(1946). Disney's version of the character is drawn in a more humorous and cartoony style than the illustrations of Br'er Bear in Harris's books.]]

Br'er Bear is a fictional character from the Uncle Remus folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris.

Br'er Bear is the sidekick of Br'er Fox in the animated sequences of the 1946 Walt Disney-produced film, Song of the South; the character was voiced by Nick Stewart, in Australia, this character was voiced by Max Tegas. Br'er Bear is portrayed as stupid, slow-witted and prone to violence when provoked, leaving him open to being tricked repeatedly by Br'er Rabbit when he accompanies Br'er Fox. Unlike the character's depiction in the earlier illustrations of Frederick S. Church, A. B. Frost, and E. W. Kemble, the Disney animators redesigned Br'er Bear in a more slapstick, cartoony style.^[1]

The same folktales also inspired the 1975 Ralph Bakshi adult animation film Coonskin, which moves elements from the stories to a then-contemporary urban setting.

Other appearances

• Br'er Bear and many other characters from Song of the South appear as the main storyline of the Disney ride Splash Mountain. He appears as an audio-animatronic character in multiple scenes during the ride. In the attraction, as in the movie, Nick Stewart voices Br'er Bear.
• Br'er Bear has made cameo appearances in two other films. He can be seen frequently in various scenes in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and he is also seen in The Lion King 1½ along with many other Disney Toons coming into the theater in the ending scene. Br'er Bear also makes cameo appearances in several episodes of the Disney's House of Mouse television series and in the direct-to-video release Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.
• Br'er Bear has also made sporadic appearances in Disney's Gladstone comics, such as one time when Bambi and his friends were being hunted by him. The Wicked Witch from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is also near the forest, and she apparently knows Br'er Bear when he visits her, but cautions him not to drink what is in her caludron. Br'er Bear helps himself to it, as he believes she is making a potion for super strength, but is then taken aback when she scolds him for not listening to her warning and that she was just mixing ordinary turpentine. Br'er Bear is then too weakened and too humiliated to continue trying to hunt Bambi and his friends, who rejoice that his own arrogance and stupidity led to his own defeat. In another Walt Disney comic, Br'er Bear thinks Br'er Rabbit has been smashing mail boxes and hay waggons and as usual fails to catch Br'er Rabbit in the briar patch. Br'er Bear vows to catch Br'er Rabbit as he is the constable of "Huckleberry County", but Br'er Rabbit eventually gradually finds the real culprit (the smashed objects were actually accidents). In another story, Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox first get into a fight and after each of them tries to steal a stolen pie-both end up trapped on a sign in the middle of a frozen pond. The running gag in the comics is when Br'er Bear beats up Br'er Wolf (aka Zeke Wolf).
• Br'er Bear also appears with Br'er Fox and Br'er Rabbit at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for meet-and-greets, parades and shows.

References