Spotlight on Humphrey

The animation world has seen a number of famous bears brought to life - Andy, Barney, Fozzie, Chuck Jones's Three Bears…even Disney has its own number to speak of. Whether your favourite happens to be Winnie the Pooh, Baloo or Bongo.

However, there is one more bear that Disney almost neglected about - and like so many short-lived characters, would gain a small but loyal fan-base.

The brain-child of director Jack Hannah and writer David Detiege, Humphrey originally started out as an antagonist for Donald Duck in the mid 1950's. Rumoured to be a predecessor for Yogi Bear (who would star alongside Huckleberry Hound a few years later), Humphrey lived in a National Park where, with his neurotic, bumbling personality, he often fended for food and up against hunters or Ranger Woodlore.

Humphrey starred in five Donald cartoons where he proved so popular that he was almost granted his own series - ALMOST. For before 1960, Disney stopped producing theatrical shorts to concentrate on television and other projects. His lead episodes only consist of "Hooked Bear" and "In the Bag".

However, his popularity with the audience never dwindled. Over the years Humphrey was still very much present in merchandise and later generations of Disney made sure he wasn't forgotten about - including him in various episodes of Goof Troop, Rescue Rangers, House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

In fact, once Disney shut up shop, Jack Hannah took the "dumb bear" design over to Walter Lantz and redubbed the character "Fasto", who went on to star in three shorts alone.

Fatso was pretty identical to Humphrey in both mannerisms and "voice"

Fortunately, with the joy of DVDs and the Internet, it's safe to say that Humphrey Bear will never truly be forgotten about.

Humphrey Bear - included as part of the totem pole at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort

Voiced by Daws Butler

Anyone who has worked in the voice acting biz will tell you their favourite actors from the past - either from personal experience working with them or learning how to relive the animated characters they originally helped to bring to life.

Some of the most popular names that crop up have been Mel Blanc and Daws Butler - both who have had legacies larger than Russia, both who served their various companies well, and both who have worked together long-term, notably when Hanna-Barbera Productions first opened up shop.

Although he made his name first at MGM and then later Hanna-Barbera, Daws Butler also lent his voice to many commercials and animation shorts. What I also respect about Daws was the fact he shared his talents and skills with the world, training young people of the time the fine art of voice-acting, making them the stars they are today - just ask Nancy Cartwright and Joe Bevilacqua =)

Without Daws, we'd probably never have the likes of Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear nor Quick Draw McGraw to recall and enjoy countless times over...that is if you happen to be as big a HB fan aside others.

If you'd like to know more about Daws Butler - or Hanna-Barbera in general - be sure to check out Yowp's Early Hanna-Barbera Cartoons blog with plenty of interviews, newspaper cuttings and in-depth episode reviews!

Meantime, here's some other vids featuring the vocal talents of Daws himself.


This cute short is one of Sesame Street's often-recalled segments, featuring an Elroy Jetson-type narrator. Rather like the odd concept of a photographic train yard, which helps the lil' J stand out - even odder when one finds an A4 Pacific in an American Railroad yard!!


Daws was also fondly remembered as the voice of Cap'n Crunch, mascot for Cap'n Crunch cereal. The animation, I believe, was produced by Jay Ward Productions:


This last one's my personal favourite - next to being a voice actor, Daws was also a nifty writer, collaborating and voicing this set of Bosco Chocolate Sauce adverts with veteran animator/musician/cartoonist Bud Luckey. Rumour has it that the third, larger bunny here might be voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft, but please feel free to correct me: