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DECEMBER 12, 2003 at 4:29 PM
Posted by GRAE
Source: The Guardian via Wizard News
Try saying it three times, real fast - Flitwick frightens folks...
It would seem that Warwick Davis
, who portrays the vertically challenged Professor Flitwick, is at it again, frightening young children with his scary antics.
But it's not because of his portrayal of the nasty little Leprechaun from the movie Leprechaun, or any of its many sequels, including this year's eagerly anticipated Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood - rather, it's Warwick's protrayal of a small green gremlin in TV ads for the Department for Education and Skills, aimed at promoting adult literacy, that's scaring the little tykes. Following numerous complaints that children were having nightmares after seeing the commercials, the Independent Television Commission ruled that they could not be shown before 7:30 pm.
The ads feature a small, green, human-type figure with pointed ears dressed in a boilersuit, who pops up and taunts an embarrassed adult about their reading skills.
The gremlin figure is played by actor Warwick Davis, who has played leprechauns and midgets and has starred as Yoda the Ewok in Star Wars and as Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films.
In one advertisement a gremlin took the receiver from a woman's hand as she was making a telephone call and then ran his fingers menacingly over her hand.
Of course, Star Wars fans will be quick to point out that Yoda isn't an Ewok and Warwick never played Yoda, who is in fact a muppet (and more recently, computer character) voiced by Frank Oz. He did, however, star in the movie Willow.
Update: Davis will be appearing Feb. 8 in France for the Paris Toy Collection.
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Witch
Points: 955
kab240 says:
Wow! That's cool. I didn't even know he was in Star Wars...
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 4:35 PM EST
Points: 7828
Rococoed says:
That movie sounds really scary! Not! I will go see it when it is in theaters. Am I first to post?
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 4:35 PM EST
Seer
Points: 15207
Brittany Radcliffe says:
Like i said once before...i guess you do learn something new everyday!! hes not scary to me cause i am a big girl!! ha but i love Star Wars and HP so cool for him!!
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 4:51 PM EST
Head of Gryffindor House
Points: 3725
Professor McGonagall says:
So he's the leprechaun ?? I didn't know...Well he's a bit scary when you're 6 or 7 years old but than again it's not a movie for kids really is it ??
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:15 PM EST
Keeper of Harry's Fate
Points: 9045
TheOneWhoMustBeNamed says:
It would be really nice to get a link to the ad to see how really scary this is. Often the censors over-react to a very strong degree. Hard to imagine him as really scary. But I never saw his other works.
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:25 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1155
AFawkes05 says:
Ok this artical is really messed up. If he was in Starwars 30 years ago, then he did the voice (the puppetier is no longer alive) or he did the voice in the newer ones. Yoda was NOT AND EWOK so I dont know why they put that. Either he was an ewok (sixth film), or yoda, not both. (Ewoks are the fussy teddy bear creatures, not easily mistakin for yoda unless you have an unresearched artical)
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:28 PM EST
Points: 568
ab2421 says:
Um... did anybody else notice and has starred as Yoda the Ewok in Star Wars. . Yoda wasn't an ewok, and he was "puppeted" by Frank Oz. Warwick Davis played Wicket the Ewok.
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:29 PM EST
Heir of Slytherin
Points: 5499
Spazzingduck says:
Um, Yoda isn't an Ewok. And he was a puppet too, so I don't really see how he could have starred as Yoda.
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1645
morgana witch says:
"vertically challenged" l.o.l. what a great way to describe Professer Flitwik! Warwick Davis was in star wars? I guess I should see it.
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 5:53 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1283
harryp123, bar keep says:
Wow. I never knew that the was Yoda in Star Wars.
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 6:15 PM EST
Witch
Points: 585
harryzbestgurl says:
I NEVER KNEW HE WAS IN STAR WARS!! thats probly because ive never seen star wars though! L.O.L!!!
Posted Dec 12, 2003 at 11:55 PM EST
Daily Prophet Journalist
Points: 2597
dance_gear says:
first 'Vertically Challenged???' lolz...its funny yet a bit mean...ne ways i didnt even know Warwick Davis played the Leprechaun...Sooo...awsomeful...and i didnt even know he played YODA either......so coool...yayz... Professor Flitwick...
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 12:04 AM EST
Half-Blood Prince
(Moderator)
Points: 945
Professor Scoots says:
WOW I didnlt realize that was him! Great job on the make-up. He is a wonderful actor and I liked how he taught the students how to swish and flick! I just watched the first movie again, can't get enough of it.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 12:09 AM EST
Witch
Points: 576
lac87 says:
I didnt even know that ws him in those leprechauns movie, but i do know one thing though, he scared the living daylights outta of me, from me watching them scary movies!
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 12:28 AM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
Everyone who is talking about Warwick being Yoda - please read the comments posted by AB2421 and grae - Yoda was puppet worked by Frank Oz. And now Yoda is CGI, so cool it with the "Wow, I didn;t know he was Yoda" stuff, please!
He did , however, play Wicket in Return of the Jedi - very cool part!
I don't particularly care for his Leprechaun films - too scary for me! I absolutely loved Willow! Too funny!
Can you really tell that it is Professor Flitwick in the commercials? The picture above didn't look at all like Flitwick...
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 1:03 AM EST
Astro Zombie
Points: 2601
Fallen Bomb says:
So he was in the old star wars? making him real old right? but getting scared over that is odd...Even though I probaly would if I was that age.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 2:10 AM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3837
hermionefan1 says:
Thats awesome that he did an "adult literacy" commercial. Thats a little weird to think its scary for kids. Oh well, i already knew that he was in Leparchan, Star wars, and willow. He was exellent in all these movies in my opinion.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 3:08 AM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4219
Tacha says:
Cool! He does look pretty scary in the leprechaun poster. I didn't knew he was in Star Wars, it has been a while since I've seen it. Haven't seen Leprechaun yet, maybe I'll go rent it one of these days.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 4:27 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1068
Penumbra says:
I saw Willow, no he is not Yoda! The article says so. Good for him!
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 10:11 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
That's wierd! I didn't know he was in STAR WARS! I've seen the movie but...i didn't noticed!!!
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 10:25 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2034
Professor Snape says:
Thats cool that he's keeping busy when hes not filming harry potter movies. i bet it is a drastic change from playing a teacher to playing an evil little leprechaun.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 11:14 AM EST
Points: 549
Lady Aya says:
WOw im impressed! A Super star like him in harry potter! Wow...
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 2:28 PM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
Hey posters, click your mouse on "Warwick Davis" and it will tell you what he has appeared in and you can stop being amazed that he was YODA -- NOT. Congrats to those who got it right.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 4:27 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1488
rdosty says:
I think that whole bottom paragraph is saying that Warwick Davis was NOT in Star Wars. If he was he definately wasn't Yoda, but the Ewok thing is possible. He was great in Willow. Anyone who hasn't seen it should:)
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 5:41 PM EST
Chief Brain Washer
Points: 2881
Chogiiiirl says:
This article needs to research the facts, it is getting a lot of the people posting confused, thinking that Yoda was an Ewok, and that Warwick played him. Everyone does need to read the postscript of the article, and not just assume these supposed facts are true.
I like the idea of the little green monster taunting adults and scaring them into learning to read. I'm sure that those who cannot read often feel like a little green monster is constantly taunting them. Maybe it will work and convince someone to learn. However, it is much easier to learn anything linguistic at a very early age, so it will be a struggle.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 6:03 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1221
Rowena Ravenclaw says:
Leprechaun! AHHHHH! I haven't thought about that movie in ages. It did scare me as a kid, so I can see where a gremlin would be scarey, too. I didn't know he was in Star Wars either. Congratulations to him. He plays in lots of great movies.
Posted Dec 13, 2003 at 8:48 PM EST
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