The Willie Brothers

The Willie Brothers
Background information
Feature films	Home on the Range Once Upon a Halloween
Video games	Home on the Range
Animators	Russ Edmonds Brian Ferguson James Baker Joe Haidar Joseph Mateo
Voice	Sam J. Levine
Inspiration	Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed
Character information
Other names	Phil, Gil, and Bill
Occupation	Slim's henchmen/nephews
Home	Echo Mine
Likes	Playing cootie catcher and the banjo
Dislikes	Slim's yelling, being hit by Slim
Family information
Other relatives	Alameda Slim (uncle)

The Willie Brothers (a.k.a. The Willies) are the tertiary antagonists of Disney's 2004 animated feature film, Home on the Range. They are Alameda Slim's innocent but bumbling nephew triplets and henchmen. Their names are Phil, Gil, and Bill.

Personality

The Willies are extremely slow and dumb. Phil wears red, Gil wears green and Bill wears blue. They don't seem to be very evil in the slightest; just dim-witted and not very intelligent. They are not malicious like their uncle and don't possess any evil intention to be like him. However, the brothers do have some level of endurance, such as withstanding multiple slaps and hits from Slim and seemingly recovering from being kicked by Slim's boot.

Appearances

Home on the Range

The Willie Brothers are first seen when Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, and Grace arrive at a cattle drive. When their uncle arrives, they greet him by saying, "Howdy, Slim!" Slim, however, silences his nephews and slaps them across the face before explaining that they have work to do. The Willies then manage to steal many herds of cattle during the "Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo" sequence, thanks to Slim's yodeling, as it subdues any bovine that hears it save Grace (due to her being tone-deaf).

The Willies are later seen at Echo Mine, their uncle's hideout. One of them is seen playing with a cootie catcher. When Slim arrives, he shouts at them to get their attention, and reveals his plan to buy Little Patch of Heaven after he auctions off all the other farms in the vicinity. When Slim dons his Yancy O'Del disguise, the Willies all exclaim in fear. One asks, "Who are you?" and another asks, "What did you do with Uncle Slim?" The first Willie tells the disguised Slim to put up his dukes, only for Slim to painfully squeeze his nephew's hand and slap him across the face before telling him it's Uncle Slim, and that he uses this disguise to sneak in the auctions and buy all the land. One of the Willies is later seen trying on Slim's disguise, causing his brothers to react in the same manner as before.

Later, Mr. Wesley arrives to buy the herds of cattle that Slim and the Willies have stolen earlier. At one point, they manage to rope Pearl's farm cows, who had journeyed to Echo Mine to try to capture Slim and use the reward money to save their farm from bankruptcy. However, the Willies are soon thwarted by Buck and Lucky Jack, who also manage to free all the stolen cattle that were harbored by Slim and the Willies. During the ensuing battle, Lucky Jack defeats one of the Willie Brothers by throwing a horseshoe from Buck at him. Another Willie comes after Buck with a shovel, but the latter manages to defeat him by using martial art skills. The three cows also join in the fray and battle the Willies together.

The defeated Willie Brothers are eventually locked in a train cart along with Rico and Mr. Wesley, who were also beaten up by Buck, Lucky Jack, and Pearl's cows. It is unknown what happened to the Willies afterwards, but it is presumed that they, along with Rico and Wesley, end up being arrested following Slim's arrest for their crimes; however, in case they were never found, they possibly starved to death locked in the train cart.

Gallery

The Willies singing

"Which ain't easy when your chaps are labeled XXXXL!"

Slim and the Willies

♪ He's a pioneered Pied Piper...

...in ten-gallon underpants! ♪

"And slap my big ol' rump if that ain't art!"

The Willies' horses

Playing cootie catcher

"Big Mike Donald had a farm?"

♪ E-I-E-I--♪
[Bonk!] "Ohhh..."

Phil: "Ah! Who are you?"
Bill: "What did you do with Uncle Slim?"

"Put up your dukes, Mr. Fancy Britches!"

Slim: "This here is the disguise I use to sneak into all them auctions and buy all the land!"

Wrong words, Phil.

"Whoops!"

"Why, it's one of the funniest, cornball, goofy, silly sounds in the old west."

Gill about to be beaten

Bill: "Where's Uncle Slim?"

Slim: "Can't you stupid sack of hammers get it right?!"

"Hey, who are you?"

"Maybe they just don't like your singing."

Gill with a shovel (and literally one of his eyes revealed)

The Willie Brothers' defeat

v - e - d

Media Home on the Range (video/soundtrack) • A Dairy Tale: The Three Little Pigs • Home on the Range • It's Hero Time • Sweating Bullets Disney Parks Big Thunder Ranch Fireworks: Wonderful World of Animation • Wondrous Journeys Halloween: Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade Characters Maggie • Mrs. Calloway • Grace • Pearl Gesner • Sheriff Sam Brown • Buck • Rusty • Alameda Slim • The Willie Brothers • Rico • Mr. Wesley • Jeb • Audrey • Ollie • Piggies • Chicks • Larry • Lucky Jack • Barry and Bob • Junior the Buffalo Deleted: Mariachi Butterflies • Darlin Songs (You Ain't) Home on the Range • Little Patch of Heaven • She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain • Home on the Range • Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo • Will the Sun Ever Shine Again? • Magic Carpet Ride • Wherever the Trail May Lead • Anytime You Need a Friend • Heroes, Villains and Cows (deleted song) Locations Dixon Ranch • Patch of Heaven • Chugwater • Echo Mine See Also Disney Sing Along Songs: Little Patch of Heaven