Pete, also called
Peg-Leg Pete, and
Black Pete among other names, is a cartoon character created in 1925 by
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and
Ub IwerksUb Iwerks, A.S.C. was a two-time Academy Award winning American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, creator of Mickey Mouse, and special effects technician, who was famous for his work for Walt Disney....
. He is a licensed character of
The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
and often appears as a villain in
Mickey Mouse universeThe Mickey Mouse universe is a fictional universe where some cartoon characters created by the The Walt Disney Company live, the most famous of which is Mickey Mouse. It is coexistent with the Duck universe, a spin-off of the Mickey Mouse universe which centers around Mickey's friend Donald Duck...
stories. Pete was originally an
anthropomorphicAnthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
bear, but with the advent of
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
in 1928, Pete became a large black cat, the persona for which he is most often associated. His species later became more ambiguous in the
Goof Troop franchise (1992-2000) where he appeared more canine. Pete is the oldest continuing Disney character, having debuted three years before Mickey Mouse in the cartoon
Alice Solves the PuzzleAlice Solves the Puzzle is a 1925 animated short film by Walt Disney in the Alice Comedies series, and the first to feature Pete.-Plot:A girl named Alice is stuck on a hard crossword puzzle when her cat tells her they should go to the beach. They swim in the ocean for a while then dry off and Alice...
(1925).
Pete has appeared in more than 40 animated short films between 1925 and 1954, having been featured in the
Alice ComediesThe "Alice Comedies" are a series of animated cartoonscreated by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape....
and
Oswald the Lucky RabbitOswald the Lucky Rabbit is an anthropomorphic rabbit and animated cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney for films distributed by Universal Pictures in the 1920s and 1930s...
cartoons, and later in the
Mickey Mouse,
Donald Duck, and
Goofy cartoons. Pete's final appearance during this era was
The Lone Chipmunks (1954), which was the final installment of a three-part
Chip an' Dale series. He also appeared in the short films
Mickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson...
(1983),
The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper is an animated short film directed by George Scribner and starring Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse, inspired by the Mark Twain story of the same name. It was Disney's final use of the Xerox process, which the studio had used for three decades.The film was released on...
(1990), and
Runaway BrainRunaway Brain is a seven-minute animated short-subject produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation Paris, and starring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse...
(1995). Although never a central character, Pete has also made many appearances in
Disney comicsDisney comics are comic books and comic strips featuring Walt Disney characters.The first Disney comics were newspaper strips appearing from 1930 on . In 1940, Western Publishing began producing Disney comic books in the United States...
, and often appeared as Sylvester Shyster's dimwitted sidekick in the
Mickey Mouse comic strip. Pete later made several appearances in television, most extensively in
Goof TroopDisney's Goof Troop is an American animated television series from The Walt Disney Company featuring Goofy as a father figure and bonding with his son Max.-Premise:...
(1992-1993) where he was given more continuity, having a family and a regular job as a used car salesman.
Although Pete is often typecast as a villain, he has shown great versatility within the role, playing everything from a hardened criminal (
The Dognapper,
The Lone Chipmunks) to a legitimate authority figure (
Moving DayMoving Day is a 1936 American animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon, set during the contemporary Great Depression, follows the antics of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as they franticly pack their belongings after...
,
Donald Gets DraftedDonald Gets Drafted is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon has Donald Duck being drafted into the U. S. Army during World War II and follows his introduction to military life. The film was directed by Jack King and...
,
Mr. Mouse Takes a TripMr. Mouse Takes a Trip is a 1940 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon follows Mickey Mouse and his dog Pluto traveling by train, despite a rule forbidding dogs; Pete plays a menacing conductor intent on enforcing the rule...
), and from a menacing trouble maker (
Building a BuildingBuilding a Building is a 1933 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Production and released by United Artists. A remake of the 1928 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit film Sky Scrappers, the cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse working at a construction site under the supervision of Peg-Leg Pete while...
,
Trombone Trouble) to a victim of mischief himself (
Timber). On some occasions, Pete has even played a sympathetic character, all the while maintaining his underlying menacing nature. (
Symphony HourSymphony Hour is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson and features music adapted from the...
,
How to Be a Detective)
Ancestry and family
Comic book stories have depicted Pete as being descended from a long line of villains, highwaymen and outlaws. Even historical figures such as
Attila the HunAttila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...
,
BlackbeardEdward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
, and
Antonio López de Santa AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
,
Billy The KidWilliam H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
, and
Cao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
have been included among his ancestors. His mother is known only as Maw Pete and was mentioned in the story "Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold" by
Carl BarksCarl Barks was an American Disney Studio illustrator and comic book creator, who invented Duckburg and many of its inhabitants, such as Scrooge McDuck , Gladstone Gander , the Beagle Boys , The Junior Woodchucks , Gyro Gearloose , Cornelius Coot , Flintheart Glomgold , John D...
and
Jack HannahJack Hannah was an animator, writer and director of animated shorts.Hannah was born January 15, 1913, in Nogales, Arizona. He moved to Los Angeles in 1931 to study at the Art Guild Academy. One of his first jobs was designing movie posters for Hollywood theaters...
(first published October, 1942) as a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Her first actual appearance however was in "The River Pirates" (first published September, 1968) by
Carl FallbergCarl Robert Fallberg was a cartoonist and artist who created animated feature films and T.V. cartoons for Disney Studios, Hanna-Barbera, and Warner Brothers...
and
Paul MurryPaul Murry was an American cartoonist and comics artist. He is best known for his Disney comics, which appeared in Dell Comics and Gold Key Comics from 1946 to 1984....
. The same story introduced Li'l Pete, Black Pete's fraternal
twinA twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
brother who seems to be afflicted with
dwarfismDwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
. In December, 1998, the Mickey Mouse comic strip introduced an older
sisterSiblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
of Pete. Petula is the television host of the cooking show
Petula's Pantry. She finds time, however, to seek revenge against Mickey for condemning her "baby
brotherSiblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
" to life imprisonment.
Better-known and more enduring as characters are two figures created by
Romano ScarpaRomano Scarpa was one of the most famous Italian creators of Disney comics.-Biography:Growing up in Venice he developed a particular love for American cartoons and Disney comics, that, at the time, were published in the big format of the Topolino Giornale which was then printing now classic Floyd...
for
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Disney comicsDisney comics are comic books and comic strips featuring Walt Disney characters.The first Disney comics were newspaper strips appearing from 1930 on . In 1940, Western Publishing began producing Disney comic books in the United States...
. Trudy Van Tubb appeared first, and was introduced in "Topolino e la collana Chirikawa" ("Mickey Mouse and the Chirikawa Necklace", first published on March 10, 1960). This female partner of Pete was introduced as a childhood acquaintance of his: they are even shown as kids kidnapping Mickey when he was a baby. However, Trudy soon became Pete's girlfriend, his partner-in-crime and roommate—whenever they hold residence out of prison, that is. Their relationship seems to have evolved to a long-standing common-law marriage. This is occasionally used in contrast to Mickey's eternal engagement to Minnie Mouse and Goofy's determination to remain a bachelor. Trudy and Pete also have two hellion nephews named Pierino and Pieretto who often serve as foils for Mickey or Mickey's nephews Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse.
The second cousin to be introduced was criminal scientist Portis (Plottigat in the original Italian version; English name first used in
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories 695, 2008). Portis first appeared in "Topolino e il Pippo-lupo" (approximately "Mickey Mouse and the Weregoof"; January 9, 1977). Portis is a firm believer in the saying "knowledge is power". He considers himself superior to most others in both intellect and education, therefore a rightful leader. However, Portis often finds himself employed by gangs under Pete or even the
Phantom BlotThe Phantom Blot is a fictional character featured in various media by The Walt Disney Company. He is an enemy of Mickey Mouse. He first appeared in the Mickey Mouse comic strip adventure Mickey Mouse Outwits The Phantom Blot by Floyd Gottfredson, which was published in the form of daily strips...
. Both of the latter are considered better connected within the Mouseton version of organized crime.
In
Goof TroopDisney's Goof Troop is an American animated television series from The Walt Disney Company featuring Goofy as a father figure and bonding with his son Max.-Premise:...
, Pete has a wife, Peg, and two children,
PJPeter Pete, Junior is a fictional character created by The Walt Disney Company. As his full name suggests, he is the son of the company's oldest recurring character, Pete...
and Pistol. Alternatively, the
comic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story "Mickey's Strange Mission" from
Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #245 (1961, by Carl Fallberg and Paul Murry) suggests a cultured ancestry for Pete, giving his full name as the genteel
Percy P. Percival.
In the Italian comic story of 1998,
Topolino e il diario di zia Topolinda (
Mickey Maouse and aunt Topolinda's diary) we meet Pete's grandma, depicted as the only honest member of his family.
Alice Comedies
Pete first appeared in the
Walt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
-produced 1920s "
Alice ComediesThe "Alice Comedies" are a series of animated cartoonscreated by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape....
" short subject series. He first appeared in
Alice Solves the PuzzleAlice Solves the Puzzle is a 1925 animated short film by Walt Disney in the Alice Comedies series, and the first to feature Pete.-Plot:A girl named Alice is stuck on a hard crossword puzzle when her cat tells her they should go to the beach. They swim in the ocean for a while then dry off and Alice...
(February 15, 1925) as Bootleg Pete. His nickname is a reference to his career of
bootleggingRum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
alcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s during the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ProhibitionProhibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
(January 16, 1920 - December 5, 1933). His activities brought him at a
beachA beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
in time to see Alice playing with a
crosswordA crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer...
puzzleA puzzle is a problem or enigma that tests the ingenuity of the solver. In a basic puzzle, one is intended to put together pieces in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution...
. Pete happened to be a collector of crossword puzzles and identified Alice's puzzle being a rare one missing from his collection. The rest of the short focused on his antagonizing Alice and her drunk-on-
moonshineMoonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
catThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
Julius in order to steal it. The menacing,
bearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
-like
villainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
commanded quite a presence on the screen and was destined to return.
- In Alice Wins the Derby (May 5, 1925) Pete, Alice and Julius are among several contestants in a combined horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
/auto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
event. Pete first demonstrates his skill at cheatingCheating refers to the breaking of rules to gain advantage in a competitive situation. The rules infringed may be explicit, or they may be from an unwritten code of conduct based on morality, ethics or custom, making the identification of cheating a subjective process. Cheating can refer...
on sportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
ing events to achieve victory. However, a car accidentA traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
takes both Pete and Julius out of the race. The ending is given away by the title of the short.
- In Alice Is Stage Struck (October 1, 1925) Pete is cast as the stuff of nightmare
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror...
s for little Alice. She is depicted performing a stage version of Uncle Tom's CabinUncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War", according to Will Kaufman....
with her live-action friends when she falls unconscious. In her nightmare, Alice is being chased by Pete in his dog sledA dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing.-History:...
across an ArcticThe Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
environment.
- In Alice Picks the Champ (November 1, 1925), Pete is depicted as the owner of a gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
who challenges all who enter in a boxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
fight. The invitation is extended to Julius upon his entry. Despite the title Alice is a mere spectator in their fight rather than playing a more active role.
- Pete made his final appearance for the year in Alice's Tin Pony (November 15, 1925). The "pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
" of the title was actually a trainA train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
transporting passengers Alice and Julius along with a payrollIn a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
shipment. The shipment attracts the attention of "Pete the Bear" and his gang of outlawIn historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s who attempt a train robberyTrain robbery is a type of robbery, in which the goal is to steal money or other valuables being carried aboard trains.-History:Train robberies were more common in the past than today, and often occurred in the American Old West. Trains carrying payroll shipments were a major target...
. This was the first time Pete was depicted as leader of his own gang rather that a solitary villain. This depiction would prevail in his comic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
appearances for decades.
- In Alice on the Farm (January 1, 1926), Pete performs his first act of kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
. He abducts Alice from a farm early on the short. Pete places her in a bag, punchesA punch is a striking blow with the fist. It is the most commonly used attack in hand to hand combat. It is used in some martial arts and combat sports, most notably boxing where it is the only type of technique allowed...
her out and gives his own, silent version of an evil laugh. Julius then has to rescue his female friend in a duelA duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
. Arguably the first of many duels Pete would have in his long career. Notably both Pete and Julius received more screen time than Alice herself.
- Pete received a darker role in Alice's Mysterious Mystery (February 15, 1926). The title mystery
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
concerns the abduction of an entire schoolA school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
of puppies by two mysterious dog catchers. Amateur detectiveA detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s Alice and Julius investigate the case. The trail leads to Pete and an unnamed anthropomorphicAnthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
ratRats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
serving as his henchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household...
. The duo had abducted the puppies to sell them to a local sausageA sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
factoryA factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. Arguably establishing Pete as more ruthless than a mere kidnapper.
- Pete upstaged Alice again in Alice's Balloon Race (March 1, 1926) where said balloon
A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner....
race serves as an excuse for another confrontation between Julius and his arch-enemy. Alice served as a bit player in her own film.
- In Alice's Spanish Guitar (November 29, 1926), Pete listens to Alice playing guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
in a SpanishThe Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
caféA coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
. Pete is charmed by her music and abducts the girl once again. He keeps her captive in his own castleA castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. Julius once again has to save the damsel in distressThe subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
.
- Alice's Brown Derby (December 13, 1926) depicts a horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
contest where Pete attempts to cheat again while Julius rides a mechanical horseThe horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
.
- Alice the Lumberjack (December 27, 1926), finds Alice and Julius working as lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
s. Pete interrupts their work to abduct Alice again. Julius is forced to come to the rescue once again. Both shorts can be seen as evidence of the repetition of plot themes that plagued the series as it progressed.
- Alice the Gold Bug (January 10, 1927) had Alice, Julius and Pete competing against each other in a surreal
Surreal humour is a form of humour based on violations of causal reasoning with events and behaviours that are logically incongruent. Constructions of surreal humour involve bizarre juxtapositions, non-sequiturs, irrational situations, and/or expressions of nonsense.The humour arises from a...
golfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
game.
- Alice Foils the Pirates (January 24, 1927) has a misleading title. Actually the short features Pete holding Alice hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
in a pirate shipSince the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
while Julius comes to the rescue. Pete would later be cast as an experienced captainA sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
and occasional pirate in both his comic strip and comic book appearances.
- Alice at the Rodeo (February 21, 1927) features Alice and Julius in a rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
. Alice rides a bullBull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
which has little trouble throwing the little girl off his back. Julius proves more successful in bronc ridingBronc riding, either saddle bronc or bareback bronc competition, is a rodeo event that involves a rodeo participant riding on a horse , that attempts to throw or buck off the rider...
and wins first prize. But it is Pete who escapes with his winnings. This naturally leads to another confrontation between the two rivals.
- Alice in the Alps (March 21, 1927) indeed has Alice and Julius ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
in the AlpsThe Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. They encounter Pete while mountaineeringMountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
.
- Alice's Auto Race (April 4, 1927) actually features Julius and Pete competing in their usual style.
- Alice's Knaughty Knight (May 2, 1927) features Julius and Pete as knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s in armourArmour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
fighting over the affections of Lady Alice.
- Alice's Channel Swim (June 13, 1927) has Julius and Pete competing in a swimming
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
race across the English ChannelThe English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. Alice was actually the refereeA referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
rather than a swimmer.
- Alice in the Klondike (June 27, 1927) has Alice and Julius as gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
prospectors in Klondike, YukonThe Klondike is a region of the Yukon in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border. It lies around the Klondike River, a small river that enters the Yukon from the east at Dawson....
, CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Their successful search attracts their old rival Pete who wants the gold for himself. This would be the final appearance of Pete in the series. The series would have four more entries , ending with Alice in the Big League on August 22, 1927. Pete would be the only character of the series to survive its ending.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
When Disney needed a villain to place against his new star
Oswald the Lucky RabbitOswald the Lucky Rabbit is an anthropomorphic rabbit and animated cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney for films distributed by Universal Pictures in the 1920s and 1930s...
, Pete was again put to good use. His introduction to his new adversary came with the sixth Oswald short
The Ocean Hop (September 8, 1927). Apparently inspired by
Charles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, the two enter an
aeroplaneA fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
race across the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Hugh Harman and Rollin Hamilton were responsible for animating several inventive gags during the film. At least one became a classic. At some point Oswald runs off a
cliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
and continues to walk on air without the effect of gravity until realizing there no ground to stand on. The gag would be reused in many cartoon shorts to come. One should note that Charles Lindbergh also served as the inspiration for
Plane CrazyPlane Crazy is an American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The cartoon, produced in 1928 by The Walt Disney Studio, was the first to feature the character Mickey Mouse. It was made as a silent film and given a test screening to a theater audience on May 15, 1928, but...
(May 15, 1928), the first cartoon to feature
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
and
Minnie MouseMinerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
.
1
- The Banker's Daughter (September 15, 1927) gave a more characteristic depiction of Oswald. Oswald was working as a limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
driver for a bankA bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
er, but is quickly fired for flirtingFlirting is a playful, romantic, or sexual overture by one person to another subtly indicating an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person, and can involve verbal communication as well as body language...
with the daughter of his employer. When Pete performs his first bank robberyBank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
at the same bank, Oswald comes to the rescue in order to become a heroA hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
. This is the first appearance of Oswald's cat love interest ,replacing Oswald's former love interest Miss Cottontail who would never appear again in the Disney shorts. 2 ,3
- Rickety Gin (October 19, 1927) features Pete in a more comedic and romantic role. Oswald appears as a police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer who uses his fancy uniformA uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
to romance an unnamed young nurse. Pete succeeds at getting the officer drunk and proceeds in stealing his uniform and romancing the nurse himself. Apparently, the lady was attracted to uniform-wearing men.
- Harem Scarem (December 20, 1927) features Pete and Oswald in Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Oswald falls in love with a danceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
r and Pete abducts her, leading to another heroic rescue for Oswald.
- Rival Romeos (February 16, 1928) features Pete and Oswald as rivals for the heart of their "Lady Love". However, both Romeos
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
and their automobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s were at the end rejected by their Juliet in favor of an unnamed dog and his motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
.
- Sagebrush Sadie (March 14, 1928) features Oswald as a cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
attempting to save a stagecoachA stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
and its female passenger from outlaw Pete.
- Ozzie of the Mounted (March 29, 1928) casts Pete as "Foxy Wolf", an outlaw wanted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. Oswald was naturally positioned as the Mountie determined to "get his man". The chase goes on through a series of CanadianCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
locales. One should note that "Foxy" is only named as such in the film's production materials; in the film as released, he is Pegleg Pete. The use of the name "Foxy", in any respect, has no known connection to FoxyFoxy is an animated cartoon character featured in three 1931 animated shorts in the Merrie Melodies series distributed by Warner Bros. He was the creation of animator Rudolf Ising, who had worked for Walt Disney in the 1920s.-Concept and creation:...
, the namesake character of the later Merrie MelodiesMerrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
series.
- Oh, What a Knight (March 30, 1928) is somewhat unusual. The action takes place not in the 1920s, but in the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Pete is a strict father who keeps his daughter in isolation within their family castle. Oswald is the potential loverAn intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
of the girl who is trying to release her. Oswald duels with Pete and then uses an anachronisticAn anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
bowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
ballA ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...
to take out his men. He makes his escape with the girl, only to be confronted by the final defense of a hostile lionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
. The two lovers escape the castle using a parachuteA parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
and kissA kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good...
as they make their fall. The use of the parachute presumably places the events after its first recorded use by Armen Firman in 852.
- Sky Scrappers (April 25, 1928) casts Pete as another kind of "villain": not an outlaw, but a harsh superior in a working environment (a figure presumably familiar to many among the intended audience of the short). In this case, the movie takes place at a construction site, where Oswald is a steel worker and Pete his supervising foreman...a working relationship than only deteriorates when both men are interested in a cat love interest by the name of Sadie.(who also appears in The Banker's Daughter, Rival Romeos, Sagebrush Sadie, Oh, What a Knight and several more shorts. 2 4
- Hungry Hoboes
Hungry Hoboes is a 1928 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.The film was missing since before World War II, but found in a film archive in Herefordshire, UK in 2011...
(May 14, 1928) saw the duo having been reduced to hoboA hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
es seeking rail transportRail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
. On the plus side, the two old rivals had apparently achieved friendshipFriendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
.
By the time producer Charles Mintz took away the Oswald series from Disney, Pete had been established as the most consistently appearing supporting character to Oswald. He continued to appear in that role in the Oswald films directed and produced by
Walter LantzWalter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
until 1933. His most notable non-Disney appearance was arguably as a captain in
Permanent Wave (September 29, 1929).
Mickey Mouse
Pete then appeared as
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
's enemy beginning with the cartoons
The Gallopin' GauchoThe Gallopin' Gaucho was the second short film featuring Mickey Mouse to be produced, following Plane Crazy and preceding Steamboat Willie. The Walt Disney Company completed the silent version on August 2, 1928, but failed to distribute it widely...
and
Steamboat WillieSteamboat Willie is a 1928 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. It was produced in black-and-white by The Walt Disney Studio and released by Celebrity Productions. The cartoon is considered the debut of Mickey Mouse, and as his girlfriend Minnie, but the characters...
, (both 1928). He shed his bear-like appearance and was defined as a cat. In the cartoons of the 1930s, Pete would be Mickey Mouse's nemesis, but would vary in professions, from an all-out outlaw (
Gallopin' Gaucho) to a brutal law-enforcer (such as
Moving DayMoving Day is a 1936 American animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. The cartoon, set during the contemporary Great Depression, follows the antics of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as they franticly pack their belongings after...
in which he is a
sheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
who serves Mickey and Donald Duck with an
evictionHow you doing???? Eviction is the removal of a tenant from rental property by the landlord. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, eviction may also be known as unlawful detainer, summary possession, summary dispossess, forcible detainer, ejectment, and repossession, among other terms...
notice). On the other hand, in the 1942 cartoon
Symphony HourSymphony Hour is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson and features music adapted from the...
, Pete is a sympathetic
impresarioAn impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
who sponsors Mickey's orchestra in a concert, which goes terribly wrong, but is a great success.
In addition, Pete is featured in the following Mickey Mouse cartoons:
The Barn Dance (1928),
The Barnyard Battle (1929),
The Cactus Kid (1930),
The Chain Gang (1930),
Traffic Troubles (1931),
The Mad Dog (1932),
Barnyard Olympics (1932),
Mickey in Arabia (1932),
The Klondike Kid (1932),
Mickey's Good Deed (1932),
Building a Building (1933),
The Mail Pilot (1933),
Mickey's Gala Premier (1933),
Shanghaied (1934),
The Dognapper (1934),
Two-Gun Mickey (1934),
Mickey's Service Station (1935),
Moving Day (1936),
The Worm Turns (1937),
Mickey's Amateurs (1937) and
Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip (1940).
Donald Duck
Pete is a featured character in the following
Donald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
cartoons:
Donald's Lucky Day (1939),
Officer Duck (1939),
The Riveter (1940),
Timber (1941),
Donald Gets Drafted (1942),
The Vanishing Private (1942),
Sky Trooper (1942),
Bellboy Donald (1942),
The Old Army Game (1943),
Trombone Trouble (1944),
The New Neighbor (1953) and
Canvas Back DuckCanvas Back Duck is a 1953 Walt Disney animated short film starring Donald Duck and his nephews.-Plot:Donald and his nephews visit a carnival. While they play games, Donald is tricked by a shifty barker into fighting "Pee Wee Pete" , a truculent bruiser who significantly outweighs Donald...
(1953, where he fights a semi-pro boxing match with Donald Duck).
Goofy
Pete only appears in three
GoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
cartoon:
Two Gun Goofy and
How to be a Detective (1952), and
Father's Day Off (1953).
Chip 'n' Dale
Pete only appears in one Chip 'n' Dale cartoon:
The Lone Chipmunks (1954).
World War II
During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Pete was "
draftedConscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
" by Walt Disney and appeared as the official mascot of the
United States Merchant MarineThe United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
. He appeared in Donald Duck's series of army films where he plays Donald's
Drill SergeantA drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
and later Sergeant and
JumpmasterJumpmasters are the expert Paratroopers in an Airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for transforming Soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into Paratroopers and managing Airborne jump operations in Airborne units across all...
. In the comic strips he was a spy for
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
as Mickey discovered in
Mickey Mouse on a Secret Mission (1943) his motivation being the money.
Comics
In
comic stripA comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s and
comic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s, Pete is consistently depicted as a hardened criminal. In the 1943 comic strip story
Mickey Mouse on a Secret Mission, he was an agent of
Nazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, working as the henchman of
GestapoThe Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
spy Von Weasel. In the 1950 comic strip story
The Moook Treasure, he's even portrayed as the
BeriaLavrentiy Pavlovich Beria was a Georgian Soviet politician and state security administrator, chief of the Soviet security and secret police apparatus under Joseph Stalin during World War II, and Deputy Premier in the postwar years ....
-like deputy chief of intelligence in a totalitarian state on the other side of the iron curtain.
Pete often teams up with Mickey Mouse enemies Sylvester Shyster, Eli Squinch, The Phantom Blot. In earlier comic strips, starting with
Mickey Mouse in Death Valley (1930) Pete was portrayed as Sylvester Shyster's henchman, but he gradually started to work on his own. Sometimes, Pete also teams up with other bad guys in the Disney universe, such as
Scrooge McDuckScrooge McDuck is a cartoon character created in 1947 by Carl Barks and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Scrooge is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a red or blue frock coat, top hat, pince-nez glasses, and spats...
's enemies (the
Beagle BoysThe Beagle Boys are a group of fictional characters from the Scrooge McDuck universe. Created by Carl Barks, they are a gang of criminals who constantly try to rob Scrooge McDuck. Their introduction and first appearance was in Terror of the Beagle Boys, in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #134,...
and
Magica De SpellMagica De Spell is a fictional character of the Scrooge McDuck universe, a sorceress created by Carl Barks. She constantly steals or attempts to steal Scrooge McDuck's Number One Dime, which she believes will play a vital role in magically obtaining the same fabulous wealth of its...
), Mad Madam Mim, Captain Hook, and the Evil Queen. In Italian comics, his girlfriend Trudy (Trudy Van Tubb) is his frequent partner-in-crime. His cousin the "mad scientist" Plottigat is another, less frequent, accomplice.
In his earlier comic strip appearances, Pete sported a knee-high
peglegA pegleg is a prosthesis, more specifically an artificial limb of carved wood fitted to the remaining stump of a human leg, as often seen in pirate movies...
, which was later reduced to a foot-high prothesis. In
Mickey Mouse in Death Valley, Floyd Gottfredson occasionnally committed goofs, with the pegleg switching from Pete's left right leg to his left one. In Gottfredson's story
The Mystery at Hidden River (1941–42), the pegleg disappeared, with Pete wearing two shoes : when Mickey expressed surprise at this, Pete described one of his shoes as a new, improved model of pegleg. Pete has since been consistently depicted as wearing two shoes. His name in Italy has remained
Pietro Gambadilegno ("Pegleg Peter"), or simply
Gambadilegno ("Pegleg") even though it has been a long time since he was actually depicted with a pegleg in either comics or animated cartoons. In an Italian story by
Romano ScarpaRomano Scarpa was one of the most famous Italian creators of Disney comics.-Biography:Growing up in Venice he developed a particular love for American cartoons and Disney comics, that, at the time, were published in the big format of the Topolino Giornale which was then printing now classic Floyd...
,
Topolino nella dimensione Delta (
Mickey Mouse in the Delta Dimension, first published in 1959), Pete removed one of his shoes, revealing his old foot-high pegleg.
DuckTales
In the first season of the 1987 TV series
DuckTalesDuckTales is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Based on Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge comic book series, it premiered on September 18, 1987 and ended on November 28, 1990 with a total of four seasons and 100 episodes...
, Pete appeared in a few episodes. However, he was portrayed as a different character in each of his appearances. Because of this, he wasn't always a true villain, but sometimes just a selfish individual with no evil agenda. In a few episodes, he even makes peace with Scrooge's group in the end. The various Petes appear to be their own characters, as two of them lived in different time periods, and because Scrooge never "recognizes" him, despite any previous encounters he may have had with any of the other Petes.
| Episode |
Character |
| "Duck in the Iron Mask" |
Captain Pietro |
| "Time Teasers" |
Captain Blackheart |
| "Merit-Time Adventure" |
Dogface Pete |
| "Pearl of Wisdom" |
Sharkey |
| "Lost Crown of Genghis Khan" |
Genghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
|
Goof Troop
In the 1992 TV series
Goof TroopDisney's Goof Troop is an American animated television series from The Walt Disney Company featuring Goofy as a father figure and bonding with his son Max.-Premise:...
, Pete has a family who includes his wife Peg, their two children
Pete JuniorPeter Pete, Junior is a fictional character created by The Walt Disney Company. As his full name suggests, he is the son of the company's oldest recurring character, Pete...
(or PJ for short) and Pistol, and their dog Chainsaw. They live next door to Goofy and his son
MaxMax Goof is a fictional character who is the teenage son of the popular Disney character Goofy. He first appeared in the 1992 television series Goof Troop...
. Pete is often the victim of Goofy's clumsiness and mishaps, usually resulting in the destruction of his property or great personal injury.Pete owns a used-car dealership, and though no longer openly villainous, is still conniving (as well as abrasive, obnoxious, and truculent) and often exploits his good-hearted and somewhat addled friend Goofy. Often, his schemes backfire, or he feels guilty about his oafish behavior and works to set things right. His wife Peg often attempts to rid Pete of his uncouth attitude, and his son PJ is a complete opposite of his father in behavior, as he is good friends with Goofy's son Max in the series and its spin-off movie
A Goofy MovieA Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
.
Jim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
provided Pete's booming bass voice starting from that series, and to date is still the character's voice in all media. It is eventually revealed in the series that one of the reasons why Pete dislikes Goofy so much is that when Pete was a High School quarterback in a big football game, it was Goofy who accidentally caused Pete to fumble the ball and lose the game by hitting him in the face with a pom pom (Goofy was on the
cheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
squad).
Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse
After
Goof Troop, Pete reverted back to his evil ways on
Mickey Mouse WorksMickey Mouse Works is a television show that features the cartoon character Mickey Mouse and his friends in a series of animated segments. It is somewhat of an update of Mickey's Mouse Tracks....
, where he frequently bullied the other characters and occasionally kidnapped
Minnie MouseMinerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
. Then in
House of Mouse, he plays the role of the evil landlord. Several episodes involved his attempts to close the club by sabotaging the show, Though there were times when he helped out the crew on was during a Christmas episode his conscience got to him and he tricked Mortimer Mouse into kissing him to back off of Minnie who surprisingly high fived him.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Pete appears in numerous episodes of
Mickey Mouse ClubhouseMickey Mouse Clubhouse is a children's television series, that premiered in prime time on Disney Channel on May 5, 2006. The program was originally part of the Playhouse Disney daily block intended for preschoolers...
, Disney's newest 3D-animated children's series. He maintains his antagonist role, but is significantly toned down for its preschool audience—he is less malicious and more mischievous. Viewers will find that Mickey and gang are very forgiving of Pete and his escapades. He often appears as a seller of objects the gang needs, and will give them an item in exchange for beans. He is much nicer than his previous incarnations—in one episode, he invites the group to a Halloween party; in "Pete's Beach Blanket Luau", he even invites everyone to the titular party.
While "Clubhouse" has a great deal of fun at Pete's expense (or "expanse", as he's the biggest and fattest character; they use his overalls for a sail in "Mickey and Minnie's Jungle Safari"), it also depicts him in a sympathetic light; he's openly sentimental in "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Carnival", not wanting to part with his "Petey doll" prizes. He even changes Baby Goofy's diaper (willingly) in "Goofy Baby".
The "Carnival" episode also gives us the closest approximation of Pete's weight; he's shown to be the same size and weight as a brown bear.
In "Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt", he is the only character not invited to the Easter Egg Hunt (or so he thinks), so he tries to gatecrash, but messes up the secret word, causing the clubhouse to float away. At the end, he apologizes and is invited to the egg hunt after all. He is also revealed as the owner of Butch the Bulldog, who is friends with Mickey's dog,
PlutoPluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown , medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression...
.
Movies
In the 1983 short film
Mickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson...
, an adaptation of
Charles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' novel
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
featuring Disney characters, Pete was cast as the
Ghost of Christmas Yet to ComeThe Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, A.K.A., The Ghost of Christmas Future, is a fictional character in English novelist Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is the ghost that haunts the miser Ebenezer Scrooge, in order to prompt him to adopt a more caring attitude in life and avoid the horrid...
, who reveals himself by removing his hood and lighting a cigar, which also lights up the engraving on Scrooge's grave, and having only one line ("Why
yours,
EbenezerEbenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
. The richest man in the cemetery!", in response to Scrooge's question about whose grave it was) and laughing cruelly while Scrooge struggles to escape from his open grave as the gates of Hell are opening. Pete also made a cameo appearance as a
ToontownToontown is a fictional anthropomorphic city where animated cartoon characters, known as Toons, reside.-Description:In the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the whole city of Toontown is cartoonish, except for anything foreign to the city, such as people and objects from outside of Toontown...
police officer in the very final scene of
Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American fantasy-comedy-noir film directed by Robert Zemeckis and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film combines live action and animation, and is based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, which depicts a world in which cartoon characters...
- he is viewed from the back, alongside
SpikeSpike and Tyke are fictional characters from the Tom and Jerry series, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Spike is a stern but occasionally dumb British bulldog who is particularly disapproving of cats, but a softie when it comes to mice, and later, his son Tyke...
and
Horace HorsecollarHorace Horsecollar is a funny animal cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. He is an anthropomorphic horse, one of Mickey Mouse's best friends. Horace first appeared as Mickey's plough horse in the cartoon "The Plow Boy" in 1929...
in security uniforms; this can be seen just before
Porky PigPorky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
and
TinkerbellTinker Bell , is a fictional character from J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and its 1911 novelization Peter and Wendy. She has appeared in multiple film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, in particular the 1953 animated Walt Disney picture Peter Pan...
close the movie. This was a non-speaking role. Pete later appeared in
A Goofy MovieA Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
and its
sequelAn Extremely Goofy Movie is a 2000 American direct-to-video animated film made by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Douglas McCarthy, it is the sequel to A Goofy Movie, featuring the return of characters from the television series Goof Troop...
where he was shown in a much lighter tone. He was Goofy's best friend and confidante in the films making him a minor protagonist. However, he was still arrogant and somewhat grouchy.
The Prince and the Pauper
In this Disney version of
Mark TwainSamuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's "
The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper is an animated short film directed by George Scribner and starring Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse, inspired by the Mark Twain story of the same name. It was Disney's final use of the Xerox process, which the studio had used for three decades.The film was released on...
", Pete once again played as the primary villain, this time as the English king's captain of the guard. When he saw that his ruler's life was slowly diminishing, he and his henchmen, a band of anthropomorphic weasels (from
The Wind in the WillowsThe Wind in the Willows is a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England...
) who now act as the king's guards, seized the opportunity to terrorize England's citizens and rob them of their goods in "favor" of the king. After kicking out a disguised Prince, whom he mistook for the peasant boy
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
, out of his kingdom, he later receives word from one of his guards that the Prince was seen a causing a commotion in the village, as the guard claimed that he "acted like a nobleman and he had the royal ring!" Pete suddenly realizes that it was indeed the Prince he "booted out" and seizes another opportunity out this. That night, after the king passes away, Pete finds the "phony prince" (Mickey), threatening the life of his dog, Pluto, unless Mickey follows his commands. In the village, he soon finds and captures the real Prince and takes him to the castle's dungeon to lock him up. On the day of the Prince's coronation, Pete plots to get Mickey crowned as king, though Mickey is still subservient to Pete's orders. His plan, however, is thwarted when the Prince suddenly appears in the throne room, having busted out of the dungeon and evading the guards with the help of
GoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
(Mickey's peasant friend) and
Donald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
(the Prince's valet). A sudden battle in the throne room (Mickey and the Prince vs Pete; Goofy and Donald vs the Weasel Guards) results in Pete's defeat, as Goofy's bumbling antics cause a chandelier to fall on the weasels, bundle them together, and send them rolling towards Pete. Pete, seeing this, tries to flee but is slowed down by his ripped-down pants (courtesy of the Prince's swashbucking skills) and tripped by both the Prince and Mickey, causing him to get rolled over and caught on the chandelier, which sends him and his men rolling through a stain-glass window and falling out of the castle.
Mickey's House of Villains
In this 2002 direct to video sequel, Featured Peg Leg Pete and other Disney Villains guest appearance from
House of Mouse. He takes part in the musical number with:
It's Our House Now.
The Three Musketeers
In the 2004 made-for-video animated remake of
The Three MusketeersMickey · Donald · Goofy: The Three Musketeers is a direct-to-video animated film adaptation of the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, père. As the title suggests, it features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as the three musketeers...
(with Mickey,
Donald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
, and
GoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
playing the title roles), Pete again appeared under the name Peg-Leg Pete. He served as the main antagonist of the film. Here, he was the Captain of the Musketeers, aiming to take over
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, with the help of his lieutenant,
Clarabelle CowClarabelle Cow is a Disney fictional character within the Mickey Mouse universe of characters. Clarabelle Cow was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks in 1928. Clarabelle is one of Minnie Mouse's best friends and is usually depicted as the girlfriend of Horace Horsecollar, although she has also...
, and the Beagle Boys. To do so, he must get
Princess MinnieMinerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
out of the way, but it proves to be difficult for him, even when he hires the film's titular trio to be her bodyguards, believing they won't do a good job protecting her. He received his own "bad guy song", using the classic music piece
In the Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece of orchestral music composed by Edvard Grieg for the sixth scene of Act II in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which premiered in Christiania on February 24, 1876....
.
Mickey Mousecapade
Pete appears as the captain of a pirate ship in the early NES Capcom game
Mickey MousecapadeMickey Mousecapade is an NES game where the character of Mickey Mouse travel through the Fun House, the Ocean, the Forest, the Pirate Ship, and the Castle in an effort to save a young girl who happens to be Alice from Alice in Wonderland...
(or simply Mickey Mouse). Unlike most appearances, he is not the final boss in this game. Notably, his role here was exclusive to the game's American release; in the original Japanese version, the level's boss was
Captain HookCaptain James Hook is the main antagonist of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations. The character is a villainous pirate captain of the Jolly Roger brig, and lord of the pirate village/harbour in Neverland, where he is widely feared. Most...
from
Peter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
.
Mickey's Dangerous Chase
In this early Game Boy game, Mickey has a present for Minnie, but Big Bad Pete steals it. To get it back, Mickey must chase him through several different zones. Pete is the final (and only) boss of the game.
Adventures in the Magic Kingdom
During
Adventures in the Magic KingdomAdventures in the Magic Kingdom is a video game released in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Its soundtrack was composed by Yoko Shimomura who also scored the Kingdom Hearts series.-Plot:...
for the NES, Pete (referred to as "Panhandle Pete") steals one of the keys needed to unlock the castle and challenges your character to a race on the Autopia attraction to get it back. Pete is only depicted in cut scenes, with the "race" itself more of a timed obstacle course featuring other cars with indistinct drivers.
Disney's Magical Quest
In
Disney's Magical QuestDisney's Magical Quest, known in Japan as , is a Disney platform game series released by Capcom. The games star Mickey Mouse and, depending on the game version, either Minnie Mouse or Donald Duck, who must defeat an evil villain, always played by Peg-Leg Pete...
, a trilogy by
Capcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
, Pete is the final boss of each game, personating a distinct ruler (Emperor, Baron and King). He serves as an evil ruler who terrorizes the land he reigns and often kidnaps another character. In
Disney's Magical Quest 1, he kidnaps Pluto; in
Disney's Magical Quest 2, he appears as the tyrant "Baron Pete" who commands the game's enemies; in
Magical Quest 3, he kidnaps Donald's nephews. Mickey and, depending on the game, Minnie or Donald, are always set to defeat him. In the end of the first two games, when he is defeated, he simply disappears, but in
Magical Quest 3, however, after being defeated by Mickey and Donald, he eventually surrenders and promises to become a good person.
Quackshot
QuackshotQuackShot is a platformer released for the Sega Mega Drive on December 19, 1991. It stars Donald Duck and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, as treasure-hunters....
follows the adventures of
Donald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
as he, with the aid of his three nephews
Huey, Dewey and LouieHuey, Dewey, and Louie Duck are a trio of fictional, anthropomorphic ducks who appear in animated cartoons and comic books published by the Walt Disney Company. Identical triplets, the three are Donald Duck's nephews. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were created by Ted Osborne and Al Taliaferro, and first...
, sets out to obtain some treasure from a
mapA treasure map is a map that marks the location of buried treasure, a lost mine, a valuable secret or a hidden locale. More common in fiction than in reality, "pirate treasure maps" are often depicted in works of fiction as hand drawn and containing arcane clues for the characters to follow...
he found. Pete appears as an antagonist near the end of the game, kidnapping Donald's nephews and demanding to be given the map, and must be fought immediately prior to the final stage and boss of the game.
Mickey Mania
Mickey ManiaMickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse is a 1994 video game released for the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega CD, and Super NES. In the game, the player controls Mickey Mouse, who must navigate through various side-scrolling levels, each designed and based from classical Mickey...
follows
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
, who has been catapulted back in time to his earliest appearance in
Steamboat WillieSteamboat Willie is a 1928 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. It was produced in black-and-white by The Walt Disney Studio and released by Celebrity Productions. The cartoon is considered the debut of Mickey Mouse, and as his girlfriend Minnie, but the characters...
. Black Pete is Mickey's archvillain throughout the entire game, all the way from his very first confrontation against Mickey in Steamboat Willie all the way to his role in then-recent 1990's
The Prince and the Pauper.
Mickey's Speedway USA
In this game Pete is a heavyweight racer, but gets replaced when the players selects between
Ludwig Von DrakeProfessor Ludwig von Drake is one of Walt Disney's cartoon and comic book characters. He was first introduced on September 24, 1961, as the presenter in the cartoon An Adventure in Color, part of the first show of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on NBC...
or
Huey, Dewey and LouieHuey, Dewey, and Louie Duck are a trio of fictional, anthropomorphic ducks who appear in animated cartoons and comic books published by the Walt Disney Company. Identical triplets, the three are Donald Duck's nephews. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were created by Ted Osborne and Al Taliaferro, and first...
.
Kingdom Hearts series
Pete is depicted as a recurring villain within the
Kingdom Hearts video game series. He was originally a steamboat captain, with Mickey Mouse as his deck hand (as they were seen in
Steamboat Willie). After Disney Castle was built in their world, with Mickey its new king, Pete began causing all sorts of mischief until he was banished to another dimension. He was subsequently freed by
MaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. She is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who, after not being invited to the baby's christening, curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a...
, to whom he became indebted, and vowed to amass an army of Heartless, creatures born from the darkness of people's hearts, to return the favor.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Prior to his service under Maleficent, Pete runs rampant through Disney Town during the world's annually held Dream Festival, entering contests while shifting between two different alter egos—
superheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
"Captain Justice" and antihero "Captain Dark"—in an attempt to claim the "Million Dreams Award" for himself. He instead loses to one of the game's three protagonists and player characters: Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. Since his lack of consideration for the hearts of others is made apparent through his mischief, Pete is banished to another dimension by Queen Minnie until he can learn to behave. He is released from his imprisonment by Maleficent, however, and helps her conquer the various worlds in the series' universe in return.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Pete makes several appearances in
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, where he is gathering Heartless to build an army of Heartless for Maleficent. He is first seen exploring Agrabah in search of Jafar's magic lamp, but is secretly followed by Roxas and Axel of
Organization XIIIis a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' Kingdom Hearts video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings without hearts called NobodiesIn the video game series' setting, beings comprise a body, heart and soul, known as a 'Whole'. When a heart...
, who are on a mission to collect hearts. Pete eventually uncovers a secret passage leading outside the city, inadvertently leading Roxas to the Cave of Wonders. Roxas later returns with Xion to investigate the cave, but are spotted by Pete, who assumes they had come to take the lamp for themselves and fights them. After Pete is defeated, he makes a getaway.
Pete reappears in
Never LandPeter Pan is a 1953 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie. It is the fourteenth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and was originally released on February 5, 1953 by RKO Pictures...
where he plants several empty treasure chests across the island and sells maps leading to them to Captain Hook, knowing his greed will attract the Heartless for him to collect. However, his plans are once again foiled when Roxas slays the Heartless to collect their hearts. Pete decides to kill two birds with one stone by leading Hook to a final, gold-filled chest, which reacts to the darkness in Hook's heart and becomes a powerful Heartless that Pete hopes will defeat Roxas, though it ends up being defeated instead. Pete disappears again, vowing revenge against Roxas if they ever meet again.
Kingdom Hearts II
Pete makes his first appearance in the series in
Kingdom Hearts II, where he first encounters the main group of protagonists—Sora, Donald, and Goofy—in front of Yen Sid's tower, and is disappointed to learn that they had previously defeated Maleficent while he was out gathering Heartless (though he does contemplate taking her place in her absence). However, Maleficent is quickly resurrected, and Pete continues his duties after updating her on what occurred in her absence, traveling to other worlds to recruit old or new villains to either join (or rejoin) their cause, or to turn them into powerful Heartless, only to be foiled by Sora and co. each time. Pete is viewed more as a nuisance than a threat by the heroes, Sora remarking that he is "not smart enough to tie his own shoes." He is nonetheless fought as a recurring boss during several portions of the game, though the strategy for beating him is different each time.
Pete often incurs Maleficent's relentless annoyance and insults for his comical ineptness, despite his fierce loyalty to her. After one such incident, his yearning for going back in time to experience his wonder years as a steamboat captain again summons a portal to the past, which gives him the opportunity to put himself back in Maleficent's good graces. He goes back in time to steal his younger self's steamboat and alter the past to Maleficent's liking, only to be defeated once again by Sora and co., who have allied themselves with the younger Pete (who never discovers the older Pete's identity). However, Pete once again proves his worth when he brings Maleficent to the Castle That Never Was, the headquarters of
Organization XIIIis a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' Kingdom Hearts video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings without hearts called NobodiesIn the video game series' setting, beings comprise a body, heart and soul, known as a 'Whole'. When a heart...
, for them to use as a new base of operations, though he is very much aware that the Heartless will be unruly in this dark realm. In the end, he contemplates running when the castle becomes overrun with Heartless, but decides to stand by Maleficent's side to hold them off and help Sora and his friends defeat Organization XIII, though the castle is destroyed. Before the final boss of the game, Pete can be fought again as a boss within the optional Hades Paradox Cup in Olympus Coliseum.
Kingdom Hearts coded
Pete returns in
Kingdom Hearts coded to spy on Mickey in Disney Castle, and ends up being transported into the Datascape with the King. Helping Maleficent's scheme to take over the virtual world, Pete encounters the Data Sora while helping Data Jafar and later kidnaps Data Riku, turning him into his slave through the bugs. He is later confronted at Hollow Bastion, unintentionally helping Data Sora regain his Keyblade before sicing Data Riku on him. Later, Data Sora attempts to rescue him and Maleficent from digital incarnation of Sora's Heartless before it crushes them. However, Data Riku is able to rescue them through a "rift in the data" and escort the villains back to their world.
Disney TH!NK Fast
In Disney TH!NK Fast, Pete appears as the final secret playable character after you've collected 30,000 points in a simple game.
Legend of Illusion
Pete is final boss in this game, in which he is known as the King and is responsible for steal the World
Epic Mickey
Pete is featured in the
WiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game,
Epic MickeyEpic Mickey is a 2010 Mickey Mouse action-adventure platforming video game designed by Warren Spector and developed by Junction Point Studios for the Wii console...
. Once again with his titular peg-leg, he first appears in the Gremlin Village as Small Pete (based on It's a Small World ride at Disneyland), he appears dressed as one of the Dutch girl dolls of the ride. He later appears as his usual self in Mean Street (based on Main Street USA), where he informs Mickey that there are many other Petes throughout the world, each themed differently depending on the zone in the game, like appearing in a Sark outfit in Tomorrow City as Petetronic and in Ventureland as Pete Pan. Pete himself (referred to as "Big Bad Pete"), acts as a self appointed enforcer of sorts at Mean Street and is often a source of quests for the player.
In Tomorrow City, which is inspired by
Tomorrowland- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
, the Sark-esque Petetronic is the boss of the level, attacking with thrown buckets of thinner and his ID disk. The only way to attack Petetronic is to deflect his disk back at him. Mickey can then squirt him with paint, which turns him blue and friendly, or thinner, which short-circuits him and reduces him to a MCP-like entity.
In Ventureland, Pete appears as a jolly, bubbly version of himself known as "Pete Pan", named after
Peter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, who is trapped on Skull Island until Mickey can manage to save the sprite so Pete Pan can fight off the robot version of
Captain HookCaptain James Hook is the main antagonist of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations. The character is a villainous pirate captain of the Jolly Roger brig, and lord of the pirate village/harbour in Neverland, where he is widely feared. Most...
like he used to.
International names and voice actors
| Country |
Name |
Voice actor |
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
|
João Bafo-de-Onça ("John Jaguar-Breath"), earlier name: Pete Perna-de-Pau ("Pegleg Pete") |
Orlando Drummond (1970s to early 1990s),
Antônio Moreno, Pietro Mário, Mauro Ramos Mauro Ramos, full name Mauro Ramos de Oliveira, was an association footballer. He played centre-back for São Paulo F.C., Santos F.C. and the Brazilian national team....
(late 1990s to 2000s) |
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
|
Черният Пийт ("Black Pete") |
Georgi Todorov |
ChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
|
Pete El Negro ("Black-Peter") |
|
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
|
Sorteper ("Black-Per") |
Lars Thiesgaard |
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
|
دنجل ("Dongol") |
|
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
|
Musta Pekka ("Black Pete") |
Tuomo Rysti |
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
|
Pat Hibulaire (a pun: patibulaire means sinister-looking) |
Roger Carel Roger Bancharel, better known by his stage name, Roger Carel, is a French actor and voice talent, best known for his recurring film roles as Asterix or the French voice of Star Wars C3PO and the French voice of Winnie the Pooh...
(first dubbing of first cartoons and Mickey's Christmas Carol),
Michel Vocoret (second dubbing of first cartoons and Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Prince and the Pauper),
Alain DorvalAlain Dorval is a French voice actor born in Algiers. He is best known as the official dub-over artist of Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, and the Disney character Pete. His voice can also be heard on the radio stations Skyrock and ADO.-Television animation:*Goof Troop *Once Upon a Time... Life...
(since 1992) |
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|
Kater Karlo ("Kater" signifies a male cat) |
Tilo Schmitz Tilo Schmitz is a German voice actor from Radebeul. Having a deep, sonorous, basso voice, Schmitz is the official dub-over artist of Christopher Judge, Michael Clarke Duncan, Ving Rhames, Abraham Benrubi and Ron Perlman.-Television animation:...
|
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
|
Μάυρος Πήτ ("Black Pete") |
Kostas TriantafyllopoulosKostas Triantafyllopoulos is a Greek actor...
|
| Hebrew Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
|
(Pete ha-shakhór, "Pete the Black") פיט השחור |
Danny Litany, Shimon Cohen, Arie Moskuna and Michael Morim (alternately) |
HungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
|
Pete |
Gábor Vass |
IcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic |
Svarti-Pétur ("Black-Peter") |
|
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
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Boris |
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ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
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Pietro Gambadilegno ("Pegleg Peter") |
Massimo Corvo (from 1990s) |
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
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ピート (Pito) |
Minoru Uchida is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Okayama Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Gekidan Subaru. He is married to fellow voice actor Reiko Niimura.-Film:*The Fall of Ako Castle *Nihon Chinbotsu...
(Pony Canyon and Bandai),
Tōru Ōhirais a male Japanese narrator and voice actor from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is a representative of Ōhira Production.One of his most known roles is the dub voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars...
(Buena Vista) |
KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
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피트 (Pete) |
Han Sang Duk |
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
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Pedro El Malo ("Peter the Evil") |
Francisco Colmenero Francisco Colmenero is a Mexican voice actor. For many years the official Spanish-language voice of Goofy until Goof Troop, and dubbing director of various Disney Animation pictures. Called Pancho by Walt Disney...
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NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
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Boris Boef ("Boris Crook") |
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NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
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Svarte-Petter ("Black-Peter") |
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PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
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Czarny Piotruś ("Black-Peter") |
Włodzimierz Bednarski |
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
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Bafo-de-Onça ("Jaguar-Breath"), Pete |
Luís Marcarenhas |
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
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Pete Pata Palo ("Pegleg Pete") |
Juan Fernández Juan Fernández was a Spanish explorer and navigator in the Pacific regions of the Viceroyalty of Peru and Captaincy General of Chile west of colonial South America.-Discoveries and theories:Juan Fernández Islands...
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SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
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Svarte Petter ("Black-Peter") |
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TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
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Barut ("Gunpowder") |
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| Yugoslavia Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
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Hromi Daba |
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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Pete |
Billy Bletcher William "Billy" Bletcher was an American actor, comedian, and voice artist, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
(1933-1954)
John McLeish (1942, Bellboy Donald)
Steve Sherman (1965, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color)
Jon LormerJon Lormier was an American actor.Born as Jonathan Lormier, he appeared in three separate roles in Star Trek: The Original Series: as Dr...
(1965, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color)
Marcus James (1965, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color)
Will RyanWill Ryan is an American voice actor and producer–writer–composer, well-known for singing about the American West. In the late seventies he teamed up with Phil Baron as Willio and Phillio. They had regular gigs on television, radio and comedy clubs and universities throughout the US...
(1987, DuckTalesDuckTales is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Based on Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge comic book series, it premiered on September 18, 1987 and ended on November 28, 1990 with a total of four seasons and 100 episodes...
, Down and Out with Donald Duck)
Arthur BurghardtArthur Burghardt is an American actor known for portraying Dr. Jack Scott on the soap opera One Life to Live.His first movie appearance was as the Great Ahmed Kahn in Network . A prolific voice actor during the 1980s, his most celebrated roles were Destro in the animated series G.I. Joe and...
(1990, Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three MusketeersMickey · Donald · Goofy: The Three Musketeers is a direct-to-video animated film adaptation of the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, père. As the title suggests, it features Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as the three musketeers...
)
Jim CummingsJames Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
(1992-present) |
Cultural references
A thinly disguised version of Pete appears in the novel
Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit by Gary K. Wolf.
"Black Pete's
BlunderbussThe blunderbuss is a muzzle-loading firearm with a short, large caliber barrel, which is flared at the muzzle and frequently throughout the entire bore, and used with shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. The blunderbuss could be considered to be an early form of shotgun,...
" or simply "Blunderbuss" is an alcoholic drink consisting of a
Red BullRed Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
energy drink mixed with
vodkaVodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
and
JägermeisterJägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :...
liquor. The drink has gained popularity in the famed 6th street entertainment district of
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. The name was presumably derived from Black Pete's occasional role as a blunderbuss-wielding pirate in both his comic strip and comic book appearances.
External links