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This is a list of characters appearing in the Winnie-the-Pooh books and the Disney adaptations of the series.

Main characters

Winnie-the-Pooh

Main article: Winnie the Pooh (character)

Winnie-the-Pooh, or Pooh for short, is a anthropomorphic teddy bear. Despite being naïve and slow-witted, he is a friendly, thoughtful, and sometimes insightful character who is always willing to help his friends and try his best. A prime motivation is his love for honey (sometimes sodas and chocolates), which quite often leads to trouble. He is now Kanga's love interest and Piglet's best friend.

In the books, Pooh is a talented poet, and the stories are frequently punctuated by his poems and "hums". He is humble about his slow-wittedness, but comfortable with his creative gifts. Pooh had an heart attack who look close-ups of many insects and marine animals.

In the Disney adaptations, Pooh is just the titular protagonist of the franchise. His catchphrases are "Oh, bother!" and "Think, think, think". He has been voiced by Sterling Holloway since 1966 until 1977, Hal Smith (1981-1983) and currently Jim Cummings.

Christopher Robin

Main article: Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin is the sole human character in the story books, he has a cheerful and compassionate personality and is someone that Pooh and the others look up to. Despite being a child, he is much wiser and more mature than many of the other characters. Pooh considers both Christopher Robin and Piglet to be his best friends. Christopher crush on Anne in Now We Are Six.

Christopher Robin matures considerably over the course of the books. Several chapters in The House at Pooh Corner are concerned with Christopher Robin beginning to go to school and his increasing book-learning. In the final chapter, Christopher Robin leaves his stuffed animals behind and asks Pooh to understand and to always remember him.

In the Disney adaptations, he has been voiced by Bruce Reitherman (1966), Timothy Turner (1974), Jon Walmsley (1968), Kim Christianson (1983), Tim Hoskins (1988-1995), Edan Gross (1991), Brady Bluhm (1997-1999), Tom Attenborough (2000), Tom Wheatly (2003), William Green (2002), Frankie J. Galasso, Paul Tiesler (2001-2003), Struan Erlenborn (2007-2010) and Jack Boulter (2011–present).

Piglet

Main article: Piglet

Piglet is a timid pig and Pooh's best friend besides Christopher Robin. In the books he is a timorous small animal, who often takes his lead from Pooh unless overcome by fear. But increasingly through the stories he shows himself to be very brave when faced with a crisis and given sufficient encouragement (usually by Pooh). His favorite food acorns.

In the Disney series he is kind, gentle and ordinarily quite shy, but with Pooh by his side, he often overcomes his fears. His catchphrase is "Oh, d-d-dear!". Piglet lives in a beech tree that he likes to keep neat and tidy, and can sing very well. He has been voiced by John Fiedler (1966-2005), Phil Baron (1983-1986), Steve Schatzberg (1996-2008) and Travis Oates (2005–current).

Tigger

Main article: Tigger

Tigger is an energetic, springy tiger who introduced in 1928 storybook The House at Pooh Corner. He is Pooh's exuberant, happy, less-than-responsible and sometimes trouble-making friend. He loves to bounce, especially bouncing on others. He is full of energy, outgoing, and likes to have fun and is so overconfident that he thinks that any task is "what Tiggers do best". He becomes Roo's best friend. He already loved malt extract.

In the Disney films, Tigger commonly mispronounces words, like 'ridickerus' (ridiculous) or 'vill-i-an' (villain) and often causes chaos rather than good. However, Tigger is also shown to be tough, fearless, optimistic and resourceful. His main catchphrase is "Hoo hoo hoo hoo!" when he is happy. He starts to annoy Rabbit in his garden. He has been voiced by Paul Winchell since 1968 until 1997, Will Ryan (1983-1986) and currently Jim Cummings.

Eeyore

Main article: Eeyore

Eeyore is a depressed donkey who is Pooh's ever-glum, sarcastic and pessimistic donkey friend who has trouble keeping his tail attached to his rear. Eeyore has a house made of sticks, which falls apart (many times in the Disney films) and has to be rebuilt.

In the Disney cartoons, Eeyore is slow-talking and more cautious than some of the other animals, and is often reluctant to go along with their actions, but usually does not bother trying to oppose anyone because he believes it to be futile to try. His catchphrase is "Thanks for noticing" as indicated to himself. He has been voiced by Ralph Wright (1966-1983), Ron Feinberg (1981), Ron Gans (1983-1986), Peter Cullen (1988-2010), Dylan Watson, Gregg Berger and Bud Luckey (2011–present).

Rabbit

Main article: Rabbit

Rabbit is friendly, but irritable. He fancies himself the smartest bunny animal in the Hundred Acre Wood. He insists on doing things his way and is obsessed with rules, planning and order. He often loses his temper to others and bosses them around, but deep down, he cares a lot about his friends. In the Walt Disney films, he takes pride in his garden and hates when anyone (mainly Tigger, but also Gopher) messes it up. Rabbit is one of the characters not based on a toy once owned by Christopher Robin Milne.

Voiced in the Disney films by Junius Matthews (1966-1977), Ray Erlenborn (1983), Will Ryan (1983-1986), Ken Sansom (1988-2010) Jess Harnell and Tom Kenny (2011-present).

Owl

Main article: Owl

Owl is a owl who presents himself as a mentor and teacher to the others. He was not based on a stuffed toy, so in the illustrations, he looks more like a live animal. Owl and most of his friends believe that he is the most intelligent animal in the wood, but he is really quite scatterbrained. He often rambles on into long-winded speeches and uses words that his friends do not understand. Though Owl likes to present himself as very knowledgeable, like most of the other characters he does not spell very well—he even spells his own name "Wol". When Pooh comes to him for help in writing a birthday greeting for Eeyore, Owl tells Pooh that he is writing, "A very happy birthday with love from Pooh," but in fact writes "HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY." Pooh, who cannot read or write himself, goes on his way happy with Owl's work and grateful for his help. When Rabbit (who is quite literate) comes to Owl to discuss a notice that Christopher Robin has left, Owl cannot read the notice. But rather than admit this, Owl anxiously bluffs his way through the conversation until he finally tricks Rabbit into reading the notice out loud, at which point Owl resumes his wise demeanor as if he had known all along what it said.

In the books, Owl has a superior but kindly manner towards the others. He can be cross and easily annoyed, especially when his friends ignore or interrupt his long-winded speeches. He sometimes wears reading glasses and he uses his talons for hands, not his wings like in the Disney version. He lives in a tree known as The Chestnuts, described as an "old world residence of great charm". That house is blown down by a storm in the eighth chapter of The House at Pooh Corner. Eeyore eventually discovers what he believes is the perfect new house for Owl, apparently without noticing that it is actually Piglet's house. Nonetheless, Piglet offers the house to Owl. Owl calls his new home "The Wolery".

In the Disney adaptations, Owl is much more jovial and friendly. He speaks with a strong Southern English accent. He enjoys telling stories about his relatives, including his cousin, Dexter, whenever something reminds him of one, but many of his stories are pointless or absurd. His house blows down and he moves into Piglet's house in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, but these events are disregarded from Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore onward. In Return to Pooh Corner, Owl always wears glasses and loves to cook. He does not appear in My Friends Tigger and Pooh.

He has been voiced by Hal Smith (1966-1991), Andre Stojka (1997-2003) and Craig Ferguson (2011–present).

Kanga

Main article: Kanga

Kanga is a female kangaroo and the doting mother of Roo. She had crush on Pooh Bear. The two live in a house near the Sandy Pit in the northwestern part of the forest. Kanga is the only female character to appear in the books. She was based on a stuffed toy that belonged to Christopher Robin Milne.

When Kanga and Roo first come to the forest in chapter seven of Winnie-the-Pooh, everyone thinks Kanga is a fierce animal, but discover this to be untrue and become friends with her. In the books, when Tigger comes to the forest, she welcomes him into her home, attempts to find him food he likes and allows him to live with her and Roo. After this, Kanga treats him much the way she does her own son.

Kanga is kind-hearted, calm, patient and docile. She likes to keep things clean and organized, and offers motherly advice and food to anyone who asks her. She is protective over Roo, almost obsessively, and treats him with kind words and gentle discipline. She also has a sense of humor, as revealed in chapter seven of Winnie-the-Pooh when Rabbit connives to kidnap Roo, leaving Piglet in his place; Kanga pretends not to notice that Piglet is not Roo and proceeds to give him Roo's usual bath, much to Piglet's dismay.

In the Disney adaptations, Kanga's personality is unchanged (though she is a little more sensible and does give Roo some level of independence), but she plays a slightly lesser role and does not appear as often as Roo does. Additionally, Tigger lives in his own house instead of with Kanga (Although he is seen frequently visiting her house). Kanga also has a love for carrots. She has been voiced by Barbara Luddy (1966-1977), Julie McWhirter (1983), Patricia Parris (1988-1990), Tress MacNeille (1999), Kath Soucie (2000-2010) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (2011–present).

Roo

Main article: Roo

Roo is Kanga's cheerful, playful, cuddly and energetic joey, who moved to the Hundred Acre Wood with her. His best friend is Tigger, whom he looks up to like an older brother. Roo is the youngest of the main characters.

Voiced in the Disney films by Clint Howard (1966-1977), Dori Whitaker (1974), Dick Billingsley (1983), Kim Christianson (1983-1986), Nicholas Melody (1988-1990), Nikita Hopkins (1999-2005), Jimmy Bennett (2004-2005), Max Burkholder (2007-2010) and Wyatt Hall (2011–present).

Minor characters in the books

Bees

A swarm of honeybees makes their debut in the very first chapter. They live in the hive where Pooh tries to get his honey. They frequently appear in virtually every version of the Disney adaptations. There appear to be several different beehives in the Hundred Acre Wood. Whenever Pooh and his friends encounter the bees, trouble usually occurs with the bees going after them.

Rabbit's Friends and Relations

Many small mammals and insects in the books are collectively known as Rabbit's Friends and Relations. They do not generally do much or have much character development, and only a few of them are named.

  • Alexander Beetle is briefly mentioned on page 119 of Winnie-the-Pooh, and he appears to have become upset and hidden himself in a crack for two days, then went to live with his aunt. He is also the subject of a poem in Now We Are Six.
  • Small (short for Very Small Beetle) is the subject of a search that Rabbit organizes to find him. Making his debut in My Friends Tigger & Pooh, he is the first new Milne character to appear in the Disney adaptations since the debut of Tigger in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.
  • Henry Rush is a beetle. He had a brief mention in The House at Pooh Corner, and has been expanded in Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. He attended the Spelling Bee, kept score at the cricket game, and danced at the Harvest Festival.
  • Late and Early are two friends mentioned briefly at the end of The House at Pooh Corner and expanded in Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. They attended Christopher Robin's coming home party and received sugar mice. They also attended the Spelling Bee. Although it is never mentioned what species they are, illustrations point to them being mice.
  • Smallest-of-All, or S. of A. for short, is mentioned near the end of The House at Pooh Corner and near the beginning of Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. He has a tendency to be unsure of what he sees. His species is never revealed.
  • Rabbit's family appears alongside Rabbit in the books. Many relatives appear in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh episode "Party Poohper" and he occasionally mentions them at other times in the Disney adaptations.

Heffalumps

Main article: Heffalump

Heffalumps are elephant-like creatures first mentioned in the fifth chapter of the first book, and later in the third chapter of the second. In the books, Piglet twice has a run-in with a Heffalump that is only a figment of his imagination. The Disney version establishes them as real creatures. Like Pooh imagined in the books, Heffalumps are fond of honey and like to take it for themselves. There have been several real Heffalump characters in the Disney version. Some Heffalumps are villainous creatures and some are genuinely good. Lumpy the Heffalump is Roo's good friend, appearing in Pooh's Heffalump Movie and also, My Friends Tigger and Pooh.

Woozles

Main article: Woozle

A Woozle is a weasel-like creature imagined by the characters in the third and ninth chapters of Winnie-the-Pooh. No Woozles actually appear in A. A. Milne's original stories, but the book depicts them as living in cold, snowy places. They are first mentioned when Pooh and Piglet attempt to capture one, which they assume made the tracks in the snow going around a larch spinney. The more they follow them, the more sets of tracks they find, but Christopher Robin shows them that the tracks around the spinney are their own.

Woozles appear in the song "Heffalumps and Woozles" in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, which establishes their fondness for stealing honey and their association with Heffalumps. In The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Woozles are real creatures. A Woozle named Stan and his sidekick Heff the Heffalump are recurring villains. They once recruited a giant Woozle named Wooster (also voiced by Peter Cullen) who turned against them when Pooh and his friends taught him the value of friendship. Woozles do not appear in the Disney adaptations nearly as often as Heffalumps do and, unlike Heffalumps, always attempt to act as villains, with Wooster being the only one to change his mind on this.

Jagulars

Main article: Jagular

Jagulars are imagined jaguar-like fierce creatures that are only mentioned in the fourth chapter of The House at Pooh Corner where Pooh and Piglet mistake Tigger for one. According to Pooh, they always yell "Help" (or "Halloo" in Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too), hang in trees and when you look up they drop on you. Jagulars have yet to actually appear in any Disney adaptations, so it is still unknown whether they are real. Their most prominent role to date is in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh where they are mentioned more often and are the main antagonists in a couple of episodes.

The Backson

Main article: The Backson

The Backson is a creature imagined by the characters after misunderstanding Christopher Robin's note, which meant he would be "back soon" from school. He is mentioned but not seen in The House at Pooh Corner as "the Spotted or Herbaceous Backson". He is the main antagonist in Winnie the Pooh where the animals think he has captured Christopher Robin. Owl describes him as a large, ugly, mean and scary purple and blue creature who ruins or destroys many everyday items, such as books, socks and crayons. Pooh and his friends build a trap to try to capture him (a pit with a trail of books, socks, dishes, toys and other items leading to it), but Christopher Robin reveals that he was never captured, just away at school. At the end of the film, the Backson turns out to be real, but he is a kind and helpful creature who wants to return people's things to them. However, the trap does capture him, as he picks up all the items and then falls into the pit. The Backson is voiced by Huell Howser.

Lottie

Main article: Lottie

Lottie is an otter and the only new major character in Return to the Hundred Acre Wood. Lottie is a "feisty" character who is also good at cricket and insists on proper etiquette. She wears a pearl necklace and can play the mouth organ, but is a little snide and snobby in her remarks. She makes her home in a wooden trunk filled with water that she calls Fortitude Hall. According to Benedictus, "Lottie the Otter truly embodies Winnie-the-Pooh's values of friendship and adventure seen throughout Milne's work, thus making the perfect companion for everyone's favorite bear."

Grandad Buck

Main article: Grandad Buck

Grandad Buck is Rabbit's grandfather. He wears glasses and is described as "Very Ancient and the Head of the Rabbit Family". He does not entirely approve of Rabbit, but gives him advice anyway. He knew Owl's late Uncle Robert, who sent him letters.

Penguin

Penguin is a toy penguin seen in a Winnie the Pooh book.

Characters in Disney

Gopher

Main article: Gopher

Gopher is a bucktoothed gopher with a habit of whistling out his sibilant consonants. He is based on the beaver in Lady and the Tramp. He often accidentally falls into one of the many holes he makes in the forest ground by forgetting to watch where he is going. Gopher first appears in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree and regularly breaks the fourth wall by pointing out that he is "not in the book", though this could simply mean that he is 'not in the Phone Book', and the purpose of his statement being to get better business. Originally, he was intended to replace Piglet, but he later became his own character. He also appears in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day with a smaller role, warning Pooh about the "Windsday".

Gopher is a much more prominent character in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The series depicts him as a hard worker who takes pride in building tunnels and doing other work, and enjoys blowing things up with dynamite. Gopher and Rabbit often disagree with and complain at each other. In the episode "Lights Out", he is afraid of the dark (mostly instigated by Tigger's claims of dangerous creatures down there). His grandfather also appears. Gopher's most recent appearances were in A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving, Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You and Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh. The latter was included as part of Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie. Gopher was notably absent from the 2011 film.

Voiced by Howard Morris (1966-1977) and most recently Michael Gough (1988-2002).

Darby

Main article: Darby

Darby is a six-year-old tomboyish red-headed girl who stars in My Friends Tigger & Pooh. She is the leader of the problem-solving Super Sleuths along with Tigger, Pooh and Buster. They are the only four characters to appear in every episode. Darby is brave, inquisitive, clever and imaginative. Her catchphrases are "Time to slap my cap" and "Good sleuthin', everyone!" and "See ya later." For the most part, she replaced Christopher Robin, who rarely appears in the My Friends Tigger and Pooh, but the episode "Christopher Froggin'" reveals that she is best friends with Christopher Robin. After the cancellation of the series, she and other new characters from the series stopped appearing. Darby has been voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz.

Buster

Main article: Buster

Buster is Darby's beloved, happy, dumb, and curious pet puppy in My Friends Tigger & Pooh. He is white and wears a red collar with a gold tag. He does not appear to be any recognizable breed of dog. He appears in every episode and is a member of the Super Sleuths. Though he often seems to be only tagging along with the group, he is often a valuable asset in their work. Buster likes to yap loudly when he is excited or on the scent of something.

Lumpy the Heffalump

Main article: Lumpy

Heffridge Trumpler Brompet "Lumpy" Heffalump, IV is a young lavender Heffalump with a tuft of purple hair on his head, a furry bobble-tail and a British accent. He lives in a part of the forest called Heffalump Hollow with his mother. He has a stuffed alligator named Alvin and enjoys a snack called rumpledoodles. Lumpy debuts in the 2005 feature film Pooh's Heffalump Movie. The characters were initially afraid of Heffalumps and set out to capture one. Likewise, Lumpy's mother told him not to leave Heffalump Hollow because of scary creatures outside of it. After Roo "captured" Lumpy, they became good friends and no one was afraid of each other anymore. Lumpy also features in Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie and also My Friends Tigger & Pooh, making his final appearance in the episode "Darby Gets Lemons, Makes Lemonade".

Kessie

Main article: Kessie

Kessie is a kestrel with a white belly. She debuted as a baby bird and later grew up in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh episode "Find Her, Keep Her". Kessie is cheerful, brave and eager to prove herself. Rabbit saved her from a snowstorm and she came to live with him. As a baby, she nicknamed him "Rabbie". Rabbit was very protective of her and initially didn't want her flying. After she finally learned to fly, she migrated south for the winter, despite a reluctant Rabbit, but returned in "A Bird in the Hand" as an adult. She is Pooh's happy, responsible, ironic bird. In later appearances, she has reverted to being a young bird. After appearing in Seasons of Giving, Kessie was relaunched as a main character in The Book of Pooh, her first regular role, though after the series, Kessie is never seen or mentioned again. The kestrel bird was voiced by Laura Mooney, Tracy Rowe, Stephanie D'Abruzzo and most recently Amanda Maddock and Tara Strong.

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