List of famous comedy animals

Cafe Society
1

I thought there would already be a list of animals (real or prosthetic) that have appeared as essential characters in comedy shows, films or sketches, but if such a list exists, I can’t find it.

So let’s see if we can create one…

Mr Ed - Talking horse from sitcom of the same name
The Norwegian Blue - Parrot from the famous Monty Python Parrot Sketch
Clyde - Orangutan from Every Which Way But Loose
What others are there? Lassie, Skippy, Flipper, et al don’t count - because those show were not comedy, at least not intentionally.

2

Would Morris the Finicky Cat count? Sure, he was only in commercials, but his deadpan thought delivery made them funny commercials. Typically, the “dialogue” between Morris and his owner went something like this:

Owner: Morris! It’s din-din time!
Morris (thinking): Call me when you can speak like an adult.
Owner: It’s Nine Lives! [A brand of cat food]
Morris (thinking): Okay, be as childish as you like. (Hurries off to get his dinner.)

I liked all the Morris commercials!
As for comedy shows, the animals that come to mind are the following:

Eddie the Jack Russell terrier, from Frasier.
Fang the mutt (?) from Get Smart.
Tiger the mutt (?) from the Brady Bunch was in early episodes–chasing the girls’ cat and hiding Cindy’s Kitty Karryall doll.
Salem the cat, from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

3

Toonces, the cat who could drive a car

If you’re including cartoons, there are hundreds of cartoon characters who are animals.

4

The Nairobi Trio from the Ernie Kovacs show.
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
All of the animal sidekicks (Anipals?) from TV Funhouse.
Mister Moose and Mister Bunny Rabbit from Captain Kangaroo.

5

Good point - I think we’d better stick to live action - or at least things that include it. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? would be just about admissible to the list.

6

Dare I mention Gleek?

I guess not.

7

Francis the talking mule

8

The gopher from Caddyshack

Harvey the Wonder Hamster, from The Weird Al Show

Though I haven’t seen the movie(s), I’m guessing Beethoven (the dog) would qualify.

9

Does Harvey count?

10

Hooch from Turner and Hooch

11

Arnold the Pig from Green Acres
Kitty from The Addams Family (TV).
The title character in Me and the Chimp
Otto the cat from Bob (usually was part of the pre-credit gag).
Asta (aka Skippy) in The Awful Truth (Asta also did the Thin Man series).
Asta and Baby in Bringing Up Baby

12

Dustin The Turkey (puppet) campaigned as a candidate in the Irish Presidential Election of 1990. He’s a popular TV star and singer too.

13

Sammy Davis, Jr., Jr. from Everything is Illuminated

14

From the prehistoric days of television, Cleo the basset hound fromThe People’s Choice

15

Pete the Pup (the one with the circle over his eye that Targe appropriated) from the Our Gang comedies.
K-9 from Doctor Who
White Fang and Black Tooth from Lunch with Soupy Sales.
Cecil the Seasick Sea Ser-Pent from Time for Beany (he later appeared in cartoons, but started out as a live action puppet).
Similarly, Oliver J. Dragon from Kukla, Fran, and Ollie.

16

In Dharma and Greg, Dharma had a pet dog called Stinky, and Stinky had his own pet dog called Nunzio.

17

Eddie the terrier from Frasier
Ross’s Monkey (forgot name) from Friends
Mr Floppy from Unhappily Ever After

18

Maurice - I think…

Eric the half-a-bee (philosophically)

19

An obscure old TV show: The Hathaways, about a family raising three chimps, Charlie, Enoch, and Candy.

The Beverly Hillbillies often featured Ellie May’s animals, though they varied throughout the show.

There was also Pidge the Pigeon in Bye Bye Birdie. The movie featured a “comical” turtle.

20

Judy the chimp and Clarence the cross-eyed lion provided comic relief on Daktari.