Beagles are loyal, lovable dogs who enjoy loads of playtime and snuggles. They’re also known for their intelligence, comical nature, and incredible sense of smell. So, as one can imagine, they make frequent appearances in popular books, comics, films, and TV shows.
Whether you’re a lifelong lover of Beagles or hope to welcome one of these hounds into your home, there’s no denying that these guys have made their mark––on the entertainment industry, of course!). Here are some of the most recognizable Beagle characters.
Snoopy
Charles M. Schultz’s weekly panel cartoon Peanuts began in 1950 on a small scale in his local town and eventually seven other newspapers. But soon, this adorable story about a round-headed boy named Charlie Brown and his Beagle, Snoopy, took the world by storm. Snoopy was one of the original four characters in the strip.
Schultz drew Snoopy as a black and white dog with a long nose, endearing smile, and floppy ears. This design surprised many people, as many Beagles come in black, tan, and white! Yet, according to the American Kennel Club, Beagles can come in “any hound color,” and that includes black and white. What’s more, Schultz based Snoopy on his Beagle mix, Spike.
Although his drawing may not look like your typical Beagle, Snoopy embodies the playfulness, intelligence, energy, and need for sleep that Beagles are well-known for.
Gromit
Nick Park, a student at the National Film and Television School, chose to animate a couple of characters as part of his graduation project. He had already sketched out a basic idea about a man who was building a rocket and his pet (at first a cat, then changed to a dog).
Six years later, the project aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve in 1990. The animation was titled “A Grand Day Out,” where Wallace and his Beagle, Gromit, captured the hearts of the public.
Gromit is a light-tanned color dog with floppy, brown ears. He is smart and resourceful and loves Wallace unconditionally. Gromit does a lot of the work while his human, Wallace, panics. Sometimes, Gromit tires of Wallace’s shenanigans, but he is good-natured and loyal. He does not speak but he expresses himself clearly through his body language.
Since the character’s first appearance, he has appeared in many further stories with his human companion. In 2005, the duo starred in the feature film “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.” It was a smash hit, grossing $192.6 million.
Odie
Jim Davis created the Garfield comic in 1978. The comic featured a cute, orange cat who loved lasagna, his owner Jon, and an energetic, easily manipulated yellow Beagle named Odie. The Beagle was introduced early in the strip series. He was originally going to be named Spot, but the name was changed when Davis found out another comic strip had a dog with this name. Many people love Odie’s big ears and small nose, which give him his classic Beagle-mix appearance.
Garfield and Odie are classic frenemies. Garfield often torments Odie by tricking him into some sort of trouble. However, on occasion, Odie gets Garfield back. Odie is a lovable and sweet Beagle who has a large tongue and pools of drool. He is skinny and dim-witted, and he is portrayed walking on all fours, contrasting his upright counterpart, Garfield.
Shiloh
Originally a Newbery-Medal-winning novel by Phillis Reynolds, Shiloh is the story of Marty Preston and a Beagle named Shiloh. Marty finds the dog and takes him in, but it turns out the dog belongs to Judd Travers, who is known for abusing his dogs. Marty hides Shiloh to protect him from Judd, and the novel follows the story of Marty trying to keep this big secret while protecting a dog he is growing to love more and more each day.
In 1996, the book was adapted into a family film that was shown at the Heartland Film Festival. Roger Ebert gave the movie three out of four stars. A young Beagle named Frannie played Shiloh in the film. Shiloh has classic floppy ears and big, brown eyes. He is slender and energetic with a mostly brown coat and white points.
Brains
“Inspector Gadget” began as a cartoon chronicling the tales of the dimwitted Inspector Gadget and his two sidekicks, Penny (his niece) and her dog, Brains. In the cartoon, Brains is a mute but very personified dog with an orange coat and red nose. He often helps Penny save the day while Inspector Gadget bumbles.
In the two live-action Inspector Gadget movies (debuting in 1999 and 2003), Brains is played by a real Beagle (not CGI). However, it lacks many of the characteristics that endeared Brains in the cartoon series.
Famous Beagles: Honorable Mentions
Many other popular Beagles warrant mentioning. They include:
- When Lyndon B. Johnson was president, his Beagles gained popularity after a photo of President Johnson lifting his male dog’s ears surfaced. This created a scandal retroactively called “Beaglegate,” as onlookers questioned whether this was cruel to the animal.
- On the television series “Star Trek: Enterprise,” the ship’s mascot was a Beagle named Porthos.
- In the cartoon series “Duck Tales,” there was a group of criminals known as the “Beagle Boys” who were often outwitted by Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and their nephews: Huey, Dewey, and Louie.
There are many other Beagles who have appeared in books, TV shows, movies, comics, and cartoons. Beagles continue to capture the hearts of people everywhere with their energy, loyalty, intelligence, and depth of affection. They also make great pets and companions.
Beagles Appear in Many Forms of Media
Beagles are great pets, and their popularity is evident in how many pop culture appearances there are of this beloved hound breed. Whether you enjoy the antics of these dogs in comics, cartoons, books, or movies, these Beagles show us the best this breed has to offer. Their love, loyalty, and energy are what keep this breed at the top of popularity lists. Beagles are fantastic companions and family dogs.
