Pluto (Disney)

Pluto
First appearance	The Chain Gang (1930)
Created by	Walt Disney Productions
Voiced by	Pinto Colvig (1931-1961) Lee Millar (1939-1941) Bill Farmer (1990-present)
Other names	Rover Pluto the Pup
Information
Species	Mixed-breed dog
Gender	Male
Owner	Mickey Mouse

Pluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown (most recently yellow), medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression. He is most often the companion of Mickey Mouse, although he first appeared as Minnie Mouse's dog Rover in the film The Picnic (1930). Officially a mixed-breed dog,^[1] Pluto was likely designed after a pair of Bloodhounds from the film The Chain Gang (1930).^[2]

Pluto debuted in animated cartoons and appeared in 24 Mickey Mouse films before receiving his own series in 1937. All together Pluto appeared in 89 short films between 1930 and 1953. Several of these were nominated for an Academy Award, including The Pointer (1939), Squatter's Rights (1946), Pluto's Blue Note (1947), and Mickey and the Seal (1948). One of his films, Lend a Paw (1941), won the award in 1942.^[3][4] Because Pluto does not speak, his films generally rely on physical humor. This made Pluto a pioneering figure in character animation, which is expressing personality through animation rather than dialogue.^[5]

Like all of Pluto's co-stars, the dog has appeared extensively in comics over the years, first making an appearance in 1931.^[6] He returned to theatrical animation in 1990 with The Prince and the Pauper and has also appeared in several direct-to-video films. Pluto also appears in the television series Mickey Mouse Works (1999-2000), House of Mouse (2001-2003), and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006-present).

Origin

According to various sources, Pluto is based upon a pair of Bloodhounds from the film The Chain Gang (1930). The only observable difference between these dogs and the early Pluto are the ears, which on Pluto are black.

A month and a half later, Minnie Mouse owns a dog named Rover who comes along with her and Mickey on a picnic. The dog is virtually identical to Pluto. The dog first appears as Mickey's companion the following year in The Moose Hunt where Pluto accompanies Mickey on a hunting trip.

Several months had passed between the naming of what was believed to have been the ninth planet, Pluto, on March 24, 1930, and the attachment of that name to the dog character. Venetia Burney (later Venetia Phair), who as an eleven-year-old schoolgirl had suggested the name Pluto for the planet, remarked in 2006: “The name had nothing to do with the Disney cartoon. Mickey Mouse's dog was named after the planet, not the other way around.”^[7] Although it has been claimed that Disney named the dog after the planet, rather than after the mythical god of the underworld, this has not been verified. Disney animator Ben Sharpsteen said "We thought the name [Rover] was too common, so we had to look for something else. ... We changed it to Pluto the Pup ... but I don't honestly remember why."^[8]

Pluto was initially a minor character until 1934, when Disney animator Norm Ferguson gave the dog a key role in the cartoon Playful Pluto. Pluto becomes entangled with a sticky piece of flypaper, and Ferguson expanded the sequence significantly. The segment became a classic, demonstrating how Disney artists can take a simple circumstance and build humor through a character.^[9]

Characterization

Playful Pluto (1934); Pluto struggles with a piece of flypaper

Pluto is normally a non-speaking character. A significant departure from this was The Moose Hunt (1931) which was produced before Pluto's characterization had been clearly defined. As Pluto made more appearances, it became common that he would not speak, but only vocalize in barks and grunts. Other ways of communicating Pluto's thoughts occur through his facial expressions, and sometimes through the use of a shoulder angel/devil who speak directly to Pluto. (Mickey's Elephant, Lend a Paw).

Pluto is generally a cheerful and adventurous dog, although he can be given to sheer panic when confronted with something unknown. Common themes in Pluto's stories involve him becoming jealous of Mickey getting another pet (Mickey's Elephant, Lend a Paw, Mickey and the Seal), Pluto accidentally and unwittingly swallowing something and panicking when he realizes it (Playful Pluto, Donald and Pluto), Pluto getting entangled with something inanimate, or Pluto being pestered by a smaller animal (Private Pluto, Squatter's Rights). In many of his appearances with Mickey, Pluto will get himself into trouble and cause Mickey to get angry at him. Mickey however, often cheer up quickly, often telling Pluto "I can't be mad at ya."

Pluto sometimes appears with other regular animal characters. His friends include Fifi the Peke, Dinah the Dachshund, and Ronnie the St. Bernard Puppy. Other animals he is less friendly with include Salty the Seal, Butch the Bulldog, Figaro the Kitten, Chip 'n Dale, Spike the Bee, Ol' Benttail the Coyote, Milton the cat and other characters. In Disney's 1937 animated short Pluto's Quin-Puplets, Pluto has a son who is simply referred to as "Pluto Junior." In the 1946 animated short Pluto's Kid Brother, Pluto has a younger brother named K.B.

Appearances

Bone Trouble (1940); Butch the Bulldog is a common antagonist of Pluto

Mickey first and most often appears in the Mickey Mouse series of cartoons. On rare occasions he is paired with [[Donald Duck] (Donald and Pluto, The Window Cleaners). In 1937, Pluto appeared in Pluto's Quin-Puplets which was the first installment of his own film series, called Pluto the Pup. However, they were not produced on a regular basis until 1940, by which time the name of the series was shortened to Pluto.

His first comics appearance was in the Mickey Mouse daily strips in 1931 two months after the release of The Moose Hunt. Pluto Saves the Ship, a comic book published in 1942, was one of the first Disney comics prepared for publication outside newspaper strips. However, not counting a few cereal give-away mini-comics in 1947 and 1951, he did not have his own comics title until 1952.

Pluto runs his own neighborhood in Disney's Toontown Online. It's called the Brrrgh and it's always snowing there except during Halloween. During April Toons Week, a weekly event that is very silly, Pluto switches playgrounds with Minnie(all other characters do this as well). Pluto actually talks in Minnie's Melodyland.

Pluto has also appeared in the television series Mickey Mouse Works, Disney's House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Curiously enough, however, Pluto was the only standard Disney character not included when the whole gang was reunited for the 1983 featurette Mickey's Christmas Carol, although he did return in The Prince and the Pauper (1990) and Runaway Brain (1995). He also had a cameo in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). In 1996, he made a cameo in the Quack Pack episode "The Really Mighty Ducks".

Short films

The following is a list of short films in the Pluto the Pup and Pluto series. It is not a complete filmography for Pluto as he has also appeared extensively in Mickey Mouse films.

Pluto's Quin-Puplets (1937) Bone Trouble (1940) Pantry Pirate (1940) Pluto's Playmate (1941) Pluto Junior (1942) The Army Mascot (1942) The Sleep Walker (1942) T-Bone For Two (1942) Pluto At The Zoo (1942) Private Pluto (1943) Springtime For Pluto (1944) First Aiders (1944) Dog Watch (1945) Canine Casanova (1945) The Legend of Coyote Rock (1945)

Canine Patrol (1945) Pluto's Kid Brother (1946) In Dutch (1946) The Purloined Pup (1946) A Feather In His Collar (1946) Pluto's Housewarming (1947) Rescue Dog (1947) Mail Dog (1947) Pluto's Blue Note (1947) Bone Bandit (1948) Pluto's Purchase (1948) Cat Nap Pluto (1948) Pluto's Fledgling (1948) Pueblo Pluto (1949) Pluto's Surprise Package (1949)

Pluto's Sweater (1949) Bubble Bee (1949) Sheep Dog (1949) Pluto's Heart Throb (1950) Pluto & The Gopher (1950) Wonder Dog (1950) Primitive Pluto (1950) Puss Cafè (1950) Pests of The West (1950) Food For Feudin' (1950) Camp Dog (1950) Cold Storage (1951) Plutopia (1951) Cold Turkey (1951)

Feature films

• Totally Minnie
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988, cameo)
• Mickey's House of Villains
• Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse

Video games

Pluto appeared as a non-playable character in Mickey Mania (1994).

In the Kingdom Hearts video game series, Pluto is still Mickey's pet and acts as somewhat of a messenger, assisting in his master's plans. For most of Kingdom Hearts II, Pluto stays by Kairi's side (even when she has been kidnapped), as he has apparently taken a liking to her. Strangely, throughout the series, Pluto appears and disappears at random moments.

Disney parks

In the various Disney theme park resorts around the world, Pluto is a meet able character just like many of his film co-stars. Pluto however, uncharacteristically walks on two legs in this capacity out of necessity. Adults and children are able to meet, play with, and get autographs and pictures with Pluto and his friends at all Disney parks.

References

1. ^ The film Canine Caddy (1941) ends with Mickey's remark to Pluto "Aw, you're just a mutt!"
2. ^ Biographies of 10 classic Disney Characters at D23
3. ^ Pluto (Disney) at the Internet Movie Database
4. ^ Note: Pluto also appears in the Academy Award-nominated films Building a Building (1933) and Runaway Brain (1995), but does not play a significant role in either.
5. ^ "The Flypaper Sequence Mystery," essay by Michael Barrier
6. ^ Pluto at INDUCKS
7. ^ "The little girl who named Pluto". The Sun (England). August 26, 2006. 
8. ^ Brasch, Walter (1983). Cartoon Monickers: An Insight Into The Animation Industry. Bowling Green University Popular Press. pp. 69. ISBN 0-87972-244-4. 
9. ^ Finch, Christopher, pages 71, 74, 91, 106, 111, and 230. The Art of Walt Disney, 2004

External links

• Pluto at the INDUCKS
• Pluto (Disney) at the Internet Movie Database
• Pluto at Disney Archives