Titanic Cast
Many characters in the Titanic movie were based on real characters and depicted as such. Some of the passengers on the Titanic were incredibly famous figures in history and included some of the major players in the construction of the vessel. Here is a quick comparison between the characters as they were portrayed in the film and the real versions. Here is a list of facts about the Titanic as and how they differ from the blockbuster film.
Captain Edward J. Smith
Captain Edward Smith
Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.
In the movie:
Bernard Hil
In real life:
Captain Edward John Smith
Captain of the Titanic, Edward John Smith was in charge of its course and maneuvers during the night of April 14, 1912. Some believe that he could have taken measures to avoid the collision with the iceberg by maintaining lower speeds throughout the north Atlantic.
Margaret "Molly" Brown
In the movie:
Kathy Bates
In real life:
Margaret "Molly" Brown
Also known as Unsinkable Molly, she was a philanthropist, socialite, and activist aboard the RMS Titanic during its sinking. Known for bringing lifeboat 6 back to rescue other survivors.
John Jacob Astor
In the movie:
Eric Braeden
In real life:
John Jacob Astor
The first multi-millionaire in the United States and responsible for the first trust within the country. Making his fortune off of fur trading, opium, and real estate. When he died it was estimated that he was worth over $20 million which equates to $110 billion in 2006 dollars making him the 4th richest man in American history.
Thomas Andrews
In the movie:
Victor Garber
In real life:
Thomas Andrews
Builder of the Titanic he was an was an Irish-born businessman and shipbuilder; managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland.
Bruce Ismay
In the movie:
Jonathan Hyde
In real life:
Bruce Ismay
English businessman and director of the White Star line. One of the survivors of the Titanic, many remember him as a coward who saved himself from the sinking ship, while others believe that he was a scapegoat for the disaster with many influential enemies.
Were Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater Real?
The characters in the Titanic film played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett were not based on real characters and the love story itself was created for dramatic effect. A few other characters associated with Jack and Rose were also fictional including Rose's fiancé Caledon 'Cal' Hockley, his valet Spicer Lovejoy, Rose's mom, and Jack's friends Tommy and Fabrizio. Some of the third class passengers who played small roles in the film were modeled after real passengers on the Titanic. There was a J. Dawson aboard the Titanic during the night of April 14, 1912, but his real name was actually Joseph Dawson. He was a member of the Titanic crew and his job was to even out the piles of coal that were to be shoveled into the Titanic's furnaces.
J. Dawson is buried at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ship's manifest also lists a Thomas Ryan (same name as Jack Dawson's friend) who worked as a steward in third class. His body was never recovered, and if it had been, it remained unidentified.
Were the Titanic Wreck Pictures Real?
Most of the pictures in the movie concerned the Titanic wreck were in fact real footage of the fallen vessel. Director James Cameron hired a Russian vessel and two of its submersibles for close of footage of the Titanic shipwreck. The dive lasted fifteen hours and pictures were taken using a special camera at 1,500 feet. Due to the great preparation and plenty of footage of the Titanic's watery grave, few of the underwater shots had to be fudged, and most were 100% genuine.
Did the Titanic Band Reall Keep Playing?
33-year-old Wallace Henry Hartley was a violinist and the leader of the Titanic band. As soon as the impact from the iceberg landed, Hartley assembled the eight-piece band who ended up on the boat deck near the entrance to the grand staircase. They began playing ragtime waltzes including "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "In the Shadows". Nobody knows for sure what the last song played was, but newspapers reported it was "Nearer, My God, To Thee", and survivors say it was "Song d'Automne". All of the band members died in the sinking of the Titanic
Did the Real Isador and Ida Strauss Choose to Go Down With the Ship?
Nearing the end of the Titanic film, there is an old couple embracing in bed as the ship is in the latter stages of sinking into the Atlantic. This is based on the real characters Ida and Isador Strauss, who was the co-owner of Macy's department store. Both were offered a place on the lifeboat but Isador refused to go as long as there were still women aboard. His faithful wife refused to leave his side. The couple wasn't actually in bed when the ship went down, but rather on a pair of deck chairs.
Is the Heart of the Ocean Real?
The Heart of the Ocean in the Titanic film is based on the Hope Diamond and added it to the plot in order to give Bill Paxton a reason to hear Rose's story. The actual diamond which is currently in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in D.C. and has nothing to do with the history of the Titanic. Many Heart of the Ocean necklaces have been created to emulate the piece of jewelry from the film.
