Skippy (Robin Hood)

Skippy
Background information
Feature films	Robin Hood
Short films	Mickey's Christmas Carol
Shows	House of Mouse Mickey Mouse Works
Animators	Don Bluth
Voice	Billy Whitaker
Character information
Home	Nottingham
Likes	Supporting Robin Hood
Dislikes	Being conned by The Sheriff of Nottingham, the concept of kissing Maid Marian, Marian kissing him, getting laughed at for that, actually hurting Lady Kluck during role play (fortunately, he didn't actually)
Family information
Other relatives	Mother Rabbit (mother) Sis (sister) Tagalong (sister) Lots of other unnamed siblings

Skippy is a character in Robin Hood. He was voiced by Billy Whitaker, one of Johnny Whitaker's siblings.

Background

Skippy is an energetic 7-year-old rabbit. He lives with his mother and his siblings. He is the oldest boy in the family. In the film, he is most often seen with his sisters Sis and Tagalong and their friend, Toby Turtle. Skippy is a typical young boy, excitable and known for idolizing Robin Hood.

Appearances

Robin Hood

Skippy plays a relatively minor role in the film but does have several appearances. He first appears with his family, where his seventh birthday is being celebrated. He opens his present, which turns out to be a single farthing, but the coin is confiscated by The Sheriff of Nottingham, which upsets him.

When an old, blind man, who had heard the party, comes in, Skippy sadly explains what happened. The man tells him to cheer up and reveals himself to be none other than Robin Hood. Robin Hood presents him with a small bow and arrow and Robin Hood's own hat as a present (the latter being because Tagalong, one of Skippy's siblings, said Skippy didn't look much like Robin Hood). Skippy happily thanks, Robin Hood, and goes off with his two sisters and friend, to test out his bow.

However, Skippy accidentally shoots the arrow into Prince John's courtyard. When Skippy sneaks in in an attempt to retrieve the arrow, he runs into Maid Marian and her lady-in-waiting, Lady Kluck. At first, he is terrified of the two of them, and begs Maid Marian not to tell Prince John as he says his mother said the latter would chop off his (Skippy's) head. After being reassured of his safety, Skippy and the other children learn of Maid Marian's and Robin Hood's relationship. Skippy declares his belief that Robin Hood will come to rescue Maid Marian, and role plays the rescue with Maid Marian and Lady Kluck (as the latter acts as Prince John). When he pretends to have got Lady Kluck with a sword, she fakes death, and he is worried about whether he had hurt her (which he actually hadn't). When Maid Marian notes that the hero usually gives his fair lady a kiss, Skippy refuses because (in his opinion) that's "sissy stuff", so Maid Marian kisses him instead, much to Skippy's humiliation and the amusement of Sis, Tagalong, and Toby.

Skippy makes several minor appearances throughout the rest of the film. He is one of the spectators who attends Prince John's archery tournament. It was during the brawl that he shot his arrow at Prince John, striking the latter in the rear, which allows Lady Kluck to smack him in the head with the Golden Arrow. Skippy is later seen in the jail, having been imprisoned alongside his family for non-payment of taxes. During the jailbreak, he is seen getting excited over the opportunity to fight the "bad guys", and is seen using his bow and arrow on a member of the Sheriff's posse in which case he and Robin shot their arrows at the same time. Skippy is then seen with Little John, and with him, discovers that Robin Hood survived the escape from Prince John's castle by swimming underwater through the moat; he embarrasses Robin Hood a bit when Skippy declares that Robin Hood could have swum twice as far.

At the end of the film, Skippy is seen climbing on the carriage alongside Little John. When asked about it, Skippy says that he is going to keep an eye on things when Robin Hood has children.

Mickey's Christmas Carol

Near the end of the short, Skippy is seen on Christmas morning running in the snow with Toby Turtle, as Scrooge runs happily through town.

Trivia

• Former Disney animator Floyd Norman (who worked on this film) personally disliked this character due to how "annoying" and "bratty" he is.
• In addition to Lady Kluck, he is the only character in the movie to not be based on a character in the original story.
• Physically and statistically speaking, Skippy's arrow flying high enough and over the considerable distance allowing it to land within the walls of the castle would be almost impossible in real life.
• He idolizes Robin Hood in much the same way that Simba admires Mufasa in The Lion King and Toulouse idolizes Thomas O'Malley in The Aristocats. At the end of the movie, he apparently accompanies the newlyweds with the aspiration to become Robin Hood's de facto apprentice.
• Scott Kolden, Clay O'Brien & Eric Shea were all considered to voice Skippy.

References

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Media Robin Hood (Video) • CGI remake film • The Legacy Collection Disney Parks Garden of the Twelve Friends Fireworks: Wonderful World of Animation • Wondrous Journeys Restaurants: The Friar's Nook Halloween: Frightfully Fun Parade • Kooky Spooky Halloween Night Characters Robin Hood • Little John • Alan-A-Dale • Prince John • Sir Hiss • Sheriff of Nottingham • Trigger and Nutsy • Rhino Guards • Captain Crocodile • Wolf Arrowmen • Otto • Friar Tuck • Skippy Bunny • Sis Bunny • Tagalong Bunny • Mrs. Bunny • Skippy's Siblings • Toby • Maid Marian • Lady Kluck • Sexton Mouse • Little Sister • King Richard Songs Whistle Stop • Oo-De-Lally • Love • The Phony King of England • Not in Nottingham Locations Sherwood Forest • Nottingham • Castle of Nottingham