Curious George facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Curious George |
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| First appearance | Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys (1939) |
| Created by | Hans Augusto Rey Margret Rey |
| Voiced by | Corey Burton (1982–1984) Frank Welker (2006–present) |
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| Species | Monkey |
| Gender | Male |
Curious George is a famous fictional monkey who stars in a popular series of children's picture books. These beloved stories were written and illustrated by Margret and H. A. Rey. Over the years, many films and TV shows have also been made based on George's exciting adventures.
George is known for being "a good little monkey, and always very curious." In his first book, George is found by "The Man with the Yellow Hat" and travels from Africa to America. There, they become great friends and share many fun experiences together.
George first appeared as a monkey named "Fifi" in a book called Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys, published in France in 1939. People loved the character so much that the Reys decided to give "George" his very own book series.
Contents
Discovering Curious George
Who Created Curious George?
The original Curious George series was created by a talented husband-and-wife team, Hans Augusto (H. A.) Rey and Margret Rey. They had an exciting journey from France in 1940, carrying the first ideas for Curious George with them. At first, only H. A. Rey was credited for the artwork. Later, Margret Rey and other artists also contributed to the books. The Reys created many children's books, but Curious George became their most famous and popular series. Each of these books has been continuously printed since it was first published.
The Wonderful World of Curious George Books
Margret and H. A. Rey wrote seven original Curious George books during H. A. Rey's lifetime. These books have been loved by children for many years and are still printed today. Later, new Curious George books were created by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. These include board books with scenes from the original stories, books adapted from the 1980s TV films, and brand-new adventures.
The First Seven Adventures
The very first Curious George book appeared in 1941. It tells the story of George, a curious monkey from Africa, and how he meets the Man with the Yellow Hat. The Man takes George on a ship to "the big city" where George will live in a zoo. The second book, Curious George Takes a Job (1947), begins with George living in the zoo. He soon escapes and has several adventures before the Man with the Yellow Hat finds him. The Man then takes George to live at his house. The remaining five stories describe George's many adventures while living with the Man with the Yellow Hat.
These original seven titles were created entirely by Margret and H. A. Rey:
- Curious George (1941)
- Curious George Takes a Job (1947)
- Curious George Rides a Bike (1952)
- Curious George Gets a Medal (1957)
- Curious George Flies a Kite (1958)
- Curious George Learns the Alphabet (1963)
- Curious George Goes to the Hospital (1966)
Before starring in his own series, Curious George first appeared as a character in another children's book by H. A. Rey, Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys (1939).
More Curious George Books
After the original seven, more Curious George books were created. Some of these were based on the telefilm series from the 1980s. Later, a new series of books, called the Curious George "New Adventures," began to appear in 1998. These books are illustrated in the style of H. A. Rey by many different artists.
Meet the Man with the Yellow Hat
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Besides George himself, the only other main character in the original adventures is the Man with the Yellow Hat. He is George's best friend and caretaker. The Man often helps George start new adventures. Even more often, he steps in just in time to help George out of a tricky situation. He is always seen wearing a bright yellow suit and a wide-brimmed yellow hat.
In the original books, he is simply called "The Man" or "The Man with the Yellow Hat." When people talk to George about him, they often say "Your friend." In the 2006 animated film Curious George, the Man is named "Ted" and voiced by Will Ferrell. His last name, "Shacklefield," was mentioned in a deleted scene. In the TV series, he is voiced by Jeff Bennett.
Curious George on Screen and Stage
Curious George on Television
Curious George has also starred in many TV shows! A set of animated Curious George television films were produced from 1979 to 1982. They were first shown in the United States in 1984. Later, a new Curious George TV series debuted on September 4, 2006, on PBS Kids. This show was very popular and continued its original run until April 1, 2015. New episodes also appeared on the streaming service Peacock starting in July 2020, and the series finished in March 2022. The show is still enjoyed in reruns on PBS Kids today.
Curious George in Movies
Curious George has appeared in several movies. A short animated 16 mm film called Curious George Rides a Bike was produced in 1958. In the 1980s, animator John Clark Matthews created stop-motion animated shorts, like Curious George Goes to the Hospital.
In 2006, a big animated film, also called Curious George, was released. Will Ferrell voiced the Man with the Yellow Hat (named Ted in the film). Frank Welker provided George's vocal effects. This movie led to several direct-to-video sequels:
- Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! (2010)
- Curious George 3: Back to the Jungle (2015)
- Curious George: Royal Monkey (2019)
- Curious George: Go West, Go Wild (2020)
- Curious George: Cape Ahoy (2021)
There were also special holiday films:
- Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas (2009)
- Curious George Swings Into Spring (2013)
- Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest (2013)
A documentary film in 2017, Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George's Creators, shared the story of Hans and Margret Rey's lives and how they created George.
Curious George Games and Shows
A Curious George video game was released on February 2, 2006. It was based on the 2006 animated film and was available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Game Boy Advance.
From 2009 to 2011, a musical stage show based on the TV series, Curious George Live!, toured across the United States and Canada. In this show, George helps Chef Pisghetti win a meatball eating contest in Rome, Italy. The show continues to be performed in some community theaters today, now called Curious George: The Golden Meatball.
A Curious George-themed water play area, Curious George Goes to Town, opened at Universal Studios Florida in 1998 and was removed in 2023. A similar attraction was also featured at Universal Studios Hollywood until its removal in 2013.
More Fun with Curious George
You can find Curious George in many other places too! There was a special Curious George store in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which closed permanently in 2021. Curious George is also used as a theme for children's play areas and entertainment on the Stena Line ferries. On some trips, you might even see a Curious George costumed character! You can also find Curious George merchandise and sometimes special promotions with food brands.
See also
In Spanish: Jorge el curioso para niños
- Curious George Brigade
