Cartoons are as old as the history of cinema. It dates back to as far in history as the late 1800s. However, animation historians often consider Émile Cohl‘s 1908 French animated film Fantasmagorie as the first animated cartoon. Interestingly, Fantasmagorie‘s runtime was only for 105 seconds.
Over the years, from the earliest works of Walt Disney to today’s CGI animations, several cartoon characters have been created wearing glasses. Wearing glasses often gives most of the characters a nerdy look. Many of these characters were famous childhood cartoon figures or part of today’s animated films. Here are 10 famous cartoon characters with glasses you should know.
Doc in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Doc is the self-proclaimed leader of the seven dwarfs. The cartoon character was first introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The Walt Disney musical fantasy film was based on the Brothers Grimm‘s 1812 German fairy tale. Of the seven dwarfs, the pot-bellied Doc is the only character wearing glasses. Besides his glasses, Doc is known for using malapropisms when speaking. As the self-appointed leader of the dwarfs, he’s the most outspoken. Besides Grumpy, who occasionally opposes his decisions, the other dwarfs respect his authority unquestionably.
Velma Dinkley in Scooby Doo
Velma Dinkley is one of the main cartoon characters in the Scooby Doo cartoon franchise. She is one of four teenagers, Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, and Shaggy Rogers, as well as their dog Scooby-Doo, whose adventures the cartoon series is based on. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! became the most popular television series in the cartoon’s media franchise. As a major character, Velma Dinkley has appeared in all episodes of the cartoon TV series.
Geppetto in Pinocchio
Interestingly, Disney followed Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) with a second animated feature film Pinocchio (1940). Geppetto was the adoptive father of Pinocchio. Introduced as an elderly wood carver, Geppetto created Pinocchio and wished for the puppet to be alive. One of Geppetto’s standout features is his glasses, which he obviously wears because of his aging eyes and to aid his wood carving job. The glasses have followed the character in all remakes and adaptations of the cartoon.
Dexter in Dexter’s Laboratory
Dexter’s Laboratory was one of the most popular cartoon series on Cartoon Network in the 90s and early 2000s. Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Dexter’s Laboratory became Cartoon Network’s first Cartoon Cartoon. It was the first full series that ever ran on the network. Its titular cartoon character, Dexter, is a nerdy boy with a secret laboratory in his room. His older sister, Dee Dee, with whom he’s always at odds, always finds a way into his secret laboratory to foil his experiments. Dexter’s Laboratory originally aired from April 14, 1996, to November 20, 2003.
Johnny in Johnny Bravo
Unarguably one of television’s most iconic cartoon characters, Johnny was the titular character in the famous Johnny Bravo animated comedy series. Van Partible created the character and cartoon for Cartoon Network as the network’s second-running full series. It is easy to spot Johnny from a mile away as an irregularly shaped muscular young man with yellow hair, dark sunglasses, a black shirt, and small blue pants. Johnny lives with his mother and tries effortlessly to get women to date him. Van Partible based Johnny’s character on American actor James Dean and cultural icon Elvis Presley.
Chuckie Finster in Rugrats
The trio, Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain, created Rugrats for Nickelodeon in 1991. The cartoon series followed the adventures of toddlers in their day-to-day lives. One of the toddlers was Chuckie Finster, the obvious voice of reasoning among the group. Although the series occasionally features toddlers besides Chuckie, the other toddlers are Tommy Pickles, fraternal twins Phil and Lil DeVille, and the antagonist, three-year-old Angelica Pickles. Besides his clumsy and timid personality, Chuckie is known for his square-framed glasses.
Peter Griffin and Meg Griffin in Family Guy
Family Guy is one of the most successful animated sitcoms on television today. The cartoon series follows the dysfunctional Griffin family. The family comprises Peter and Lois and their children Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian. Although Peter and Meg don’t have the ideal father-daughter relationship, they share a common feature – glasses. Peter Griffin and Meg Griffin are the two main characters in the show wearing glasses. Although Meg wears more conspicuous eyeglasses, Peter’s glasses are smaller but still rounded.
Edna Mode in The Incredibles
The Pixar Animation Studios‘ The Incredibles (2004) was one of the top animated superhero films in the mid-2000s. Although it centered around the Purr family (Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack), it also featured one iconic character, Edna “E” Mode. She was the family’s fashion designer who helped make their super suits. Besides her high fashion taste, Edna Mode wore big, black glasses.
Simon in Alvin and the Chipmunks
The Tim Hill-directed live-action/animated jukebox musical comedy Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) was a commercial success. Although critics thought otherwise, the 2007 film birthed three sequels. The titular characters were chipmunks, who were singers and performers, with Alvin as the leader of the band. Simon was one of the chipmunks, known for his blue sweaters and big, round glasses.
Linda Belcher and Tina Belcher in Bob’s Burgers
Loren Bouchard created Bob’s Burgers for Fox. The cartoon series centers around the Belcher family, comprising Bob and Linda and their three children – Tina, Gene, and Louise. Set in the fictional town of Seymour’s Bay, New Jersey, the family runs the family-owned Bob’s Burgers, a hamburger restaurant. The wife, Linda Belcher, and oldest daughter, Tina Belcher, are two cartoon characters in the series wearing glasses.
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