Top 10 Movie Characters Who NEVER Talk

“Dumbo” (1941)

There may be some who say this one is obvious, since Dumbo is an elephant and elephants can’t talk. But as all us Disney fans know, talking animals are the studio’s bread and butter. From Bambi to Simba, animals have been chatting (and often singing) their way through Disney movies for many years now. But not Dumbo. The titular adorable protagonist from Disney’s 1941 movie doesn’t say a word - and he doesn’t have to. His expressive face and big ears melted audiences hearts back then and they continue to do so today.

“The Addams Family” (1991)

Yes, we know that Lurch was known to say a word or two on the 1960s “Addams Family” TV show. He even had his own catchphrase. There are reports that Lurch was supposed to be mute in the TV series and that the “you rang” catchphrase was an adlib by the actor that caught on. Regardless, when the show was brought to the big screen in the early 90s, the Addams’ Frankenstein-esque butler went back to being quiet. Well, there were still a few grunts and such, but no words and no catchphrases for the big guy this time. And if we’re talking “The Addams Family” let’s give a silent high-five to Thing as well.

“Dogma” (1999)

Is it ironic that Alanis Morissette - a singer who made her fame and fortune with her distinct vocal stylings - was cast as God in “Dogma” and never says a word in the film? Maybe we oughta know - but we don’t. What we do know is that it was great casting on the part of director Kevin Smith, and that while Morissette never says a word, her vocal prowess is honored via an all-encompassing scream so powerful that it causes Ben Affleck’s head to explode over his feet. If only she had done it with one hand in her pocket.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)

Of the seven dwarfs, Dopey is easily one of, if not the, most memorable. And yet he is the only one who never speaks throughout the movie. Even as they are all singing “Heigh Ho” and heading home from a long day’s work in the mines, Dopey might whistle a little, but neither a “Heigh” nor a “Ho” ever emanates from his mouth. Yet even without saying a word Dopey manages to be so eloquent and emotive in his body language and facial expressions that there’s never any doubt as to what he is feeling.

“Austin Powers” franchise (1997-2002)

The character of Dr. Evil in the “Austin Powers” trilogy spoke some of the funniest lines in the history of film comedy. However, his clone - the smalled-down version of himself - who he dubbed “Mini-Me,” is famous for having never said a word throughout the two films he appeared in. That isn’t to say the little guy doesn’t express himself. He uses written notes and his middle finger to let those around him know exactly what he’s thinking. And as for sounds, he does make some. There are multiple “Eeeeeee”s, and he even imitates his master-clone’s laugh on a few occasions.

“Wallace and Gromit” franchise (1989-)

Gromit might be an anthropomorphic dog, but that anthropomorphic-ness stops at verbal communication. He can cook and clean, drive a car and apparently even read the newspaper. But speak he cannot (or at least does not). As with most silent characters - especially ones of the animated variety - Gromit expresses himself and emotes his feelings and desires through body language and his cute doggy face. Those big, expressive eyes let everyone know exactly how he is feeling - whether it be happy, sad, angry or about to be attacked by a bunch of rabbits.

“Pan's Labyrinth” (2006)

In “Pan's Labyrinth,” Guillermo del Toro created one of the most mesmerizingly unforgettable fantasy horror characters of the century. And he is a character that doesn’t speak. Now, we’re just gonna say it: If you see via eyeballs in the palms of your hands, then you don’t ever need to say a word. Just holding said palms up to your head to look out at the world is enough to freak us out and create a pretty terrifying aura about you. He does make sounds, mind you. Add to that the fact that this Pale Man is also a child-eating monster and we say again… who needs words!? Dialogue would just be superfluous.

“Sin City” (2005)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, the images we have of Kevin in “Sin City” are well worth thousands of words - and he doesn’t need to speak any of them. Sure, a silent cannibal killer is a freaky character to begin with. But the icy cold silence with which Elijah Wood portrays him makes Kevin a truly frightening entity. And when we say “silent” we mean “silent.” He doesn’t grunt or shout or snicker. He doesn’t even scream or make a sound when Mickey Rourke’s Marv cuts off his legs and sends Kevin’s own pet wolf to chow down on his guts. Just silence… and a smile!

“Goldfinger” (1964)

The James Bond franchise has given us some of film’s most iconic quotes, from “Bond, James Bond” to “shaken not stirred.” However, there was one character who made his mark in Bond lore without ever saying a word - except for a few “Ah! Ah!”s and an “Argghhh.” Oddjob, Goldfinger’s mute henchman with the deadly bowler hat makes quite an impression in the 1964 film. So much so that his iconic hat sold for £62,000 at a 1998 auction. Mike Myers even paid homage to the silent but deadly character with the shoe-throwing Random Task in “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.” We’ll also give a quiet shout out to the silent bad guy Patrice in “Skyfall.”

“Halloween” Franchise

When Rob Zombie made his “Halloween” movies in the aughts he had originally planned to have Michael Myers speak his childhood nickname, “Boo,” in the finale moments of the 2007 film. However, the director changed his mind, thinking that hearing the character speak would demystify him. We agree - and obviously so too did every person involved with making the multitude of “Halloween” movies over the last 4+ decades. Because, while the Myers character has appeared in over 10 films, the adult version of him has never spoken a single word. They say that actions speak louder than words - and in the case of Michael Myers that couldn’t be more fearfully true. That’s also the case for Jason Voorhees, another horror icon who almost never speaks.