Jack Driscoll

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In the 1933 film, Driscoll is a tough sailor, the Venture's first mate, who disdains having women on ships, considering even their mere presence to be a 'nuisance'. He says as much to Ann Darrow, but despite this early encounter, and while on the ship, Driscoll becomes more tender and develops an infatuation with her. Ann is at first surprised by Driscoll's interest, but she accepts. In the 2005 film, Jack Driscoll is a playwright who tries to write a screenplay for Carl, as a friend. He does not intend to join the expedition at all, but delivers the script to the ship before it departs. With limited time, however, Jack did not write nearly enough, and Carl, desperate for more, tricks him into staying on the ship as it leaves for Skull Island.

In Their Own Story

In the 1933 film, shortly after Ann is kidnapped by the island natives and sacrificed to Kong, Driscoll, Denham and several other crew members charge into Skull Island to rescue her. It is eventually Driscoll who saves Ann from Kong's clutches, but the ape gives chase until Denham knocks him unconscious with a gas bomb. Having returned to New York City, Driscoll and Ann continue to work for Denham as Kong is chained to a stage. During the show, Denham gives Driscoll credit for coming to Ann's rescue, and it is revealed that Ann and Driscoll are to be married. Kong breaks free, however, and despite Driscoll's attempts to keep Ann secure by taking her to a hotel room and trying to fight Kong after the beast reaches through the window, Ann is once again kidnapped. Upon hearing Kong is climbing the Empire State Building, Jack suggests to police for army airplanes to shoot Kong off the building, without hitting Ann. Upon seeing the planes arrive, Jack becomes agitated for Ann's safety and rushes to the top of the building. He reunites with Ann after Kong is shot off the building.

Reader's Guide

In the 2005 film, the original Jack is divided into two separate characters. His duties as first mate are transferred to Ben Hayes, portrayed by Evan Parke, while the character name and the function of Ann Darrow's romantic interest are given to a playwright played by Adrien Brody. When writing the next part of the script with Carl, Jack decides to kill off the first mate. When Carl questions it, Jack replies, 'That's assuming she knows who the first mate is'. This is a reference to the 1933 film, in which Jack Driscoll was the first mate of the Venture. The two eventually grow closer, and Jack also reveals that he has begun writing a comedic play dedicated to Ann. While writing the screenplay, Jack is the first to learn that Carl is taking the crew to an undiscovered island. When they reach the island, Ann is kidnapped by the native inhabitants as a sacrifice for Kong, and Jack sets out in search for her along with the rest of the crew. Of the original party, he is the only member who survived the journey through the island (including attacks by dinosaurs, a giant fish, and giant insects) and did not return to the settlement without rescuing Ann, managing to retrieve her by himself. Unlike the original, Jack did not continue with Carl or Ann after Kong was brought to New York, but rather continued with the comedy he had dedicated to Ann, nor does Carl give Jack credit as being the hero of the adventure at Skull Island. Jack does, however, come to fear that he has let Ann slip away from him. Jack realizes before anyone else that Carl opening is heading for disaster, but cannot do anything to prevent it. Discovering that Kong actually recognizes him on sight — and is hellbent on killing him for taking Ann – Jack attempts to use that to draw Kong away from Times Square and away from crowds of bystanders. Jack is nearly killed for his heroic effort, but Ann approaches and stops Kong's rampage, saving Jack's life this time around. Jack regains consciousness and rushes into the Empire State Building, taking an elevator to the top of the building. When Ann is alone on the Empire State Building after Kong has fallen, she and Jack embrace.

Did You Know?

• In the 1933 film, Jack Driscoll is credited as John Driscoll.
• The choice of actor Bruce Cabot to play Driscoll was likely due to his strong resemblance to heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey.
• In the 2005 film, Jack Driscoll's duties as first mate are transferred to a separate character named Ben Hayes, played by Evan Parke.
• In the 2005 film, Jack Driscoll is a playwright who is tricked into staying on the ship by Carl Denham because he didn't write enough of the script.
• In the 2005 film's video game adaptation, there is an alternate ending where Jack saves Kong during the Empire State Building shootout.

Origins and Character Evolution

Jack Driscoll (credited as John Driscoll in the 1933 film) is a fictional character in the King Kong franchise. In the original 1933 film he was the first mate of the ship named the Venture, while in its 2005 remake he was a playwright (the less faithful 1976 remake had an analogous character named Jack Prescott, played by Jeff Bridges). He was played by Bruce Cabot in the original and by Adrien Brody in the remake. It is believed that the choice of actor Bruce Cabot to play Driscoll was in part due to his strong resemblance to popular heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, who at the time embodied the rugged, heroic male 'ideal'. The choice of the similar name 'Jack Driscoll' is further indication that this was in fact the case.

The Rescue Mission on Skull Island

In the 1933 film, after Ann is kidnapped by the island natives and sacrificed to Kong, Driscoll, Denham and several other crew members charge into Skull Island to rescue her. It is eventually Driscoll who saves Ann from Kong's clutches, but the ape gives chase until Denham knocks him unconscious with a gas bomb. In the 2005 film, when they reach the island, Ann is kidnapped by the native inhabitants as a sacrifice for Kong, and Jack sets out in search for her along with the rest of the crew. He shows both great amounts of courage and a single-minded determination to find and rescue Ann. Of the original party, he is the only member who survived the journey through the island (including attacks by dinosaurs, a giant fish, and giant insects) and did not return to the settlement without rescuing Ann, managing to retrieve her by himself.

The Climax at the Empire State Building

In the 1933 film, having returned to New York City, Driscoll and Ann continue to work for Denham as Kong is chained to a stage and shown to live audiences. During the show, Denham gives Driscoll credit for coming to Ann's rescue, and it is revealed that Ann and Driscoll are to be married. Kong breaks free, however, and despite Driscoll's attempts to keep Ann secure by taking her to a hotel room and trying to fight Kong after the beast reaches through the window, Ann is once again kidnapped. Upon hearing Kong is climbing the Empire State Building, Jack suggests to police for army airplanes to shoot Kong off the building, without hitting Ann. Upon seeing the planes arrive, Jack becomes agitated for Ann's safety and rushes to the top of the building. He reunites with Ann after Kong is shot off the building. In the 2005 film, Jack realizes before anyone else that Carl opening is heading for disaster, but cannot do anything to prevent it. Discovering that Kong actually recognizes him on sight — and is hellbent on killing him for taking Ann – Jack attempts to use that to draw Kong away from Times Square and away from crowds of bystanders. Jack is nearly killed for his heroic effort, but Ann approaches and stops Kong's rampage, saving Jack's life this time around. Jack regains consciousness and rushes into the Empire State Building, taking an elevator to the top of the building. When Ann is alone on the Empire State Building after Kong has fallen, she and Jack embrace.

Legacy Across Media and Adaptations

Driscoll is a supporting character in Kong: King of Skull Island, an 'authorized' illustrated-novel that continues the Kong story in 1957. Driscoll also appears in the 1998 animated film The Mighty Kong, voiced by Randy Hamilton. Driscoll is also a playable character in the video game Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, along with Kong himself. In an alternate ending, he saves Kong during the Empire State Building shootout.