Humphrey the Bear

Humphrey the Bear is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney Animation Studios. He first appeared in the Goofy cartoon Hold That Pose, and later appeared as a recurring adversary of Donald Duck.

Personality
Humphrey is a big, foolish, opportunistic brown bear who lives in Brownstone National Park. He is constantly trying different ways to cadge food and/or shelter from unsuspecting visitors. Unlike other Disney characters, Humphrey does not speak, but makes inarticulate noises expressing satisfaction, resignation, and anxiety. Those grunts were supplied by Disney staffer Jimmy MacDonald. When stricken by worry or panic, Humphrey runs desperately in place, with his feet seemingly headed in all directions. Humphrey's foil is usually Donald Duck; otherwise it is the officious park ranger, voiced by Bill Thompson. The ranger was never identified in the theatrical shorts, but when the films were re-edited into an hour-long Disney TV episode, the ranger now had a name: J. Audubon Woodlore.

History
Humphrey began his career in the Goofy cartoon Hold That Pose. In this cartoon, Goofy decides to take the task of a photographer. He goes to a park to photograph a bear that refuses to be in the camera. The rest of the cartoon centers around Goofy and the bear at wits. In the end, Humphrey prevails. Humphrey would return to the screen in Donald Duck's Rugged Bear. This cartoon is the first to feature Humphrey's name and dominate personality. In the short, it's hunting season in Brownstone Park, and Humphrey is the only bear unable to make it to the safety of the bear cave. In fear, Humphrey rushes in the nearest house, which happens to belong to a hunter, Donald Duck. Humphrey attempts to leave but hunters outside are viciously shooting, making it impossible. Desperately, Humphrey poses as Donald's bear rug. Throughout the rest of the short, Humphrey is constantly tortured as Donald believes the bear to be nothing but dead skin, and uses it to aid him in things such as cracking his walnuts and picking the cap of his soda pop. After a long hunting season, Donald departs his season house and heads back to his real home. Humphrey is now free to go, but it turns out, the bear rug he replaced, was actually another bear that was hiding from hunters just like Humphrey, much to the latter's surprise.

After a few more shorts with Donald, Humphrey gained two of his own shorts entitled Hooked Bear and In the Bag, being one of the few Disney characters to star in their own series.

Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
Humphrey along with Louie the Mountain Lion appear in the episode Bearing Up Baby, where he watches over a young boy named Jeremy along with the Rescue Rangers. After the baby boy is safe, Humphrey is attacked by hunters but is soon rescued by the rangers. In this appearance, Frank Welker provides Humphrey's gruff voice.

Goof Troop
Humphrey appears in the episode "You Camp Take It With You" as a father who is searching for his lost cub. The cub is out with Max and P.J. and Humphrey soon reunites with his child.

Mickey Mouse Works
Humphrey returned to the screen in three new shorts: Donald's Grizzly Guest and Donald's Fish Fry reunite Humphrey with Donald Duck, and in Hot Tub Humphrey Humphrey is once again in the title role, alongside Ranger Woodlore.

House of Mouse
Humphrey appears as a cameo guest in several episodes.

Humphrey's largest role is in the episode "Humphrey in the House". In the episode, the Magic Brooms are on vacation and the club is a mess. Minnie hires Humphrey and the other Brownstone Park Bears to tidy things up, but Humphrey uses the time to swipe food from other guests. Because of this, when the Magic Brooms return, Humphrey is denied a picnic lunch unlike the other bears who are going back to the Park and he has to stay behind to clean up his messes. In "Goofy's Menu Magic", he showed to be more than excited to hear that the evening is all about food.

In Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, Humphrey is one of the many Disney character guest to be trapped inside on Christmas Eve. Humphrey also appears celebrating the defeat of the Disney Villains at the end of Mickey's House of Villains.

Other appearances
Humphrey appeared alongside other classic Disney characters in the opening of the original Mickey Mouse Club series, where he marched along with other Brownstone bears. He was later seen holding the trampoline Mickey bounces on in the song's climax.

Humphrey can be seen with a crowd of Disney characters at the finale of the television special This is Your Life, Donald Duck.

Humphrey appeared in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode "Clarabelle's Clubhouse Carnival", where he is apart of Pete's carnival game "Guess Pete's Weight". When Minnie takes a turn. it is revealed that Pete and Humphrey weigh the same.

Humphrey has a recurring role in Minnie's Bow-Toons, but unlike his previous appearances, Humphrey wears clothing and lives in the town where the main location Minnie's Bow-Tique is found.

In the Mickey Mouse episode "The Birthday Song", Humphrey is one of the guests at Mickey's birthday bash.

Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers!
Humphrey appears briefly in this video game, before he is replaced by Bernadette the Chicken in the Duckie Mountain level.

Disneyland Resort
Humphrey and Woodlore appear on a Fire Danger sign in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Disney California Adventure.

Walt Disney World Resort
Humphrey's likeness can be found in Disney's Wilderness Lodge, which holds Humphrey as their mascot. In the hotel, he is featured on a totem pole with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Lodge legend has it that when one rubs the nose of the Humphrey portion of the totem pole, it will ensure a magical vacation. He also appears in some Animal Kingdom and Frontierland merchandise.

In 2012, Humphrey appeared on a poster in the Storybook Circus section of the Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland. His likeness is also featured on the signage above the Big Top Treats candy kitchen inside Big Top Souvenirs.

Classic shorts

 * Hold That Pose - debut, in a Goofy cartoon
 * Grin and Bear It
 * Bearly Asleep
 * Rugged Bear - First pairing with Donald Duck
 * Beezy Bear
 * Hooked Bear - First solo cartoon
 * In the Bag - Last solo cartoon

Mickey Mouse Works shorts

 * Donald's Grizzly Guest
 * Donald's Fish Fry
 * Hot Tub Humphrey - Only solo Humphrey cartoon in Mickey Mouse Works, although released as a "House of Mouse" cartoon
 * Survival of the Woodchucks

Television

 * Donald Duck Presents (anthology series)
 * Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
 * Goof Troop
 * Mickey Mouse Works
 * House of Mouse
 * Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
 * Mickey Mouse

Trivia

 * In Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Minnie's Bow-Toons, Humphrey's nose is in the shape of a heart.
 * Jack Hannah, who directed the 1950's Humphrey shorts, revived the "dumb bear" idea for Walter Lantz's "Fatso Bear" cartoons in 1960 and 1961.
 * Humphrey's freeloading characteristics would be roughly copied with Yogi Bear and possibly Top Cat for Hanna-Barbera Productions.
 * In Epic Mickey, a bear statue in armor located in Dark Beauty Castle "bears" a striking resemblance to Humphrey.