History Main / PantomimeAnimal

A non-[[TalkingAnimal talking]] animal played by a human actor wearing an animal suit. Larger quadrupeds such as horses may require two actors. Though pantomime animals don't talk (at least, [[TheVoiceless they're not supposed to talk]]), they may make appropriate animal noises on cue and often can dance as well. Avoids all the hassle of [[NeverWorkWithChildrenOrAnimals working with real live animals]]. Children or dwarfs, on the other hand, may be needed to play smaller creatures.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. [[FanNickname Bryan the Spider]] from "The Harvest of Kairos". The actor operated the GiantSpider by sitting in the costume backwards, operating the front legs with his feet. Unfortunately this led to a very slow walk.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''. [[FanNickname Bryan the Spider]] from "The Harvest of Kairos".

* The two rebels disguised as a cow in ''Film/TopSecret'', probably the funniest gag in the movie.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E1WarriorsOfTheDeep Warriors of the Deep]]", the Myrka, a genetically engineered sea monster, is played by two guys[[note]]in fact, the same two guys who played the horse in ''Rentaghost''. When this came out it put the last nail in the coffin of taking the monster seriously[[/note]] in a costume approximating to a green pantomime horse. It... doesn't really work.

* Traditionally, Nana the dog in ''Literature/PeterPan''.

* Imogene the Spotted Calf, who replaced Toto in the original 1902 stage version of ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''. No, really.

See also PeopleInRubberSuits. A human form of this would be TotemPoleTrench.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* Certain scenes in the extended edition of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' had a pantomime Bill the Pony used in long shots, as it would have been too difficult to travel there with a real animal.
* Shows up at the Mardi Gras party in ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''.
* The two rebels disguised as a cow in ''Film/TopSecret'', probably the funniest gag in the movie.

* ''Disney/TheHunchbackofNotreDame'': One of the costumes worn at the Feast of Fools is [[Disney/{{Aladdin}} a horse with two rear ends.]]
* The Rodent of Unusual Size from ''Film/ThePrincessBride''.
* Played with in ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman''. At one point when the dwarves are sneaking into the castle they walk on the other side of a horse that's [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy between them and the guards]].
* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'' took this UpToEleven with the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabba_the_Hutt#Production_and_design incredibly]]'' intricate multi-person puppet used for [[StarfishAliens Jabba the Hutt]].

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* Parodied with the pantomime horses in ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''. To say nothing of the pantomime Princess Margaret.
* Dobbin the Pantomime Horse in 1980s BBC kids' show ''Series/{{Rentaghost}}'', supposedly an empty costume animated by a misfiring magic spell.

* ''(ding-dong)'' '''''WHO'S THAT AT THE DOOR?!?''''' [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Secretariat]] on ''Series/TheLateLateShow with Creator/CraigFerguson''.
* ''Series/SesameStreet'' has Barkley the dog.
* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E1WarriorsOfTheDeep Warriors of the Deep]]", the Myrka, a genetically engineered sea monster, is played by two guys[[note]]in fact, the same two guys who played the horse in ''Rentaghost''. When this came out it put the last nail in the coffin of taking the monster seriously[[/note]] in a costume approximating to a green pantomime horse. It... doesn't really work.
* ''Series/DadsArmy'': In "Operation Kilt", the platoon attempts to use a pantomime cow to sneak up on a highland regiment during a training exercise. Things do not according to plan [[BlackComedyRape when a bull takes an interest]].

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]
* Common in {{Pantomime}}.
* The lion in ''Theatre/AndroclesAndTheLion''.

* Traditionally, Nana the dog in ''Literature/PeterPan''.
* Imogene the Spotted Calf, who replaced Toto in the original 1902 stage version of ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''. No, really.
* ''Theatre/ManOfLaMancha'' has a pair of pantomime horses for Don Quixote and Sancho to ride.
* The elephant and rhinoceros costumes used in the Broadway musical version of ''Disney/TheLionKing''.
* The theatre adaptation of ''Literature/{{Warhorse}}''.

[[AC:Theme Parks]]
* The Creator/{{Disney}} cast members in character costumes who roam the park aren't supposed to speak, so they pantomime everything they want to communicate. Note that this doesn't include "face characters", like Alice or Snow White, who aren't wearing anything over their heads. Or the newest model of Mickey, who has some elaborate mechanisms that allow him to speak.
* Creator/PattyMaloney and Pat Cooper once performed at state fairs costumed as WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle, respectively.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

* [[Wiki/SCPFoundation SCP]][[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1545 -1545]], Larry the Loving Llama. Once people get inside the costume, they adopt the personality of Larry, and the person in the back starts dancing with the intention of entertaining people, never stopping until the people inside die or are forcefully removed.

* ''Film/TransformersRevengeoftheFallen'' actually did this with an ice cream truck.
* One of the costumes worn at [[Disney/TheHunchbackofNotreDame the Feast of Fools]] is [[Disney/{{Aladdin}} a horse with two rear ends.]]

A non-[[TalkingAnimal talking]] animal played by a human actor wearing an animal suit. Larger quadrupeds such as horses may require two actors. Though pantomime animals don't talk (at least, [[TheVoiceless they're not supposed to talk]]), they may make appropriate animal noises on cue and often can dance as well. Avoids all the hassle of [[NeverWorkWithChildrenOrAnimals working with real live animals]]. Children or dwarf adults, on the other hand, may be needed to play smaller creatures.

* [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Secretariat]] on ''Series/TheLateLateShow with Creator/CraigFerguson''.

* A FarSide comic has two pantomime actors arguing. One (whose ass is a good three or four times wider than him) demands to know why he's always the rear end of the horse.
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* Certain scenes in the extended edition of ''TheLordOfTheRings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' had a pantomime Bill the Pony used in long shots, as it would have been too difficult to travel there with a real animal.

* Dobbin the Pantomime Horse in 1980s BBC kids' show ''{{Rentaghost}}'', supposedly an empty costume animated by a misfiring magic spell.

* In a ''DaveAllen at Large'' sketch, a German POW camp guard searches the cargo and even the straw in an outgoing wagon thoroughly, to make sure there are no prisoners hiding inside. Not finding anyone, the guard waves the wagon through the gate, failing to notice that it's being pulled by a pantomime horse.
* Buttercup the ''{{QI}}'' cow made an appearance at the beginning of the "Groovy" episode to help demonstrate the first question.
-->'''Stephen''': Never ever in the history of show business has the phrase "Don't milk it, Luv," been more appropriate.
* [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Secretariat]] on ''TheLateLateShow with Creator/CraigFerguson''.
* ''SesameStreet'' has Barkley the dog.

* The music video for ''Sorry for Party Rocking'' by ''{{LMFAO}}'' features a pantomime zebra performing the Running Man.

* The lion in ''AndroclesAndTheLion''.
* Caroline, the cow in ''{{Gypsy}}''. Its front legs belong to Louise.

* Imogene the Spotted Calf, who replaced Toto in the original 1902 stage version of ''TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''. No, really.
* ''ManOfLaMancha'' has a pair of pantomime horses for Don Quixote and Sancho to ride.

* The Theatre adaptation of ''Literature/Warhorse''.

* The {{Disney}} cast members in character costumes who roam the park aren't supposed to speak, so they pantomime everything they want to communicate. Note that this doesn't include "face characters", like Alice or Snow White, who aren't wearing anything over their heads. Or the newest model of Mickey, who has some elaborate mechanisms that allow him to speak.
* PattyMaloney and Pat Cooper once performed at state fairs costumed as RockyAndBullwinkle, respectively.

[[AC:WebComics]]
* In [[http://www.paradoxspace.com/pones/2 the second page]] of the ''WebComic/ParadoxSpace'' story "Pones", Hella Jeff tries to get Sweet Bro to be the rear of his horse costume after [[PeripheryDemographic seeing him play]] with a MyLittlePhony toy.

* [[SCPFoundation SCP]][[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1545 -1545]], Larry the Loving Llama. Once people get inside the costume, they adopt the personality of Larry, and the person in the back starts dancing with the intention of entertaining people, never stopping until the people inside die or are forcefully removed.

* Certain scenes in the swamps during the extended edition of ''TheLordOfTheRings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' had a pantomime Bill the Pony used in long shots, as it would have been too difficult to travel there with a real animal.

* Traditionally, Nana the dog in ''Theatre/PeterPan''.

* Dobbin the Pantomime Horse in 1980s BBC kids' show ''{{Rentaghost}}''.

* Nana the Dog in the original stage version of ''PeterPan''.

-->'''Stephen''': Never ever in the history of show business has the phrase "Don't milk it, {{Luvvie}}'' been more appropriate.

* The Rodent of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride.

* The Wolf mascot from ''A.N.T. Farm''.
* In a ''Dave Allen at Large'' sketch, a German POW camp guard searches the cargo and even the straw in an outgoing wagon thoroughly, to make sure there are no prisoners hiding inside. Not finding anyone, the guard waves the wagon through the gate, failing to notice that it's being pulled by a pantomime horse.

* The Rodent of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride

* [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Secretariat]] on ''TheLateLateShow with CraigFerguson''.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E1WarriorsOfTheDeep Warriors of the Deep]]", the Myrka, a genetically engineered sea monster, is played by two guys[note]in fact, the same two guys who played the horse in ''Rentaghost''. When this came out it put the last nail in the coffin of taking the monster seriously[/note] in a costume approximating to a green pantomime horse. It... doesn't really work.