Walt Flanagan
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Walter Flanagan (born October 23, 1967) is an American actor and comic book store proprietor.
He is a relative unknown to all but those familiar with Kevin Smith's "View Askewniverse". Flanagan is a long-time friend of Smith's who used to work at the Quick Stop with Kevin. According to his book Silent Bob Speaks, Flanagan was who first turned Smith onto comic books.
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[edit] Film
Clerks (1994): In Smith's debut movie, Flanagan was credited with four different roles. Among these were the egg-obsessed school counselor, the cigarette protestor who bought the cigarettes immediately after the protest, the customer offended by the lewd "jizz mopper" discussion and the customer to whom Randal said the resident cat's name was "Annoying Customer." He also designed the clown animation that made up the View Askew logo. He also appeared in the Soul Asylum video for "Can't Even Tell," directed by Kevin Smith.
Mallrats (1995): Flanagan played perhaps his most well-known and most recurring role of Walt Grover the Fanboy. Fanboy is known for accompanying his friend Steve-Dave (Bryan Johnson) at all times and stoogishly agreeing with everything he has to say with his trademark phrase "You tell 'em, Steve-Dave!" He also appears in an uncredited role as one of Mr. Svenning's (Michael Rooker) assistants who places a podium in the wrong place on a stage. He was also given a credit for being a set production assistant on Mallrats. Also, when Jay and Silent Bob are running away from the mall-cop LaFours, they meet up with Brodie and T.S who are in the food court and suceed in evading LaFours by ducking under thier table. When Jay gets up, he laments: "Damn, that old bastard's faster than Walt Flanagan's dog!".
Chasing Amy (1997): Flanagan did not appear in the theatrical cut, but was in a deleted scene (again as Walt Grover the Fanboy) alongside Johnson's Steve-Dave.
Dogma (1999): Flanagan appeared as one of the protestors outside of the abortion clinic and later as Fanboy alongside Steve-Dave as a spectator in the church scene.
Vulgar (2000): He appeared in Bryan Johnson's film Vulgar as a Caddy.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001): Fanboy and Steve-Dave appeared as two of the audience members who walk out and bash the Bluntman and Chronic movie.
Clerks: The Animated Series: Flanagan also made an appearance as Fanboy alongside Steve-Dave (played by Bryan Johnson) in three episodes of the Clerks cartoon, all of which never were aired.
Clerks II (2006): Flanagan appears as a customer, reprising his four-time role in the first Clerks.
[edit] References
Walt Flanagan has also been the subject of a few inside jokes in the Askewniverse movies. In Clerks and Mallrats, respectively, both Randal and Brodie tell bizarre stories of their cousin Walter. Seeing as Randal and Brodie are supposed to be cousins themselves according to Smith, one would only assume that they are speaking of the same cousin Walter.
Also, in Mallrats, Jay makes the comment "that guy's faster than Walt Flanagan's dog." This comment is expanded upon in the comic book prequel to Mallrats starring Jay and Silent Bob, where they get Walt's dog high. When provoked, Krypto (the dog) hops the fence, and chases the stoner duo across Leonardo township (passing the YMCA where Julie Dwyer has just met her untimely demise).
According to the Mallrats commentary, Smith cites Flanagan as being the influence the Brodie character is directly based on Flanagan, down to the Dixie Cup full of soda that the character carries with him everywhere as well as the October birthdate. Walt also originated the character of Olaf, seen in Clerks as Silent Bob's cousin from Russia.
He was also referenced by name in issue #3 of the Green Arrow comic series Quiver, which was written by Kevin Smith. IMAGE.
[edit] Other activities
In 2005, Flanagan (doing the art) and Bryan Johnson (writing) released Karney, a collaborative comic book that gives a horror-filled look inside world of the small-town sideshow. It was released by IDW Publishing.
Walter currently works at Kevin Smith's comic book store, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, in Red Bank, New Jersey. He and Johnson (who manages the West Coast Stash) also can be seen manning the "View Askew" booth at various comic conventions around the country. He and his wife Debbie have three children together.
His "Walt Grover the Fanboy" character was made into one of the many "Inaction figures" toys based on the films (appearing as part of the Mallrats series).
