Mickey and Friends Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Ellsworth(Disney)
Ellsworth
Background Info
movies none
tv shows none
Video games none
Animators none
Voice actor/actress none
Personal info
Full name
Personality mischievous
physical Appearance black crow in a red shirt
Species crow
family
Pets
friends Goofy Goof, Ellroy
Enemies
Quote

Ellsworth is Goofy's talking and mischievous pet. The character has been described by some as a mynah bird or a raven, but his character suggest that he is rather an anthropomorphic crow.

Background[]

Ellsworth first appeared in the "Mickey and Pluto" Sunday page from Oct. 30, 1949, written by Bill Walsh and drawn by Manuel Gonzales where he is introduced as a mischievous little hustler. He was acquired by from a pet store when Goofy decided he wanted a pet. According to the book "The Mickey Mouse Club Scrapbook" (1977) he is a mynah bird, and was originally scheduled to have been a costumed character on that TV series. He appeared quite extensively in the Sunday, but never in the daily, newspaper comics, and for the most part, the Dell comics avoided reprinting the Sundays that featured Ellsworth, Gold Key reprinted at least two later in comic books, one gag from 1950 is reprinted in "Walt Disney Comics and Stories #154 (July 1953), and another from 1955 in "Mickey Mouse" #105 (Feb. 1966). Ellsworth's presence in Disney comics is fairly unique since, by normal reckoning, he does not act like a typical "pet" character, like Pluto or Figaro, but he isn't quite a human character either. In his introductory tale he may have begun as Goofy's talking pet, but seems to have evolved into a more independent character, more anthropomorphized, yet retaining many animal characteristics (such as his ability to fly), he also carries on regular conversations (unlike a mynah who just repeats words and phrases). He is definitely a "bird (animal)" and not a "birdbeak" (anthropomorphized bird), but he has the ability to interact and converse naturally with both animals and humans with equal ability. However, when he "speaks" to animals, obviously they do not "speak" back. He also fights with animals the way a real bird would, like when a cat might find him a tasty treat (being able to fly comes in handy). He claims to have graduated from Yale University (hence the sweater with the embroidered "Y"). He typically accompanies Goofy on adventures and even does normally *human* things like taking on paying jobs (i.e., teaching at a University), or getting himself arrested. In Italian comics (especially those by Romano Scarpa) he appears in many Mickey Mouse (Topolino) tales as Mickey's companion as well as Goofy's. He tends to fly off for extended periods of time, and returns at his own leisure, thus acting less like a *pet* and more like a friend or companion to Mickey and Goofy. He has virtually disappeared from USA comics, but he sure enlivened a lot of stories in the period when Mickey was quite boring.

More recently, Italian writer and artist, Romano Scarpa, took on the character of Ellsworth (called Gancio in Italy), and, like he did for many Gottfredson creations (Eega Beeva, Doctor Einmug, etc.) gave him new life in Mouseton. His Italian introduction begins in "Pippo e il ritorno di Gancio" ("Goofy and the Return of Ellsworth") from "Topolino" #367 (Sep. 12, 1962), where his character is revived by writer Abramo Barosso and artist Giulio Chierchini. In this tale Ellsworth vaguely explains where he has been for such a long time, which turns out to be involved with various swindles like the selling of bottled "Balsamic Mountain Air" until the Hygiene Bureau learned of it, etc. In this story Goofy must bail Ellsworth out of jail for the crime of vagrancy, having been caught sleeping on a park bench. Soon after that tale Ellsworth appears in a fair number of stories written by Scarpa and a few others until 1966. Ellsworth then reappears once in October 1969, again in May 1971, and finally in January 1972. No explanations were given concerning his absence in those stories.

Finally, 13 years after his Italian introduction, Ellsworth's absence from comics was explained (especially the '72 - '75 lapse). Apparently he had joined the Foreign Legion in the Sahara desert. In the tale, "Topolino e il rampollo di Gancio" ("MM and the Son of Ellsworth"), Topolino #1048 (Dec. 28, 1975) Ellsworth is battling with one regiment of birds against another. A bird from the enemy camp is captured and pleads for help from Ellsworth claiming his "son" is hiddened nearby and that if he is unable to return, his son will be left an orphan. Ellsworth checks out the prisoner's claim and indeed finds a fledgling among the rocks. Now believing the prisoner he takes pity and secretly releases the prisoner. However, he soon discovers that the prisoner lied, and the young bird he found was in fact, already an orphan, and was simply used as a matter of deceit. Feeling sorry for the young bird, Ellsworth adopts him, naming him Bruto ("Gancetto" in Italian, meaning "little Gancio"). Under Ellsworth's guidance Bruto grows up in Goofy's house and learns to be very much like his adopive father, though not nearly as mischievous. Bruto soon befriends Mickey, and becomes an adventuring sidekick for him (much as Horace Horsecollar, Goofy, Butch and Eega Beeva have done before). In many stories Bruto lives in Mickey's home, because his father seems to be involved in some adventures in exotic locales. There are very few tales where Bruto and Ellsworth appear together, and as a result, one not familiar with his origin might not know they are two separate entities. It is very likely that Scarpa may have created Bruto as sort of a "downgraded" version of Ellsworth, to avoid the risk of competition with Mickey that had affected the stories involving both Eega Beeva and the original Ellsworth as his sidekicks back in the fifties. As Scarpa himself said, "Gancio (Ellsworth) *is* too strong a character to play as a sidekick. He's got to be the star. Bruto is duller, and highlights Mickey's role. The main differences between Ellsworth and Bruto, physically, are that Bruto is slightly smaller and wears a baseball cap (instead of a barret like Ellsworth does), and that Bruto usually wears pants, while Ellsworth does not. Also Bruto's beak tends to be more pointed and shorter than Ellsworth's. It is not clear, however, if they are both suppose to represent the same species of bird.

There are no other bird characters comparable to Ellsworth and Bruto except, perhaps, the two parrots Yellowbeak and Joe ("Joe from Singapore" WDC&S #65, 1946), whom Donald Duck has met.

Appareances[]

Comics[]

  • Introducing Ellsworth (New Papers - 1949-1959)
  • Papagaios De Opinião (1961)
  • O Sindicato Das Bruxas (1962)
  • Pippo e il ritorno del Gancio (1962)
  • Quel drittone di Gancio (1964)
  • Gancio il dritto alla riscossa (1964)
  • Gancio il dritto dà lezioni! (1964)
  • Gancio il dritto e la psicologia (1964)
  • Gancio, sei grande! (1965)
  • Gancio vince sempre! (1965)
  • Gancio e la sonata soporifera (1965)
  • Gancio cormorano di fiducia (1965)
  • Gancio e i particolari importanti (1965)
  • Gancio e la piñata azteca (1965)
  • Gancio e l'oro del West (1966)
  • Pippo e i fantasmi ereditati (1966)
  • Topolino e l'enigma degli ortaggi (1966)
  • Pippo e la fortuna a pezzi (1966)
  • Pippo e l'ospitalità maiuscola (1967)
  • Pippo e l'apatia volontaria (1969)
  • Pippo & Gancio e l'eredità dei nonni (1971)
  • Pippo e la caccia all'indiano (1972)
  • "Os Urubusservadores" (1973)
  • Que Bolada! (1974)
  • Zé Mandraque (1974)
  • Topolino e il rampollo di Gancio (1975)
  • Gancio e il ponte di Losaulito (1976)
  • Topolino e le "pedine" dell'emiro (1977)
  • Zé Milionário (1977)
  • Pippo & Gancio e le vacanze in economia (1978)
  • Topolino e la finale di baseball (1979)
  • Le "radici" di Gancio (1979)
  • Topolino e il mito di Gancio (1979)
  • Topolino e lo straordinario "Stravigarius" (1980)
  • Topolino e il ladro... invisibile (1980)
  • Leo de Beo (1984-88)
  • Kerstzangers (1985)
  • La formule Genius (1986)
  • Le Journal de Mickey - Conditionnement (1987)
  • Topolino nell'iperspazio (1988)
  • Souffler n'est pas jouer (1988)
  • Pippo & Gancio fast food (1989)
  • D'une télé à l'autre (1989)
  • Troc pas toc (1989)
  • Bricole, bricoles (1989)
  • "Ni fleurs, ni couronnes" (1990)
  • "Drôle de poisson d'Avril" (1990)
  • "Zéro de conduite" (1990)
  • "Fais-moi peur !" (1990)
  • Bon anniversaire Daisy (1990)
  • La 2000e aventure du Journal de Mickey (1990)
  • "Le mur de la honte" (1990)
  • "Le prisonnier de Brenda" (1990)
  • "Vous repasserez !" (1991)
  • "Le restaurant du haut-le-cœur" (1991)
  • "L'ironie du sort" (1991)
  • "À table" (1991)
  • "Chuuut !" (1991)
  • "Bonbonnite aiguë" (1991)
  • "Docteur Genius et Mister Dingo" (1991)
  • "Comme sur des roulettes" (1991)
  • "T'as vu l'avion ?" (1991)
  • "L'heure du choix" (1991)
  • "Chaussure à son pied" (1991)
  • "La panne" (1991)
  • Paperino in: "La storia (in)finita" (1991)
  • "Dingo Sans frontières !" (1993)
  • "L'ai-je bien dessiné ?" (1993)
  • Pippo in: Come si diventa detective (1993)
  • "J'ai agrandi le Dingo" (1993)
  • "Ça n'a pas de prix" (1993)
  • "Vacances blanches" (1993)
  • "Opération sent bon" (1993)
  • "1er avril" (1993)
  • "Mick la jungle" (1993)
  • "Ça casse des briques" (1993)
  • "Sus au bruit !" (1993)
  • "Ma môman à moi" (1993)
  • "En route pour les vacances" (1993)
  • "Cosmique de répétition" (1993)
  • "Les horaires de naguère" (1993)
  • "Marathon à Manhattan" (1993)
  • "Géniurassik Park" (1993)
  • 60 anni insieme con Topolino (1993)
  • Topolino e la leggenda del Topo Nero (2010)
  • Pippo & Gancio e l'eventissimo storico (2012)
  • A Fuga Muito Doida do Zé Carioca (2013)
  • Topolino & C. - Lo strano caso del tacchino mannaro (2013)
  • Pippo & Gancio: i fantasmi a tempo di rap (2014)
  • O Treinador de Mascotes (2014)
  • Star Top - Terza Generazione (2014)
  • Topolino e i due sceriffi di Toprock Town (2015)
  • La regina gelida (2016)
  • Zona neutrale (2016)
  • Verso casa (2016)

Trivia[]

  • Ellsworth seems to be used as some sort of symbol and mascot in Egmont Comic CreatioN (ECN)'s house newsletter whom they call "Little Egmont" (the official presenter bird) in Copenhagen, Denmark
Characters 
Main: Chicken Little, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Genie, Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Olaf, Pluto
FJ01449

Secondary: April, May and June, Chip 'n' Dale, Clarabelle Cow, Grandma Duck, Horace Horsecollar, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Ludwig Von Drake, Max Goof, Millie and Melody, Morty and Ferdie, Scrooge McDuck

Villains: Bowler Hat Guy, Captain Hook, Chernabog, Cruella De Vil, Dawn Bellwether, The Evil Queen, Gaston LeGume, Hades, Jafar, Judge Claude Frollo, Maleficent, Oogie Boogie, Pete, Prince Hans, Queen of Hearts, Scar, Turbo, Ursula

Other: Abby Mallard, Aladar, Aladdin, Anna, Antonio Madrigal, Aracuan Bird, Ariel, Arizona Goof, Aurora, Baby Shelby, Baymax, Mrs. Beakley, Beret Girl, Big Bad Wolf, Blackjack, Bobby Zimuruski, Bolt, Bubba the Cave Duck, Cheshire Cat, Chi-Chi, Cinderella, Clara Cluck, Clarice, Cogsworth, Cri-Kee, Cuckoo-Loca, Dinah the Dachshund, Darkwing Duck, Della Duck, Dickie Duck, Dim-Witty Duck, Donna Duck, Doofus Drake, Duckworth, Dumbo, Eega Beeva, Elliott, Ellsworth, Eeyore, Elsa, Fa Mulan, Felicity Fieldmouse, Fenton Crackshell, Fethry Duck, Figaro, Fish Out of Water, Flash Slothmore, Flynn Rider, Gadget Hackwrench, Gilbert Goof, Gladstone Gander, Glittering Goldie, Gloria, Mrs. Goof, Grandma Goofy, Gosalyn Mallard, Gram-Gram Peg-Leg, Gubbles, Gus Goose, Gyro Gearloose, Hercules, Humphrey the Bear, J. Audubon Woodlore, Jiminy Cricket, Mr. Jollyland, José Carioca, Judge Claude Frollo, Judy Hopps, Kristoff, Lady, Launchpad McQuack, Little Helper, Lena, Lewis Robinson, Mad Hatter, Maui, Megara, Mirabel Madrigal, Mittens, Moana, Mona, Monterey Jack, Mushu, Nala, Prince Naveen, Newton Gearloose, Nick Wilde, Chief O'Hara, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Panchito Pistoles, Baby Panda, Pascal, Peg Pete, Penguin Waiters, Peter Pan, Peter Pig, Mr. Pettibone, Pinocchio, Pistol Pete, P.J., Pluto's Angel, Pluto's Kid Brother, Pocahontas, Powerline, Prince Hans, Prince Naveen, Pumbaa, Quasimodo, The Quin-Puplets, Rapunzel, Raya, Rhino, Roger Rabbit, Roxanne, Roxanne's Father, Runt of the Litter, Salty the Seal, Simba, Sisu, Snow White, Spike the Bee, Stacey, Stitch, Storkules, Susie Beagleman, Sylvia Marpole, Tarzan, Three Little Pigs, Three Little Wolves, Tiana, Tigger, Tiki, Timon, Tinker Bell, Toodles, Tootsie the Triceratops, Tramp, Mrs. Turtle, Webby Vanderquack, Wilbur, Wilbur Robinson, Winnie the Pooh, Witch Hazel, Wreck-It Ralph, Zeus, Zipper

Advertisement