Caractacus Potts

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Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 1968.

Caractacus Pott is the main character in the children's novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming.

He is an inventor who turns an old racing car (originally named the "Paragon Panther") into a flying, floating motor-car (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). He is named after a general of Brittania who fought against the Romans under the emperor Claudius. His name may also be a play on "crack pot." In the book his last name is simply "Pott" but was changed to "Potts" for the film. Also in the book he is a Commander in the Royal Navy, which is more reflective of Fleming's James Bond character. However, the filmmakers chose not to carry over the Commander part of his life and there is no hint of it in any of the set design, dialogue, or behaviors.

Michael Ball as Caractacus Potts and Carrie Fletcher as "Jemima Potts" in the 2002 London production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang performing "Hushabye Mountain" written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman.

He lives with his twin eight-year-old children, Jeremy & Jemima, and Grandpa Potts on the Potts farm. He develops a romantic relationship with Truly Scrumptious (the daughter of Lord Scrumptious). In the book, however, he is married and his wife's name is Mimsie. For the movie, however, it was felt that a romantic relationship would serve the story better, and so his character was written as a widower. Both the book and the movie have him selling his candy invention to Lord Scrumptious. Aside from the candy invention, the car, and some of the characters, little else was taken from the original book.

In the 1968 film, the character is portrayed by Dick Van Dyke. Various actors, including Michael Ball, have played the role on stage.