History Trivia / HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Creator/RichardHarris was unsure about taking the part of Dumbledore, fearing his health wouldn't mean he would be around for seven films. His granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he turned it down, so he signed on anyway. Sadly, he did indeed pass away after the second film.

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Creator/DanielRadcliffe said that Creator/RichardGriffiths, who played his character's cruel uncle, helped him feel welcome on set during the production.

* CreatorBacklash: Chris Columbus expressed regret over the visual effects in this film, saying they weren't very good. When it came time to make ''Chamber of Secrets'', he made sure to film all of the scenes requiring effects first so the effects team would have more time to work on them.

** Rik Mayall filmed several scenes as Peeves but they were all cut and he wasn't brought back for any other movies.

* FakeBrit: Defied by JK Rowling - who insisted all cast members be British. Only three Americans are in the film - Zoe Wanamaker, who has a British accent anyway; and Eleanor Columbus who has no lines. Verne Troyer, who plays Griphook, is American but dubbed by Warwick Davis.

* {{Jossed}}: Due to the books' covers showing Harry with a scar in the middle of his forehead, most fans assumed this is where his scar was meant to be. However JK Rowling insisted on having it on the side of his forehead, the books never specifying where exactly the scar was.
* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Creator/DanielRadcliffe said that Richard Griffiths, who played his character's cruel uncle, helped him feel welcome on set during the production.
* OldShame: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all have said they have a hard time watching themselves in this film (along with the second) as they feel their performances were not up to par with their work in the later films. Watson is particularly embarrassed over the fact that she can be seen mouthing the other actors' lines in a few shots.

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Richard Harris was unsure about taking the part of Dumbledore, fearing his health wouldn't mean he would be around for seven films. His granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he turned it down, so he signed on anyway. Sadly, he did indeed pass away after the second film.

** An early draft had Rita Skeeter as one of the people that Harry meets when he comes into the Leaky Cauldron for the first time. At this point she was named 'Bridget' instead. She was cut because it was taking too long for Harry to get to Diagon Alley, and she didn't appear until the fourth book. JK Rowling later said that by the time Rita properly appeared, she was influenced heavily by the journalists she had encountered since her fame.
** The film was in development hell for a while - with Steven Spielberg intending to direct it as an animated feature, with Haley Joel Osment voicing Harry. JK Rowling vetoed, having always wanted to keep the series as British as possible.
** Producers intended to match the characters' appearances with their descriptions in the book - giving Daniel Radcliffe green contacts and having Emma Watson wear buck teeth. Dan's eyes couldn't take the contacts and Emma couldn't talk properly with the teeth in, so that idea was abandoned.
** David Thewlis - who would eventually join the franchise as Remus Lupin - was in consideration to play Professor Quirrell before Ian Hart was cast.
** Robin Williams, Rosie O'Donnell and Drew Barrymore all expressed interest in starring in the movie - being big fans of the series.

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Richard Harris was unsure about taking the part of Dumbledore, fearing his health wouldn't mean he would be around for seven films. However, his granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he turned it down - so he signed on. However, he passed away after the second film.

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Richard Harris was unsure about taking the part of Dumbledore, fearing his health wouldn't mean he would be around for seven films. However his granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he turned it down - so he signed on. However, he passed away after the second film.

* SoMyKidsCanWatch: Richard Harris was unsure about taking the part of Dumbledore, fearing his health wouldn't mean he would be around for seven films. However his granddaughter threatened to never speak to him again if he turned it down - so he signed on. However he passed away after the second film.

* OldShame: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all have said they have a hard time watching themselves in this film (along with the second) as they feel their performances were not up to par with their work in the later films.

* CreatorCameo: Defied. JK Rowling was offered the role of Lily Potter but she turned it down, and it went to Geraldine Somerville.

* FreezeFrameBonus: When Hermione shows Harry and Ron James Potter's trophies, you can spot Tom Riddle's award for services to the school in the trophy case.

* WordOfGod: Chris Columbus states that many of the background extras in the Leaky Cauldron scene were told to wear turbans so that Quirrell's would not seem out of place.

** Creator/RikMayall was originally cast as Peeves in the movie, but ultimately was cut.

** Terry Gilliam was in serious talks to direct, but left after some CreativeDifferences with Warner Bros. He would go on to bash Columbus's directing work as boring.

* CreatorBacklash: Chris Columbus expressed regret over the visual effects in this film, saying they weren't very good.

* OldShame: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all have said they have a hard time watching themselves in this film (Along with the second) as they feel their performances were not up to par with their work in the later films.

** Robin Williams, Rosie O'Donnell and Drew Barrymore all expressed interest in starring in the movie - being big fans of the series.

* FakeBrit: Defied by JK Rowling - who insisted all cast members be British. Only two Americans are in the film - Zoe Wanamaker, who has a British accent anyway; and Eleanor Columbus who has no lines. Verne Troyer, who plays Griphook, is American but dubbed by Warwick Davis.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/RikMayall was originally cast as Peeves in the movie, but ultimately was cut.

* FanNickname: Plenty, but in particular the group of Harry, Ron, and Hermione is often referred to as the Golden Trio. Voldemort also has plenty of variations on his name - Voldy, Voldypants, Moldywarts, Voldyshorts - to the point where Peeves actually uses "Voldy" in the last book.
** The quill that Umbridge made Harry write with in detention in ''Order of the Phoenix'' lacks an official name, but is almost universally referred to as a blood quill.

** The quill that Umbridge made Harry write with in detention in ''Order of the Phoenix'' lacks an official name, but is almost universally referred to as a blood quill.

** The quill that Umbridge made Harry write with in detention in ''Order of the Phoenix'' lack an official name, but is almost universally referred to as a blood quill.

* FanNickname: Plenty, but in particular the group of Harry, Ron, and Hermione is often referred to as the Golden Trio. Voldemort also has plenty of variations on his name - Voldy, Voldypants, Moldywarts, Voldyshorts - to the point where Peeves actually uses "Voldy" in the last book.

* BreakthroughHit: Immediately after the release of this book, everyone knew about Creator/JKRowling.