Spear carrier

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A spear carrier is a nickname for a minor acting part. It generally pertains to a character that appears in several scenes, but mostly in the background. The term has its roots in Greek Tragedy; as plays such as Antigone and Oedipus the King concerned the tragic fate of nobles, several nondescript soldiers or guards were required to appear in the background.

[edit] Related entries

• Redshirt (character)
• Supernumerary actor