It's a Wonderful Life!

December 24, 2004 6:08 PM

It's A Wonderful Life Filter: Who was Clarence?[MI]

He's got the IQ of a rabbit (and the faith of a child), he was a clockmaker, and he died sometime around 1750. Who was he?

posted by funkbrain to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

I think he's just supposed to be some schmuck from the 1700s. He reads Mark Twain, though, so maybe he's not as stupid as those condescending angels say he is.
posted by interrobang at 6:30 PM on December 24, 2004

I'm not sure who he is, but he's got a foundation.
posted by SPrintF at 7:11 PM on December 24, 2004

Clarence was the angel who got his wings for helping George Bailey.
posted by bodabutton at 9:03 PM on December 24, 2004

Response by poster:

Clarence was the angel who got his wings for helping George Bailey.

Ah... thanks. Maybe I should have made my question more clear.

Who was Clarence before he died? Was he supposed to be any particular historical figure?
posted by funkbrain at 9:26 PM on December 24, 2004

I saw "Clarence" the awful "sequel" a few years back. I've blocked it out of my mind since, but it might provide some insight. Of course, the insight of television writers probably isn't exactly what you're looking for.
posted by zelphi at 11:01 PM on December 24, 2004

Best answer: Clarence wasn't based on any actual historic model - he was just supposed to be "some guy" who becomes important to the audience by helping George Bailey (and the viewers) understand that we all play an important role to each other.
posted by Smart Dalek at 4:19 AM on December 25, 2004

Best answer: Yeah...I think the whole point of his character is that he's not supposed to be the type you'd ever know about. Just some humble shmoo who makes good.
posted by LairBob at 9:07 AM on December 25, 2004

Best answer: Just some humble shmoo who makes good.

In that sense, he is kind of a role model for ol' George.
posted by Doohickie at 11:06 AM on December 25, 2004

It's not a reference to some historical or fictional character who was well-known in the 1940s and has since dropped from the public consciousness, if that's what you mean.
posted by Sidhedevil at 1:28 PM on December 26, 2004

If it helps you at all, his full name is Clarence Oddbody, AS2 (Angel, Second Class) as he himself said.
posted by plinth at 5:23 PM on December 26, 2004

he was just supposed to be "some guy" who becomes important to the audience by helping George Bailey (and the viewers) understand that we all play an important role to each other.

Yeah. And to underscore that, when Clarence reveals his guardian angel status to George in the bridgekeeper's office, George sizes him up and says "Hmph. You look like about the kind of guardian angel I'd get."
posted by Miko at 6:27 PM on December 26, 2004