Roly Poly Clown is a character in the Toy Story franchise, first introduced in the 1995 Disney/Pixar animated feature film Toy Story.
Background[]
Personality[]
Although he does not speak, Roly Poly Clown is capable of communicating through non-verbal facial expressions. Due to his lack of feet, he often rolls around as a way of moving by himself.
Physical appearance[]
As his name suggests, Roly Poly Clown is a roly poly toy designed after a clown with a white oval-shaped head consisting of two black beady eyes, a red nose, a red smile, and a small party hat in a light blue and yellow pattern located on top of his head. He also wears a hand-painted jacket consisting of yellow and white stripes located at the bottom.
Appearances[]
Toy Story[]
Roly Poly Clown is first seen attending a staff meeting organized by Woody before Andy's birthday party (although it was not until the following week). The latter explained to the toys that Andy's mother wanted to have one last party before moving to a new home. Later, Hamm alerts the other toys that a group of birthday guests arrived at Andy's house, causing Roly Poly Clown and the rest of the other toys (except for Woody) to rush towards the window to see what kinds of sized presents Andy's friends brought for his party, thinking that he might receive bigger toys for his birthday and that they would be given away. He and the other toys later scramble to their original places after Sarge gave out the alert that Andy and his friends are coming but not before his mother tells him and his friends to come down. Later when Buzz Lightyear arrived as a new toy that Andy received for his birthday, Roly Poly Clown and other other toys reacted to Buzz's talent in amazement when he "flew" around the bedroom while using Andy's model plane. After the toys properly meet Buzz, Roly Poly Clown showed a like towards him and often appeared alongside him on certain occasions.
However, by the time Andy and his mother were moving to a new house, it is possible Roly Poly Clown and many of Andy's other toys were packed in moving boxes. He then appears again during the climax of the film where Woody attempts to save Buzz with RC so he could reunite with Andy although they thought Woody was trying to destroy RC, so Roly Poly Clown repelled Woody out of the moving van. However, when Woody and Buzz successfully returned to Andy, Roly Poly Clown and many of other's toys later appear at the end of the film during Christmas time, appearing alongside Robot and RC while Sarge announces that Andy received a new Christmas present. He then smiles that Andy received another Mr. Potato Head (only that it was a puppy) when it was discovered that Molly received a Mrs. Potato Head for Christmas.
Toy Story 2[]
Roly Poly Clown also appeared in Toy Story 2, albeit having a smaller role in the film. He first appears helping Shark, Sarge, and the rest of the Green Army Men find Woody's missing hat. Later when the Davis family is having a yard sale, Roly Poly Clown and the other toys fear that they would be sold. He also attends the detective session trying to find the person who captured Woody and later became shocked upon seeing that it was Al McWhiggin from Al's Toy Barn who captured Woody. He then appeared at the end of the film when Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye return to Andy's house where they listen to Wheezy singing "You've Got a Friend in Me" while using Mr. Mike as a karaoke machine.
Other appearances[]
In Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins, Roly Poly Clown briefly appears in the crowd of Andy's toys ready to watch the Buzz Lightyear movie on VHS.
Roly Poly Clown also makes a cameo at the end Monsters, Inc. during the part where Mike and Sulley are walking around the Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor after Waternoose was arrested with the conversion of scream energy to laughter.
Video game appearances[]
Toy Story[]
Roly Poly Clown also appears in the SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and PC versions of Toy Story featured in the level "Ego Check". He appears as an obstacle bouncing in the bottomless areas of the game functioning the same movements as Mr. Shark, which the player as Woody must avoid touching while trying to keep up with Buzz.
Disney Parks[]
Toy Story Parade[]
Roly Poly Clown was one of the toys featured during the discontinued Toy Story Parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios, which was used to promote the original film when it was in theaters. He was seen in the parade's last float where Woody was interacting with Mr. Mike's microphone, along with Rex, Lenny, and some Troikas.
Trivia[]
- Because he did not appear during the events of Toy Story 3, it is likely that Roly Poly Clown was either donated, sold, thrown away, or handed down to Molly over the years, due to Andy outgrowing him.
- One possible joke is that Roly Poly Clown was pushed twice by Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story.
