Big Bad Wolf

Big Bad Wolf (true name Zeke Wolf ) is a fictional character who first appeared in Three Little Pigs, a folktale that can be traced to the eighteenth century. The tale has several similarities with "The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids" (the "kids" being young goats) included in "Kinder- und Hausmärchen" (Children's and Household Tales[?]) by Jakob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, a collection which was first published in 1812 and had several revisions and additions till 1857. The tale of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf was included in Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Tales[?] by James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, first published around 1843 and seems to have become popular during the late 19th century. Variations of the tale appeared in Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings[?] in 1881 and Nights with Uncle Remus[?] in 1883, both by Joel Chandler Harris , though replacing the Pigs with Brer Rabbit. The story in its arguably best known form appeared in English Fairy Tales[?] by Joseph Jacobs[?], first published in 1898 and crediting Halliwell as his source.

But the character's most famous incarnation was created by The Walt Disney Company. He famously appeared as the villain in the movie Three Little Pigs directed by Bert Gillett[?] , first released on May 27, 1933. As in the folktale he was a cunning and threatening menace. But this version had also a taste for disguising himself. The audience could easily see through his disguises but they were convincing enough for the Pigs. His Voice actor was William Bletcher[?] (September 24, 1894 - January 5, 1979). The short also introduced names for the pigs. Fifer Pig, for the pig who played the flute and build the straw house. His voice actor was Dorothy Compton[?]. Fiddler Pig, for the pig who played the fiddle and and built the stich house. His voice actor was Mary Moder[?] (November 28, 1905 - July 11, 1993). Practical Pig, for the pig who played the piano only after he built his brick house and felt safety in it. The later prooved his abilitie to stay ahead of both his brothers and the wolf, in taking authority over his brothers, defeating the wolf and playing a practical joke on his siblings. His voiice actor was Pinto Colvig[?] (September 11, 1892 - October 3, 1967). The short also introduced the Wolf's theme song named "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf", written by Frank Churchill[?].

The short prooved popular enough for Walt Disney to decide to produce several sequels to it. The Wolf appeared as the villain in the sequels as well. He also appears in Lil Bad Wolf comic book stories as Lil Bad Wolf's father who wants his son to be as mean as he is but he can't live up to his father's expectations.

Links:

• 19th centurie versions of the Three Little Pigs story (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0124)
• Similar tale by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm005)
• A page examining Disney's Three Little Pigs (http://www.teemings.com/shorts/disney/years/1933/threelittlepigs1)
• Lyrics of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf (http://www.teemings.com/shorts/disney/years/1933/threelittlepigs3)
• Internet Movie Database's profile of William Bletcher, his voice actor (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Bletcher,%20Billy)