Mr. Toad
Mr. Toad | |
---|---|
The Wind in the Willows character | |
First appearance | The Wind in the Willows The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad |
Created by | Kenneth Grahame |
Portrayed by | Peter Harryson (stage adaptation) |
Voiced by | Eric Blore (1949 film) David Jason (1983 film, 1984 TV series) Charles Nelson Reilly (1987 film) Rik Mayall (1995 film, 1996 sequel) |
In-universe information | |
Species | Toad |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Motor car driver |
Nationality | English |
Mr. Toad, of Toad Hall, is one of the main characters in the 1908 novel The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
Inspiration[edit]
The inspiration for Mr. Toad's wayward mischievousness and boastfulness was Kenneth Grahame's only child Alastair: a family friend, Constance Smedley, overheard Grahame telling Alastair the exploits of Toad as a bedtime story, and noted that "Alastair's own tendency to exult in his exploits was gently satirized in Mr. Toad".[1] Colonel Francis Cecil Ricardo (1852–1924), the first owner of a car in Cookham in Berkshire, where Grahame wrote the books is also thought to have been an influence. Other suggestions include Walter Cunliffe, 1st Baron Cunliffe.[2]
Character[edit]
Toad is a passionate driver and has crashed at least eight cars.[3]
In other works[edit]
A. A. Milne's 1929 play Toad of Toad Hall was based on the book.[citation needed] William Horwood wrote several children's novels, Tales of the Willows, continuing the original story.[4]
Portrayals[edit]
- Eric Blore - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949 film)[5]
- David Jason - The Wind in the Willows (1983 film)[6]
- Charles Nelson Reilly - The Wind in the Willows (1987 film)[7]
- Rik Mayall - The Wind in the Willows (1995 film). He won an Emmy Award for the role.[8]
- Terry Jones - The Wind in the Willows (1996 film)[6]
- Matt Lucas - The Wind in the Willows (2006 film)[6]
- Peter Harryson - on stage.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ Mattanah, Jonathan (2009). "A Contemporary Psychological Understanding of Mr. Toad". In Horne, Jackie C.; White, Donna R. (eds.). Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows: A Children's Classic at 100. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. 93–94. ISBN 9780810872592.
- ^ Johnson, Andrew (22 October 2011). "Is this the real Mr Toad?". The Independent. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ Sander, David (1997). "Mr. Bliss and Mr. Toad: Hazardous Driving in J.R.R. Tolkien's "Mr. Bliss" & Kenneth Grahame's "The Wind in the Willows"". Mythlore. 21 (4 (82)): 36–38. ISSN 0146-9339.
- ^ Drew, Bernard A. (8 March 2010). Literary Afterlife: The Posthumous Continuations of 325 Authors' Fictional Characters. McFarland. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7864-5721-2.
- ^ Pitts, Michael R. (3 April 2015). RKO Radio Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1929-1956. McFarland. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7864-6047-2.
- ^ a b c Duck, Siobhan (19 December 2007). "Willow talk". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 March 2024 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2008). The Oxford Companion to the American Musical. Oxford University Press. p. 802. ISBN 978-0-19-533533-0.
- ^ Castle, Jill (9 June 2014). "In Pictures: Rik Mayall, a career in comedy". The Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Panas, Dan (15 June 1998). "Aftonbladet nöje: Sista kvällen som padda". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 May 2018.