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Draft:Owl (Winnie-the-Pooh)


Owl
Winnie-the-Pooh character
Illustration by E. H. Shepard.
First appearanceWinnie-the-Pooh (1926)
Created byA. A. Milne
In-universe information
SpeciesOwl
GenderMale
NationalityEnglish

Owl is a fictional character in the books Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928) by A. A. Milne. He presents himself as a mentor and teacher to the others.[1][2] He was not based on a stuffed toy, so in the illustrations, he looks more like a live creature.

In the books

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Owl's first appearance was in the fourth chapter of the 1926 book Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne[3]. Pooh was searching Eeyore's missing tail, and visited Owl's place. He had first unwittingly spotted a bell-rope, which looked suspiciously like Eeyore's tail, under which were two notices (which were written by Christopher Robin):"PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD", and "PLEZ CNOKE IF AN RNSR IS NOT REQIRD"[4]. Pooh knocked on the door and pulled the bell-rope, and called out to Owl, "Owl! I require an answer! It's Bear speaking!"[5]. Owl, upon answering the door and hearing of Eeyore's missing tail, suggested putting up posters and offering a reward (though Pooh mistook the word "Issue" for him sneezing), before asking what Pooh thought about his bell-rope.[6] Owl told Pooh that he just came across it in the forest, and thought someone was living in a bush. He rang it a couple of times until it came off in his talons, and, thinking no one wanted it, took it home with him to use it as his bell-rope[7]. Before Owl could continue, Pooh interrupted him, telling him that the bell-rope was indeed Eeyore's tail. They realised that Owl has taken Eeyore's tail by accident, and Owl gave it back to Pooh, who returned it to Eeyore, and Christopher Robin nailed it back on. In the sixth chapter, Pooh turns to Owl for help after accidentally eating all of the honey out of the honey jar he meant to give Eeyore for his Birthday[8]. He showed Owl the empty honey jar, and asked Owl to write "A Happy Birthday" on it, and Owl, like Piglet did earlier in the chapter, asked Pooh if both he and Pooh give it to Eeyore "From both of us?"[9]. Pooh refused, and Owl, after washing the empty honey jar, however, instead wrote, "HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY" on it, apparently showing his own incompetence at spelling[10]. Pooh brought Eeyore the honey jar, and Eeyore ended up being happy with this present.

In the eighth chapter of The House at Pooh Corner, on a very windy day (Thursday)[11], Piglet and Pooh visit Owl, who tells them a story about his Uncle Robert, whose portrait was just happened to be hanging on the wall[12], when all of a sudden, his tree house gets blown over by the wind, trapping the trio inside. Owl asked Pooh, very severely, "Did you do that?", to which Pooh replied, humbly, "I don't think so"[13]. In a moment of bravery, Piglet, with a string tied around him by Pooh, while being hoisted up by Owl[14], finds a way to escape through a tiny crevice, squeezing himself in through the letter box[15]. Piglet goes off to find Christopher Robin, and while Piglet is away, Owl begins telling Pooh the story about his Uncle Robert, during which Pooh dozes off[16]. It is implied that Christopher Robin helps get Pooh and Owl out. In the ninth chapter, due to his house falling over, Owl needs to find a new home and he solicits the help of the other animals in the forest. Rabbit has been leaving messages all over The Hundred Acre Wood, stating,"I AM SCERCHING FOR A NEW HOUSE FOR OWL SO HAD YOU RABBIT"[17]. Eeyore had not been informed about Owl's house falling until Rabbit explained it to him[18][19], but he goes out to search for a new one. Pooh meets with Piglet and reinforces how brave Piglet was with a poem titled "Here Lies a Tree"[20] before they meet with everyone, minus Eeyore, at Owl's house where furniture is being salvaged, and Kanga got crossed with Owl because Roo kept falling in and bringing back more things and Owl's house was a "Disgrace, all damp and dirty, and it was quite time it did tumble down", and that she found that Owl's "sponge" was actually a toadstool[21]. Eeyore then came along and explained that he has found Owl a new house. The house he found is actually Piglet's, but Piglet willingly gives it up[22]. After this, Pooh offers to have Piglet move in with him, which Piglet accepts[23].

In his final appearance in the tenth and final chapter, Owl, upon he and the others hearing that Christopher Robin was going away[24], reads a poem (which was written by Eeyore) called "POEM"[25], and after he and the others had signed their names on it, they all went to give it to Christopher Robin[26], and they all nudged Eeyore to give Christopher Robin the poem, which he read, and as he did, each animal, including Owl, left little by little until just Pooh remained.[27][28].

Personality

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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 uses his talons for hands, as opposed to his wings in the Disney version. He lives in a tree known as The Chestnuts, described as an "old world residence of great charm". Owl likes to present himself as very knowledgeable, and is perceived by the other animals as such, but like most of the other characters, he does not spell very well. He even spells his own name "Wol" (which is the incorrect way to spell "Owl"), apparently reinforcing his own incompetence at spelling. When Rabbit (who is quite literate) comes to Owl to discuss a notice that Christopher Robin has left, Owl is unable to 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 had said.

Disney adaptations

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Owl
(Disney version)
File:Owl-notes.png
First appearanceWinnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966)
Created byA.A. Milne
Voiced byHal Smith (1966-1991)
Junius Matthews (A Happy Birthday Party with Winnie the Pooh)
Andre Stojka (1997-2007)
Sam Edwards (record releases)
Steve Mackall (Disney Sing Along Songs)
Craig Ferguson (Winnie the Pooh)
Toby Jones (Christopher Robin)[29]
In-universe information
SpeciesOwl
GenderMale
OccupationMentor
FamilyOwlroy (brother)
Clyde (uncle)
Torbet (uncle)
Clara (aunt)
Ophelia (aunt)
Clargo (aunt)
Dexter (cousin)
Unnamed Seagull Cousin
Unnamed cousin (once removed)
Countless other relatives

In the Disney adaptations, Owl is much more jovial and friendly. He enjoys telling stories about his relatives whenever something reminds him of one, but many of his stories are pointless or absurd. Owl has light tan plumage on his underside and brown plumage on his head, tail, and back. His three-taloned feet are also brown. He has a short tuft of white feathers just under his beak, somewhat resembling a beard. The area around his eyes is a slightly lighter shade of brown. His eyes are black with pale yellow sclera, and his eyebrows are dark brown. Owl's beak is yellow. In Welcome to Pooh Corner, Owl always wears glasses (and often a cap and goggles when flying) and loves to cook. In The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Owl appears regularly as a secondary character. Owl is shown to live in the same treehouse that was seen in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Despite not appearing as often as others, he does feature prominently in a few episodes. In "My Hero", Tigger becomes Piglet's servant, due to a policy stated by Owl that when one is rescued, the rescuee must serve the rescuer as a form of repayment[30][31]. In the episode "Owl Feathers", the gang believes that Owl is going bald after they find a pile of feathers. It is later revealed that the feathers were not Owl's, but were from Christopher Robin's pillow because Pooh and Christopher Robin had a pillow fight the previous night[32][33]. In the episode "Prize Piglet", Owl reveals that his Uncle Albert once raced from Albania to Zanzibar[34][35]. Like always, Owl often talks about his relatives, and several appear in the show. He has a younger cousin named Dexter, who appears in the episodes, "Owl in the Family", alongside Owl's Great Uncle Torbett and Aunt Ophelia[36][37], and in "The Bug Stops Here", in which he is babysat by Pooh[38][39]. In "Owl's Well That Ends Well", Owl is revealed to be a terrible singer, though he himself doesn't realize it. However, Rabbit comes to appreciate the singing, as it keeps the crows out of his garden[40][41]. He is absent in My Friends Tigger & Pooh completely.

Casting history

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He has been voiced by Hal Smith (1966–1991), Junius Matthews (A Happy Birthday Party with Winnie the Pooh), Sam Edwards (Disneyland Records), Andre Stojka (1997–2007), Craig Ferguson (2011-present), and in the Christopher Robin film, he was voiced by Toby Jones[42][43][44].

Appearances

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Theatrical featurettes

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Feature-length films

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Television series

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Television specials

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Video games

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Other film adaptations

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Soyuzmultfilm

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In the 1972 Soyuzmultfilm animated short film Winnie-the-Pooh and a Busy Day, Owl was voiced by Zinaida Naryshkina. Although Naryshkina was an experienced actress, Khitruk knew nothing about her before the auditions. He immediately liked her acting and started recording her right at the auditions.[48]

The Twisted Childhood Universe

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In the horror film Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023), Owl appears through drawings in the opening scene alongside Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, and Winnie-the-Pooh when a young Christopher Robin met and befriended the group of anthropomorphic creatures (later revealed to be crossbreeds in the Hundred Acre Wood. After Christopher abandoned them for college to become a doctor, added to the arrival of winter and no food to eat, Owl Rabbit, Piglet, and Winnie-the-Pooh cannibalized Eeyore and returned to their feral instincts, whilst also vowing to never speak again. In the sequel Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 (2024), Owl appears, played by Marcus Massey. Unlike his original book and Disney counterparts, this version of Owl is an antagonistic murderous serial killer. He is the mastermind behind the attack on Ashdown.[49]. Owl will appear in Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble (2025)[50] and Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 (2026) alongside Rabbit, Heffalumps, Woozles, Kanga and Roo[51]. Owl has a similar appearance to the Creeper from the Jeepers Creepers film franchise, as well as sharing the ability to fly like that villain[52].

References

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  1. ^ "LitCharts". LitCharts. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  2. ^ "Owl". Winnie the Pooh. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  3. ^ "Winnie-the-Pooh FAQ". LavaSurfer. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  4. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 46. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  5. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 49. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  6. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 49. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  7. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 51. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  8. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 78. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  9. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 79. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  10. ^ Milne, A.A. (1926). Winnie-the-Pooh. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 80. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  11. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 128. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  12. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 134. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  13. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 138. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  14. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 142. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  15. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 143. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  16. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 144. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  17. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 145. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  18. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 148. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  19. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 149. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  20. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 147. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  21. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 155. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  22. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 159. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  23. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 160. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  24. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 161. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  25. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 164. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  26. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 167. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  27. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 168. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  28. ^ Milne, A.A. (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. Boston, Massachusetts: E. P. Dutton. p. 170. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  29. ^ Disney Releases Official Synopsis for 'Christopher Robin' Live Action Movie
  30. ^ "My Hero/Owl Feathers - IMDb". IMDb.
  31. ^ "My Hero". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 1. Episode 18a. Hulu.
  32. ^ "My Hero/Owl Feathers - IMDb". IMDb.
  33. ^ "Owl Feathers". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 1. Episode 18b. Hulu.
  34. ^ "Prize Piglet/Fast Friends - IMDb". IMDb.
  35. ^ "Prize Piglet". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 2. Episode 9a. Hulu.
  36. ^ "Oh, Bottle/Owl in the Family - IMDb". IMDb.
  37. ^ "Owl in the Family". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 3. Episode 1b. Hulu.
  38. ^ "Tigger Is the Mother of Invention/The Bug Stops Here - IMDb". IMDb.
  39. ^ "The Bug Stops Here". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 3. Episode 8b. Hulu.
  40. ^ "Piglet's Poohetry/Owl's Well That Ends Well - IMDb". IMDb.
  41. ^ "Owl's Well That Ends Well". The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Season 4. Episode 8b. Hulu.
  42. ^ Rosseboom, Matt (July 23, 2018). "Journey back into the Hundred Acre Wood with 'Christopher Robin' and voice-acting legend Jim Cummings". Attractions Magazine. Dream Together Media. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  43. ^ "Owl (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  44. ^ "Toby Jones (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  45. ^ "Recess S 4 e 22 Bachelor Gus".
  46. ^ "Recess".
  47. ^ "Bachelor Gus - IMDb". IMDb.
  48. ^ Mikhailin, yurii (2005) О зарождении идеи фильма (Interview with Khitruk in Russian). Kinovedcheskie Zapiski, Vol. 73
  49. ^ Füge, Jonathan (2023-09-12). "Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 New Images Reveal Terrifying Take On Tigger". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  50. ^ Hamman, Cody (2023-02-10). "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey forms a cinematic universe with Peter Pan and Bambi horror movies". JoBlo. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  51. ^ Ritman, Alex (2024-03-28). "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3' Confirmed (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  52. ^ "Twisted Childhood Universe".


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