Carl Fredricksen

Carl Fredricksen (born 1931) is the main protagonist of Disney/Pixar's 2009 film Up. He is a cranky, widowed 78-year-old former balloon salesman. He is voiced by Edward "Ed" Asner.

Role in the film
Carl is the widower of his late wife, Ellie. In 1939, when Carl was 8 years old,[1] he was very shy and quiet.

In the movie, Carl fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of colorful helium balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. He met Ellie (who was a young tomboy), and he discovered that they share the same interest in adventures as their hero, the famed explorer, Charles F. Muntz.

Ellie expresses her desire to move her clubhouse to Paradise Falls in South America, a promise that she makes Carl swear to keep.

Years passed, and Carl and Ellie got married and grew into adults together in the old house, where they first met as children, while making a living as a balloon vendor and a zookeeper in their self-owned zoo. Unable to have children, however, Carl and Ellie also tried to save up for the trip to Paradise Falls, but other financial obligations arised.

Just as Carl and Ellie (who are both now old people) finally seem to be able to take their trip, Ellie got sick and died of old age, leaving Carl living by himself, becoming bitter and cranky and missing his wife terribly. As the years passed, the city grew around Carl's old house with construction, as he refused to move.

After a fight with a construction worker over his broken mailbox, the court ordered Carl to move into Shady Oaks Retirement Home. Carl came up with a scheme to keep his promise to Ellie, and he used his old professional supplies to create a makeshift airship, using 10,000 helium balloons, which lifted Carl's house off its foundations

Trivia

 * Carl was listed #29 in Empire Magazine's The 50 Best Animated Movie Characters. Stating asa his stroke of genius the Married Life montage, the most moving, boldly brilliant four-and-a-half minutes of moviemaking we've seen in a long time, it retains the power to provoke tears even now.

Gallery
See Also:Carl Fredricksen/Gallery