Wendell and his songs with Henry were taken from a musical comedy duo called "Homer and Jethro", with Wendell being inspired by Jethro. Much of his banter with Henry was taken directly from the songs the Imagineers chose to use, with Henry having gained the name to better preserve those lines. In Marc Davis' original concept art, Wendell played a banjolele instead of the mandolin.
Biography[]
From 1972's Country Bear Jamboree record album:
Wendell is a frustrated basketball player. He quit the game when in the team photograph, he discovered he came up to the other players’ knees. He then turned to baseball, but three people stepped on him (they thought he was second base). He went from baseball to football, until two quarterbacks threw him for touchdowns. It was after his gridiron career that he latched onto Henry. When Wendell and Henry get together—well, nobody dares mistake Wendell for anything but what he is: a small, singing bear.
Wendell, on the other hand, was a frustrated basketball, baseball and football player until Henry invited him to try carrying a tune, and he’s been part of the Country Bears gang ever since. He’s thrilled to finally sing a love song with Teddi, much to the dismay of his old friend Henry.
Splash Mountain:Burrow's Lament • Little Brown Jug • Shortenin' Bread • Polly Wolly Doodle • Froggy Went a Courtin' • Shoo Fly (Don't Bother Me) • Goober Peas • Camptown Races • Dixie • Swing Low Sweet Chariot • When Johnny Comes Marching Home • Comin' Round the Mountain • Ol' MacDonald • Skip to My Lou • Freight Train Blues • Wabash Cannonball • St. James Infirmary • Tennessee Waltz • Show Me the Way to Go Home • Alabamy Bound • Down By the Riverside • My Old Kentucky Home • Blue Moon if Kentucky • Blue Ridge Mountain Blues • Carolina Moon • Deep River Blues • Goodnight Ladies • Honey Comb • Jailhouse Blues • Old Mill Stream • Salty Dog • Up a Lazy River • Tom Dooley • Oh, Susanna • John Henry • Sixteen Tons • I've Been Working on the Railroad • When the Saints Go Marchin' In • You Are My Sunshine
