Sheriff Woody
Encyclopedia
Sheriff Woody Pride, or simply Woody, is a fictional character
and the main protagonist of the Toy Story franchise
(alongside Buzz Lightyear
). He is voiced by Tom Hanks
in the films, and by Jim Hanks
in most other media.
as a crew member in one of the outtakes. He appeared in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins
, where he only appeared at the beginning and was voiced by Jim Hanks
. He appeared in the intro show of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
as a cameo. He also appeared in the ending of Cars
as a little toy station wagon
. He appears in the theatrical short, Hawaiian Vacation
, used for the release of Cars 2
.
. When Al is bargaining with Andy's mom in an attempt to take Woody, Andy's mom declines Al's bargain, stating that Woody is "an old family toy." Stinky Pete also directly refers to him as a hand-me-down toy later in the movie, and when Woody finds a record player in Al's apartment room, he states "I haven't seen one of these in ages!", again supporting that he has been around longer than Andy. (In fact, when introducing the 2009 set of Toy Story collectibles, John Lasseter said "We always imagined he was a hand-me-down to Andy from his father.") He is voiced by Tom Hanks
in the films and by his brother Jim Hanks
on other occasions.
In the three films, Woody makes two strong friendships with Buzz and Jessie. At first, however, when Buzz temporarily became Andy's favorite toy, he tried to push him off the dresser but accidentally knocked him out the window. When Sid had them, however, he and Buzz worked together to escape. Since then, he and Buzz are very close and care deeply about each other and will do anything for each other. Even though he and Jessie argue with each other sometimes, they are still very close friends.
Although he has been deemed the boss in Andy's room, Woody is somewhat of a flawed character as seen in all three movies, as he has random bouts of jealousy, anger, frustration, and feelings of inadequacy regarding his role many times. These emotions often arise out of his frustration of being an immortal toy adjusting to his human owner aging.
It was revealed in August 2009 by Lee Unkrich
that Woody's official last name is "Pride". Unkrich stated in his Twitter blog that “Woody’s actual full name is ‘Woody Pride’ and has been since the earliest days of developing the original Toy Story.”
s Woody, Bullseye, Jessie
and Stinky Pete, and buildings Sheriff, Jail and a gold mine. The set has a trap in between Jail and Sheriff that flings the minifigures, a safe, Lego money, a wall that falls off the Jail and Lego pieces that fall through the top of the gold mine, specifically to land on Stinky Pete's head.
In early 2010, Lego released Woody and Buzz to the Rescue, a playset including a pull-back RC the car, Woody minifigure, and Buzz minifigure with a removable rocket attached to his back.
In late April 2010, Lego released a line based on Toy Story 3. This included Trash Compactor Escape, Western Train Chase, Trash Truck Escape and Lotso's Dump Truck.
approved of the selection of Hanks for the lead role of Woody. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times
stated that Tom Hanks "brings an invaluable heft and believability to Woody."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and the main protagonist of the Toy Story franchise
Toy Story (franchise)
Toy Story is a CGI animated media franchise created by Pixar and distributed by Disney, beginning with the original 1995 film, Toy Story. The franchise focuses on a group of toys that secretly come to life and end up unexpectedly embarking on life-changing adventures...
(alongside Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear is a character and the main deuteragonist of the Toy Story franchise. Buzz is a space ranger action figure and the co-leader of Andy's Room. He has also appeared in the movie Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins and the television series spin-off Buzz Lightyear of...
). He is voiced by Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
in the films, and by Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks is an American film and television actor, and voice-over artist.-Background:Jim Hanks is the youngest brother of Tom Hanks, but they were not raised together...
in most other media.
Toy Story
In Toy Story, Woody assumes the leader of Andy's toys, and takes his position seriously. He states many times that it's not about who gets played with most, it's always being there for Andy. However, later in the film, Andy gets a new toy for his birthday; which is a Buzz Lightyear, the most popular toy around at the time. Therefore, Andy's toys are amazed by the features Buzz has. Except for Woody, who is very jealous of Buzz's attention, and is worried that Buzz will take his place of being Andy's favourite toy. This is all resolved after the two work together to save themselves from a "toy murderer" named Sid.Toy Story 2
In Toy Story 2, Woody, (with Buzz at his side) is still the leader of the toys, and prepares for an upcoming yard sale; which is an apperant dreadful situation for toys. A toy named Wheezie gets chosen to be sold, and Woody risks his safety to save him while riding on Andy's new puppy, Buster. His plan is successful until he falls off of Buster and gets stolen by a greedy toy collector named Al. At his apartment, Woody discovers his forgotten past and legacy as the star of a 1950s Western children's show "Woody's Roundup" but learns that he will be shipped to Japan to be displayed in a toy museum. However, he is rescued by the toys just in time.Toy Story 3
In Toy Story 3, Andy is now 17 years old, and preparing to leave for college. Woody and the gang are heartbroken, and wonder what will become of them. Andy chooses Woody to take with him to college, thus putting him in a packing box. He puts the rest of the toys in a garbage bag to store in the attic. Andy's mother mistakes them for garbage, and the toys just manage to escape a garbage truck. Woody tries to convince everyone that Andy was going to put them in the attic, but is not believed. After a mix-up lands everyone at Sunnyside daycare, (an apperant nightmare for toys) they manage to escape all a chaos they face along the way, and are all given by Andy to a little girl named Bonnie. As seen in the credits, Woody and his toy companions then embrace their new life with Bonnie.Other appearances
Woody also made a cameo in the movie A Bug's LifeA Bug's Life
A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
as a crew member in one of the outtakes. He appeared in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins aka Buzz Lightyear of Star Command the Beginning is a 2000 Disney animated direct-to-video film that acts as a pilot to the television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command...
, where he only appeared at the beginning and was voiced by Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks is an American film and television actor, and voice-over artist.-Background:Jim Hanks is the youngest brother of Tom Hanks, but they were not raised together...
. He appeared in the intro show of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an American animated science fiction/adventure/comedy series produced by Walt Disney Television. The character is from the planet Zurtron. The series originally aired on UPN and ABC from October 2000 to January 2001 as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning...
as a cameo. He also appeared in the ending of Cars
CARS
Cars, or automobiles, motor cars, are wheeled motor vehicles used for transporting passengers.Cars or CARS may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Cars , a Disney/Pixar film series...
as a little toy station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
. He appears in the theatrical short, Hawaiian Vacation
Hawaiian Vacation
Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation is a 2011 Pixar animated short directed by Gary Rydstrom. The short features characters from the Toy Story films and takes place after the events of Toy Story 3...
, used for the release of Cars 2
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
.
Characteristics
Woody is an old-fashioned pull-string cowboy doll. The voice-box that is activated by the pull-string says many simple phrases such as "Reach for the sky!", "You're my favorite deputy!" and "There's a snake in my boot!". As mentioned in Toy Story 2, his construction includes an "original hand-painted face, natural dyed-blanket stitched vest, and hand-stitched poly-vinyl hat." Woody wears an empty gun holster at his belt. He is Andy's favorite toy since kindergarten, with a special spot on the bed, and is the leader of the toys in Andy's room. In Toy Story 2 it is revealed that he is based on the main character from a popular 1950s TV show, Woody's RoundupWoody's Roundup
Woody's Roundup is a fictional show within the Toy Story universe. It ran from 1950-1959 that aired on the Watch with Woody series on Tuesdays. The show was a western adventure series that utilized puppetry in a way not unlike the real-world shows The Howdy Doody Show and similar in vein to Gerry...
. When Al is bargaining with Andy's mom in an attempt to take Woody, Andy's mom declines Al's bargain, stating that Woody is "an old family toy." Stinky Pete also directly refers to him as a hand-me-down toy later in the movie, and when Woody finds a record player in Al's apartment room, he states "I haven't seen one of these in ages!", again supporting that he has been around longer than Andy. (In fact, when introducing the 2009 set of Toy Story collectibles, John Lasseter said "We always imagined he was a hand-me-down to Andy from his father.") He is voiced by Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
in the films and by his brother Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks
Jim Hanks is an American film and television actor, and voice-over artist.-Background:Jim Hanks is the youngest brother of Tom Hanks, but they were not raised together...
on other occasions.
In the three films, Woody makes two strong friendships with Buzz and Jessie. At first, however, when Buzz temporarily became Andy's favorite toy, he tried to push him off the dresser but accidentally knocked him out the window. When Sid had them, however, he and Buzz worked together to escape. Since then, he and Buzz are very close and care deeply about each other and will do anything for each other. Even though he and Jessie argue with each other sometimes, they are still very close friends.
Although he has been deemed the boss in Andy's room, Woody is somewhat of a flawed character as seen in all three movies, as he has random bouts of jealousy, anger, frustration, and feelings of inadequacy regarding his role many times. These emotions often arise out of his frustration of being an immortal toy adjusting to his human owner aging.
It was revealed in August 2009 by Lee Unkrich
Lee Unkrich
Lee Unkrich is an American director and film editor. He is a longtime member of the creative team at Pixar, where he started in 1994 as a film editor. He later began directing, first as co-director of Toy Story 2...
that Woody's official last name is "Pride". Unkrich stated in his Twitter blog that “Woody’s actual full name is ‘Woody Pride’ and has been since the earliest days of developing the original Toy Story.”
Lego sets
In late 2009, Lego released a Woody's Roundup! playset as one of the first released playsets, consisting of minifigureMinifigure
A Lego minifigure is a small plastic articulated figurine available as part of the construction toy Lego, produced by Danish toy manufacturer the Lego Group. They were first produced in 1978, and have become hugely successful, with over 3.7 billion produced, and the figure appearing in a variety...
s Woody, Bullseye, Jessie
Jessie (Toy Story)
Jessie, the Yodeling Cowgirl is a fictional character who is the main tritagonist of the films Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3. At Christmas in 1999, the Wall Street Journal called Jessie toys among the hottest of the season...
and Stinky Pete, and buildings Sheriff, Jail and a gold mine. The set has a trap in between Jail and Sheriff that flings the minifigures, a safe, Lego money, a wall that falls off the Jail and Lego pieces that fall through the top of the gold mine, specifically to land on Stinky Pete's head.
In early 2010, Lego released Woody and Buzz to the Rescue, a playset including a pull-back RC the car, Woody minifigure, and Buzz minifigure with a removable rocket attached to his back.
In late April 2010, Lego released a line based on Toy Story 3. This included Trash Compactor Escape, Western Train Chase, Trash Truck Escape and Lotso's Dump Truck.
Reception
Tom Hanks's vocal performance as Sheriff Woody was received positively by film critics. Susan Wloszczyna of USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
approved of the selection of Hanks for the lead role of Woody. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
stated that Tom Hanks "brings an invaluable heft and believability to Woody."