Ben Ali Gator is a character from the 1940 feature film Fantasia. He is a tall and skinny alligator who wears a red cap with a purple feather on top and temporaily a cape. He appears in the segment Dance of the Hours. It is inferred that Ben Ali, and his cronies symbolize the somber hours of the night.
In the segment Dance of the Hours, Ben Ali Gator takes the role of Enzo Grimaldo, a Genoese prince. He is also the leader of the Dancers of the Night. This is deduced by the fact that he meets and falls in love with Hyacinth Hippo (who symbolizes Laura Adorno), and furthermore the flinging aside of his cape (symbolizing Enzo flinging aside his disguise upon discovery of Laura's body). When Hyacinth awakes from her sleep, she sees Ben Ali Gator and immediately feels threatened by his appearance, but he tries to woo her by catching her with his strength. He attempts this but fails comically, but Hyacinth seems to be interested in him nevertheless and they begin to do a short dance with each other, Ben Ali bows as Hyacinth walks away and does an alluring gesture aimed at Ben Ali Gator, which attracts him and he proceeds to chase after her, creating the Grand Finale of the segment. In the end, Ben Ali Gator attempts to embrace Hyacinth but they spin out and he, unfortunately, falls in the fountain, he gets back up to find her, Ben Ali Gator is seen dancing with Hyacinth one last time in the segment and it is inferred that they became a couple.
Ben Ali and his gator accomplices were part of Minnie Mouse's skating routine. They are later seen in traditional artwork during the end credits. In this film, Ben Ali does not appear to be wearing his red cape from Fantasia.
Ben Ali can be found in several spots, but not as a meetable character whatsoever. Some statues can be found at the Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf. Ben Ali and Hyacinth can also be seen in the Main Street Electrical Parade and in Fantasmic!'s bubble sequence.
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
Though he is named "Ben Ali Gator" and his name, therefore, indicates that he's an alligator, he looks more like a crocodile. He has a narrow snout, and his bottom teeth also stick out when his mouth is closed.
Ben Ali Gator's character design was created and animated by John Lounsbery, one of Disney's nine old men. According to "The Illusion of Life", Lounsbery's favorite character he ever animated was Ben Ali since he loved timing his cocky walk and attitude to the music.
Ben Ali Gator went through many iterations before his final design. Altogether, his height was originally shorter, he was far more rotund, he had a purple ruff around his neck, his under jaw was wider, he wore slippers just like Hyacinth and at one point had a body type similar to humans.
The whole setting of Dance of the Hours may just be a play rather than a real event. When Ben Ali Gator does the Grand Finale with Hyacinth, set pieces like a Greek column to fall down, and it can be inferred that Ben Ali Gator failing to catch Hyacinth was a failed act.
Ben Ali Gator, as a character was conceived by Walt Disney himself during a story meeting early in Fantasia's production. Walt was dancing around the room, improvising his own take on Ponchielli's ballet when he suddenly stopped and Walt bares his teeth, snarls, and prances. "Slinky alligators would be swell, I think."
In Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Madame Upnova and Hyacnith Hippo appeared as cameos. Originally Ben Ali Gator was planned to be a cameo as well but was scrapped for unknown reasons.
Fantasia 2000:Symphony No. 5 • Pines of Rome • Rhapsody in Blue • Piano Concerto No. 2 • The Carnival of the Animals • Pomp and Circumstance • The Firebird Suite
Bonkers • Video game (Super Nintendo)• Video game (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive) • Bonkers
Characters
Heroes:Bonkers D. Bobcat • Fall-Apart Rabbit • Leonard Kanifky • Fawn Deer • Skunky Skunk • W.W. Wacky • Charles Quibble • Ludwig Von Drake • Mad Hatter • March Hare • Toots • Harry Handbag • The Mean Old Wolf • Jitters A. Dog • Slap, Sniffle and Plop • Charlie Pig • Maggie Toon • Alto • Mac the Bass • Pops Clock • Roderick Lizzard • Tuttle Turtle • Tanya Trunk • Tiny • Linda Quipps • Sgt. Frank Grating • Bucky Buzzsaw • Smarts • Grumbles Grizzly • Rita • Broderick the Radio • Police Light • Scribble • Snitch
The Wrights:Miranda Wright • Shirley Wright • Timmy Wright The Piquels:Lucky Piquel • Dilandra Piquel • Marilyn Piquel Villains:The Collector • Mr. Doodles • Ma Parker • Wooly and Bully • Flaps the Elephant • Chick and Stu • Wacky Weasel • Wolf • Baabara • Mikey Muffin • Dr. Blade • Helga • Pitts • Mr. Malone and the Ape • Holio Kalimari • Scatter Squirrel • Katya Legs-go-on-a-lot • Turbo, Banshee and Kapow • Mammoth Mammoth • Warris and Donald • Hoagie, Knuckles, and Chumps • Toon Pencil • Weather Toons • Mole • Seymour Sleazebottom and Limo • Squash and Stretch • The Rat • T.J. Finger • Gloomy the Clown • Mr. Big • Z-Bot • Ninja Kitties Cameos: Mickey Mouse • Donald Duck • Goofy • Pete • Dumbo • Hyacinth Hippo • Ben Ali Gator • Tyrannosaurus Rex • Chernaborg • Honest John • Gideon • Monstro • Br'er Bear • Lady • Tramp • The Doorknob • Big Bad Wolf • Jasper and Horace • Marsupilami • Darkwing Duck • Shere Khan • Greasy • Ferdinand the Bull
Episodes
Raw Toonage shorts and compilations: "Petal to the Metal" • "Spatula Party" • "Sheerluck Bonkers" • "Bonkers in Space" • "Draining Cats and Dogs" • "Get Me to the Church on Time" • "Ski Patrol" • "Get Me a Pizza (Hold the Minefield)" • "Dogzapoppin'" • "Trailmix Bonkers" • "Quest for Firewood" • "Gobble Gobble Bonkers"
Group One (Miranda Wright): "Trains, Toons and Toon Trains" • "Tokyo Bonkers" • "The Stork Exchange" • "Bobcat Fever" • "The Toon That Ate Hollywood" • "When the Spirit Moves You" • "Fistful of Anvils" • "What You Read is What You Get" • "Toon for a Day" Group Two: (Lucky Piquel): "Going Bonkers" • "In the Bag" • "Hear No Bonkers, See No Bonkers" • "Out of Sight, Out of Toon" • "Is Toon Fur Really Warm?" • "Calling All Cars" • "Fall Apart Bomb Squad" • "In Toons We Trust" • "Never Cry Pig" • "Hamster Houseguest" • "The Cheap Sheep Sweep" • "The Day the Toon Stood Still" • "Weather or Not" • "Basic Spraining" • "Once in a Blue Toon" • "Luna-Toons" • "Time Wounds All Heels" • "Poltertoon" • "Hand Over the Dough" • "The Rubber Room Song" • "Tune Pig" Group Three (Miranda Wright): "New Partners on the Block" • "Witless for the Prosecution" • "Do Toons Dream of Animated Sheep?" • "Quibbling Rivalry" • "Springtime for the Iguana" • "CasaBonkers" • "Love Stuck" • "Of Mice and Menace" • "Dog Day AfterToon" • "The 29th Page" • "Cartoon Cornered" Group Four (Lucky Piquel): "The Good, the Bad, & the Kanifky" • "I Oughta Be in Toons" • "Frame That Toon" • "A Wooly Bully" • "Stay Tooned" • "O Cartoon! My Cartoon!" • "Color Me Piquel" • "Stand-In Dad" • "Cereal Surreal" • "If" • "The Dimming" • "Toon with No Name" • "Get Wacky" • "The Final Review" • "Goldijitters and the 3 Bobcats" • "Seems Like Old Toons" • "Miracle at the 34th Precinct" • "Comeback Kid" • "The Greatest Story Never Told" • "Fall Apart Land" • "Imagine That" • "A Fine Kettle of Toons" • "Stressed to Kill"
