10 Background Disney Character You Didn’t Know Had Names/Stories

Disney has a wealth of animated characters in their extensive library. To say the studio has an enormous cast of various creatures, beings, and colorful individuals is putting it lightly.

But while most every fan is familiar with the likes of Mickey, Pooh, and Buzz Lightyear, there are those supporting cast members in the background that often go overlooked. Have a look at these ten background cast members from Disney’s animated archives.

10 Phineas, Ezra, and Gus (The Haunted Mansion)

To be fair, those that have extended their stay at Gracey Manor know about the trio of ghosts that try to hitch a ride on a Doom Buggy at the Disney Parks, but many might not know their names. Some might know them simply as The Hitchhiking Ghosts, but they are canonically referred to as Phineas (the Traveler), Ezra (the Skeleton), and Gus (the Prisoner). And they’ve been thumbing their way around the mansion since 1969.

9 Duncan and Wynnchel (Wreck-It Ralph)

The two donut cops from Sugar Rush serve as King Candy’s bumbling security force in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph, but they’re more than just a play on the police stereotype. Their names are Duncan and Wynnchel and their monikers are an obvious nod to Dunkin and Wynnchel’s donuts, respectively.

While their main purpose in the movie is to serve as a visual gag, they do have names and personalities that give them a distinct flavor.

8 Tapper (Wreck-It Ralph)

Hardcore gamers might know this one already, but the barkeeper at Tapper’s where all the gaming icons of Litwak’s arcade gather after a long day’s work has more than a name, but a full story as well. Tapper was the star of the arcade game of the same name sponsored by Budwiser. However, once home console versions were released, the game became Root Beer Tapper and he was recast as a soda jerker. The Disney version seems to be a hybrid of the two.

7 Chernabog (Fantasia)

“Night on Bald Mountain” is a favorite sequence for many fans of Walt Disney’s Fantasia, though its star’s identity has often been the subject of debate.

In the original film, the giant demonic being is referred to as Satan by Deems Taylor, but the Disney canon constantly called Chernabog, even by Mickey Mouse himself. The name comes from the Slavic god of darkness, and it’s honestly a better fit. For all intents and purposes, it’s a divide between film and fandom.

6 Starkey (Peter Pan)

Other than Mr. Smee, Starkey is the only member of Captain Hooks notorious crew of pirates that get addressed by name. While the rest of his bunch of buccaneers do have names in their storyboards and character models, the only name mentioned in the original film is Mr. Starkey. This inclusion was more than likely done as a nod to the original novel by J.M. Barrie where he served as Hook’s first mate instead of Mr. Smee.

5 Prince Achmed (Aladdin)

Yet another character created for comedy’s sake is the pompous Prince Achmed from Aladdin. Viewers met this haughty royal as he made his procession into the Sultan’s palace and insulting Aladdin.

Not exactly the best first impression, right? There’s not much to this character other than his taste in boxer shorts and a fun cameo by the Voice of the Disney Parks, Corey Burton.

4 Sarafina (The Lion King)

This isn’t so much a fully fleshed character, but a trivia tidbit to impress fellow Disney enthusiasts. In the original animated Lion King, The only lionesses that are mentioned by name are Sarabi and Nala, but if one waits till the end credits, there is a name for Nala’s mother seen towards the beginning of the film, Sarafina. Though she’s only given one line of dialogue, she’s still a member of the pride and the film’s canon.

3 Jerry Jumbeaux Jr. (Zootopia)

To the untrained eye, this character might appear to be just a grouchy elephant with a disdain for predators, but a true Disney fan will know the name well.

Jumbeaux Jr. is a reference to the original name for a certain flying elephant before winning his current title… Dumbo. Guess times were hard after his stint in the circus.

2 Aracuan/Ari (Various)

The Aracuan Bird, or Ari as he became later known, is a character that has appeared in various Disney material. From the short Clown of the Jungle to package films like The Three Caballeros and Melody Time, Ari has quite an appearance list under his belt. Essentially Disney’s answer to Woody Woodpecker, this wild and ditzy bird has a history of animated antics with no intention of stopping.

1 Hop-Low (Fantasia)

Want to impress some local Disney fan(s)? See if they’ve ever heard the name Hop-Low. For those not in the know, Hop-Low is the name of the littlest mushroom in the “Nutcracker Suite” segment of Fantasia. Described by Walt Disney Studios as “The Dopey of the mushrooms” his cute attempts to remain in step with the rest of his fungal friends never fails to score him a place in the hearts of the viewer.

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