Opinion: My Top 15 Cartoon Characters

Most of these go back a while.

Sponge BobPhoto bytodd kentonUnsplash

As a kid, I watched a lot of cartoons. Some of my favorites were Warner Brothers creations. Like most old guys, I think things were better when I was young, including cartoon characters.

Still, I have to admit some of the newer cartoons are funny. When I put together this list, I didn’t go for superheroes, instead, I went for characters I thought were funny. And here we go.

15: Pinky

Pinky, when teamed with the Brain, formed a dynamic comedy duo. I admit I haven’t watched them that much but I want to watch them some more. Pinky’s, buddy, the Brain, aspires to world domination.

Though ostensibly not too bright, Pinky has shown signs of intelligence. As an easy-going sidekick to an unbalanced white mouse bent on world domination, Pinky comes at number 15.

14: Quick Draw McGraw

As a bumbling horse who goes up against bad guys, Quick Draw is generally bailed out by his sidekick, Baba Looey.

Quick Draw’s alter ego was El Kabong. El Kabong was a Zorro-like character who would swing in on a rope and conk bad guys over the head with an acoustic guitar.

13: Wile E Coyote

Ok, the obvious question: If Wile E could keep the Acme company in business, why couldn’t he just buy something to eat instead of buying expensive equipment to capture the Road Roader?

Wile E is a monument to perseverance. And failure.

12:Sponge Bob Square Pants

This character, along with Pinky, are the two cartoon characters on this list I’ve seen the least of. And like Pinky and the Brain, I’ve seen enough of it to make me want to see more.

11:Daffy Duck

Has his name implies, Daffy is a little off the wall. Couple that with a speech impediment that makes those around him need a raincoat, and you have the basis for Daffy Duck’s character.

Daffy sometimes interacts with Bugs Bunny and generally comes out second when trying to outdo Bugs.

10:Fred Flinstone

In the interest of full disclosure, Fred reminds me of my father. Fred loves to eat and constantly is involved in get-rich-quick schemes.

If he reminds you of Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners, you aren’t alone. Jackie Gleason thought the same thing.

9: Yosemite Sam

A short guy with an even shorter fuse, Yosemite had a huge mustache and pair of pistols. Despite firing off countless rounds I, don’t remember him ever hitting anything he aimed at.

8: Elmer Fudd

Voted the cartoon character most likely be an NRA spokesman (by me) Elmer also had a speech impediment. Like Yosemite Sam, Elmer did a lot of shooting, with no positive results.

7: Porky Pig

As I’m compiling this list, it strikes me a speech therapist could make a boatload of money working with these guys. Porky’s wardrobe consisted of a jacket, bowtie, and no pants, Porky would be at home in today’s zoom meetings.

6: Bullwinkle J Moose

Rocky’s dimwitted buddy, Bullwinkle did more than any other character to give moose a warm fuzzy image.

5: Bugs Bunny

Many of the characters on this list are generally losers. Not Bugs. Quick-witted and resourceful, Bugs is like the MacGyver of the cartoon world.

4: Homer Simpson

Homer goes through life fat and stupid and with a lack of ambition, but it’s hard to think of him as a total loser. That’s in large measure because he has a capable, loving wife in Marge.

3: Yogi Bear

Anybody that can, “sleep till noon but before it’s dark have every picnic basket that’s in Jellystone Park” is a hero to me. His sidekick, Boo-Boo makes a nice young apprentice for Yogi.

2: Hank Hill

To me, Hank is a nice version of what the quintessential Texan aspires to be. Hank loves football, his family, the Dallas Cowboys, and propane and propane products. Hank also keeps his emotions buried down deep inside him.

1: Foghorn Leghorn

I think Foghorn is underrated as a cartoon character. As I think of it, Foghorn reminds me of a cartoon version of Cliff Clavin of Cheers fame.