Thumper

Thumper is a rabbit who serves as one of the deuteragonists of Disney's 1942 film Bambi and its midquel. He is known and named for his habit of thumping his left hind foot.

The character was an important influence upon the development of the movie Bambi which started production with an adult tone which seemed too serious and noncommercial. As voiced by the young actor, 4-year-old Peter Behn, the vivacious character of Thumper was expanded from its original minor role and led to a focus upon the young animals in the story. He is also voiced by both Tim Davis as an adolescent child and Brendon Baerg as a child in the midquel and Sam Edwards as an adult in the first film.

Personality
Unlike Bambi, Thumper can be rather mischievous but ultimately means well. He often gives his close friends advice on a handful of topics but they usual get them into trouble. As an adult he hasn't changed much and continues to speak rather loud and thumps his left or right foot.

Bambi
The character Thumper first appears in the film Bambi, watching as Bambi is first presented as the young prince to the creatures of the forest. He remarks that Bambi is "kinda wobbly" but is reproved by his mother who makes him repeat what his father had impressed upon him that morning, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all". This moral is now known by such names as the "Thumperian principle", "Thumper's rule" or "Thumper's law".

Thumper appears as an adult, and is with Bambi and Flower when Friend Owl warns them of the dangers of being "twitter-patted". The three walk off with the intention to not let it happen to them, but Thumper soon falls for a female rabbit named Bixbi. The end of the film shows that he and Bixbi have a litter of baby rabbits.

Bambi II
The events in Bambi II take place after the death of Bambi's mother, but before Bambi's adulthood. With his mother gone, Bambi is to live with his father, The Great Prince of the Forest, until a suitable replacement mother is found. During this time, Bambi finds it to be very difficult to connect with his father, and Thumper offers to help. Throughout the film, Thumper gives Bambi lessons on how to impress the Great Prince, and prove that he can be mighty as well.

As a side plot in the film, Thumper is constantly being followed by his sisters, though he finds them to be rather annoying. At the climax of the film, Man's dogs hunt down Bambi, and Thumper pitches in to help by telling Flower to make his "brave face" which causes him to let out his stink.

In the end, Thumper tells the story of the climatic dog chase to Faline, and other members of the forest, though he exaggerates it to make him seem like more of the hero.

House of Mouse
Thumper makes numerous cameo appearances in the animated series House of Mouse. In the episode "Timon and Pumbaa", Thumper was going to be used by Timon for his "pull a rabbit out of a hot" trick, though Thumper thumped Timon's face and retreated.

Disney Parks
Thumper appears at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts as a meetable character. He is usually found at Disney's Animal Kingdom meeting guest alongside or without his wife. Thumper also appears in the bubble montage in Fantasmic!

Thumper has his own spell card in the attraction Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom known as "Thumper's Mighty Thump".

Thumper and Bambi can be found in the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It's a Small World. During the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival, Thumper has his own topiary located in Future World.

Gallery
For more pictures and screenshots, click here

Trivia

 * Thumper is similar to Timon in The Lion King in the sense that both are smarter than their two pals, and get lots of ideas. Also in Bambi II and The Lion King 1½, both promised themselves never going to cry, but both cried at final scene.
 * According to a line spoken by Roger Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Thumper is Roger's uncle.
 * Thumper is one of John Lasseter's favorite Disney characters, to the point that Lasseter named one of the grasshoppers in A Bug's Life after him.
 * Thumper was listed #44 in Empire Magazine's The 50 Best Animated Movie Characters.