Paul Edgecomb is a supporting character of the Stephen King multiverse.
Serving as the main protagonist of the novel The Green Mile and its film adaptation of the same name.
Background[]
Paul Edgecomb is the commanding officer of the death row cellblock at Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Louisiana in 1932 (novel) or 1935 (movie adaptation). He is married to Jan Edgecomb and is a father and a decent man. Though he doesn't care for his position, the Depression dictates that he make the best of an unpleasant task. He watches out for his fellow guards and does what he can for the condemned men. He runs a quiet and neat operation. He befriends John Coffey. When he realizes that John has the ability to cure people he has John cure Melinda Moores, Warden Hal Moores' wife. He is unable to stop John's execution though, which causes him great sadness. He lives in excess of 108 years due to the fact that John passes on a bit of his grace to him when curing Paul of a bladder infection.
Paul speculates if after Coffey accidently gave part of his power into Mr Jingles- a mouse that should have a normal lifespan of approximately of 2 year but is still alive after more than 6 decades , that Paul himself may be nearly immortal- which he believes to be a curse from God for allowing one of God's innocent miracles to die in such a terrible manner.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Originally, Tom Hanks was supposed to play old Paul Edgecomb, but the makeup tests didn't make him look credible enough to be an elderly man. Because of this, Dabbs Greer was cast as the older Paul Edgecomb.
- It is likely Paul died after the events of The Green Mile, since he was old and wasn't seen or mentioned again, nor was ever mentioned in other Stephen King novels, suggesting that he died in 1999 or 2000, due to his age.