Beloved Mysteries

When we were growing up, we all had that one character that dove right into our hearts and never left. Even the most hardened cynic has one. Lobo had the Space Dolphins, Wolverine had X-23, Stone Cold Steve Austin had… well… he had beer, I guess. Either way, if you look back into your childhood, you can find some smiling face that brings you joy. How much do you actually know about those beloved characters, though? Below, you’ll find facts about five of the most loved characters in children’s TV and film. Did you know them, or are they new to you?

Mr. Conductor (Shining Time Station)

1. Ringo Starr was originally the voice of the narrator on the British version of Thomas the Tank engine and agreed to play the part of Mr. Conductor when Shining Time Station decided to have scenes from Thomas in the show.
2. George Carlin had to have a teddy bear in the sound booth with him when narrating segments of the show. He was more comfortable in front of an audience and not sure how to be convincingly narrating without that. The show’s creator, Britt Allcroft, suggested that he have a childhood teddy bear in the booth with Carlin for him to read to.
3. There were three actors who played different versions of Mr. Conductor; Ringo Starr, George Carlin, and Alec Baldwin. Carlin’s version was a cousin of the original played by Ringo Starr. Alec Baldwin’s version was a previously unmentioned precursor to both of those versions, having been the conductor between Shining Time Station and Sodor.

Cookie Monster (Sesame Street)

1. Cookie Monster’s name is actually a nickname given to him from his love of cookies. His actual name is believed to be Sid. Cookie, on two occasions, made mention that he doesn’t remember his real name but thinks that it is Sidney. Although, early builds of the puppet were named Arnold.
2. Cookie’s first appearance is traced back to unreleased commercials for General Mills. These were black and white commercials, but it is believed that Cookie had green fur as the same puppet used in the later IBM training video had green fur. Cookie was also shorter and had rows of sharp teeth.
3. The original concept for Cookie on Sesame Street had him being a bit of an antagonist; at least as much of an antagonist as could be on the show. The first episode showed him as a monster that had a voracious appetite for anything and everything. His first appearance showed him eating letters as Kermit was trying to do his skit. After the letters were gone, Cookie then tried to eat Kermit. Over time, Cookie turned his appetite on cookies. Soon, he had to learn lessons in self-control which led to him becoming a welcome resident of Sesame Street. Now, he teaches lessons on the importance of eating healthy even though cookies are “om-nom-nom-nom.”

Daniel Striped Tiger (Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood)

1. The Daniel Tiger that is on television now is actually the son of the original Daniel S. Tiger from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The wisdom that Daniel Sr. shows in the new series is not a new concept. In the original show, when a lesson was to be learned, it was usually Daniel that gave the advice or lesson learned.

2. Daniel S. Tiger was the first puppet shown on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, which is why most believe that Daniel is the protagonist in most episodes of the Land of Make-Believe. He was named after the woman that gave Mr. Rogers his first puppet, Dorothy Daniel.

3. Daniel wears a watch because he lived in a grandfather clock and believed that, because of that, he should always know what time it is. A bit ironic as the grandfather clock didn’t have any hands. This was because Mr. Rogers believed that, in Make-Believe, it can be whatever time you want. In the new series, Daniel S. moved out of the clock and into a home when he got married. He now uses the clock as his workshop when he needs to repair clocks.

SpongeBob (SpongeBob SquarePants)

1. The original concept for the SpongeBob show came from an educational comic book called The Intertidal Zone that was never published. Steven Hillenburg began developing it into a show called Spongeboy Ahoy after Rocko’s Modern Life was cancelled. Both the title and SpongeBob’s name had to be changed because the name Spongeboy was already copyrighted to a mop and a character in Flaming Carrot comics.
2. In 2011, a new species of fungi was discovered and named after SpongeBob. Spongiforma Squarepantsii has spongy, orange appendages that will regain its original shape if water is squeezed out. Its smell is said to be reminiscent of fruit with a bit of musk.
3. Steven Hillenburg is a marine biologist as well as an animator. Early in life, Hillenburg had a love of both drawing and the ocean. In college, he majored in Marine Biology and minored in Art. After college, Hillenburg joined the Ocean Institute, an organization that educates the public about the ocean. There, he created an educational comic that was passed out by the organization. This comic became the basis of SpongeBob.

Fievel Mousekewitz (An American Tail)

1. While it’s never said in the movie, Fievel and his family emigrated from the Ukraine. The cats in the area were representative of the oppression of the Ukrainian people during the conflict between the Russian and the Austro-Hungarian Empires. Many believe that the sequel, Fievel Goes West, is based in North Dakota due to Ukrainians being directed there after arriving in America.
2. The original concept was to be an anthropomorphic society. This means that animals take on the roles of humans. Don Bluth suggested that the society that Fievel lived in was one that lived beneath human society. Stephen Spielberg agreed after watching the Rescuers.
3. Phillip Glasser was cast as Fievel after being overheard auditioning for an Oscar Meyer commercial. He’s also done voice acting for Pound Puppies, Tiny Toon Adventures, A Troll in Central Park, and Bebe’s Kids. Today, Glasser works as a producer for films like Kickin’ it Old Skool and Escape from Planet Earth.