Peterkin (Walter Lantz character)

Last updated
Peterkin
First appearance Scrambled Eggs (1939)
Designed by Alex Lovy [1]
Will Pogany
Voiced by Marjorie Tarlton (1939) [2] [1]
In-universe information
Full namePeterkin Pan [3]
Species Satyr-like creature
GenderMale

Peterkin, a.k.a. Peterkin Pan, [3] is a Walter Lantz character who made his first and only appearance in the cartoon Scrambled Eggs in 1939. He was voiced by Marjorie Tarlton, [2] [1] who also voiced Mrs. Canary and some of the baby birds. [2] [1] He was the third character created by Walter Lantz after Lil' Eightball from A Haunting We Will Go [4] [5] and Andy Panda from Life Begins for Andy Panda [6] [7]

Contents

History

Concept and creation

Scrambled Eggs was production #984 for Walter Lantz Productions, the fourth in the Cartune Classics series, and one of the first done in color by Lantz. Walter Lantz said of Willy Pogany's work, "I don't think I've ever had such beautiful backgrounds in my cartoons". [8]

Description

Physical appearance

Peterkin is a young, mischievous satyr-like creature, based on Pan, the god of the wild, shepherds and flocks, rustic music and impromptus, and companion of the nymphs [9] from Greek mythology, with Caucasian skin, light blue eyes, reddish brown hair, rounded buck teeth in his mouth (which curls up exactly in a manner similar to that of Willy Pogany), elf ears, [8] and light brown goat legs, with white furry ankles, and a tail, though he is often described as a "mischievous forest elf", [10] and he lacks the horns. He speaks in a young, childish voice.

Personality

Peterkin is mischievous and cute, described as "Walter's elfin, charming and completely overwhelming Peterkin". [11] He is also shown to be musical when playing his flute, which is a little loud. Other than his mischievous personality, he is also shown to be kind and caring when taking care of the baby birds.

In the cartoon

Peterkin first appears in the animated title card. In the film, Peterkin is annoyed that the birds complain about his flute playing. Peterkin covertly switches all the eggs in all the nests, causing confusion among the birds. Both the father birds and the mother birds leave and Peterkin is left to tend to the young chicks. [10] After getting exhausted and worn out, Peterkin confessed his prank to the father birds, but angered them to the point where they chase him. In the end, the bird families are reunited, and Peterkin is sentenced to laundry duty. Although he won't do such mischief again, he tells the audience he'll do something better next time.

Reception

Peterkin was introduced as "a new character" alongside Andy Panda. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] John Grant, author of Masters of Animation, called him, "Lantz's jolly little satyr". [3]

In Children's Books

Despite the popularity of Peterkin, there were no other Peterkin cartoons produced by Walter Lantz, although the character was featured the following year in a children's book called Peterkin, [17] created together by the Poganys (Willy Pogany and Elaine Pogany), [18] with Elaine doing the story and Willy doing the artwork. [18]

See also

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Webb, Graham (2000). The Animated Film Encyclopedia A Complete Guide to American Shorts, Features and Sequences 1900-1979. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 433. ISBN   9780786407286 . Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Scott, Keith (3 October 2022). Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 2. BearManor Media.
  3. 1 2 3 Grant, John (2001). Masters of Animation. London, England: Batsford. p. 144. ISBN   978-0-7134-8554-7 . Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  4. ↑ The Walter Lantz-o-Pedia
  5. ↑ A Haunting We Will Go". www.bcdb.com, April 13, 2012
  6. ↑ Henry T. Sampson (1998). That's enough, folks: Black images in animated cartoons, 1900–1960 . Scarecrow Press. pp.  120–121. ISBN   978-0-8108-3250-3.
  7. ↑ Glenn Collins (March 23, 1994). "Walter Lantz, 93, the Creator Of Woody Woodpecker, Is Dead". The New York Times . p. 2. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  8. 1 2 Maltin, Leonard (December 1987). A History of American Animated Cartoons; Revised and Updated. London, England: Penguin Publishing Group. p. 167. ISBN   9780452259935 . Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Edwin L. Brown, "The Lycidas of Theocritus Idyll 7", Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, 1981:59–100.
  10. 1 2 Hischak, Thomas S. (June 16, 2017). 1939 Hollywood's Greatest Year. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 299. ISBN   9781442278059 . Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  11. ↑ Adamson, Joe (1985). The Walter Lantz Story With Woody Woodpecker and Friends. New York City, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 106. ISBN   9780399130960 . Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  12. ↑ Webb, Graham (1939). "The Hollywood Reporter Volume 52 1939". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California: Wilkerson Daily Corporation. p. 5. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Lewis, Charles E. (1939). "Showmen's Motion Picture Trade Review Volume 31 1939". Showmen's Motion Picture Trade Review. New York City, New York: Charles E. Lewis. p. 28. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  14. ↑ Brennan, M.C. (1940). "The Film Weekly Volume 39, Issues 696-712 1940". The Film Weekly. London, England: M.C. Brennan. p. xxx. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  15. ↑ Quigley, Martin (1939). "Showmen's Motion Picture Trade Review Volume 31 1939". Showmen's Motion Picture Trade Review. New York City, New York: Exhibitors Trade Review, Incorporated. p. 28. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  16. ↑ "Daily Variety Volume 24, Issue 1 1939". Daily Variety. New York City, New York: Daily Variety Limited. 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  17. ↑ "Biography". JVJ Publishing. Archived from the original on 23 April 1998. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  18. 1 2 Grant, John (2001) "Masters of Animation" Watson-Guptill Publishers, ISBN   0-8230-3041-5, page 144
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