Stock Character Pairs

This is an ever-expanding list including contributions from my students. It is intended as an inspiration for actors and writers developing comic material.

Creator and Created

scientist and monster
god and man
cartoonist and cartoon character
playwright and character
studio PR and movie star
political party and politician
puppeteer and puppet

Family

mother and child
grandparent and grandchild
parent and teenager
big brother and little brother
big sister and little sister
aunt and nephew
father and son
twins
in-laws
etc.

Romance

Romeo and Juliet
Bonnie and Clyde
Tarzan and Jane
bride and groom
princess and suitor
artist and model
photographer and model
plumber and housewife
postman and housewife
married man and mistress
pizza delivery boy and divorced woman
inamorati
Harlequin and Columbine

Carer and Cared

doctor and patient
gardener and plant
zoo keeper and animal
foot doctor and tightrope walker
farmer and cow
gas station attendant and car driver
social worker and addict
social worker and unemployed
trapeze catcher and flyer
masseur/masseuse and client
guide and tourist
optician and blind
hooker and mark
bartender and drunk
rescue serviceman and driver of broken down car
ornithologist and bird
repairman and customer
priest and wedding couple
hairdresser and bald person
babysitter and child
boy scout and old lady
dresser and actor

Wish Granter and Wisher

Santa Claus and child
angel and believer
fairy godmother and girl
genie and boy
healer and leper

Serving

king and servant
boss and secretary
hotel guest and bellboy
doctor and nurse
diner and waiter
master and butler
diva and dresser
star and chauffeur
singer and accompanist
general and private
Pantalone and Columbina

Teacher and Learner

headmaster and student
music teacher and pupil
teacher and child
mother superior and novice
ski instructor and beginner
trainer and trainee
trainer and boxer
mentor and protégé
editor and journalist
guru and disciple

Expert and Incompetent

city slicker and country bumpkin
acrobat and handicapped
computer geek and pizza delivery boy
tourist and native
technoid and primitive
master and apprentice
chef and dish washer
sophisticate and naive

Contrasting Realities

rich and poor
introvert and extrovert
obese and anorexic
adult and child
athlete and couch potato
blind and sighted
living and dead
body builder and wimp
homeowner and homeless
toughie and sensitive soul
driver and passenger
original and clone
poor little rich boy and pauper
drunk and sober
speed junky and hash junky
deaf and hearing
Faroerne and Italian (contrasting national types)
tall and short person
sleepwalker and sprinter
hare and the tortoise
rubber boots and patent leather shoes
nobleman and vagabond
hooker and virgin
cleaning lady and opera star
femme fatale and nerd
zanni and straight man
beauty and beast
neurotic and psychotic
professor and labourer

Conflicting Ideologies

Christian and Satanist
hooker and missionary
conservative and liberal
alcoholic and teetotaller
career woman and housewife
suicide bomber and stewardess
priest and sinner
racist and ethnic type
racist and PC
Freedom Marcher and Ku Klux Klansman
liar and honest man
anal retentive and anal expulsive
petit bourgeois and revolutionary
tomboy and Barbie
gay and straight
two dog owners: poodle and German shepherd
nun and sailor
ballet dancer and boxer
Marxist and capitalist
feminist and sexist
Muslim and Christian
Jehovah witness and housewife
vegetarian and meat-eater
butcher and vegetarian
fireman and pyromaniac
superstitious and sceptic
sadist and masochist
tidy person and messy person
soldier and pacifist
workaholic and lazy slob
fur owner and animal rights activist
miser and charity worker
miser and big spender
misanthrope and altruist
government official and activist
gourmet and fast food freak
rationalist and fundamentalist
soldier and terrorist
doctor and faith healer
city slicker and country bumpkin
arse-kisser and rebel
child lover and child hater
Greenpeace activist and whale killer
punk and proper lady

Oppressor and Oppressed

slave driver and slave
scientist and guinea pig
executioner and executed
pusher and addict
cigarette smoker and non-smoker
worm and apple
flasher and victim
peeping Tom and nude
murderer and victim
hunter and quarry
bee and bear
spider and fly
guard and prisoner
exorcist and spirit
Dracula and haemophiliac
antenna pejlvogn and TV owner
tax collector and taxpayer
policeman and criminal
grim reaper and invalid
sewer worker and rat
bureaucrat and customer
reviewer and actor
librarian and reader
auditioning actor and director
football player and ball
tone-deaf singer and music lover
witch and princess
exploiter and naive
aerobics teacher and overweight client
judge and the accused
accountant and big spender
pioneer and native
Israeli and Palestinian
cowboy and Indian
taxi driver and motion sick person
train conductor and ticketless passenger
customs officer and tourist/smuggler
landlord and tenant
captain and mutineer
conqueror and conquered

Natural Enemies

knight and dragon
husband and mother in law
ingénue and prima donna
blonde and brunette
Pacman and ghost
wife and mistress
nymphet and nun
peasant and nobleman
detective and unfaithful wife/husband
journalist and politician
car driver and parking meter attendant
gigolo and husband
bouncer and rowdy customer
prosecutor and defence lawyer
creditor and debtor

Symbiosis

star and fan
rock singer and groupie
pimp and hooker
politician and voter
television interviewer/host and guest
elf and child
bank manager and loan taker
cowboy and horse
salesman and buyer
pilot and stewardess
Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
Russian and American
farmer and farmer's wife
spy and spy

Miscellaneous

astronaut and ET
catholic and candle seller
pet shop owner and allergy sufferer
boss and bosses wife
school doctor and parent
lord and maid
saleswoman and bargain hunter
hammer and nail
nut and bolt
mouth and arse
box and universe
vampire and dentist

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