Huckleberry Hound (character)

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This article is about the character. For other uses, see Huckleberry Hound.
Huckleberry Hound
Huckleberry Hound (character).png
Y'know somethin'? Bow ties are purdy dandy, y'all!
Species Dog (bloodhound)
Gender Male
Member of Yogi's Gang in Yogi's Gang
Yogi Yahooeys in Laff-A-Lympics
Galaxy Guardians in Galaxy Goof-Ups
Yogi's Treasure Hunters in Yogi's Treasure Hunt
L.A.F. Squad in Yo, Yogi!
Affiliation Pixie and Dixie
Mr. Jinks
Hokey Wolf
Ding-a-Ling
Ka-Pow
Iddy Biddy Buddy
Quack-Up
Snagglepuss Lion
Jellystone
Occupation Various
Goals Varies by media
Other relative(s) One nephew, Hector Hound
Unnamed great-great grandson
Marital status Single
Husband to Desert Flower in The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound
Children One son, Huckleberry Hound, Jr.
Three unnamed children in The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound
First appearance HH: "Huckleberry Hound Meets Wee Willie" (1958)
Played by Daws Butler (1958-88)
Greg Burson (1989-1990)
Greg Berg (1991)
Jim Conroy (since 2021)
90s Huck.png
Fender Bender 500
YY Huck.png
Yo, Yogi!
WR 2017 Huck.png
Wacky Races
JS Huck.png
Jellystone!

Huckleberry Hound is an anthropomorphic bloodhound and the main title character of The Huckleberry Hound Show animated television series. His voice was originated by Daws Butler.

In the Jellystone! reboot, Huckleberry is the mayor of the titular town.

Character description

Huckleberry Hound is a bipedal dog with a light blue fur coat. His head has a rectangular structure and part of his muzzle is peach-colored. His eyes are sleepy and have droopy eyelids on them. He also has a black tip on his short tail. Although Huck's clothing varies in each appearance, the one element that stayed mostly consistent is his red bow tie. Various promotional images depicted him with a crooked boater hat, but this is usually not present in most media.

Huck's personality is consistently chill, relaxing and well-intended. He talks in a distinctive Southern drawl, speaking in a calm manner while also spurting out some Southern phrases such as "Wal, I do declare!", and "Say now, that's mighty nice!"[Note 1] Although pretty lethargic at times, Huck is nonetheless a charming person due to his positive attitude, even in the most crazy situations. He also tends to break the fourth wall, speaking in front of the audience to state his current mood, or whenever he wants to point out a thing.

Many of Huck's roles vary depending on his appearances, but his main goal in life is to complete his tasks seamlessly. But because of his often sluggish nature, he exhibits himself as the one who has no clue upon being faced with the obvious. His attempts tend to backfire in dire consequences, yet his calm personality kept him from being bothered, shrugging these fates as nothing more than a little mishap. Sometimes, his dumb luck would lead him to unintended success. He is usally free of malice, resorting to use his charm and wits instead of agression when dealing with his foes or a smaller problem.

Huck's signature tune is the western folk ballad "Oh My Darling, Clementine", which he always sang in a comically tone-deaf and inaccurate rendition.

Appearances

TV series

Movies

Specials

Shorts

Comics

Books

Video games

Biography

♫Oh, mah dar-lin' Clementi-i-i-ne!♫

In The Huckleberry Hound Show, Huck acted as the show's host to present the cartoons in each episode, like a showman doing a circus performance. He appeared in wraparounds and bridging segments, sharing a spotlight with Yogi Bear, Pixie and Dixie, Mr. Jinks; and in seasons 3-4, Hokey Wolf.

In his own cartoon segments, Huck assumes a different role and occupation in every episode. He has a long list of careers, which include—but not limited to—a policeman, a fire fighter, a rocket scientist, a farmer, and a dog catcher (even though Huck himself is a dog, albeit an anthropomorphic one). His roles also extend to more fantastical territory, including parodies of fictional figures such as Tarzan, Robin Hood, and the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Yogi's Birthday Party

Crossover Era

It's Yogi's Gang

Yogi's Ark Lark

Laff-A-Lympics

Yogi's Space Race

In the episode, "Race to the Centre of the Universe", Huck is revealed to be born in Memphis, Tennessee, and his distinctive appearance served as an inspiration for Melvis Presby's great ballad, "You Ain't Nothin' But A Huckleberry".

Galaxy Goof-Ups

Yogi's First Christmas

Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper

Casper's First Christmas

Yogi's Treasure Hunt

The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound

Celebrating another 50 years! 50 years of fun!

Fender Bender 500

Huck was paired up with Snagglepuss, and was the driver of the Half Dog Half Cat Halftrack, which was designed to be a portable stage.

Yo, Yogi!

Johnny Bravo cameo

Harvey Birdman

Everyone's Back in Jellystone!

Huck Sells Out

In the episode "Poppy" from The Brak Show, Huckleberry Hound makes an appearance in which he never utters a word (apart from barking) and unexpectedly chomps down on the nose rubber of Brak's grandfather's. In a conversation between Brak and his father, it was later explained that Huck was formally a dog who held several jobs, but has somehow, "for reasons unknown, reverted to a primal doglike state."

In the Johnny Bravo episode "Back on Shaq", Huckleberry Hound shows up as a lucky charm for Seth Green, and stands by his side during a basketball showdown against Shaquille O’Neal and Johnny Bravo.

In The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy episode "Irwin Gets a Clue," he's one of several Hanna-Barbera characters run over by Hoss Delgado's truck.

Kellogg's Corn Flakes

Huck in the Funny Books

The Not So Funny Books

WARNING: The following section contains content that may be seen as mature or offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

In Exit Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, Huckleberry Hound is a closeted gay novelist who is close friends with Snagglepuss since childhood. His life served as the inspiration for A Dog's Life, a follow-up to Snagglepuss' previous play The Kennel is a Heart of Thieves.

Huckleberry was married to his wife with one child — Huck Jr — but their marrage ended when he was caught having an affair with a man. After he moved to New York City for a fresh start, Snagglepuss introduced him to the Stonewall bar, where he was greeted by police officer and Huck's eventual lover, Quick Draw McGraw.

During the Stonewall raid, Quick Draw confronts Huckleberry and beats him to avoid being outed as a homosexual. Though Snagglepuss was not at Stonewall at that time, Huckleberry was arrested and outed by the press. After he is released from jail, Huck hangs himself, leaving only his divorced wife and child.

Marvels' Laff-A-Lympics

Flintstones visit New York World's Fair

Cartoon Network Presents

Roles and occupations

Note: this section is currently under construction. Feel free to expand it.

Throughout his appearances, Huckleberry Hound is known for having at least more than a single role, and is seen having a different job depending on which media or episode he appears in. In some of his appearances, Huck is also seen doing activities without an established occupation. The following is a list of his roles from over the years:

Huckleberry Hound

Job Appearance Image Description
Police officer "Huckleberry Hound Meets Wee Willie" Willie grabs Huck.png In this episode, Huck worked as a city Police Officer to capture an escaped gorilla named Wee Willie. He catches the gorilla at the end, but he escapes and takes Huck's police car with him.
Hunter "Lion-Hearted Huck" Huck's hunting uniform (HH 102).png Huck worked as a hunter in this episode, where he went to Africa in an attempt to hunt down a clever lion.
Mounted Police officer "Tricky Trapper" Huck's mountie uniform.png He served for the Northwest Mounted Police to track down the fiendish Powerful Pierre.
Knight "Sir Huckleberry Hound" File:.png In the middle ages, Huck was a brave (albeit, slightly dimwitted) knight who tried to rescue a fair maiden from the Black Knight.
Sheriff "Sheriff Huckleberry" File:.png In this episode, Sheriff Huckleberry attempted to went out and take down the ironically named bandit, Dinky Dalton.
Cowboy "Rustler Hustler Huck" File:.png Huck worked as a cowboy herding cattle in the middle of the night, only to guard them from a hustler trying to get rid of him and his cattle.
Police officer "Freeway Patrol" File:.png Huckleberry Hound was again a police officer in this episode, only this time, he worked in the highway to stop a bank robber.
Farmer "Cock-a-Doodle Huck" File:.png Huckleberry Hound, as a chicken farmer, once tried his best getting rid of a fox stealing his chicken coop.
Farmer "Two Corny Crows" File:.png Huck was a corn farmer in this episode, except he keeps losing his crop from a pair of wisecracking crows named Iggy and Ziggy.
Firefighter "Fireman Huck" File:.png He worked as a firefighter who was called to help a small kitten get off a tree.
Knight "Dragon-Slayer Huck" File:.png Huck served as a knight of the royal king, where he was tasked to slay a purple dragon terrorizing his kingdom.
Truant officer "Hookey Daze" File:.png In this episode, Huck was a truancy officer who brings in a pair of trouble-making kids back to school, but was forced to attend school by himself when the teacher found out that he didn't go there.
Sheepherder "Sheep-Shape Sheepherder" File:.png Huckleberry Hound was a sheepherder who outsmarts a pair of wolves from stealing his sheep.
Home cook "Barbecue Hound" File:.png Huck becomes a cook and attempts to make some outdoor barbecue, all while he avoids getting his food be eaten by a small dog.
Army scout "Hokum Smokum" File:.png In the old days of the American Frontier, Huck was an army scout who hunted for a Native American named Crazy Coyote.
Suburban resident "Bird House Blues" File:.png Huck builds a newly constructed birdhouse outside in he backyard, but has it occupied instead by the crows Iggy and Ziggy.
Postal worker "Postman Panic" File:.png Working as a postman, Huck tries to deliver mail but is constantly thwarted by a neighbor's dog.
Ski athlete "Ski Champ Chump" File:.png He, as a ski athlete, competed in a race with the cheating Powerful Pierre.
Lion tamer "Lion Tamer Huck" File:.png With demonstration from the narrator, Huck provides how a lion tamer trains their lion, all the while he attempts to tame one himself.
Little Red Riding Hood "Little Red Riding Huck" File:.png After a small encounter with Little Red Riding Hood, Huck takes on her role to thwart the Big Bad Wolf before she enters her grandmother's house. He was eventually arrested for false impersonation and attempting to spoil the story.
Resident "The Tough Little Termite" File:.png Huck's restful home is interrupted when a termite enters the residence, forcing him to go through several methods of getting rid of it.
Bowler "Ten Pin Alley" File:.png Huckleberry Hound competed in a bowling championship with Powerful Pierre.
Pilgrim "Grim Pilgrim" File:.png During the colonial period of the U.S., Pilgrim Huck hunted on an irritatingly clever turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner.
Royal Navy Admiral "Jolly Roger and Out" File:.png The Parliament assigns Admiral Huckleberry to capture the pirate Jolly Roger for his crimes.
Lion Hunter "Somebody's Lion" File:.png Huck again works as a hunter for a wisecracking lion in this episode.
Messenger "A Bully Dog" File:.png Messenger Boy Huck is constantly bitten by Mr. Muggans' pet dog as he attempts to deliver a telegram to his house.
Outlaw "Nottingham and Yeggs" File:.png Retiring his position as a jester for the Sheriff of Nottingham, Huck becomes an outlaw by the alias of "Robin Huck," and bands together a group of Merry Men to steal from the rich and give to the poor.
Giant killer "Huck, the Giant Killer" File:.png Huck was hired to dispose a giant in this episode.
Police officer "Cop and Saucer" File:.png Officer Huck is notified of an illegally-parked "car" taking place, but is unaware that the "driver" he is attempting to arrest is a robot alien from outer space.
Pony Express rider "Pony Boy Huck" File:.png Huck take the occupation of a Pony Express rider in this episode and attempts to pass the mail through Crazy Coyote's domain.
Veterinarian "Pet Vet" File:.png He is called upon to take care of a lion's sore tooth, except it's much easier said than done.
Police officer "Piccadilly Dilly" File:.png Huckleberry Hound, working as a "bobby" of the London police, is instructed to apprehend a Dr. Jekyll-like citizen named Piccadilly Dilly, whose alter ego was a laughing maniac similar to Mr. Hyde.
Travelogue guide / Luau host "Wiki Waki Huck" File:.png Huck instructs the viewers on several aspects of Native Hawaiian culture, and goes through the trial of catching a pig for a luau.
Taxi driver "Huck's Hack" File:.png Huck unknowingly invites a bank robber to his taxi cab and is suddenly chased by the police, who are after the criminal.
Scientist "Spud Dud" File:.png He, as a scientist, is called upon the nation's leaders to stop a massive Idaho potato that has come to life.
Foreign Legionnaire "Legion Bound Hound" File:.png Huck was part of the French Foreign Legion, during which he sought to capture Powerful Pierre in the desert.
Police inspector "Science Friction" File:.png While being called upon by Chief Plumbottom of Scotland Yard, Inspector Huck visited an abandoned castle at Shropshire, only to mistake a weiner-shaped monster for a mad scientist.
Circus entertainer "Huck Hound's Tale" File:.png Under the stage name of Buffalo Huck, he once fought Crazy Coyote at a moment where his popularity on the circus was dwindiling.
Masked avenger / varlet "The Unmasked Avenger" File:.png Huck goes by the mysterious secret identity of the Purple Pumplenickle, where he attempted to bring a tax-impsosing lord into justice. He also went through the disguise of a foolish varlet for the lord in this episode, to which he refers Huck as a "stupid, churlish dolt of a varlet."

Development

According to Daws Butler, Huckleberry Hound's voice originated from a man named William Harwood, a North Carolina man who was a veterinarian and next-door neighbor of Butler's future wife, Myrtis:[1][2]

“Myrtis was from Albemarle, North Carolina. When I was in the navy, I’d hitchhike home on the weekend and this fella would be sitting on the front porch next door. He'd see me come panting just to see Myrtis, and he'd say (in a drawl), ‘Hi, Daws! Come on up and sit down. We’ll talk a bit.’ I’d say, ‘Well, maybe a half an hour or an hour.’ Anyway, he kind of stuck in my head. I was in the navy then, but I put him in a little separate box. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. Then when Huckleberry Hound came along, there he was!”

- Daws Butler, The Magic Behind the Voices[1]

Huck's voice also bears similarities to that of actor Andy Griffith, who likewise based his character accent on a rural North Carolian town (in Griffith's case, Mount Airy), and Hanna-Barbera was known for parodying known actors with their characters' voices; Butler denied using Griffith as inspiration, stating that he used the accent about a decade before Griffith became famous.[1][3]

Gallery

Main article: Huckleberry Hound (character)/Gallery

Toys and merchandise

Main article: Huckleberry Hound (character)/Toys

Behind the scenes

  • According to a 1982 calendar, he was born on January 17th.
  • Huckleberry's name is derived from the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
    • The name "huckleberry" actually refers to several types of blue to black-colored berries that grow in the northwestern United States and western Canada.
    • Although the word "huckleberry" has also been historically used as an archaic American English slang for a rube or amateur, it is also used in the phrase "a huckleberry over my persimmon," which was used to mean a person that is a little beyond someone's abilities; or in the phrase, "I'm your huckleberry," which was famously used in the film Tombstone and refers to a person who has all the skills for a particular piece of work.
  • While the song "Oh My Darling, Clementine" was written in 1884, Huckleberry Hound's rendition was so iconic that it became synonymous with the character.
  • In the Brazilian Portugese dub of Huckleberry Hound, he is named "Dom Pixote," after the titular character of the novel Don Quixote for his oblivious mannerisms.

In popular culture

  • In the Robot Chicken "Laff-A-Munich" skit of the episode "Ban on the Fun," he is seen among the other Yogi Yahooeys teammates to be killed by the Really Rottens in a Munich-themed style.
  • In the Daria episode "Lane Miserables," Trent mentions watching Huckleberry as a kid, noting that he and Huckleberry Finn don't have a lot in common. Daria then points out that Huckleberry was more of a closer.
  • In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Huckleberry's use of '"Oh My Darling, Clementine" is brought up when Joel introduces himself to Clementine (who herself shares the same name as the song), and the latter sings its chorus to Joel on a train to Montauk.
  • In Batman: Year One, Catwoman steals a toy collection from Commisoner Loeb, assuming that there were jewels inside of them. When Selina finds out that there are no jewels to be found, her friend Holly is seen holding a Huckleberry Hound doll.
  • Huckleberry is Freddy Funko's co-host on The Freddy Funko Show.
  • In the Bargain Hunt episode "Christmas Special - Malvern 27," fiberglass rubbish bin lids shaped like Yogi, Huckleberry, and Boo Boo were found at a car boot sale by the red team who bought the Yogi one for £110, which they sold at auction for £80. The loss of this particular item resulted in them losing to the blue team.
  • Terrorists corner the Yahooeys.png
  • Huckleberry Hound Year One.jpeg
  • Garbage bin lids of HB characters.png

The Simpsons

Main article: The Simpsons
  • "The Day the Violence Died:" When Chester takes Robert Meyers, Jr. to court over plagiarism of his creation of Itchy, Meyers claims that this is part of the business because without Andy Griffith from The Andy Griffith Show, there wouldn't be Huckleberry Hound.
  • "Behind the Laughter:" As the episode draws to a close, Behind the Laughter, a parody of VH1's Behind the Music, previews Huckleberry (voiced by Karl Wiedergott) for their next episode, who confesses that he was so gay, but he couldn't tell anyone.
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXVI:" In a special opening sequence animated by John K., Bart is wearing a Huckleberry mask and t-shirt.
  • Behind the Laughter.png
  • Bart's Huck mask.png

Notes

  1. ^ Huckleberry Hound's Southern accent is not really specified within the original cartoons he stars in, nor in most of his other appearances. It may have likely originated from North Carolina (according to his original voice actor Daws Butler; who likewise based it from a local resident he knew of), or from Memphis, Tennessee (as in his birthplace, according to the Yogi's Space Race episode, "Race to the Center of the Universe"); otherwise, it may have also been a stereotypical, rural Southern US dialect.

References

  1. ^ a b c Lawson, Tim; Persons, Alisa (2004). The Magic Behind the Voices. University Press of Mississippi. p. 77. ISBN 978-1578066964.
  2. ^ How Daws Butler Played Snagglepuss. yowpyowp.blogspot.com (2014).
  3. ^ Was Huckleberry Hound based on Sheriff Andy from The Andy Griffith Show?. MeTV.com (2019).
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