Doctor Dolittle is the protagonist of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting, starting with The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920). He's a medical doctor who prefers animals to people, and once he learns the skill of talking to animals, becomes a veterinarian while still using a general practitioner's approach. He embarks on a series of fantastic travels and journeys, encompassing over a dozen books.
Adaptations include the 1967 movie musical (which introduced the song "Talk to the Animals") and the 2020 film Dolittle.
Adaptations[]
- The 1998 Creature Shop-effects film Dr. Dolittle loosely adapts the concept, with sequels following (sans Creature Shop involvement).
- Later the same year, Doctor Dolittle, a stage version of the 1967 film, opened in the West End. Again, Jim Henson's Creature Shop supplied the animals.
References[]
- In the highly literate unfinished Sesame Street film The Alphabet Thieves, Big Bird succumbs to a spell and needs a doctor. Dr. Dolittle (spelled Doolittle in some versions) arrives from a horse call (with Robin Williams as a casting suggestion to play the animal medico). He concludes that the oversized avian's ailment is not medical but magical and prescribes the traditional kiss from a prince as the cure.
- The Moya crew meets with a group of aliens called the Compound in the Farscape novel Dark Side of the Sun, many of whom feature animalistic characteristics. John Crichton thinks to himself, "It was all very well to make small talk with Doctor Doolittle's menagerie, but [I] wanted to get down to business."
Connections[]
- Richard Attenborough played Blossom in the 1967 film
- Alan Bennett read the books on BBC Radio (1995-2001)
- Antonio Banderas played King Rassouli in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Jim Broadbent played Lord Thomas Badgly in Dolittle (2020 film)
- John Cena voiced Yoshi in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Tim Curry voiced the adult Dr. Dolittle in The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle (2011 direct-to-video)
- Jessica DiCicco voiced Louise and Ping Ping in The Voyages of Young Doctor Dolittle (2011 direct-to-video)
- Robert Downey, Jr. played Dr. John Dolittle and executive produced Dolittle (2020 film)
- Ralph Fiennes voiced Barry in Dolittle (2020 film)
- John Gibbs was an animator on the 1970-1971 animated series
- Selena Gomez voiced Betsy in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Geoffrey Holder played William Shakespeare X in the 1967 film
- Tom Holland voiced Jip in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Ralph Ineson played Arnall Stubbins in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Kumail Nanjiani voiced Plimpton in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Craig Robinson voiced Kevin in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Joe Siracusa was a film editor on the 1970-1971 animated series
- Hal Smith voiced Dr. Dolittle on the 1970-1971 animated series
- John Stephenson voiced Dr. Dolittle on The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle (1984 anime series)
- Octavia Spencer voiced Dab-Dab
- Martin Strudler was a layout artist on the 1970-1971 animated series
- Emma Thompson voiced Poly in Dolittle (2020 film)
- Ginny Tyler voiced Polynesia in the 1967 film