- “Calling Pedro! Ready for Flight Two to Mendoza!”
- ―Signal Tower[src]
The Signal Tower[1] is a character featured in the animated short segment Pedro from the Disney film Saludos Amigos.
Background[]
Physical appearance[]
The signal tower typically has a typical appearance of what a real-life cell tower looks like. However, the only exception is that he has a large perspective square-shaped head located on top of the tower wearing a pair of black headphones, a red pilot helmet, and a black megaphone used for a mouth. A pair of windows used for eyes are placed located on the top of the front view, where he has brown eyelids and black pupils.
Appearances[]
Saludos Amigos[]
The signal tower is first seen in Pedro's thoughts, thinking that he would grow up to be a big plane like his father where he watches him return to the airport. He then appears calling Pedro, commanding him to get ready for his flight to Mendoza while parents warn him to be careful about doing the mail route - especially when it comes to Aconcagua. As Pedro prepares for take-off, the tower then tells him to get ready for his flight for Mendoza. However, Pedro uncontrollably attempts to do his takeoff perfectly and accidentally soars past the tower, causing him to duck and avoid getting hit by him. Pedro then starts to do his task in picking up the mail at Mendoza.
That night after a storm, the signal tower uses his spotlight to search for Pedro, but was unable to find a sign of him, thinking he is gone. However, the tower notices Pedro landing back to the airport and is shown to have survived his encounter with Aconcagua, along with his parents who notice that their son is alive all along. The tower eventually became happy that Pedro is alive after all, along with his parents.
Trivia[]
- Despite appearing very briefly in Pedro, the tower becoming a forceful character impacted the story's plot, such as when he called Pedro to prepare himself to obtain the mail from Mendoza and when he saw Pedro landing back at the airport after surviving his encounter with Aconcagua.
- The only scene where the tower appears moving is when Pedro almost accidentally hits him and when he notices Pedro his alive after returning form Mendoza with the mail; the rest of the scenes where he appears show him standing stationary.
- The signal tower sporadically appears in a lot of media inspired by Pedro in addition to the short itself such as some book adaptations of the segment - specifically in scenes set in the airport where Pedro and his family live.
References[]
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters (1998 edition, page 204)
