Animal is a wild and primitive humanoid Muppet who loves to play the drums. He serves as the drummer for the Muppets' resident rock and roll band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
A crazed percussionist, Animal has three styles of music ― loud, louder and deafening. He speaks in a guttural shout, often repeating a few simple phrases, such as "BEAT DRUMS! BEAT DRUMS!" or "WO-MAN!" or "DRUM DRUM!" In relatively calmer moods, he is capable of more coherent conversation, but these instances are infrequent.
Animal first appeared in the 1975 pilot, The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence, chained up in a basement, when he wasn't onstage performing with the Electric Mayhem. He later became a main character on The Muppet Show and his unrestrained style has made him popular with young people for decades.
Animal's wild attitude can be compared to Cookie Monster. In A Muppet Family Christmas, after observing Cookie Monster eating all of Janice's cookies in his signature manner, Animal comments, "That my kind of fella!"
Animal's family life is generally non-existent, and outside of the band, the Muppet Show troupe and women in general, he has no other relationships. A significant exception is depicted in the book The Case of the Missing Mother, which reveals the existence of Animal's mother, LaVerne. LaVerne is also a drummer and it's implied that percussion skills are a family trait.
Three of the other members of the Electric Mayhem were created by Muppet designer Michael K. Frith and the sketches reproduced in the 1981 book Of Muppets and Men show that they were based on famous musicians. Dr. Teeth is a cross between Dr. John and Elton John; Sgt. Floyd Pepper is based on the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album and the original concept for Janice was a skinny, long-haired male character based on Mick Jagger. Animal, on the other hand, was designed by Jim Henson and the rough sketch (also seen in Of Muppets and Men) doesn't appear to be related to any real musician.
However, it's not surprising that Animal is often compared with famous drummers ― as Buddy Rich said in his Muppet Show episode, "All drummers are animals." Animal himself considers Rich one of his musical influences, along with Gene Krupa, Keith Moon of The Who and Ginger Baker of Cream and Blind Faith.
Animal makes a cameo in Disney Infinity as a townsperson. In the 3DS version, he will change all the adventure spaces into Power Adventure.
Trivia[]
Guest stars on The Muppet Show could request to appear in a scene with their favorite Muppet. Miss Piggy was the most requested, with Animal as a close second.
His film appearances in The Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets from Space are both owned by Sony Pictures, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is owned by NBCUniversal, the other Muppet movies are owned by Disney (along with the rest of the Muppet franchise).
Gallery[]
Disney Fanon Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Animal.
Entertainment:Here Come the Muppets • Hollywood's Pretty Woman • Muppet Mobile Lab • Muppets on Location: Days of Swine and Roses • The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History Restaurants: PizzeRizzo • The Great Gonzo's Pandemonium Pizza Parlor • Regal Eagle Smokehouse Shops:Stage 1 Company Store Parade:Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade
The Great Muppet Caper:Hey a Movie! • Happiness Hotel • Steppin' Out With a Star • Night Life • The First Time It Happens • Couldn't We Ride The Muppet Christmas Carol:Scrooge • Room in Your Heart • Good King Wenceslas • One More Sleep 'til Christmas • Marley and Marley • Chairman of the Board • Fozziwig's Party • When Love is Gone • It Feels Like Christmas • Christmas Scat • Bless Us All • Thankful Heart • When Love Is Found Muppet Treasure Island:Treasure Island • Shiver My Timbers • Something Better • Sailing for Adventure • Cabin Fever • Boom Shakalaka • Love Led Us Here • Love Power • Love Led Us Here Muppet Treasure Island (Sing-Alongs):I'm a Little Pirate • There Was an Old Pirate • Old Bad Polly • I'm a Rock • Truffle Shuffle • Real Pirate • Let the Good Shine Out The Muppets' Wizard of Oz:Kansas • When I'm With You • Nap Time • The Witch Is in the House • Calling All Munchkins • Good Life A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa:Delivering Christmas • It's All About Heart • I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus • My Best Christmas Yet The Muppets:The Muppet Show Theme • Life's a Happy Song • Pictures in My Head • Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard • We Built This City • Me Party • Let's Talk About Me • Man or Muppet • Smells Like Teen Spirit • Forget You • The Whistling Caruso Muppets Most Wanted:The Muppet Show Theme • We're Doing a Sequel • I'm Number One • The Big House • I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu) • Interrogation Song • My Heart Will Go On • Something So Right • Working in the Coal Mine • Together Again • Moves Like Jagger • Macarena Muppet Babies:Muppet Babies Theme
Cruella's car • Ratcatcher • Pumpkin Coach • Lightsaber • Darkwing Duck's gas gun • Black Pearl • Identity Disc • Plasma Blaster Mark I • Candy Kart • King Candy's Royal Racer • Pizza Planet truck • Recognizer • Light Runner • Pixar Ball • The Jolly Roger (Disney Parks version) • The Electric Mayhem Bus • Baseball Launcher
Season One: "Sir Kermit the Brave / Animal Fly Airplane" • "Hatastrophe / Fly South" • "The Great Muppet Sport-A-Thon / You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend" • "Super Fabulous vs. Captain Icecube / Piggy's Time Machine" • "How Kermit Got His Groove / One Small Problem" • "Playground Pirates / The Blanket Fort" • "Summer Penguin, P.I. / You Ought to Be in Pictures" • "Kermit Levels Up / Frogs of a Feather" • "Animal Cleans Up / Best Pals Pizza Parlor Palace" • "The Good, the Bad, and the Froggy / Muppet Rock" • "Upside-Down Day / Tooth and Consequences" • "The Great Gonzo's Desert Grand Prix / Animal Kong" • "Bunsen Knows All / Doctor Fozzie" • "Grandpa Camp / A Backyard Divided" • "Happy Hallowocka! / The Teeth-Chattering Tale of the Haunted Pancakes" • "Kermit's Big Show / The Card Shark" • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas / Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "Summer the Great / Planet Gonzo" • "The Best, Best Friend / Counting Kermits" • "Puppy for a Day / No Laughing Matter" Season Two: "The Froginizer / My Fair Animal" • "Starship Piggy / My Buddy" • "Finders Keepers / Monster Next Door" • "The Great Muppet Cook-Off / Animal and the Egg" • "Tagalong Polliwog / Sparkly Star Switcheroo" • "Mystery on the Muppet Express / Mister Manny" • "The Karate Cub / Don't Over Duet" • "Run Fozzie Run / My Brother Vinny" • "Beaker 2.0 / When You Wish Upon a Rizzo" • "Chicken Round-Up / Summer's Snow Cone Stop" • "Wock-a-bye-Fozzie / Gonzo's Clean Sweep" • "Meatball Mayhem / Bunsen Honeydew, Show Stopper" • "Best Friends Fixer Uppers / Gonzo's Coop Dreams" • "Win a Twin / Skeeter and the Super Girls"
Songs
Muppet Babies Theme • Start Up Your Imagination • What's So Scary About the Dark? • Never Have to Say Goodbye (To the Summer) • Get Back in the Game • Me and My Potato • Super Fabulous • Good Things Come to Those Who Wait • You Can Be a Dancer! • Muppet Pirate Shanty • The Rules of the Kingdom • I'm on the Case • The Lily Pad Blues • What This Frog Likes to Do • Car Wash • Dirty Zone • Summer's Square Dance • Hopalong Froggy and the Buckin' Bronco • Do You Wanna Rock? • You Can Be a Star • Upside-Downsy Conga • You're Not Alone • Fozzie's Tooth Fairy Song • I've Been There, Buddy • How to Grow a Rubber Chicken Tree • Laughter is the Best-est Medicine • I Don't Know But I've Been Told • Super Spooky Halloween • Try Something New • Improvise • A Very Muppet Babies Christmas Song • Family • There Are Lots of Ways to Be Great • Just Like Me • Frogs and Dogs • Too Much Me • Puppy Come Home • To Get You Laughing • Meanzo Fabulous • My Fair Animal • Starship Piggy • My Buddy and Me • Must Be a Monster • Steppity Steppity • Slow Down • Penguin with a Plan • All Aboard the Muppet Express • Open Your Mind Up (To Something New) • Kick it Up a Notch • Happy Birthday Miss Nanny • Getting Away from it All • I Gotta Be Me • A Beautiful Friendship • Genie in a Lamp • You'll Get There Soon • Muppet Rocksplosion • We Can Fix It • Two of a Kind • You'll Get Better • Let's Get on the Bus • Follow Me Little Floofle • (So You Wanna) Be a Frog
