Character sheet for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
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Ron Burgundy
Ron Burgundy
Played By: Will Ferrell
Ronald Joseph Aaron "Ron" Burgundy, a five-time (local) Emmy Award-winning journalist, he is the main anchorman for the KVWN Channel 4 News Team from 1964 to 1977. Always confident and well-dressed, he is ignorant, egotistical, misogynistic, and narcissistic, stating that he believes "diversity" to be some type of "old, old wooden ship used in the Civil War era."
- Abusive Parents: His father is implied to be one. During an intermission on the Anchorman 2 soundtrack, Ron asks the listens if they like it so far and upon "hearing" them complain the soundtrack is nothing like the film, Ron goes on an angry tirade about how people are so entitled nowadays. Then he says that every year for his birthday, his father gave him a gun part and, at 18 when he finally had a full gun, Ron was kicked out of the house by his father, who said to him, "Now go kill your own dinner!", before adding that that was the way of life and they didn't whine, instead pulling themselves by their bootstraps and going to work (when not drunk, of course). This is implied to be non-canon, so take it with a pinch of salt.
- The Alcoholic:Ron Burgundy: I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...
- Angrish: Devolves into this in moments of extreme rage and/or grief.
- Anti-Hero: He's a egotistical sexist who bullies Veronica, but he does have a heart and spends much of the movie growing out of it.
- Bad Liar: Inverted. He's bad at telling the truth, making it sound like a flimsy attempt at lying.
- Ron: -stammers- I tried to hang myself? Because my life's a mess? And I saw no other option?Freddy: I...think you're telling the truth, but why're you saying it like you're lying?Ron: It was a call for help? But it didn't work because I'm too heavy and the ceiling lamp broke? Something like that?
- Beard of Sorrow: Grows one after getting fired and Baxter is punted.
- Berserk Button: Don’t ever say his hair bad or call it stupid in front of his face. When Veronica does this, his eyes fill with fire and he hurls her over a desk!
- Big "NO!": After the bad man punts his best friend off of a bridge. He does not take it well.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's a good anchorman, and that's it.
- Cain and Abel: With Wes Mantooth, as revealed in a deleted scene from the original film that discloses they are half-brothers.
- Character Development: Becomes less of a jerk in the sequel.
- Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Although not to the extent of Brick.
- Cringe Comedy: Ron is a master of this, mostly driven by his Small Name, Big Ego. Whether it's his propensity to No Indoor Voice, pressing on with his point regardless of how many people are telling him to stop talking, or the fact he'll read anything on the teleprompter without questioning it, Ron will find a way to make you wince (particularly in the sequel).
- Driven to Suicide: Played for Laughs in the second movie when he's fired from Sea World.
- Ron: I'm going the way of the ancient samurai, who when dishonored would hang themselves... from a fluorescent light.
- Flanderization: Even more of a Large Ham and Manchild than usual in the sequel.
- Genius Ditz: Completely inept in social situations and matters of trivia but he's got a pretty wide collection of accolades for his on-air work.
- Heroic BSoD: He has one in each film.
- When an angry biker kicks his beloved dog off the side of a bridge, Ron is emotionally devastated and arrives late to work, raising Veronica's ratings while damaging his own.
- In the sequel, Ron has an accident that renders him blind, forcing him to live in isolation. Alone with his misery.
- It's All About Me: "I'm kind of a big deal".
- Jerkass Has a Point: Self-absorbed as Ron usually is, in the sequel when he finds out Veronica has been erasing messages from his doctor about treating his blindness, he does have a point when he brings up that being able to see again doesn't mean he wouldn't still love his family.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: At the end of both movies. For all his narcissism, Ron does in fact have a heart. He just gets too absorbed in his own world at times and fails to appreciate what he really has. He legitimately cares about his team, loves his dog to death, and learns the value of family with Veronica and his son, Walter.
- Narcissist: Right from the opening scene.Ron Burgundy: Hmmm, I look good. Like, real good. Hey everyone! Come and see how good I look!
- Not Helping Your Case: Lampshaded in the unrated version of the first film. When he denies to Veronica that the F word was in his dictionary, he says "fuck" four times almost in quick succession, then yells a fifth "fuck" when he apparently realizes how many times he had just said "fuck" in the space of less than a minute.Ron Burgundy: Don't you know I would never say the word "fuck"? I would fucking never fucking ever say that! Don't you know I would never say "fuck"? ...FUCK!
- Politically Incorrect Hero: He is sexist and somewhat racist, especially when a woman or minority becomes an anchor.
- Precision F-Strike: A plot-relevant one in the first film.Ron Burgundy: And I'm Ron Burgundy. Go fuck yourself, San Diego.
- Raging StiffieVeronica Corningstone: Mr. Burgundy, you have a massive erection.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: He wears "suits so fine they made Sinatra look like a hobo."
- Shirtless Scene: When showing off his Guns to Veronica.
- Signing-Off Catchphrase: "You stay classy, San Diego."
- Speaks Fluent Animal: He manages to have actual conversations with his dog. Just not in Spanish.
- Squee: When he meets the Ghost of Stonewall Jackson.Ron: Let's not downplay that's the Ghost of Stonewall Jackson!
- Took a Level in Kindness: Becomes much kinder and humble after the events of the first film, though he does briefly become a jerk as a side effect of going "ratings crazy."
- Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Less so in the sequel.
- Unusual Euphemism: He's goin' to Pleasure Town.
Brick Tamland
Brick Tamland
Played By: Steve Carell
The weatherman for the KVWN news team, he has a habit of providing unrequested or irrelevant information. Tamland is good hearted and loyal but not very bright, having an I.Q. of 48, making him "mentally retarded". Brick is an innocent led astray by the rest of the group.
- Achievements in Ignorance: Brick was somehow able to get his hands on a hand grenade shortly before the big newscaster battle in the first film without even knowing how he managed to do so. Taken even further in the second movie where he somehow got a gun from the future.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Even a sweet imbecile like him has his limits. During the news brawl, he managed to procure a grenade and kill someone in self-defense with a trident. Also, he shouted at a woman who was harassing Chani.
- Big Brother Instinct: The rest of the KVWN news team is very protective of Brick. When Ron yells at him, both Brian and Champ are outraged and leave Ron on the spot.
- Something similar happens in the sequel, when he begins talking about his shadow and Linda yells at him; he subsequently gets scared and hides behind the couch
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- Something similar happens in the sequel, when he begins talking about his shadow and Linda yells at him; he subsequently gets scared and hides behind the couch
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He is a good weatherman, but that's about it.
- In one of the alternate "where are they now?" endings, it's revealed that he becomes an amazing member of the police bomb squad, famous for his nerves of steel... because he doesn't realize he's working with explosives.
- Cloudcuckoolander: To say Brick doesn't have a fair grasp on what's normal would be a bit of an understatement.
- The Ditz:Brick: A doctor told me that I have an I.Q. of 48 and am what some people call "mentally retarded".
- Dumb Is Good: Dumb as a, well, brick, but he's the only reporter who doesn't do anything sleazy or misogynistic.
- He does attempt to invite Veronica to a "party in his pants", but bungles the question; she correctly assumes he was simply following advice Brian told him, then politely tells him no. Brick is unfazed. (This also implies Veronica's figured out that Brick isn't all there.)
- Embarrassing Middle Name: Courtney, but considering that most things Brick says don't even make sense...
- Extreme Omnivore: "Yeah, I ate a big red candle."
- Flanderization: In the first film, he was simply silly and under-intelligence compared to his friends, but in the second film, he borders on barely being able to function in society.
- The Fool: As mentioned above, Brick is simply too stupid to realize that many of the things he does, such as riding a bear, are potentially dangerous.
- Genius Ditz: As staggeringly stupid as he is, Harken admits that Brick is actually a pretty decent weatherman. The "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue also notes that he eventually manages to become a high-ranking advisor to George W. Bush, seemingly indicating that he's got a knack for politics.
- The Heart: The nicest member of the Channel Four News Team and, in a way, the one that holds them all together. He is also a peace-keeping member of the group.
- Karma Houdini: Gets no punishment for killing a man with a trident.
- Kindhearted Simpleton: It's no surprise to anyone that Brick's heart is much bigger than his brain.
- Lame Comeback: To Wes Mantooth insulting the suits the team are wearing."Hey. Where did you get those clothes? The toilet store?"
- That said, Wes Mantooth still gets pissed about it if only because the rest of his team made no attempt to volley back.Wes: Even the guy who doesn't think said something!
- That said, Wes Mantooth still gets pissed about it if only because the rest of his team made no attempt to volley back.
- Large Ham: Mostly in the second film.
- Lethally Stupid: Intentional or not, he actually kills somebody in the newscaster skirmish.
- Manchild: He's clearly unable to handle adult situations, not grasping the perverted intent behind Brian's "party in your pants" invitation, nor that his murder of a man with a trident could have legal consequences until Ron spelled it out.
- Meaningful Name: His name is "Brick" and he's "dumb as a brick."
- Nice Guy: He's got nothing goin' on upstairs, but he's a genial guy with a good heart.
- Noodle Implement: He somehow got hold of a gun from the future, and laughs when questioned where he got it.
- Not Now, We're Too Busy Crying Over You: Cries over himself.
- Official Couple: With Chani at the end of the second film.
- Token Good Teammate: He's the only member of the news team who isn't self-absorbed or misogynistic. Then again, he's probably too stupid to be misogynistic...
- Took a Level in Dumbass: Somehow he comes off even dumber in Anchorman 2.
- Younger Than They Look: Brick notes in one point in Anchorman 2 that he's 19, which would have made him a teenager during the events of the first film. Considering this is Brick, though, this should be taken with a grain of salt. note
Brian Fantana
Brian Fantana
Played By: Paul Rudd
The stylish and over-sexed field reporter for KVWN news. He is arrogant, narcissistic, and overestimates his personal qualities.
- Bottled Cool: Sex Panther, by Odeon. It has pieces of real panther in it... so you know it's good.
- Not to mention that he uses it as a weapon in the second film during the real newscaster battle, choking the Canadian News Team.
- Casanova Wannabe: Debatable. As charming as Brian presents himself, we never really see how effective his charms are when it comes to women. The sole exception is Veronica, who was too repulsed by his choice of Cologne.
- Combat Pragmatist: Amongst all the crazy weapons everyone else brings to the newscaster brawl, Brian brings a gun. Admittedly, he doesn't do much with it, but points for trying.
- Genius Ditz: Much like Ron himself he's a complete idiot in the common sense ("I'm not a wine guy but I know you're supposed to keep it warm") but is actually very good at his job. In the second film, he made a fortune as the world's best cat photographer and later did an investigative journalism expose on Koala Airlines that everyone agreed was of great quality.
- Handsome Lech: Hits on every attractive woman around and has seven illegitimate children.
- Lovable Sex Maniac: His defining characteristic.
- Only Sane Man: His fondness for odd colognes aside, Brian is clearly the sanest of the Channel Four News Team.
- Pornstache: To go along with his personality.
- The Starscream: In the DVD production notes, it's said that while he's loyal to Ron, he'd be "secretly thrilled" if anything happened to him and Brian would become lead anchor. This isn't evident in any of the movies, though.
- Wacky Americans Have Wacky Names: His private parts."I know what you're thinking. And the answer is yes, I do have a nickname for my penis. It's called The Octagon. But I've also nicknamed my testes. The left one is James Westfall, and the right one is Dr. Kenneth Noisewater."
Champ Kind
Champion 'Champ' Kind
Played By: David Koechner
The KVWN sportscaster, he seems to have hidden feelings for Ron Burgundy (which implies that Champ may be a closeted homosexual). He is the most chauvinistic member of the news team.
- All Love Is Unrequited:
- For Ron. He's heavily implied (short of outright saying) that he's in love with Ron.
- "Wake up Ron Burgundy" makes this explicit, with an Overly Long Gag of him proclaiming his love for Ron, but the canonicity of said movie is questionable.
- Armoured Closet Gay: Not only is it implied he has an unrequited thing for Ron, but in the "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue, he is said to have been accused of sexual harassment by Terry Bradshaw.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's a racist, a chauvinist, and a loudmouth, but genuinely does care for Ron and the rest of the news team.
- Modern Major General: The second movie and Ron Burgundy's autobiography make it clear that he doesn't actually know anything about sports.
- Straw Misogynist: Comes off as this in Anchorman 2; When Brian tells the group that he gave Florence Henderson crabs, he claims it's her fault "for being a randy gal". And when Linda dares Ron to hit her, he urges Ron to do it, saying it's "what men have done for thousands of years".
Veronica Corningstone
Veronica Corningstone
Played By: Christina Applegate
From Asheville, North Carolina, she is ambitious to become a network anchor and wants to be taken seriously in the male-dominated newsroom.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Big time with Ron. To the point that the two of them casually exchange physical threats during panel credits.
- Big "NO!": After Ron is fired, she shoots off a few of these.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: With Ron. She explicitly states that any possible relationship between them is to be professional and nothing more. Ron agrees, takes her out for a few drinks, and the two eventually end up making love.
- High-Powered Career Woman: Veronica is beautiful, ambitious, and ruthless in her pursuit to establish herself in the traditionally male-dominated and highly sexist world of televised news anchoring. So much so that she sabotages Ron's teleprompter to get him to swear live on-air and get him fired, all so she can get him out of the way to be the face of the channel. Notably, she softens towards Ron over the course of the film as the two date and in the sequel, she is far less career and ambition-focused now that she has a family with Ron. In fact, she once again sabotages Ron's life in that film, but this time it's to keep him focused on being a good father.
- My God, What Have I Done?: In both films, she realizes that she crossed a line with Ron.
- In the first film, Veronica sabotages the telepromter in an act of revenge against Ron, making him recite, "Go fuck yourself, San Diego". This ends up costing him his job, his friends, and his reputation. Veronica comes to regret this almost immediately.
- In the second film, she deletes messages to Ron regarding a surgery to fix his eyes out of fear that he would ditch all the progress they made as a family.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: At one point she insults Ron by telling him that "jazz flute is for little fairy boys".
- Precision F-Strike: In the R-rated version of the second film, it's her turn to swear live on television when Ron tries to kiss her during a WBC broadcast early on.Veronica Corningstone: [offended] Fuck's sake!
- Took a Level in Kindness: In the sequel, Veronica is much less focused on her career and more about raising her family. When Ron is blinded, she and her son move in with him to help him overcome his challenges and be a family again.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: In both films, Veronica's actions are questionable, but ultimately well-meaning.
KVWN Staff
Edward 'Ed' Harken
Played By: Fred Willard
The news director of KVWN.
- Demoted to Extra: In the sequel, he has little screen time, with brief appearances during Brick's "funeral" scene, and watching the former Channel Four News Team on air.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: His relationship with his son seems to be... complex.
Garth Holliday
Played By: Chris Parnell
Ed's assistant at KVWN. Ron Burgundy is his hero. The news team frequently ignore him, even though his main job at the station appears to be keeping them out of trouble.
Helen
Played By: Kathryn Hahn
Other Characters
Baxter
Played By: Peanut
Ron's beloved dog. Burgundy's relationship with is almost one of equality. Burgundy and are able to hold conversations, with apparently being able to speak Spanish as well as English.
- Big Damn Heroes: To Ron in the second movie when Doby tries to kill him.
- Canine Companion: To Ron, through thick and thin.
- Morality Pet: Arguably to Ron. Before he met Veronica, Baxter was probably the only individual Ron loved as much as himself.
- Older Than They Look: According to deleted scenes, he's older than 26. And not in dog years either.
- Shout-Out: Ron likely named him after Ted Baxter, the bumbling anchorman character on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which was airing during the events of the movie.
- Undying Loyalty: No matter what stupid situations Ron puts himself in, Baxter will always be by his side. (Hasn’t stopped him from wondering why, tho.)
Wes Mantooth
Played By: Vince Vaughn
The lead anchor of the competing KQHS Channel 9 Evening News Team and Burgundy's main rival.
- Badass Boast: Makes one when he goes to save Ron in the sequel, after him and his news team pour gasoline under Jack Lime's feet.Wes: With the things I've done in my life, oh I know I'm going to burn in hell. So I sure as shit ain't afraid to burn here on earth.Ron: That's the most badass thing I've ever heard!
- Berserk Button: NEVER bring his mother into an argument, because he will always lose his shit as he espouses that Dorothy Mantooth is a saint.
- Big Damn Heroes: Arrives just in time to save Ron's life during the showdown in the second movie.
- Card-Carrying Villain: He proudly tells Jack Lime in the sequel that he knows he's going to burn in Hell for his sins one day.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Taunts Ron and the News Team, especially after Veronica comes in. He does love his mom, and does respect Ron as a journalist, and even saves his life.
- Momma's Boy: Wes loves his mom very much and never takes kindly to anyone badmouthing her.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Like the other anchors, he's well-dressed...for his time.
- Worthy Opponent: He utterly hates Ron, but deeply respects him as a colleague.
- Took a Level in Kindness: In the sequel, he goes from saying he despises Ron to saying they just "don't always agree on everything".
Jack Lime
Played By: James Marsden
The biggest name (and paid) reporter at GNN, and the anchorman in the prime time slot.
- The Bet: Makes a bet with Ron early in the film that he can get better ratings than him. He loses, and is forced to legally change his name to Jack Lame for the remainder of the film.
- Embarrassing Last Name: As a result of losing his bet with Ron he legally changes his name to Jack Lame. It gets worse later on with Dick Phuck.
- Jerkass: Almost notable immediately after his introduction is that he's a smug ass that's totally full of himself. He also causes Ron's blindness near the end of the film so he can usurp his position at GNN.
- Pretentious Pronunciation: After being forced to change his name to Jack Lame, he tries to get around it by telling people it's pronounced "Lamé". Naturally Ron is unhappy with this loophole and later forces him to change his name again to Dick Phuck.
- The Rival: To Ron in the sequel, similar to Wes in the first movie.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: To Wes Mantooth.
- Walking Spoiler: It's hard to talk about him much without spoiling a good chunk of the film.
