Line #48 WesternAnimation/Pete


1	[[quoteright:312:[[WesternAnimation/MovingDay https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PeteBargingIn-lowres_7809.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:312: Not Pete's usual state of dress, but fitting nonetheless.]]
3
4	Pete is a large anthropomorphic cat from the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts who is constantly causing trouble for WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit, WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/MinnieMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, WesternAnimation/DaisyDuck, WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} and WesternAnimation/{{Pluto}} (all of whom, ironically, he predates[[note]]that is, "precedes in time", not "preys upon", although a case can be made for the latter[[/note]]).
5
6	Pete's brand of villainy has evolved subtly over the years, his intelligence is optional and his goals range from a simple con to taking over a country, but one thing remains the same in this selfish, menacing brute -- ''Pete is up to no good.'' He gets what's coming to him with perfect LaserGuidedKarma, and yet he never learns.
7
8	As a villain and antagonist, Pete's most notable trait to date is that he has never learned the difference between fear and respect. As opposed to many Disney villains who lust for power over a state, Pete is a bully who desires and settles with control over a small number of people; a goal that can never be accomplished since he has never displayed any self-control himself.
9
10	He debuted in the ''WesternAnimation/AliceComedies'' short "Alice Solves the Puzzle", and also appeared as a bear in some of the ''WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit'' cartoons. This makes him ''the'' oldest Disney character that is still in use today.
11
12	Throughout his career, Pete has been voiced by Creator/BillyBletcher, Creator/JohnMcLeish, Creator/PintoColvig (better known as WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, or [[Series/TheBozoShow Bozo the Clown]]), Creator/WillRyan, and Creator/ArthurBurghardt. His current official voice actor is Creator/{{Jim Cummings\|1952}} (the one who also voices Franchise/{{Winnie the Pooh}}, Tigger and WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck).
13	----
14	[[folder:Pete's filmography]]
15	!1925
16	* Alice Solves The Puzzle: First appearance of Pete in any Disney media, in the Alice Comedies.
17	* Alice Wins The Derby: First time Pete is depicted without a peg leg.
18	* Alice Picks The Champ
19	* Alice's Tin Pony
20
21	!1926
22	* Alice on the Farm
23
24	!1927
25	* The Ocean Hop: First appearance of Pete in [[WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit Oswald's]] cartoons, completely redesigned to be taller than the other characters.
26
27	!1928
28	* Ozzie of the Mounted: First time Pete appeared with a larger stomach.
29	* Hungry Hobos: Although he would continue to appear in Oswald shorts following Walt Disney's departure from Universal, this was Pete's last appearance in the Disney-produced shorts.
30	* The Gallopin' Gaucho: First time Pete appeared in a Mickey Mouse short, solidifying his metamorphosis from a bear to a cat in the process, as well as his role as Mickey's antagonist.
31	* ''WesternAnimation/SteamboatWillie''
32
33	!1929
34	* The Barn Dance
35	* The Barnyard Battle
36
37	!1930
38	* The Cactus Kid
39	* The Chain Gang
40
41	!1932
42	* The Klondike Kid: First appearance of Pete's modern redesign.
43	* The Mad Dog: First speaking appearance, provided by Creator/WaltDisney.
44
45	!1934
46	* Shanghaied: First cartoon to have Billy Bletcher voice Pete.
47	* The Dognapper: First cartoon to have Pete go up against Donald Duck alongside Mickey Mouse.
48
49	!1935
50	* Mickey's Service Station: First cartoon to have Pete up against Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in their first trio short. Pete's last appearance in black and white.
51
52	!1936
53	* ''WesternAnimation/MovingDay'': Pete's first appearance in color.
54
55	!1937
56	* The Worm Turns
57
58	!1939
59	* Officer Duck: First time to have Pete against Donald Duck in his solo shorts.
60
61	!1940
62	* Mr. Mouse Takes A Trip: Last appearance as an antagonist in a Mickey Mouse short.
63	* The Riveter
64
65	!1941
66	* Timber
67
68	!1942
69	* Symphony Hour: Pete's last appearance in a Mickey Mouse short.
70
71	!1944
72	* Trombone Trouble
73
74	!1952
75	* Two Gun Goofy: First time to have Pete against Goofy in his solo shorts.
76	* How to Be a Detective: Last appearance of Pete in Goofy's solo shorts.
77	* The New Neighbor
78
79	!1953
80	* Canvas Back Duck: Last appearance of Pete in Donald's solo shorts.
81
82	!1954
83	* The Lone Chipmunks: Final appearance of Pete in any classic short, oddly clashing against WesternAnimation/ChipAndDale.
84
85	!1983
86	* WesternAnimation/MickeysChristmasCarol
87
88	!1990
89	* WesternAnimation/ThePrinceAndThePauper
90
91	!1995
92	* WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie
93
94	!2000
95	* WesternAnimation/AnExtremelyGoofyMovie
96
97	!2004
98	* WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers
99
100	!2013
101	* ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''
102
103	!2022
104	* ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'' (cameo)
105
106	!2023
107	* ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'' (cameo)
108	[[/folder]]
109
110	------
111	!!Tropes That Apply to Pete:
112	* AbhorrentAdmirer: Pete was this to Minnie Mouse in the early cartoons and in ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse''.
113	* AbusiveParents: ZigZagged. On ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' he can range from being a relatively distant but still concerned BumblingDad to a harshly verbally abusive slave-driver with his son. With his daughter he can range from spoiling her with love to being somewhat neglectful. In "Bellboy Donald", he was not abusive at all, but was [[AdultsAreUseless useless]].
114	* AdaptationalHeroism: While Pete has traditionally been a truly evil villain, sometimes he's portrayed more heroically, or at least as a lesser evil to a different villain.
115	** In ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' at least, he was a {{Jerkass}}, a ManipulativeBastard, and (as a result of the premise) an {{Abusive Parent\|s}}, but he was also shown to [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards]], [[BlackAndGrayMorality fight against greater evils]] from time to time, and have a few PetTheDog moments, making him more of an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist or AntiHero.
116	** In ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'', he is [[LighterAndSofter played much more sympathetically due to the target audience being younger]] to the point where he's not even very mean and actually gets along with the other characters. ''WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers'', a successor to the former show also has Pete in this as he still means well and usually ends up changing for the better if he's an antagonist in an episode.
117	** One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales\|1987}}'' had a gruff but outright heroic Pete who was only positioned as a potential villain as a RedHerring.
118	** A few incarnations of Pete in ''VideoGame/EpicMickey'' depict them as {{Punch Clock Villain}}s and are aware of it; they will help Mickey if it means it'll help Wasteland as a whole.
119	** The ''ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse'' zigzags this because of DependingOnTheWriter. While usually a criminal, Pete is often an IneffectualSympatheticVillain, shows a softer side with his canon girlfriend Trudy, and sometimes ends up in an EnemyMine with Mickey against the Phantom Blot.
120	* AnimalJingoism: He's a cat, and the characters he most often antagonizes are mice (Mickey and Minnie) or dogs (Goofy and Pluto).
121	* ArchEnemy: To WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and/or WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, depending on the cartoon. The last one, however rarely ever suspects that they're enemies. [[WesternAnimation/GoofTroop Occasionally the two are even neighbors.]]
122	* TheArtifact: His Italian name, Gambadilegno, means "Wooden Leg" (literally, "Leg-of-Wood"), as a translation of his original Peg-Leg Pete moniker, even though he hasn't had his wooden leg in decades.
123	* ArtificialLimbs: Due to having his peg leg removed from his design, one European artist justified this change with "he got a ''much'' more realistic prosthetic".
124	* ArtEvolution: Pete started off as a bear, but was made into a cat in '' WesternAnimation/TheGallopinGaucho''. He lost his long tail and shaved his muzzle in 1932, where he was given his current appearance.
125	* BearsAreBadNews: Before ''WesternAnimation/SteamboatWillie'' he was a bear.
126	* BigBad: DependingOnTheWriter, he can assume this role in some works (such as ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceAndThePauper'' or ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers''). One of his monikers is also "Big Bad Pete".
127	* BreakoutVillain: He debuted as an antagonist in the now-forgotten ''WesternAnimation/AliceComedies'', where he menaced the titular Alice, and proved popular enough to become Disney's oldest recurring character.
128	* BumblingDad: Pete plays this trope to perfection in ''Goof Troop''.
129	* CartoonCreature: He was originally a bear, but he's a cat now. In ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', ''WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie'', and ''An Extremely Goofy Movie'', he's portrayed as a {{Dogface\|s}}. In all cases, he tends to be exaggerated and stylized enough that his species is {{Informed\|Species}} at best.
130	* CatsAreMean: Believe it or not, Pete is a cat, even though he hasn't really looked like one since 1932, when he lost his tail. He's also one of the biggest jerks around.
131	* ChasteToons: Averted. He has three children: Junior from "Bellboy Donald" and [=PJ=] and Pistol from ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop''.
132	* TheChewToy: Often, usually due to Goofy's inadvertant bumbling.
133	* CigarChomper: Sometimes he's shown smoking a large cigar like in the picture above.
134	* CompositeCharacter: He was originally named Tom, but was renamed Pete when Disney decided to make him a continuation of the bear character from earlier shorts.
135	%%* ConsummateLiar
136	* CrankyNeighbor: Toward Donald in "The New Neighbor", which takes this trope up to eleven as they engage in all-out war with each other. He also takes this role toward Goofy in ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop''.
137	* DependingOnTheWriter:
138	** Pete's brand of villainy tends to vary widely depending on the work in question -- he's been seen as a calculating and scheming villain, a simple criminal thug, a relatively mundane {{Jerkass}}, a simple annoying foil, a CrankyNeighbor, or whichever other antagonistic role is needed, although he rarely tends to be the top villain when other bad guys are present.
139	** He had a peg-leg in his first appearance which has since come and gone.
140	* DiabolicalDogCatcher: Pete was depicted as one in "The Mad Dog" (1932) and "The Worm Turns" (1937). Both times he tries to seize Pluto, and when Pluto resists, Pete resorts to actually trying to flat-out ''[[DisproportionateRetribution murder the dog with a shotgun!]]''
141	* TheDragon: When played as a serious villain in a work where multiple such antagonists are present, Pete tends to play second fiddle to the true BigBad but to stand above rank-and-file lackeys. He plays this role to Maleficent in ''Videogame/KingdomHeartsII'', for instance, and serves as the Phantom Blot's main enforcer in ''ComicBook/WizardsOfMickey''.
142	* DrillSergeantNasty: To WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck in a series of {{Wartime Cartoon}}s.
143	* DubNameChange: In France, Pete is named "Pat Hibulaire", a pun on the French word "patibulaire", which means "sinister".
144	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: He was first depicted as a bear in the ''WesternAnimation/AliceComedies'', where he debuted, before he became a cat in the ''WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts''.
145	* EnemyMine:
146	** In one of the European comics, Pete teams up with Commisoner O'Hara to make a scheme that will dissuade the police chief and Pete's wife from making the police and his gang more like those in action movies.
147	** He sometimes teams up with his nemesis WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse to deal with an even bigger enemy.
148	* EvenEvilHasStandards: He clamis that he's against kidnapping children in one of the European comics.
149	* EvilIsBigger: He's both taller and fatter than any of the regular characters of the WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts -- he tends to be well over twice Mickey's height -- and usually plays an antagonistic role.
150	* EvilLaughter: In ''WesternAnimation/MickeysChristmasCarol'', playing the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Pete does this after shoving Scrooge [=McDuck=] into what will be his grave, mocking him with the line, "The richest man in the cemetery!" and then ignoring Scrooge's pleas for mercy as he is about to fall into a [[FireAndBrimstoneHell flaming casket]]. (This was [[AllJustADream all a dream]], to warn Scrooge of what might be if he continues his misery, jerk-ass ways.)
151	* EvilSoundsDeep: Especially the Creator/JimCummings version. His original actor, Billy Bletcher, was famed for such roles. Website/TheOtherWiki once said it was done to [[{{Foil}} contrast]] Mickey's light falsetto voice.
152	* FatBastard: To varying degrees throughout the years (see DependingOnTheWriter) but he always is fat and almost always is an incredible bastard.
153	* FreudianExcuse: During his VillainSong in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers'', we learn the reason why Pete has been so evil: because his mother didn't like him and he wanted to become king [[WellDoneSonGuy to impress her]].
154	* GoKartingWithBowser: When Pete is subject to AdaptationalHeroism, he, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy have been rivals rather than enemies, and even been amicable towards one another.
155	* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Frequently seen chewing on the stump of a fat cigar.
156	* HairTriggerTemper: It doesn't take much to make him angry. In fact seems like he's always angry.
157	* HeelFaceTurn: He sometimes helps Mickey in his adventures. See also: EnemyMine.
158	* HeroicCaninesVillainousFelines: Pete is often pitted against WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} or WesternAnimation/PlutoThePup.
159	* HonestJohnsDealership: In ''Goof Troop'', Pete is reimagined as owning a used car lot. Though he's successful at the job, his business practices are shown to be crooked at best and outright illegal at worst.
160	* HonorAmongThieves: In the Italian comics, Pete is traditionally a career criminal with a staunch belief in thieves' honor; in general, he looks down on thieves who steal from "colleagues" and [[CardCarryingVillain treats making a living from law-abiding methods as a great shame]].
161	* IconicOutfit: Pete is one of the few, if not the ''only'', classic Disney characters who completely averts this. Throughout the years, he has worn quite a variety of outfits depending on what's appropriate, and has no real "default" look like other characters.
162	** That being said, one costume that tends to be associated with him is him wearing blue overalls, which is the look he's been depicted with in media like various comics, animated shows like ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'' and videogames like ''VideoGame/EpicMickey''. In fact, his primary outfit in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series is basically a Tetsuya Nomura-esque version of said blue overalls... [[{{zipper\|iffic}} with a big zipper in the middle for good measure.]]
163	* IHaveManyNames: Peg-Leg Pete, Big Bad Pete, Pistol Pete, Black Pete, and Pete Pete, to name a few. In the ''Alice Comedies'', he was known as Bootleg Pete, while as Oswald's nemesis, he was called Putrid Pete. He also has had names that did not contain Pete: e.g., Terrible Tom, Tiny Tom (in ''Officer Duck''), Sylvester Macaroni (in ''Symphony Hour''), and Al Muldoon (in ''How to Be a Detective'').
164	* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: He's made multiple unwanted advances to Minnie in his old cartoons.
165	* InformedSpecies: He's ''supposed'' to be a cat, but his species is even less clear than Goofy's, and he's often mistaken for a {{Dogface}}.
166	* {{Jerkass}}: Whether the setting makes sense for him to be a traditional villain or not, he's almost always a big selfish bully.
167	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: On occasion. ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' and ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'' show a more sympathetic side for example. The latter show and a commentary feature on ''The Three Musketeers'' DVD implies that he's usually a case of MeanCharacterNiceActor. Also, every once in a while he'd slip into this role on ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' but there more often than not he was just a {{Jerkass}}.
168	%%* LargeHam: Expecially in ''The Three Musketeers''.
169	* LaughablyEvil: Even at his most diabolical, he's usually a bumbling goofball.
170	* LighterAndSofter:
171	** His ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'' characterization has him still be abrasive and less than honest, but far from being an actual villain.
172	** In ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'', he's far less malicious and much more mischevious. He's also on far better terms with the good characters.
173	%%* ManipulativeBastard
174	* MegaNeko: He's a massive, obese cat.
175	* MyFutureSelfAndMe: In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', the party follows Pete into Timeless River, an area of the past modeled after the black-and-white Disney Cartoons. Here they also meet Pete as portrayed in Steamboat Willie, who even helps them fight Present!Pete and his army of [[TheHeartless Heartless]].
176	* NamedAfterTheInjury: During the eponymous character's early years, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness he wore a pegleg]] and he was known as Peg Leg Pete. The peg leg was later phased out and he started to be called just Pete.
177	* NobleDemon: Some works portray Pete as less morally bankrupt than other big-time villains, generally either through a staunch belief in HonorAmongThieves, a related sense of fair play, a willingness to team up with the heroes against major threats or some combination thereof.
178	* PermaStubble: Pete's once white-furred muzzle is now clean-shaven, except for bristly stubble to emphasize his often malignant and brusque character.
179	* PunchClockVillain: In European comics continuity Pete is a robber but treats his profession like a normal job, up to the point of not committing crimes when he is on vacation.
180	* TheRival: He's traditionally been portrayed as Mickey Mouse's chief foe and rival. He's also one to Goofy, but through the latter's association with Mickey and his own stories.
181	* RoguesGalleryTransplant: Pete has the notoriety of being Disney's earliest iconic character because he was always used as antagonist to whomever Walt Disney had for the protagonist. First, he was a bear antagonist towards Alice in the ''WesternAnimation/AliceComedies''. Then he was transplanted into the ''WesternAnimation/OswaldTheLuckyRabbit'' cartoons as Oswald's personal adversary until Walt lost the rights. And then he was transplanted into ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse'' cartoons, revisioned as a cat, where he would menace the mouse and many of his friends such Donald Duck and Goofy. It's apparently a happy accident, as the cat adversary was supposed to be an {{Expy}} of Pete named "Terrible Tom" until a Mickey Mouse comic strip reused the name "Pegleg Pete" and it has stuck every since.
182	* SeadogPegLeg: For most of the early thirties, when he was also known as Peg Leg Pete. It disappeared around 1936 in the theatrical cartoons, although it remained in the comics for some time after that. He retains the peg leg in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyDonaldGoofyTheThreeMusketeers'' and in ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013''.
183	* SpitefulSpit: In the early cartoons, Pete chewed tobacco and would often spit a glob of it when irritated or spiteful.
184	* TeamRocketWins: He actually wins Minnie's affections over Mickey in ''The Barn Dance'' (granted this was one of the few times [[LaserGuidedKarma he was acting more scrupulous than his nemesis]]).
185	* ThoseWackyNazis: During World War II, Pete was drafted into the US army, but in the comics released at the time he was revealed to be working for the Nazis.
186	* TookALevelInKindness: In ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'', where he's the kindest he's ever been. While [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness a few early episodes]] had Pete be his usual mean self, he quickly became nicer and even outright friendly with Mickey and the gang, playing along with them on their adventures. When he does act up, he's usually just mischievous and is quick to apologize if he goes too far. It's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] given that ''Clubhouse'' is a show for preschoolers.
187	* UglyGuyHotWife: His marriage to Peg in ''Goof Troop'' certainly counts for this.
188	* UnlimitedWardrobe: Unlike most Disney characters, Pete lacks a default IconicOutfit and has worn numerous different outfits across his many appearances.
189	* TheUsurper: In ''The Prince and the Pauper'' and ''Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers'', Pete is TheCaptain of the royal guard and attempts to usurp control of the kingdom.
190	* VillainDecay: He used to be truly evil in his early shorts, even kidnapping Minnie on occasion. But around the 1940s, his character was toned down to just a selfish Jerkass who, while still mean to Mickey and the gang, wasn't truly evil. He still has his moments of outright villainy, however. It seems to vary depending on what the setting requires. A domestic or SliceOfLife setting will have him simply be a Jerkass, while a fantasy or adventure setting will feature more traditional villainy.
191	* WouldHurtAChild: He started out as an antagonist in Alice Comedies so of course.
192	* YourSizeMayVary: Pete's size seems to vary between appearances, from being twice the size as Mickey, to being incredibly imposing to Mickey.

Context WesternAnimation / Pete