Boris Badenov

Boris Badenov is a fictional character in the 1960s animated cartoons "Rocky and His Friends" and "The Bullwinkle Show", collectively referred to as "Rocky and Bullwinkle" for short. He is voiced by Paul Frees.

Character overview

Boris is a spy for the fictional nation of Pottsylvania, and would take orders from the nation's leader, Fearless Leader (and occasionally the rarely-seen Mr. Big). Boris's missions range from trying to steal a secret rocket fuel formula to eliminating all television from the United States as part of Pottsylvania's various attempts to seize power. Boris, who is thoroughly dedicated to (and takes delight in) all manners of nefarious deeds, would also sometimes engage in his own schemes, such as starting his own organized crime gang. Separately from the television series, a commercial for the "Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" featuring Boris established that he was an active member of Local 12 of the Villains, Thieves, and Scoundrels Union. During this commercial, Badenov also claims to be "the world's greatest no-goodnik." Boris is also quite proud of the fact that the nicest thing Fearless Leader ever did for Boris Badenov was sending a picture of himself to Boris inscribed "Drop Dead-Fearless Leader".

From his debut along with Natasha Fatale, Boris Badenov's eyes were red and he was taller. In one of the segments of Mr. Know-It-All, "How to be a Good Umpire," Boris appears to have what seems to be his twin brother or a clone.

Boris is nearly always accompanied by his fellow spy, Natasha Fatale. The first time he appeared without her was in the story arc, "Buried Treasure." The first story arc where neither appeared was "The Three Moosketeers."

Usually, Boris's misdeeds are thwarted by Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle the Moose. Boris's attempts at killing "moose and squirrel" (as he refers to them) also always end in failure, usually by his own scheme backfiring on him. As Boris expresses his plight in one episode: "I put bomb in squirrel's briefcase and who gets blown up? Me!"

Catchphrases

Boris's main catchphrase (spoken when frustrated) is "Raskolnikov!" (a reference to the novel "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoevsky), spoken in his Pottsylvanian accent (a mock-Russian accent).

Boris would also say "SHARRUP YOU MOUTH!!!" to Natasha, when his schemes failed. In one episode, Natasha said those very words to Boris as the car they were in dropped over a cliff to the ground in the 8-segmented story arc, "The Treasure of Monte Zoom."

Name and Parody of Hollywood Actor

Boris's name "bad enough" is a play on that of the 16th-century Russian Tsar Boris Godunov "good enough", or the opera of the same name. Pottsylvania is a play on the Polovetzian Dances of Alexander Borodin. Boris's accent and explosive temper is an homage to Hollywood actor Akim Tamiroff, especially to Tamiroff's role in "The Great McGinty" (1940), directed by Preston Sturges.

In other media

In the 1992 theatrical film "", the live-action Boris was played by Dave Thomas.

In the 2000 theatrical film "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle", the live-action Boris was played by Jason Alexander.

In the HBO drama "The Wire", character Sergei Malatov is nicknamed Boris due to his Eastern European accent.cite web
year = 2004
title = Character profile - Sergei "Serge" Malatov
publisher = HBO
accessdate = 2007-03-29
url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/serge_malatov.shtml]

Disguises

*Swami Ben Boris ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*Sir Thomas Lippen-Boris ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*Sir Hilary Pushemoff ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*Hemlock Soames ("Box Top Robbery")
*Mojave Max, a prospector ("Upsidasium")
*A scientist ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*Cerulean Bleu, an art collector ("Painting Theft")
*Abou Ben Boris ("Upsidasium")
*Gunga Drain ("Upsidasium" and "Bumbling Brothers Circus")
*An "Imposter" five-star general ("Upsidasium")
*Ace Ricken-Boris ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*"The Big Cheese" ("Metal Munching Mice")
*Madman Morris ("The Treasure of Monte Zoom")
*Colonial Tomsk Parkoff ("Metal Munching Mice")
*Mayor Avaricious J. Wardheeler ("Bumbling Brothers Circus")
*Clarence Darrownoff, the lawyer ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*Alfred Hitchhike, a movie director ("The Last Angry Moose")
*Indian ("Jet Fuel Formula")
*D.W. Grifter, a talent scout ("The Last Angry Moose")
*Horatio Hornswaggle ("Wailing Whale")
*An "Imposter" Rocky Squirrel ("Upsidasium")
*Art gallery guard ("Painting Theft")
*"Devil Dan" Hatful ("Missouri Mish Mash")
*Egbert Kitchie Itchie ("Banana Formula")
*Felonious Floy ("Missouri Mish Mash")
*Salesman of Dancer, Prancer, Blitzen, & Fink advertising agency ("Moosylvania Saved")
*Ship's doctor ("Banana Formula")
*Track walker ("Missouri Mish Mash")
*A British police officer ("Rue Brittania")
*Big Chief Skunk-Who-Walks-Like-Man ("Bumbling Brothers Circus")
*Doctor/Surgeon ("Rue Brittania")
*Little boy ("Painting Theft")
*A butler ("Rue Britannia")
*Spencer Traceback ("The Treasure of Monte Zoom")
*Pete McMoss ("Pottsylvania Creeper")
*Hushaboom inventor Bermuda Schwartz's mother ("Banana Formula")
*Honeychile Moosemoss ("Buried Treasure")
*Little Old Apple "Witch Lady" ("Louse On Ninety-Second Street")
*Babyface Braunschweiger, the Minnesota Monster ("Buried Treasure")
*Sherlock Ohms ("Missouri Mish Mash")
*Hailfellow J. Backslap, Official Washington Greeter ("Missouri Mish Mash")
*Black Angus ("Lazy J. Ranch")
*"Crazy Legs", the football player ("Wossamotta U")
*Boris Claus ("Topsy Turvy World")
*Lion tamer ("Bumbling Brothers Circus")
*Taxi driver ("Jet Fuel Formula" and "Moosylvania")
*Steamboat captain / card player ("The Weather Lady")

References