Death of a Salesman
Character Brief for Willy Loman
Appearance: Willy should be a short man that is overweight. He should slouch and have a sheepish smile that wishes to exude confidence but just can't quite cut it. His attire should consist of a neatly trimmed suit, slightly weathered and out of fashion with wrinkles and marks from being over worn. Willy's should be dark and deep sunken with many wrinkles surrounding them, a visible reminder of the inner stresses of his life that are kept pent up inside of him. His hair, completely gray, with a comb over type style as he tries to cover up the fact that the center of his head is bald, just as he tries to cover up that the center of his life is empty as well.
Voice: Willy's voice should be deep, yet wavering and somewhat unsure. When he feels insulted, it should rise to a higher pitch and become intensely defensive and marked with an un-garnered hatred.
Biff Fowler and Linda Glover Marry December 26, 19...
Actor Dustin Hoffman with Lee J. Cobb, who origina...
Linda FowlerWhen he speaks to his wife, it should become deeper and condescending in tone. When speaking of his love for Biff and/or Happy, it should become sentimental and reflective, almost childlike.
Personality: Willy Loman must be played as a man that is bent on portraying himself as a successful man. Not only does he wish to be successful in business, but he also wants his boys to be happy and successful in their own endeavors. Willy subconsciously realizes that he is a weak man that is tremendously successful due to some poor decisions that he has made in the past. Outwardly, he tries to make up for this fact by constantly ignoring the facts and building himself up in the eyes of others but most importantly, himself. This behavior has gone on for so...