Jiminy Cricket facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jiminy Cricket |
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| First appearance | Pinocchio (1940) |
| Created by | Ward Kimball (from the unnamed cricket character originally created by Carlo Collodi) Walt Disney |
| Portrayed by | Raphael Sbarge (adult) (Once Upon a Time) Adam Young (child) (Once Upon a Time) |
| Voiced by |
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| Information | |
| Species | Cricket |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Conscience |
Jiminy Cricket is a famous cartoon character from Walt Disney. He is Disney's version of the "Talking Cricket" from the classic Italian children's book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.
In the 1940 Disney animated movie Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket becomes Pinocchio's official conscience. This means he helps Pinocchio tell right from wrong. He is also famous for singing the beloved song "When You Wish Upon a Star", which is now a signature song for Disney.
Jiminy Cricket looks a bit different from real crickets. He has short antennae and a greenish-brown color. He also walks on two legs, like most Disney characters. He dresses like a gentleman from the past, wearing a blue top hat and carrying a burgundy umbrella. Since his first movie, Jiminy has become a very popular Disney character. He has appeared in many other shows and movies, like Fun and Fancy Free and Mickey's Christmas Carol.
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What's in a Name?
Jiminy Cricket's name comes from a common saying, "Jiminy Cricket!" This phrase was a polite way of saying "Jesus Christ" in older times. You might have heard similar phrases in old movies. For example, in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy says, "Oh! Oh! Jiminy Crickets!" when she is surprised. This shows that the phrase was well-known when the Pinocchio movie was made.
How Jiminy Cricket Was Created
The character of Jiminy Cricket was designed by an artist named Ward Kimball. Kimball was feeling a bit down and almost left the Disney studio. This was because much of his work for the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was not used in the final film. However, Walt Disney himself convinced Kimball to stay. Walt gave him the important job of leading the animation for Jiminy Cricket, which made Kimball happy to continue working at Disney.
Who Voiced Jiminy Cricket?
Many talented actors have given Jiminy Cricket his voice over the years.
- The first voice actor was Cliff Edwards. He voiced Jiminy for many years, from 1940 through the 1960s. He also sang "When You Wish Upon a Star."
- After Edwards passed away, Clarence Nash voiced Jiminy for a short time.
- Then, Eddie Carroll took over the role in 1973 and voiced Jiminy for 37 years until he passed away in 2010.
- Other actors like Hal Smith and Phil Snyder also voiced Jiminy for different projects, including video games.
- Since 2014, Joe Ochman has been the voice of Jiminy Cricket.
- In the TV show Once Upon a Time, Raphael Sbarge voices Jiminy, and also plays him in human form.
Jiminy Cricket's Other Adventures
After the movie Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket became a popular character for many other Disney projects.
In Movies and TV Shows
- He hosted parts of the movie Fun and Fancy Free.
- He also hosted many Disney television specials.
- On The Mickey Mouse Club TV show, Jiminy taught kids how to spell "encyclopedia" in a fun segment.
- In the 1988 movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Jiminy made a quick appearance in Toontown.
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Jiminy Cricket had a special role in Mickey's Christmas Carol. He played the Ghost of Christmas Past. The badge he wears, which the Blue Fairy gave him in Pinocchio to show he was an official conscience, now says "Ghost of Christmas Past." He shows Scrooge his past Christmases, reminding him how he chose money over love.
In Video Games
Jiminy Cricket appears in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. In these games, he travels with Sora and writes down all their adventures in a journal. He keeps track of everyone they meet, both friends and enemies. He plays a bigger role in some games, offering advice to Sora.
He is also a main character in the game Disney's Villains' Revenge. In this game, he helps the player save classic Disney stories from villains like the Queen of Hearts and Captain Hook.
Once Upon a Time
In the TV series Once Upon a Time, Jiminy Cricket appears in both his cricket form and as a human named Archie Hopper. He works as a counselor in the town, helping people with their problems, just like a conscience. The show also tells a backstory where Jiminy was once a human who made a mistake, and the Blue Fairy turned him into a cricket to help guide Geppetto.
Future Projects
Disney is also working on a new animated project focused on Jiminy Cricket for its streaming service, Disney+.
Jiminy at Disney Parks
You can often see Jiminy Cricket meeting guests at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, especially at Disney's Animal Kingdom. He sometimes signs autographs with his 'J' looking like an umbrella.
He also helps host fireworks shows like Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams at the Magic Kingdom theme park. Jiminy also appeared in the SpectroMagic parade and can be seen in the "Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade" at Magic Kingdom in Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Pepito Grillo para niños
