Eraserhead - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "Eraserhead"
Eraserhead (1977)
Timing: 1:29 (89 min)
Eraserhead - TMDB rating
7.3/10
2671
Eraserhead - Kinopoisk rating
7.285/10
42474
Eraserhead - IMDB rating
7.2/10
143000

Actors and characters

Photo Jack Nance #101159Photo Jack Nance #101160Photo Jack Nance #101161Photo Jack Nance #101162

Jack Nance

Jack Nance
Character Henry Spencer
Photo Allen Joseph #87159

Allen Joseph

Allen Joseph
Character Mr. X
Photo Jeanne Bates #39277

Jeanne Bates

Jeanne Bates
Character Mrs. X
Photo Judith Roberts #51207Photo Judith Roberts #51208

Judith Roberts

Judith Roberts
Character Beautiful Girl Across the Hall
Photo Laurel Near #101164
Laurel Near
Character Lady in the Radiator
Photo Jack Fisk #9738Photo Jack Fisk #9739Photo Jack Fisk #66809

Jack Fisk

Jack Fisk
Character Man in the Planet
Jean Lange
Character Grandmother
Thomas Coulson
Character The Boy
John Monez
Character Bum
T. Max Graham
Character The Boss
Photo Hal Landon Jr. #101165

Hal Landon Jr.

Hal Landon Jr.
Character Pencil Machine Operator
Brad Keeler
Character Little Boy
Photo Gill Dennis #97119
Gill Dennis
Character Man with Cigar
Toby Keeler
Character Man Fighting
Photo Jack Walsh #60229
Jack Walsh
Character Mr. Roundheels

What's left behind the scenes

  • During the first year of work on the film (out of five), David Lynch's wife left him. Considering that their daughter had been born shortly before, many believe that David Lynch drew on personal experience when filming.
  • To film "Eraserhead", the director had to find money in a variety of ways – even delivering newspapers.
  • In 2004, the film was deemed culturally significant by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
  • The original screenplay was titled “Gardenback” and was only 20 pages long, which was one of the reasons for funding problems.
  • Since the film was shot in segments over five years, the same sets had to be assembled several times. The filming was generally very fragmented in terms of timing. For example, the scene where Henry enters his apartment was filmed a year and a half after the scene where Henry opens the door.
  • The film's original cinematographer, Herbert Cardwell, died in his sleep at the age of 38 two years after filming began.
  • Jack Nance, who played Henry, wore his character's distinctive hairstyle for all five years of filming.
  • The black and white zigzag pattern on the floor in Henry’s house is identical to the pattern on the floor in the poet’s house in Jean Cocteau’s film “Orpheus” (1950). Lynch later transferred this same pattern to the floor of the Black Lodge from his series “Twin Peaks” (1990-1991).
  • The role of the child-mutant was “played” by an embalmed calf fetus, but Lynch never revealed the secret of how he managed to make it move in such a way. After filming, the director personally buried it.
  • The film’s soundtrack was dedicated “to The Man In The Planet’s Sister.” Jack Fisk played the character of The Man In The Planet in the film, and his sister Mary soon became Lynch’s second wife. Jack Fisk later married Sissy Spacek, who also occasionally attended the filming.
  • "Eraserhead" was one of Stanley Kubrick and John Waters’ favorite films.
  • In his interviews, David Lynch calls “Eraserhead” his most subtle film and fundamentally refuses to comment on its plot, stating that viewers should form their own opinion and comprehend its meaning independently.
  • Premiere magazine named this film one of the 25 "most dangerous films".
  • At the time, "Eraserhead" made such a strong impression on directors Mel Brooks and George Lucas that the former offered Lynch the opportunity to direct "The Elephant Man" (1980), and the latter – "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi" (1983). Lynch accepted the first offer, which became his debut in mainstream cinema, and declined the second.
  • The initial version of the film had a runtime of 108 minutes.
  • Stanley Kubrick expressed regret that he did not direct this film.
  • At the beginning of the film, Henry Spencer steps into a puddle with his right foot, but when he gets home, he dries the sock from his left foot.
  • "Eraserhead" was one of Stanley Kubrick and John Waters' favorite films.
  • In his interviews, David Lynch calls "Eraserhead" his most subtle film and fundamentally refuses to comment on its plot, stating that viewers should form their own opinion and comprehend its meaning.
  • "Eraserhead" made such a strong impression on directors Mel Brooks and George Lucas that the former offered Lynch to direct "The Elephant Man" (1980), and the latter – "Star Wars: Episode 6 – Return of the Jedi" (1983). Lynch accepted the first offer, which became his debut in "major" cinema, and declined the second.
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