# The Most Iconic Domestically-Created Character for Each Country **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263 "2020-08-16T15:14:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/41 "2020-08-16T16:36:20Z")
> [@](#): > > King of the Royal Mounted was written by a Yank. Renfrew of the Royal Mounted was written by a Scot-turned-Yank. Have any famous mounties been created by actual Canadian writers? Benton Fraser? 🤨 Both Dudley Do-Right and Sgt Preston were created by Americans. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/42 "2020-08-16T16:38:29Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Russia: Raskolnikov Not Oblomov? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/43 "2020-08-16T17:04:28Z")
Sweden: [Pippi Longstocking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippi_Longstocking) (aka _Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter LĂĽngstrump_) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/44 "2020-08-16T17:23:41Z")
You can’t ascribe it to a modern state, so for Arabia as a region, I propose Sinbad. (according to the story, he was from Basra, so maybe modern Irak fits best.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/45 "2020-08-16T17:32:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I thought about Israel, but didn’t want to tackle it because there are so much figures to choose from, and you have the problem that we’ll probably never know if all these figures really existed. But if I had to pick, I’d choose Moses. No, it’s definitely King David. He’s the warrior-poet, the fighter and the lover, the prankster and giant-slayer and BFF. Moses may be the greater religious figure, but David is the cultural icon. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/46 "2020-08-16T17:35:24Z")
I concur. He’s really the more interesting and juicier character in a folk sense. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/47 "2020-08-16T18:07:38Z")
Russia: Baba Yaga ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/48 "2020-08-16T18:07:45Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > King of the Royal Mounted was written by a Yank. Renfrew of the Royal Mounted was written by a Scot-turned-Yank. Have any famous mounties been created by actual Canadian writers? > > Benton Fraser? 🤨 > > Both Dudley Do-Right and Sgt Preston were created by Americans. ☹ George MacDonald Fraser once wrote that “Hollywood did more to promote the British Empire than the British Army.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/49 "2020-08-16T18:27:33Z")
Oooookay… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/50 "2020-08-16T18:45:20Z")
OK, I’ve learned two things in this thread. First, I’d always assumed that the boy who put his thumb in the dike was of Dutch origin, but it turns out he was the product of an American. And second, I’d assumed that William Tell was a well-established historical figure (whose deeds might have been exaggerated, but then, so were George Washington’s), but it turns out that he’s a legend whose historicity is disputed. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/51 "2020-08-16T19:06:01Z")
USA - Norman Bates Germany - Baron Munchausen Sweden - Death (from _The Seventh Seal_) Denmark - _Reptilicus_ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/52 "2020-08-16T19:39:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I’ve learned two things in this thread. First, I’d always assumed that the boy who put his thumb in the dike was of Dutch origin, but it turns out he was the product of an American. And second, I’d assumed that William Tell was a well-established historical figure (whose deeds might have been exaggerated, but then, so were George Washington’s), but it turns out that he’s a legend whose historicity is disputed. Then let’s just go with Arnold Winkleried for Switzerland. Good strong Doper name, too. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/53 "2020-08-16T19:43:51Z")
Or maybe Chichikov? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/54 "2020-08-16T19:50:56Z")
Czech Republic: The Good Soldier Ĺ vejk Sorry, terentii: Chichikov was unknown to me until now. ETA: Then why not Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, the Idiot? (at least I knew him). ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/55 "2020-08-16T20:14:57Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Finland: [Moomins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moomins?wprov=sfti1) VäinämÜinen ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/56 "2020-08-16T20:26:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > > England: Sherlock Holmes. > > > > ETA: alternatively, James Bond. > > For Britain, I’d go further back and call their iconic character either Robin Hood or King Arthur. How about Merlin? And for the US: The Little Tramp (OK, so Chaplin was British, but the Tramp character was created in the US.) j ETA: and for Scotland, Nessie! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/57 "2020-08-16T20:33:14Z")
Wouldn’t some Brothers Grimm characters like Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, etc… be appropriately homegrown for Germany? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/58 "2020-08-16T20:38:04Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > > > Australia: [Skippy the Bush Kangaroo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skippy_the_Bush_Kangaroo) > > Is Mad Max too recent? Crocodile Dundee? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/59 "2020-08-16T20:41:38Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Wouldn’t some Brothers Grimm characters like Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, etc… be appropriately homegrown for Germany? For some of those, at least, it’s hard to track down the origin. About Sleeping Beauty, Wikipedia says “The version that was later collected and printed by the [Brothers Grimm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_Grimm) was an orally transmitted version of the literary tale published by Perrault” (who was French). I don’t know that there are any fairy tale characters that I associate specifically with Germany, as opposed to just “Medieval European Fairty-Tale Land.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263/60 "2020-08-16T20:48:38Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know that there are any fairy tale characters that I associate specifically with Germany, as opposed to just “Medieval European Fairty-Tale Land.” Hänsel und Gretel? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-iconic-domestically-created-character-for-each-country/918263.md?page=4)