The Walt Disney Corporation has produced sixty-one animated films with the release of Strange World. Many of them have gone on to become beloved classics watched across the generations. This is due in large part to their timeless animation, enjoyable writing, and memorable characters.
The strength of Disney's character crafting is often seen in their side characters more than their leads. While the average lead is meant to be someone relatable to all audiences, the side characters are able to get away with more. They can be silly comic relief, stalwart best friends, or anything in-between.
Grumpy - 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'
When the princess, Snow White, arrives at the cottage of the seven dwarfs, Nearly all of them accept her with open arms. The one exception is Grumpy, who distrusts her because "all females is poison". This belief isn't without merit, as Grumpy is the only dwarf that has any knowledge of the Evil Queen and her black magic.
Yet as Snow White spends more time with the dwarfs, even this old curmudgeon can't help but see the good she brings. It results in one of Disney's most touching character arcs, as once the dwarfs learn that the Evil Queen is afoot, Grumpy leads the charge to stop her. When it seems like they were too late, all Grumpy can do is turn his head and cry, which helps make Snow White's wake one of Disney's biggest emotional gut punches.
Sergeant Tibbs - '101 Dalmations'
When fifteen dalmatian puppies go missing, a call goes out from London among the dogs of Britain. It eventually reaches the farmhouse outside Hell Hall, the residence of Cruella De Vil. A sheepdog named the Colonel sends a cat named Sergeant Tibbs to investigate and see if there's any connection.
Despite being a literal scardy-cat, Sergeant Tibbs steels himself in the line of duty. He is constantly seen putting himself between the villains and their captured puppies, and dutifully follows any order given. David Frankham gives a nice performance that perfectly encapsulates Tibb's polite, hard-working, and slightly flustered attitude.
Merlin - 'The Sword in The Stone'
In Disney's retelling of Arthurian legend, Merlin is a wizard with the ability to see into the future. Inspired by what mankind will accomplish, he makes it his duty to educate a young Arthur so that he will grow into a wise king. He'll have his work cut out for him due to the narrow-minded views of Arthur's foster father, but having magic helps.
Merlin was allegedly base on Walt Disney himself, which allowed the animators and writers to have fun exaggerating their boss for the film. While he can be stubborn, especially when people won't follow his instructions, he truly loves educating and instructing Arthur. His use of magic also allows for some very creative moments, particularly in the climax when has a wizard's duel with Madam Mim.
Baloo - 'The Jungle Book'
Described as a shiftless, stupid jungle bum by Bagheera the panther, Baloo the Sloth Bear lives a carefree life in the jungles of India. When he meets Mowgli, he teaches the man-cub how to defend himself and appreciate the small things in life. This results in a touching father-son dynamic between the two.
While Baloo was a more serious character in the Rudyard Kipling story, Walt encouraged his writers and animators to take inspiration from his voice actor, Phil Harris. This resulted in a more fun-loving character with a love for music and was devoted to helping his friends. Audiences loved Baloo for this, and his banter with the stiff Bagheera, which helped cement his film as the last to possess Disney's personal touch.
Lady Kluck - 'Robin Hood'
As Maid Marien's loyal handmaiden, Lady Kluck is her constant companion and friend, especially with her uncle, King Richard, off fighting in the crusade. She supports Marien's romance with Robin Hood and never doubts that the two will get together. She also has no fear of Prince John and happily takes any chance to denounce him.
Despite only appears in a handful of scenes, Lady Kluck is easily one of Disney's most energetic side characters. She is willing to do anything to support her friends, even charge head-first into a stampede of rhino guards. Carole Shelley's voice work is also superb, able to switch between motherly, playful, and feisty when needed.
Timothy Q. Mouse - 'Dumbo'
After his mother is locked up for defending him from taunting children, the young Dumbo finds himself without a friend. He soon finds one in the form of Timothy Q. Mouse, a little mouse who is a showman at heart. He sees the potential in Dumbo and aims to help his friend become famous in order to get his mother released.
Timothy perfectly represents the movie's theme of outcasts helping fellow outcasts. While he has a love for performance, as a mouse he is feared by the other circus folks. Nevertheless, his goal always remains to help Dumbo before himself and he does everything he can to encourage Dumbo when he's feeling down.
Sebastian - 'The Little Mermaid'
In the underwater city of Atlantica, Sebastian the crab serves as the court-composer to King Triton. When he's not making beautiful music, he also provides the sea king with helpful advice as his advisor. Unfortunately, this also means he is the only person Triton trusts to watch over his rebellious daughter, Ariel.
Sebastian was originally envisioned as an uptight British butler, but lyricist Howard Ashman pushed for several changes to the character. Among these included Sebastian's Jamaican accent, so they could incorporate calypso music and his fatherly relationship with Ariel. Combine this with a heartwarming performance by Samuel E. Right, and you have one of Disney's most unique and supportive characters.
The Genie - 'Aladdin'
Hidden within the Cave of Wonders is a magic lamp that contains an immortal genie. Whoever rubs the lamp becomes the genie's master and is granted three wishes until one of his master's wishes for his freedom. So far, none have done so, but the Genie's newest master, Aladdin, promises to do so when he's made the first two.
Everything about the Genie is perfect, and his popularity would see a shift, for better or worse, to celebrity voice actors in animated films. Supervising animator Eric Goldberg perfectly captured the wacky and fast-paced jokes tossed out by Robin Williams. His relationship with Aladdin is also one of the strongest friendships in Disney and provides the film with a strong emotional core.
Vincenzo Santorini - 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire'
As a child, Vincenzo "Vinny" was working at his parent's flower shop when their neighbor's shop exploded from a gas leak. Taking this as a sign of god, Vinny dedicated himself to learning all he could about explosives and demolition. His skills eventually got him noticed by Mr. Whitmore and brought on an expedition to find Atlantis.
While all the members of Team Atlantis possess memorable qualities, Vinny stands out thanks to his dry wit and unique personality. His love for explosives leaves him very unfazed by what's around him and prone to making light of serious situations. Comedian Don Novello provided his voice, and he was allowed to ad-lib most of his dialogue.
Maximus - 'Tangled'
When the thief Flynn Rider steals the crown of the missing princess of Corona, Maximus rides off with the other horses of the royal guard to capture him. After losing his rider and fellow pursuers, Maximus refuses to give up and comes close to catching the thief. Even after Flynn escapes, Maximus refuses to accept defeat and works tirelessly to pick up the trail.
Maximus is easily the most expressive character in Disney's 3D films. His determination to catch Flynn is infectious, and the extreme lengths he'll go to result in beautiful moments of physical comedy. Yet his determination to the chase isn't absolute, and he's eventually willing to bend it in order to help Rapunzel.