Christopher Robin

This article is about the fictional character. For the son of the author A. A. Milne, on whom the character was based, see Christopher Robin Milne.

Christopher Robin is a character created by A. A. Milne, appearing in his popular books of poetry and stories about Winnie-the-Pooh. He has subsequently appeared in Disney cartoons.

He appears in Milne's poems and in the two books: Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). In the books he is a young boy who is one of Winnie-the-Pooh's best friends. His other friends are Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger. He is characterized by his uneven socks. In the second book, there are hints that Christopher Robin is growing up. In the final chapter, the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood throw him a farewell party after learning that he must leave them soon. It is implied that he is to attend boarding school.

Christopher Robin was based upon the author A. A. Milne's own son, Christopher Robin Milne, who in later life became unhappy with the use of his name, writing in one of a series of autobiographical works: "It seemed to me almost that my father had got where he was by climbing on my infant shoulders, that he had filched from me my good name and left me nothing but empty fame". In addition to the two Pooh books the character was immortalized in other works by A. A. Milne including two books of poems: When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927). One of the poems, Vespers – which describes young Christoper Robin saying his evening prayers – was said by Christopher Milne as "the one work that has brought me over the years more toe-curling, fist-clenching, lip-biting embarrassment than any other".

An arrangement of another of the poems, Buckingham Palace, was first recorded by Ann Stephens in July 1941. Petula Clark released a recording of it in 1953 to coincide with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and despite neither making the charts, both versions were popular on BBC radio's Children's Favourites programme.

Disney's version

Christopher Robin in his Disney depiction

Stephen Slesinger acquired the rights to Winnie-the-Pooh and related characters from A. A. Milne in 1930. His widow licensed the rights to Disney in 1961. Since 1966, Disney has released numerous features starring Winnie-the-Pooh and related characters. Christopher Robin was voiced by Bruce Reitherman, a son of director/animator Wolfgang Reitherman, and Jon Walmsley who came to fame in the 1970s as Jason Walton in the American television series The Waltons.

In Disney's Winnie the Pooh franchise, an American gopher as well as Lumpy (a Heffalump) are added to his friends.

Christopher Robin is the only character from the cast not to appear in the Kingdom Hearts video game series, possibly because in this continuity, the Winnie the Pooh book belongs to Merlin and Christopher Robin's role is played out mostly by Sora. He is also not a regular cast member in the Disney Channel show My Friends Tigger and Pooh, appearing in only two episodes.

Christopher Robin appears in the 2011 film Winnie-the-Pooh after being absent in 2005's Pooh's Heffalump Movie. He is voiced by Jack Boulter.