Horton the Elephant
Encyclopedia
Horton the Elephant is a fictional character
from the books Horton Hatches the Egg
and Horton Hears a Who!
, both by Dr. Seuss
. Horton is a kind, sweet-natured elephant
who cares about other animals or people. Though he goes through many hardships, whether trying to keep an egg
warm through storms, rough travels, and humiliating shows, or tries to save a small planet
from harm, he always triumphs; the egg hatches into an elephant-bird, while the planet is saved and respected by the others. He is very popular because of his big heart and respectful compassion, which makes him more humorous.
Horton is also a character on the TV series The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
. Kent Rogers
voiced the character in "Horton Hatches the Egg". He is also a principal character in Seussical the Musical, which uses most of the two Horton books as its primary plotline.
Horton is voiced by Jim Carrey
in the computer-animated adaptation of Horton Hears A Who, where he is shown as being eccentric and imaginative, and sort of absent-minded.
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...
from the books Horton Hatches the Egg
Horton Hatches the Egg
Horton Hatches the Egg is a children's book by Dr. Seuss, first published in 1940. The character Horton appeared again in Horton Hears a Who!, published in 1954...
and Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who!
Horton Hears a Who! is a 1954 book by Theodor Seuss Geisel, under the name Dr. Seuss. It is the second Seuss book to feature Horton the Elephant, the first being Horton Hatches the Egg...
, both by Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
. Horton is a kind, sweet-natured elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
who cares about other animals or people. Though he goes through many hardships, whether trying to keep an egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
warm through storms, rough travels, and humiliating shows, or tries to save a small planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
from harm, he always triumphs; the egg hatches into an elephant-bird, while the planet is saved and respected by the others. He is very popular because of his big heart and respectful compassion, which makes him more humorous.
Horton is also a character on the TV series The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss is an American live-action/puppet television series based on characters created by Dr. Seuss, produced by Jim Henson Productions. It aired for two seasons on the Nick Jr. Block on Nickelodeon...
. Kent Rogers
Kent Rogers
Kent Rogers was a Hollywood impressionist who appeared in several live-action shorts and features and a voice actor for Warner Bros..-Career:...
voiced the character in "Horton Hatches the Egg". He is also a principal character in Seussical the Musical, which uses most of the two Horton books as its primary plotline.
Horton is voiced by Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
in the computer-animated adaptation of Horton Hears A Who, where he is shown as being eccentric and imaginative, and sort of absent-minded.
Horton Hatches the Egg
- Mayzie: A lazy bird who convinces Horton to sit on the egg, while she takes a "short break" (which ends up being a permanent relocation to Palm BeachPalm Beach, FloridaThe Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
). When Horton and his egg (now part of a traveling circus) visit near Palm Beach, she demanded it back until it hatched into an elephant bird. In the BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical production SeussicalSeussicalis a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
, her full name is given as Mayzie La-Bird.
- Hunters: 3 game hunters who planned to shoot Horton, but decided to sell him to the circusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
due to his ability to climb trees. In the Seuss book, they are illustrated as gentle folk, but in the cartoon, they look more like Yosemite SamYosemite SamYosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
or Elmer FuddElmer FuddElmer J. Fudd/Egghead is a fictional cartoon character and one of the most famous Looney Tunes characters, and the de facto archenemy of Bugs Bunny. He has one of the more disputed origins in the Warner Bros. cartoon pantheon . His aim is to hunt Bugs, but he usually ends up seriously injuring...
.
- Elephant Bird: This was the result of what happens when Mayzie's egg was hatched by Horton. He had the parts of an elephant and a bird. Afterwards, the Elephant Bird was adopted by Horton. In "The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss," the Elephant Bird was named Morton.
Horton Hears A Who
- Sour Kangaroo or Jane Kangaroo: A cruel and obsessive kangarooKangarooA kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
who does not believe that the Whos and WhovilleWhovilleWhoville is a fictional town created by author Theodor Seuss Geisel, under the name Dr. Seuss. Whoville appeared in the books Horton Hears a Who! and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. There were significant differences between the two renditions.-Location:...
exist. She also believes Horton knows they don't exist. She will do anything to get rid of Whoville, and even follows Horton over the mountains to carry out her nasty mission. Voiced by Carol BurnettCarol BurnettCarol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...
in the film. And also, in the film, she isn't so much cruel as overprotective.
- Junior Kangaroo: Sour Kangaroo's young joey. Junior has the habit of repeating what his mother says, even if it's not a word, such as "HMMPH". In the film, his name is Rudy and actually believes in the Whos. He's voiced by Josh FlitterJosh FlitterJoshua Alexander "Josh" Flitter is an American actor. He is known for playing Corky in Nancy Drew, Eddie in The Greatest Game Ever Played, and voiced Rudy in the 2008 animated film Horton Hears a Who!.-Life and career:...
in the film.
- Mayor of Whoville: The mayor of the microscopic world of Whoville who cares very much for his city and its people. In the animated special of Horton Hears a WhoHorton Hears a Who! (film)Horton Hears a Who!, also known as Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, is a 2008 American CGI-animated comedy feature film based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name. It is the fourth feature film from Blue Sky Studios, and the third feature film based on a Dr. Seuss book, following How the Grinch...
, he is changed quite a bit: his name is Dr. Hoovey and he is a scientist who works on communicating with extraterrestrial life. Nobody in Whoville believes him about Horton until Whoville crashes when Vlad drops the flower and decides to help him save Whoville. Voiced by Steve CarellSteve CarellSteven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
in the film. In the film, the mayor is named "Ned McDodd" and is the latest of a long legacy of mayors. He has a huge family- 96 daughters and JoJo.
- The Wickersham Brothers: A group of vicious monkeyMonkeyA monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s who steal the flower upon which Whoville rests. They have a very large family consisting of their uncles, cousins, and in-laws who help bind Horton. The main Wickersham, Yummo, is voiced by Dan FoglerDan FoglerDaniel Kevin "Dan" Fogler is an American actor, playwright, and filmmaker.-Personal life:Fogler was born in Brooklyn, New York, the second child of Shari, an English teacher, and Richard Fogler, a surgeon. Fogler is Jewish...
in the film. Fogler also voices the "Chairman" in the film.
- Vlad Vladikoff: A black eagleBlack EagleThe Black Eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical Asia and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests...
that takes the flower that Whoville rests upon and drops it in a huge patch of flowers. In the animated special of Horton Hears a Who, his name is changed to Whizzer McWoff and he appears more sinister than his book counterpart, more like a vulture than an eagle. Voice by Will ArnettWill ArnettWilliam Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
in the film adaptation. Also in that adaptation, he is a vulture.
- JoJo: A little boy who is quiet by nature, but turns out to be very loud when he saved Whoville by shouting the made up word "YOPP". In SeussicalSeussicalis a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
, he plays a much larger role. He is portrayed as an over-imaginative boy who is misunderstood by everyone except for The Cat in the HatThe Cat in the HatThe Cat in the Hat is a children's book by Dr. Seuss and perhaps the most famous, featuring a tall, anthropomorphic, mischievous cat, wearing a tall, red and white-striped hat and a red bow tie. He also carries a pale blue umbrella...
and Horton. He ends up being the hero. In the film, he is portryed very differently, as a bit of a rebel, older (14) and silent; he is the son of the mayor and voiced by Jesse McCartneyJesse McCartneyJesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
.
Seussical
- Gertrude McFuzz: While in only one other media (Her original Seuss story, which did not feature Horton at all) Gertrude is a very prominent character throughout SeussicalSeussicalis a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
. In this play, Gertrude, a shy yet incredibly sweet bluebird is Horton's next door neighbor with a not so well hidden secret, she is very much in love with Horton. The only problem, Gertrude is unimpressed with her one feather of a tail and tries to grow it in order to get him to notice her, it fails. He does end up noticing her however when she saves him from the circus and the two end up becoming a couple and decide to team together in order to give horton the elephant bird a proper upbringing.
Other media
- "Horton Hatches the Egg" was made into a 10 minute cartoon for Looney Toons in 1942 created by Bob ClampettBob ClampettRobert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
. - "Horton Hears a Who!" was made into an animated TV special in the 1970s. Directed by Chuck Jones
- Both Horton books are part of the main plot in the musical SeussicalSeussicalis a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play's story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss's most famous books. After a Broadway run, the production spawned two US national tours and a UK tour...
. Horton is one of the main characters. - Hortin (a different spelling of Horton) became popular amongst youth in the naming of stuffed animals. Many children commonly use this name for their elephants which they carry on with them into adulthood. The most famous of which resides in London, Ontario, attracting thousands of tourists a year.
See also
- The GrinchThe GrinchThe Grinch is a fictional character created by Dr. Seuss. He first appeared as the main protagonist in the 1957 children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!...
- Bartholomew CubbinsBartholomew CubbinsBartholomew Cubbins, a page, is the hero of two children's story books by Dr. Seuss:*The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins *Bartholomew and the Oobleck...
- Another Dr. Seuss character who appears in two different books. - The Cat in the HatThe Cat in the HatThe Cat in the Hat is a children's book by Dr. Seuss and perhaps the most famous, featuring a tall, anthropomorphic, mischievous cat, wearing a tall, red and white-striped hat and a red bow tie. He also carries a pale blue umbrella...