Buzz
It's not difficult to find a child who doesn't have a soft spot for elephants! These giant creatures, with their remarkable trunks capable of so many things, were always destined to capture the imagination. Here are some of the most famous elephant characters, from the past to the present day.
10. Elmer
Elmer the Patchwork Elephant is the beloved character from a series of children's books by David McKee. Debuting in 1989, the stories highlight the importance of embracing our differences. The Elmer books were adapted into a British TV series. Elmer also refers to a famous elephant puppet that appeared on Chicago TV in the 1950s and 60s.
9. Shep
In the 1967 TV series George of the Jungle, Shep was George's so-called "pet". The hilariously clueless protagonist mistakenly believed Shep was a dog and treated him as such. Shep, in turn, behaved like a dog. Shep also made an appearance in the 2007 remake of the series and the 1997 live-action film.
8. Snorky
Snorky is a member of The Banana Splits Club, a group of four musical characters who appeared in The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a TV show that ran from 1968 to 1970. The series was revived by The Cartoon Network in 2008.
7. Colonel Hathi
Hathi is an elderly elephant who leads a clan of elephants in the Indian jungle in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. In the 1967 Disney animated film, he is known as Colonel Hathi as he commands his elephant troops and reminisces about his younger days in the service of the Maharajah. The word 'hathi' means 'elephant' in Hindi.
6. Manny
Manfred, a central character in the
5. Stampy
Bart Simpson won Stampy the elephant in a radio contest. While Stampy’s stint as a pet was brief, his memory lives on. He appeared in three episodes of The Simpsons TV series and The Simpsons Movie, and is mentioned in other episodes as well.
4. Tantor
Ungawa! Tantor, a name that translates to "elephant," is the mighty elephant that Tarzan summons when he needs to crush something underfoot or travel through areas where vines are scarce. Tantor first appeared in Edgar Rice Burroughs' original books, as well as in numerous live-action adaptations and Disney’s animated Tarzan films.
3. Babar
Babar is an orphaned elephant who grows up to become the king of the forest after receiving an education from humans in the big city. Alongside his wife and cousin, Celeste, he raises a family and imparts valuable life lessons through their adventures. The series of French children’s books, created by Jean de Brunhoff, began in 1931. Brunhoff wrote seven Babar books before his death in 1937, and his son Laurent de Brunhoff continues the beloved series to this day.
2. Dumbo
Dumbo, the central character in Disney's 1941 animated film, was born with oversized ears. He is initially mocked for his unusual feature, but the other elephants soon discover he can use his ears to soar through the sky! Like Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, Dumbo’s story teaches children that it’s perfectly fine to be different. The movie also features the heartbreaking separation of a child from its mother, a theme that recurs in many Disney classics.
1. Horton
Dr. Seuss' lovable elephant Horton stars in two of his famous books: Horton Hatches the Egg (1940) and Horton Hears a Who! (1954). In both tales, Horton faces mockery and adversity while striving to do what is right, all without expecting any reward in return. Despite being a short book with under 2,000 words, Horton Hears a Who was adapted into a feature film in 2008.
Then there are the characters that are meant to be some other type of creature, but we still recognize them as elephants.
Mr. Snuffleupagus
Mr. Aloysius Snuffleupagus, or Snuffy as his friends on Sesame Street call him, was first introduced as a character who was invisible to adults, leading viewers to believe he existed only in Big Bird's imagination. Over time, Snuffy became a beloved part of the show. Though he’s not quite an elephant, the Snuffleupagus species lacks the iconic big ears that elephants are known for.
Heffalumps
Heffalumps (along with Woozles) first appeared in Tigger's exaggerated stories, eventually becoming shape-shifting, elephant-like goblins that haunted Winnie the Pooh's dreams. The Heffalump cartoon dream sequence is a nod to the Pink Elephants on Parade scene from the movie Dumbo. In 2005, the Heffalumps got their own film, fittingly titled Pooh's Heffalump Movie. In this story, the residents of the Hundred Acre Wood meet a young Heffalump named Lumpy and learn about friendship.
Banthas
In the Star Wars universe, Banthas are large, furry beasts of burden primarily found on the desert planet Tatooine, although they appear on other planets as well. Banthas lack trunks and tusks, instead sporting curly horns. An Asian elephant named Mardji portrayed a Bantha in the original 1977 Star Wars movie.
Oliphaunts
Oliphaunts (also known as mûmakil) are massive creatures from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, resembling elephants but vastly larger in size. These towering beasts are seen in battle during the second and third films of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
See also: 10 Famous (real life) Elephants.
