- "Doris Crockford, Mr Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."
- — Doris introducing herself to Harry Potter[src]
Doris Crockford was a witch who greeted Harry Potter in the Leaky Cauldron on the way to Harry's first trip into Diagon Alley on 31 July 1991. She was enthusiastic to see him, and was noted to have shaken Harry's hand many times.[1]
Etymology[]
The name "Doris" is from the ancient Greek name Δωρις (Doris) which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. "Doris" was also the name of Herod the Great's first wife. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century.
Behind the scenes[]
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Crockford had long, white, straight hair.[3]
- There is a site where it is rumoured that J. K. Rowling was the actress who portrayed Doris Crockford.[4] This turned out to be false, since Rowling has stated on her website that she has never been in any of the films, she was asked but declined.
- According to the German dubbing site Synchronkartei.de, this role is played by Nina Young, who also played Helena Ravenclaw in the same film.[5]
- The name of the character may be a homage to an author known as Doris Crockford who, in 1937, published a book about The Flying Scotsman - a real-life train that departed from King's Cross Station, platform 10. In Doris's story, the train went on a magical adventure.[6]
- Felicitas Bauer, the actress portraying Polly Chapman in the Hamburg production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, also portrayed Doris Crockford, voicing her when the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child read aloud Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley) together, organised by Bloomsbury Publishing for the 2021 Harry Potter Book Night.[7][8]
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter (website) (Mentioned only)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film) - Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
- ↑ According to the site: "In the scene where Hagrid takes Harry through the Leaky Cauldron to get to Diagon Alley, everyone stops and stares at Harry. One man says to Harry, "It's a pleasure to have you back, Mr Potter," and then a woman speaks to him and gives a name, but this woman is not credited at the end of the film (it goes by order of appearance, so she would be right before Professor Quirrell.) The reason she is not credited is because she is none other than J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books."
- ↑ Synchronkartei
- ↑ The Scotsman - Flying Scotsman
- ↑ (see this video) (video currently set to private)
- ↑ #HarryPotterBookNight has moved to 24th June (although if you have an event planned today then go for it, and have fun!). Ahead of that, here’s a sneak peek of the wonderful casts of the Cursed Child reading from the chapter ‘Diagon Alley’ (from Philosopher's Stone) - Bloomsbury UK's official account on X