Boris Badenov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Boris Badenov
Rocky and Bullwinkle character
Created by	Jay Ward Alex Anderson Bill Scott
Portrayed by	Dave Thomas (1992 film) Jason Alexander (2000 film)
Voiced by	Paul Frees (TV series) Joe Alaskey (1992–1993) Keith Scott (1992–2000, 2008) Fred Frees (Cartoon Network commercial) Dan Milano/Mark Hamill (Robot Chicken) Robert Cait (2014 short) Benjamin Diskin (2018–present)
Information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Occupation	spy criminal
Nationality	Pottsylvanian

Boris Badenov is an antagonist of the 1959–1964 animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show for short. He was voiced by Paul Frees.

Badenov's name is a pun on that of the 16th-century Russian Tsar Boris Godunov. His accent and explosive temper are a homage to Hollywood actor Akim Tamiroff, especially Tamiroff's role in The Great McGinty, a 1940 movie directed by Preston Sturges.

Badenov was created by Bill Scott, who based the character's appearance on that of Gomez Addams.

Character overview

Boris is a spy from the fictional nation of Pottsylvania, and takes orders from the strongman known as Fearless Leader (and occasionally the rarely seen Mr. Big). Boris' missions range from trying to steal a secret rocket fuel formula to eliminating all television from the United States as part of Pottsylvania's various attempts to seize power.

Boris was educated in the Pottsylvania public schools before taking a scoundrelship to U.S.C. (the University of Safe Cracking), from which he graduated magna cum louse. He has a cast-iron stomach; and because of it was one of only three survivors of the ruling clique of Pottsylvania, the other two being his superiors Fearless Leader and Mister Big. Boris enjoys light reading; his favorite book is an anthology of fiendish plans called the Fireside Crook Book.

Early in the series, Boris was taller and had red eyes. After the first episodes, he changed to his normal height, but still retained the red eyes until a few episodes afterwards. Humorously, they changed from red to white after he had woken up from a long slumber, as if the redness was caused by sleep deprivation.

Boris is nearly always accompanied by his fellow criminal, Natasha Fatale.

Usually, Boris' misdeeds are thwarted by Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle the Moose. Boris's attempts at killing "moose and squirrel" (as he refers to them) also always end in failure, usually by his own scheme backfiring on him. "Of course, I've got plan!" he says. "I've always got plan! They don't ever work, but I've always got one!" As Boris expresses his plight in one promo: "I send in lady spy with package which is really bomb. Door gets locked, she can't get out, who gets blown up? Me!"

Boris appeared in all but three Rocky and Bullwinkle storylines: The Three Moosketeers, The Ruby Yacht, and Mucho Loma.

Catchphrases

Boris's main catchphrase (spoken when frustrated) is "Raskolnikov!" (a reference to the novel Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky), spoken in his Pottsylvanian accent (a mock-Russian accent).

Boris would usually greet a new acquaintance by saying, "Allow me to introducing myself. I am Boris Badenov, world's greatest no-goodnik".

Natasha Fatale

Natasha Fatale is an antagonist of the 1959-1964 animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. She was voiced by June Foray.

Natasha is a spy for the fictional country of Pottsylvania, and takes orders from the nation's leader, Fearless Leader. Natasha usually serves as an accomplice to fellow spy Boris Badenov.

Natasha is supposedly the only child of Axis Sally and Count Dracula. A former Miss Transylvania, she was expelled from college for subversive activities at a local cemetery. She traveled from Transylvania to the United States at the age of 19, landing in New York.

Creator Bill Scott modeled Boris and Natasha after two of Addams original characters from his cartoons, who were later named Gomez and Morticia Addams. She met Boris when they were arrested for throwing rocks at Girl Scouts. He became smitten with her charms and they became partners in crime. Usually, Natasha's and Boris's misdeeds are thwarted by Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle the Moose. She refers to them collectively as "moose and squirrel". She is almost always shown in a purple dress, but in the last season it is often red.

Natasha's last name is a pun on the phrase femme fatale, with emphasis on the "fatal" part; in keeping with that, Natasha was drawn as a shapely, attractive looking woman. However, in nearly all episodes, the character is identified only as Natasha, with no surname. She is apocryphally known as "Natasha Nogoodnik". However, she is identified in the series premiere by her proper name by the show's narrator, making "Fatale" her canonical and correct surname.

In the 1992 Showtimes Network film Boris and Natasha: The Movie, the live-action Natasha was portrayed by Sally Kellerman. In the 2000 theatrical film The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, the live-action Natasha was portrayed by Rene Russo. In the 2014, 3D DreamWorks Animation short film Rocky & Bullwinkle, Lauri Fraser provided the voice for Natasha. Natasha's original voice actor, June Foray, reprised her role as Rocky but not as Natasha. In the 2018 Amazon Video series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, she is voiced by Rachel Butera.