Creatures Great and Small

Fur, feathers, bugs or beaks: from the start animators have cast the whole natural world in their human comedies and dramas

Would you know Mickey was a mouse if you didn’t know his surname? Many of the most famous animated characters are drawn from the animal kingdom, but they rarely behave quite as nature intended. Anthropomorphism has a long history in storytelling - going back to Aesop and beyond - and animation has imported it into film. But whether it's Bonzo the Dog or Charley the Cat, these characters are really studies in human nature. 

23 items in this collection

Bonzo No. 5

Feline Fun

The Clown and His Donkey

Kids don't always listen to their parents. But in the 70s they certainly listened to a giant ginger tabby cat...

Falling in the Water

An animated xmas with paper dog Snap

Goodwill to All Dogs

Superted

The Fabulumperous Car

The Six-armed Image

The Elstree Erbs

Tale of a Tendril

Bonzo [No. 1]

Bonzolino or - Bonzo Broadcasted

Willie Comes to Life

Running a Cinema

…and that is that. A playful animated meditation on our feline friends with some beautiful artwork.

A Cat Is a Cat

Charley's cat-astrophic teatime hijinks leave him with a burning message to share

Teapot

Topical Bonzette

Steve's Cannon Crackers

Bee Boy

Apodemy

Moxie

The Obvious Child

Booster Bonzo; Or, Bonzo in Gay Paree