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1967 series
George
- Voiced by: Bill Scott
The titular character, the strong, but dimwitted and accident-prone King of the Jungle.
- Accidental Misnaming: He tends to refer to Ursula as "Fella".
- Dumb Muscle: He's "strong as he can be", but at the same time not very bright.
- Expy: A parody of Tarzan, of course.
- Idiot Hero: George is a simpleton that sometimes forgets that Ursula is his wife (calling her "Fella") or that they live in a treehouse, and insists that Shep is a dog despite all evidence.
- The Klutz: George is very clumsy, regularly bumping into trees and otherwise bumbling through the jungle.
- Tarzan Boy: He's a comedic example of the trope, a loincloth-wearing, vine swinging, strong but clumsy and stupid Nature Hero.
An Ape Named Ape
George's best friend, an ape named after his own species. He's much smarter than George, and is usually the one who has to get George out of trouble.
- Voiced by: Paul Frees
- A Dog Named "Dog": It's literally in the theme song.
- Gentle Gorilla: He's a large, bulky ape who is friendly, polite and erudite.
- Intellectual Animal: He's fluent in English and smarter than George.
Ursula (Fella)
- Voiced by: June Foray
George's wife, whom George likes to refer to as "Fella".
- Accidental Misnaming: George calls her "Fella" almost all the time. She doesn't seem to mind it, though.
- Damsel in Distress: In at least three episodes she gets kidnapped by the episode’s villain.
- Expy: To the extent that she was actually called "Jane" in the unaired pilot. Her name was changed to avoid trouble from the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate.
- Housewife: While George goes off on his adventures, Ursula typically remains behind in the tree house. Often, she is shown doing domestic chores such as laundry and knitting. If she does get involved in an adventure, it's probably because the villains kidnapped her.
Live-Action Films
George
- Played by: Brendan Fraser (first film); Chris Showerman (sequel)
The king of the jungle, who as a baby was lost in the African wilderness following a plane crash.
- Adaptational Intelligence: While still Book Dumb, this George shows much more emotional intelligence than his cartoon counterpart.
- All There in the Manual: According to the original script notes, George is 27 years old in the film.
- Character Catchphrase: "George just lucky, I guess."
- Eloquent in My Native Tongue: In English, he uses Hulk Speak. In ape, he's positively Shakespearean.
- Friend to All Living Things: George will befriend every person and animal he meets, and help every person or animal in need, unless they're threatening the innocent. (Like the lion that tries to eat Ursula, the two thugs that try to kidnap Ape, or Lyle trying to kidnap Ursula...)
- Gentle Giant: He's tall, muscular, incredibly strong and he's an absolute sweetheart.
- Good Samaritan: While climbing the San Francisco bridge, George catches sight of a skydiver whose parachute got caught in the bridge. George wastes no time swinging down to him, untangling him, and helping him climb down to safety.
- He Cleans Up Nicely: When he wants to be, George can look very dapper and really enjoys getting to wear an Armani suit, taking pride in how he looks in it.
- Hunk: Frequently commented on and gushed over by Ursula's female socialite friends.
- Idiot Hero: Played with. He's Book Dumb and uses Hulk Speak (in English), but he's not a complete idiot. He's emotionally intelligent, gifted at calibrating where and how best to swing, and quick to pick up on modern San Francisco technology. As the women admiring him frolicking with horses point out, George isn't dumb, he just has a different kind of intelligence.
- In Touch with His Feminine Side: Not afraid to share his emotions, wear tons of hibiscus flowers, or run around San Francisco in a dress.
- Made of Iron: Crashes into trees all the time when he's vine-swinging and (usually) comes out none the worse for wear.
- Mr. Fanservice: Spends most of the film in a loincloth and briefly in his birthday suit (complete with Sexophone) with before getting some spiffy threads.
- Nice Guy: Frequently described by the narrator as "Defender of the innocent, protector of the weak, and all-around good guy, George of the Jungle." His actions throughout show that he is fully deserving of such a description.
- Super-Strength: Curbstomped a full-grown lion.
- Tarzan Boy: Ursula even calls him a "Tarzan-wannabe".
- Third-Person Person: He often refers to himself in the third person due to being unfamiliar with regular speaking patterns.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Right before the "biggest swing in jungle history""Will hurt very much. But George have to do it."
- Weaponized Stench: George shoves Max's face into his armpit which causes the mercenary to recoil in disgust. George then sniffs his own armpit and even he is repulsed by how bad he smells.
- Wrestler in All of Us: He subdues a lion with some impressive suplexes and elbow strikes right out of the WWE.
- Wrestler of Beasts: George and Ursula first meet when he wrestles and defeats a lion trying to eat her. Appropriate, given the movie is a parody of Tarzan.
Ursula Stanhope
- Played by: Leslie Mann (first film), Julie Benz (sequel)
A San Francisco heiress who travels to Africa on a safari and falls in love with George there.
- All There in the Manual: According to the original script notes, Ursula is 25 years old in the film.
- Character Development: At the start of the movie she's very sweet but too timid to tell off her socialite peers, like Lyle or her parents. Thanks to spending time with George, she eventually musters the "inner juju" to tell her parents she doesn't want to marry Lyle anymore, and even try to tell Lyle off herself.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: Ursula’s mother strongly disapproves of her being with George instead of Lyle.
- Establishing Character Moment: The narrator ominously describes to the audience how intruders are trespassing in George's kingdom. Description Cut to Ursula sweetly greeting the camera as she documents her trek through Africa, gushing over the animals and how lovely her native tour guides (who all clearly like her) are.
- Extreme Doormat: Before her Character Development, she's too timid to tell Lyle off for being a controlling jerk, or later to tell her parents she doesn't want to marry Lyle anymore.
- Friend to All Living Things: Like George, she's very nice to every person and animal she meets.
- Going Native: She abandons her high-class life to live in the jungle with George.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Has perfectly permed blonde hair and a sweet disposition to match.
- Housewife: Settles into this role in the sequel, not unlike her role in the original cartoon.
- Love Epiphany: As she’s arguing with her mother about marrying Lyle, Ursula starts to realize that she loves George and leaves San Francisco to be with George.
- Meaningful Name: Ursula's last name Stanhope (invented for the film) is likely a reference to Lady Stanhope
, one of the earliest female adventurer/explorers. - Nice Girl: Only matched by George in how nice she is.
- Nice to the Waiter: Nothing but friendly and respectful towards Kwame and the other guides who sincerely like her in turn. The contrast with Lyle is very noticeable.
- Uptown Girl: She's a wealthy San Francisco heiress who falls for a man who lives in the jungle.
- Wakeup Makeup: Lampshaded by the narrator, when she wakes up fresh-faced with a perfect perm.
Ape
- Voiced by: John Cleese
George's best friend and lieutenant. Unlike George, he has genius-level intellect and eloquent human speech.
- A Dog Named "Dog": Still very much the case.
- Deadpan Snarker: The snarkiest in the movie, after the Lemony Narrator.
- Gentle Gorilla: Despite his snarky personality, he's a friendly and supportive older brother to George.
- Intellectual Animal: He's one of the smartest characters in the show, with his intelligence and eloquence exceeding not only the other gorillas but also most humans.
- Intelligent Primate: He's an extremely intellectual, well-read, erudite gorilla who has effectively raised George. He mentions being personally acquainted with prominent primatologist Jane Goodall, helps George understand his complex emotions, and outwits the poachers who want to sell him to the circus. As a bonus, he has an upper-class British accent courtesy of his voice actor, John Cleese.
- Irony: Ape the gorilla has the intellectual personality of a refined human, while George (his adopted human brother) has the more primal personality of a gorilla.
- Act 3 is also all about saving Ape from being sent into Vegas show business against his will. The credits reveal that Ape went into Vegas show business anyway, but on his terms.
- Sarcastic Confession: Inverted. Ape tells his kidnappers truthfully that the supposed "shortcut" they're on is a fake and taking a very circuitous route that will ultimately lead them right back to the tree house. But due to his sarcastic delivery and obvious incentive to mislead them, they assume he's lying and push forward. Naturally, they end up right back at the tree house.Ape: Well, I tried, but you fellows are just too smart for me.
- Surrounded by Idiots: Often feels this way, both when George is and isn't around.
Lyle Van de Groot
- Played by: Thomas Haden Church
Ursula's snobby and useless Disposable Fiancé who serves as the movie's main villain.
- Bad Boss: He treats his native guides like shit and often berates them for even smallest mistakes. Played for Laughs since the guides made it clear that they have absolutely zero respect or fear of him and always makes fun at Lyle at his expense without him able to do anything about it.
- Chekhov's Gun: His novelty lighter that looks like a pistol. It gets swapped with a real pistol after Lyle asked one of the native tour guides to clean it, and accidentally shoots George as a result.
- Control Freak: Won't let Ursula have a moment to herself, even for her personal trip to Africa. Even towards the end, he refuses to leave Ursula alone and instead tries to forcefully marry her.
- Dirty Coward: Ditches Ursula when they run into a lion (but trips on a root and gets knocked out instead). Later, he also declares he wants to fight the "white ape" who kidnapped his girlfriend, but then pauses and asks the guy with the binoculars if it seems like Lyle could take him before proceeding.
- Disposable Fiancé: Of the "Jerkass" variety.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Lyle was legitimately horrified when he shot George, as he assumed the gun he used to threaten him wasn't real. This doesn't stop him from continuing to antagonise George later on, however.
- Moral Event Horizon: In-universe, the other characters all thought Lyle was just kind of a rich snobby jerk until he shot George. Said shooting landed him straight into "irredeemable criminal who belongs in prison" territory for them.
- No Hero to His Valet: In San Francisco, Lyle is beloved by Ursula's rich socialite community. In Africa, Lyle is loathed by the native tour guides for the rich, snobby jerkass he is.
- Parent-Preferred Suitor: Lyle is Beatrice's preferred choice for a son-in-law. Even after hearing how he abandoned Ursula to a lion attack and shot George, she fully expects Ursula to still go through with the marriage, and thinks that George is a savage oaf who isn't worthy of her daughter. In the sequel, she has no problem with Lyle hypnotising Ursula into thinking she's still in love with him, and gleefully conspires with him against George (though his lack of common sense annoys her).
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Downplayed since it's a light-hearted family film. Still, he's pretty condescending towards and controlling of Ursula compared to George being respectful of her wishes, and he treats the native guides like dumb savages unfamiliar with modern technology.
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: So. Very. Much. Let's see; he assumes the rope bridge they're on is safe just because the kitschy touristy one he was on in Maui was safe. He tries to impress the native tour guides with his "magic pictures" only for them to reveal they like another camera model better; and his lens is dirty. He also carries around a novelty lighter that resembles a pistol and waves it around recklessly (which causes him to accidentally shoot George after the tour guides switch it for the real deal in a prank.)
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: After he regains consciousness and finds Ursula gone, Lyle rips his own clothing and rubs red berries on his skin to make it look like he was attacked trying to protect Ursula from the “white ape”.
Max and Thor
- Played by: Greg Cruttwell (Max), Abraham Benrubi (Thor)
Two poachers hired by Lyle.
- Brains and Brawn: Max is brains, Thor is brawn. Max is the one ordering Thor around and comes up with the scheme to kidnap Ape, while Thor deals with the heavy equipment.
- Bumbling Henchmen Duo: While they successfully capture Ape, they're easily misled by the fake shortcut to Ape River and fall victim to Ape's pranks.
- Dumb Muscle: Thor. His first scene shows him chafing due to wearing a leather jacket and pants in the African jungle. He's also seen dragging the cage around like a draft horse.
- Evil Brit: Max speaks with a thick Cockney accent.
- Evil Poacher: While staking out the treehouse, Max suggests poaching Shep for his ivory tusks. However, what really gets their attention is their discovery of Ape, and thus their evil plan for the remainder of the film is cemented.
- Hypercompetent Sidekick: Unlike Lyle, who's completely out of his element in the jungle, Max knows the value of stealth, and has no problem tracking down George's treehouse.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Their evil scheme involves kidnapping Ape to put him in show business against his will. When Ape becomes a Vegas act on his own terms, the two of them end up in his act, but as prop trees that get repeatedly rammed into by the performers playing George and Ursula.
- Mook Promotion: When Lyle is imprisoned, they become the villains of the third act. Once Lyle escapes from jail and kidnaps Ursula, the two of them are defeated alongside Lyle's German mercenary mooks.
- Not So Above It All: When Lyle falls into a pile of elephant dung, Max and Thor laugh along with the African guides.
- Rage Against the Author: After one snarky remark too many from the film's Lemony Narrator, Thor starts arguing with the narrator.
Kwame, Kip, N'Dugo and Baleto
- Played by: Richard Roundtree (Kwame), Abdoulaye N'Gom (Kip), Michael Chinyamurindi (N'Dugo, 1st Movie), Lamont Thompson (N'Dugo, 2nd Movie), Lydell M. Cheshier (Baleto / Bateke)
Four African guides that Ursula hires to guide her on her trip, who end up forced along when Lyle takes over the expedition. They are not particularly fond of him.
Kwame is calm and reasonable and speaks for the group most of the time. Kip, N'Dugo, and Baleto apparently only speak Swahili, and are sarcastic Trolls who enjoy insulting Lyle behind his back... and to his face.
- Bilingual Backfire: Kip, N'Dugo, and Baleto turn out to be perfectly capable of speaking English, and just didn't feel inclined to do so around Lyle.
- Bilingual Bonus: Most of the guides' Swahili is subtitled, but some lines go completely uncovered.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Their most memorable gag has them stop the film to explain the trope Slipping into Stink, then laugh about it.Kip: "Bad guy falls in poop: classic element of physical comedy. Now comes the part where we throw our heads back and laugh!"
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: They make a brief appearance in the second film, but Kwame is missing.
- Deadpan Snarker: Most of Kip, N'Dugo, and Baleto's lines are of them snarking in Swahili. Particularly Kip, who is the most vocal about hating Lyle.
- The Hyena: They give Lyle zero respect, and most of their scenes end with them laughing hysterically to his face.
- Hypercompetent Sidekick: They're very skilled at their work and are the only thing standing between Lyle and certain death, as much as they'd prefer not to be.
- Imagine Spot: In the sequel, they get a daydream where they toss Beatrice off a cliff after she flings one too many racist insults their way. The narrator doesn't let them do it, but consoles them by letting them keep messing with her.
- Jerkass to One: The guides are only ever nasty to Lyle, and even then they only really start after he pisses them off one too many times, while Beatrice is only around because the narrator won't let them throw her off the bridge (though he lets them continue to mess with her as consolation). They're perfectly nice to Ursula and even attend her wedding.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Downplayed as they don't intentionally play into the image but they know that Lyle sees them as nothing but illiterate savages who see him as impressive when they regard him as anything but and they don't bother to try and correct him, likely knowing it'd be a waste of time. Best scene when Lyle tries to impress them with a camera which he believes they'll regard as something magical and they reveal that they are familiar with the make and model but prefer another and add that his lens is dirty.
- Only Sane Man: Kwame is the most normal person in the whole film. He spends much of it getting increasingly exasperated, especially as he's the one who mostly has to deal with Lyle.
- Plot Armor: N'Dugo falls off a rope bridge as Lyle keeps rocking it back and forth. Despite the very long fall to the river below, the narrator assures the audience that "Nobody dies in this story. They just get really big boo-boos." Right on cue, the following scene shows N'Dugo alive, covered in bandages, and very pissed off.
- Servile Snarker: They make abundantly clear just how little respect they have for Lyle and openly insult and laugh at him.
- Unexplained Recovery: Played for Laughs. N'Dugo takes a huge fall off a rope bridge, only for the narrator to reassure the audience that "nobody dies in this story". Cut to a bandaged but alive N'Dugo, with no further explanation for how he survived. note
Beatrice Stanhope
- Played by: Holland Taylor (first film); Christina Pickles (sequel)
Ursula's snobby, meddling mother who still wants Ursula to marry Lyle.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Her disapproval of Ursula's relationship with George is very reminiscent of parents disapproving of an interracial relationship. She even uses the old "stripes and spots" analogy.
- Evil Matriarch: She sees class before Ursula’s happiness.
- Graceful Loser: At the end of both films, she has apparently accepted defeat.
- Lady Drunk: Is often seen with a drink in hand.
- My Beloved Smother: Very meddlesome in Ursula's life. She refuses to respect Ursula’s wishes to not marry Lyle and goes out of her way to try driving away George.
- Maligned Mixed Marriage: She thoroughly disapproves of her heiress daughter's relationship with an "ape man" from the jungle.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: After George leaves, Beatrice tries to assure Ursula the type of "love" she feels for George is fleeting. Unfortunately, using that word gives Ursula the Love Epiphany she needs to go after him.
- Reformed, but Not Tamed: By Ursula's wedding, Beatrice is more or less resigned to her relationship with George, though Beatrice still complains about it being filled with monkeys.
- Rich Bitch: Is extremely rude and snobby towards George.
- Skyward Scream: Hollers out a loud one after Ursula reveals to her and Arthur that she has no intention of marrying Lyle anymore.
Betsy
- Played by: Kelly Miracco
Ursula's best friend in San Fransisco, who spends much
- Deadpan Snarker: Very sarcastic, in a bluntly honest sort of way.
- Eating the Eye Candy: Spends much of her screentime with George eyeing him up. When she first meets him he happens to be stark naked, and Ursula has to physically hold her back from trying to jump him.
- Only Sane Man: Takes this role in the San Francisco parts of the first film, trying to get Ursula to stop dithering and do the right thing.
Tom Slick
Tom Slick
- Voiced by: Bill Scott
A dashing race car driver who drives his Thunderbolt Greaseslapper.
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- The Ace: He is a celebrated racer with great skills.
- Character Catchphrase: “There’s no such word as ‘X’ in ‘X’.”
Marigold
- Voiced by: June Foray
Tom’s girlfriend
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- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She’s a sweet-natured blonde who stands by Tom.
Gertie Growler
- Voiced by: Bill Scott
Tom’s mechanic.
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- Cool Old Lady: She’s a capable mechanic and can hold her own in any situation.
Baron Otto Matic
- Voiced by: Paul Frees
Tom’s recurring arch-enemy.
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- Aristocrats Are Evil: He’s a baron and a Card-Carrying Villain.
- Punny Name: The Baron’s name is based on “Automatic”.
Super Chicken
Super Chicken/Henry Cabot Henhouse III
- Voiced by: Bill Scott
A rich playboy chicken who is secretly the superhero Super Chicken.
- Bad Boss: Often subjects his friend/servant Fred to dangerous or painful situations without a second thought."You knew this job was dangerous when you took it."
- Idle Rich: He lives in a palatial penthouse and is rich enough to call two million dollars a "trifling sum", but is never seen working.
- Nigh-Invulnerable: His powers make him invulnerable to anything weaker than a .50-caliber gun, as mentioned in "The Fat Man".
Fred
- Voiced by: Paul Frees
Super Chicken’s Lion Sidekick.
- Beleaguered Assistant: He gets into more than some distress.
