30 Real-Life Inspirations Behind Iconic Animated Characters

From flesh and blood to ink and paper
30 Real-Life Inspirations Behind Iconic Animated Characters
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Join us back in a time before some talented artists first put their pen, pencil or brush to the page. A time when a quick look around the room (or in the mirror) inspired creators to get drawing and voice actors to get talking. 

Once you’ve witnessed these moments of inspiration, make sure to come on back to the present so you can enjoy the creations themselves. Believe us, it’s a fun little journey!

The Grinch

CRACKED.COM How the Grinch Stole Christmas The Grinch is Dr. Seuss at his grumpiest. Dr. Seuss wrote the book to vent his own frustration with the commercialization of Christmas. I was brushing my teeth... when I noted a very Grinchish countenance in the mirror. It was Seuss!

The Thing from ‘Fantastic Four’

CRACKED.COM Fantastic Four The Thing is a clobberin' Jack Kirby. Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) put a lot of himself into Benjamin Jacob Grimm. Among other things, they both had rough upbrinings as Jewish boys in Manhattan's Lower East Side, and are fond of cigars.

Conff the Mousethief from ‘Redwall’

Redwall Gonff the Mousethief is a rodent version of Brian Jacques. The author of the Redwall book series has stated that Gonff was based on himself as a kid. Also, Gonff was his favorite character. CRACKED.COM

The Dodo from ‘Alice in Wonderland’

CRACKED.COM Alice in Wonderland The Dodo is Lewis Carroll. A lot of the animals in the book represent people the real-life Alice knew, with the dodo as the author himself. It was a play on Dodgson, his real name- as he was a stutterer, he'd sometimes introduce himself as Dodo-Dodgson.

Butt-Head

Butt-Head SKULL CRACKED.COM Mike Judge once lived next to an annoying little kid who called himself Iron-Butt: Supposedly, you could kick him in the butt as hard as you wanted, and it wouldn't hurt him.

Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn CRACKED COM Writer Paul Dini saw his old college buddy, Arleen Sorkin, playing a jester in a weird little flashback on Days of Our Lives. Не got Sorkin to help develop and voice Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel.

Fred Flintstone

Fred Flintstone CRACKED.COM The Flintstones is a pretty direct parody of The Honeymooners, so Fred is naturally based heavily on Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden. Gleason even reportedly came close to suing the 'stones.

Rocko from ‘Rocko’s Modern Life’

Rocko CRACKED.COM The original pitch for Rocko's Modern Life was a young anthropomorphic Woody Allen -- which fittingly implies that Allen lacks human characteristics.

Carl Fredricksen from ‘Up’

Carl Fredricksen CRACKED.COM 85-year-old Seattle resident Edith Macefield refused a $1 million offer on her home, which was in the way of a development project. They were forced to build around her old farmhouse, and she resided there until she died.

Mr. Magoo

Mr. Magoo CRACKED.COM Animation director John Hubley created the bumbling grump as a combo of comedian W. C. Fields and his own uncle.

Krusty the Clown from ‘The Simpsons’

Krusty The Clown CRACKED.COM Matt Groening grew up watching Rusty Nails, a TV clown who was ubiquitus in Portland. His autobiography was titled Send In The Clowns.

Shrek

THeRe WAS A REAL SHREK. Maurice Tillet was a French wrestler known as the freak ogre of the ring in the '40s. Tillet suffered from acromegaly, a thickening of the bones. CRACKED.COM

Moe Szyslak from ‘The Simpsons’

This is Louis Red Deutsch, a New Jersey bartender and ex-boxer. In the '70s, prank callers Jim Davidson and John Elmo would constantly call him asking about patrons with made-up names. Red would go hilariously insane, and swear a blue streak at the callers. You know him as мое SZYSLAK. CRACKED.COM

Popeye

POPEYE WAS BASED on A REAL GUY. SP His name was Frank Rocky Fiegel, and he was a tough guy from Popeye creator Е.С. Segar's hometown. IMPER Не was known for always being prepared to dish out an ass-whooping, and to This drawing taking on several opponents is even on his TIMES at the same time. tombstone. comic CRACKED.COM

Nelson Muntz from ‘The Simpsons’

HA-HAW! YOU DIDN'T know THAT nelson IS JOHN BenDeR! Not only is the Simpsons tough guy based on the Breakfast Club tough guy, but he shares a name with the actor who played him, Judd Nelson. CRACKED.COM

The Joker

THe JOKER IS BASED on A '20s FILM STAR. That star was Conrad Veidt, who played Gwynplaine, a character who has his face deliberately cut into a permanent rictus grin in a 1928 silent film called The Man Who Laughs. CRACKED.COM

Kratos from ‘God of War’

KRATOS IS EDWARD NORTON. Specifically, Norton's character in American History Х. According to God of War director David Jaffe, his design team based Kratos' power, intensity, and aggression on Norton's muscled, rage-filled neo-Nazi. CRACKED.COM

Betty Boop

BeTTY BOOP STOLE HeR everything FROM HeLen KAne. Kane was a popular actress and singer from the '20s who pretty much invented the whole I'm a sexy baby thing. She not only looked and sounded exactly like Betty, but her catchphrase was Boop-oop-a-doop. She actually sued Max Fleischer in 1936, but lost. CRACKED COM

Cartman from ‘South Park’

Archie Bunker was the main character in a '70s sitcom called All in the Family. Не was bigoted, childish, spiteful, and chubby. Не was an objectively terrible person, yet is one of the most beloved TV characters in history. Oh, and Norman Lear says he was the inspiration for ERIC CARTMAN. CRACKED.COM

Edna More from ‘The Incredibles’

INCREDIBLES COSTUME DESIGNER EDNA MODE IS BASED on HOLLYWOOD COSTUME DESIGNER eDITH HEAD. Head, who was a petite brunette in bangs and round glasses, was incredibly prolific during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. She was nominated for 35 Oscars and won eight. I'm the best of I hate modesty. - Edith Head the best. - Edna Mode CRACKED.COM

Butters from ‘South Park’

Eric Stough is one of the producers on South Park. The other producers like to tease him for his nice-guy attitude about the show's often brutal, targeted satire. They started calling him Buddy, then Little Buddy, and eventually BUTTERS. Nailed the hair. CRACKED.COM

Speed from ‘Speed Racer’

CRACKED.COM In the original Japanese version of Speed Racer, Speed's name is... Go Mifune. His name was an homage to veteran actor Toshiro Mifune. The 'M' on his car and helmet even stand for the fictional company, Mifune Motors.

The King Dinoco from ‘Cars’

CRACKED.COM The King Dinoco, from Cars... DINOS YEAR 43 43 43 ...is based on and voiced by Richard Petty, and designed to look like Richard Petty's 1970 Plymouth Superbird. - S.C.I. WIX 43

Ursula from ‘The Little Mermaid’

The Little Mermaid's Ursula is a mashup of Bea Arthur, drag queen Divine, and Joan Collins' Dynasty character. Bea Arthur Bea Arthur's cutting wit is a big part of Ursula's DNA, and Arthur was even originally supposed to voice her (scheduling didn't work out). CRACKED.COM

Mr. Burns from ‘The Simpsons’

CRACKED.COM Mr. Burns' look was inspired by Barry Diller, former chief executive of Fox Broadcasting. Meanwhile, his body language - especially the famous hand gesturing -- was based on a praying mantis. Excellent.

Bugs Bunny

Bugs Bunny was modelled after Clark Gable. In It Happened One Night, Gable's character chomped down a carrot in a way that inspired Friz Freleng to create Bugs Bunny. CRACKED.COM

Rugrats

RuGrats Chuckie Finster's look and characteristics are inspired by Devo keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh, who also composed the show's opening theme. CRA

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