the end.

89. Karen Rose on 01 Sep 2009 at 4:12 am #

    Gwynlyn – The Quiet Man, how could I have forgotten?!? Love the priest and the Epis. reverend. Love ALL the characters in that movie. Another where the ensemble cast makes it a tremendous movie.

    Kim – oh, okay. Haven’t watched much of that show, but I do like the mom character, too.

    Patricia – I think I’m the only one who’s never seen Last/Mohicans. My BFF thinks that Daniel Day Lewis is to die for. I thought he needed a haircut. But I’m older now and like the long-haired look. Maybe I’ll give that movie a peek!

90. Karen Rose on 01 Sep 2009 at 4:15 am #

    Charlotte, thank you!! Yep, the next book is David’s (oh, the pressure!).

    JudyF – NCIS is on my TBViewed pile (need to binge on Bones after book is done, but then I’m starting a new series, either NCIS or Leverage)

    Karen W – ahhhh, Angel. Love those early Buffy episodes.

91. Jennifer on 01 Sep 2009 at 9:21 am #

    Eek! I come back and there are 80 more messages. I can’t remember who said what, so forgive me if I just ramble.

    First, I CAN’T BELIEVE I forgot Hawk from the Spenser novels. Not only is he an awesome character in the books, but Avery Brooks MADE that show. The fact that, even as a child, I was *drooling* over him in those boxing scenes? OMG, hottie central!

    Oh, or Sam from Burn Notice. Bruce Campbell IS awesome! Great score for mentioning that (I can’t remember who did!). I love Bruce Campbell in everything, even when I’ve seen him in Xena.

    You’re all welcome for the compliments. I always feel awkward giving them in an environment like this, because I don’t want to sound like a suck up. But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like the books I read, so I had to add that.

    Oddly enough, I never watched Buffy/Angel. I’ve seen an episode here or there, but the show never caught me. But DB is uber sexy. Not the body-builder type body, but the nice, tight, heavy body I like, one that’s good to hug. And he seems nice from what I’ve heard. I not only wouldn’t kick him out of bed, I’d invite him to move in!

92. Bharti on 04 Sep 2009 at 1:00 am #

    I would say Jules from most of Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series – in the great tradition of romance he got his own book. And I would say Carpenter from Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayers Agnes and the Hitman.

93. Sherry Dickens on 05 Sep 2009 at 8:51 am #

    I don’t know if I have a “favorite” sidekick; I do know that I enjoy reading about them in books and some are so interesting that I’ve wanted the author to produce their story.

94. Carole on 09 Sep 2009 at 4:30 pm #

    Clete Purcell from James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series
    Gracie (the maid) in Anne Perry’s Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series
    Joe in the Elvis Cole series by Robert Crais (has a spin-off)
    and now deceased Helen in Elizabeth George’s Thomas Lynley series (NOTE: When she killed Helen off, I was so upset that I stopped buying her books)
    John Sandford has given a secondary character, Virgil Flowers, a series of his own.

    I don’t think a story has to have strong secondary characters, but I do believe that people will buy books or spin-offs, partly for the character and partly to see the main characters again.