List of Doctor Dolittle characters
This is a list of characters from the Doctor Dolittle series of children's books by Hugh Lofting and movies based on them. Most of the characters were introduced in the first book, the 1920 novel The Story of Doctor Dolittle. Humans Doctor Dolittle Portrayed by Rex Harrison (1967) Eddie Murphy (1998, 2001) Robert Downey Jr. (2020) Doctor John Dolittle is an English physician who became a doctor for animals after his parrot, Polynesia, taught him to speak animal languages. He lives in the fictional town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in England's West Country, along with his many animal friends. He has very few human friends and spends most of his time treating animals, travelling the world with his animals and conducting research into new animals and new forms of animal languages. He is portrayed by Rex Harrison in the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle, Eddie Murphy in Dr. Dolittle (1998) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), and by Robert Downey Jr. in Dolittle (2020). The Murphy films bear little resemblance to Lofting's character or plots. In the animated TV series from 1970, Doctor Dolittle is voiced by Bob Holt. In the 1984 series, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, he is voiced by John Stephenson. Tommy Stubbins Thomas "Tommy" Stubbins is a boy from Puddleby who, after taking an injured squirrel to Doctor Dolittle, becomes the doctor's friend and assistant. His father is the doctor's favourite shoemaker. He first appears in the 1922 novel The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle and acts as the narrator in all the books that take place after his arrival. He is portrayed by William Dix in the 1967 film, and by Harry Collett in the 2020 film. In the animated TV series from 1970, he is voiced by Hal Smith. In the 1984 series, The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, he is voiced by B. J. Ward. Matthew Mugg Matthew Mugg is the cat's-meat-man from Puddleby. He is a friend of Doctor Dolittle and helps to take care of the doctor's house and garden when the doctor is away travelling. He is illiterate but practical, and is the one who advised Dolittle to become an "animal doctor" and learn animal languages. He was played by Anthony Newley in the 1967 film. Prince Bumpo Prince Bumpo is an African prince from the kingdom of Jolliguinki, who has been sent to study at Oxford University by his father, and becomes a friend of the Doctor's. Bumpo is recognisable by his green umbrella and bare feet - not used to wearing shoes, he usually discards them. He was originally supposed to appear in the 1967 film intact, but casting problems eventually led to his character being considerably softened and renamed as "William Shakespeare the Tenth", played by Geoffrey Holder. Colonel Bellowes Colonel Bellowes is a snobbish old man in Puddleby who appears briefly in The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. In the 1967 film, he became General Bellowes, a retired military commander and a magistrate, played by Peter Bull. He loathes any sort of new,