Disney characters only have one parent!

[paladin]

As several have mentioned, this is a dramatic tool. Some of the stories wouldn't make sense otherwise. As examples - Why would Pollyanna go to live with Aunt Polly if she had two perfectly good parents at home? If Lilo's folks were around, the whole story wouldn't make sense (all the issues of family and belonging). Nemo's mom & dad would go to look for him and thus no Dory. Just my two cents/

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I also noticed this a couple of months ago and our family had a long discussion about it and tried to come up with as many as we could think of and the majority is, in fact, without both parents.

Add Pollyanna to the list - she was orphaned as well and just had Aunt Polly...

Also, what about Brother Bear? I haven't seen it enough to remember but did the three boys in the story have both parents. And you could add that the little bear Coda lost his mother and his father is also never mentioned I don't think.

Very recently you could add the main character in Valiant (forget his name) - he only had a mother.

Lest we forget the classic Huey, Duey and Luey who only had their Uncle Donald to take care of them (or Uncle Scrooge depending upon the story).

In Brother Bear, Koda's mother is the only parent figure, and she does die. Also, I know Huey, Duey, and Luey have a mother, can't think of her name, but it is in one of my Disney trivia books.

 

[flbelle82]

Belle's mother is mentioned in the broadway show, Nemo's mom, Coral, was in the movie, but died about two minutes in, Aladdin's dad is in the sequel, will turner's father is mentioned a lot in the movie, mia's dad is mentioned, and both will's and mia's dads are explained to be dead, lilo's parents are explained to have died, tarzan's parents were also seen, but also died in the first few minutes, pocahontas's mother is mentioned, and it was alice's sister, not mother who was seen in the movie.

Thanks for the movie history, I understand that the characters you mentioned might have had parents mentioned or who were killed, but they are not actually part of the movie because they are dead, that is the point I was trying to get across

 

[FanofG00fy]

I read in a Book why Disney has many characters with one parent or no parents. It is a ploy for empathy for the character. Walt himself said (I am paraphrasing this so it is really in my words, but it is the jest of it) it is easier to have stronger emotions for a character that is orphaned or missing a parent. The sad parts are sadder, the happy parts are happier. It is not because he hated his mother, it has to do with the feelings they bring out in there audience.

 

[ehaley]

My brother and SIL had to put the Disney movies away after my niece started suttering and having nightmares that one of them died. Finally tracked it down to the movies (Bambi, Cinderella,etc.) where a parent died. She was fine when she got a little older, but that can really upset some little ones.

 

[flbelle82]

 

[ainmama2001]

Don't Wendy, Michael and John have a mother and father both alive throughout Peter Pan?

 

[tommygirl79]

Yes, Wendy, John and Michael have both parents throughout the entire movie. BTW, did everyone know that the voice of the father is the same guy that did the voice of Captain Hook????

 

[Kuffam]

I presume these child/ren have both parents:
1- Bedknobs and broomsticks- kids are sent away from London during the blitz.
2- Monsters Inc.- Boo crosses over into the Monsters world.

* Old Yeller- Dad is just away on a cattle drive and he's in the beginning and the end.
* Swiss Family Robinson- Family shipped wracked
+ Under the Sea II, Lion King II and Junglebook II both have families.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Hercules!

He had not ONE full set of parents, but TWO! Zeus, and Hera and his mortal parents...umm....Amphitreon? (sp?) And I don't remember his mortal mother's name.

Finding Nemo started with two parents, and since Nemo was brought up earlier, I think the INcredibles counts regardless of its Pixar status.

Aladdin also had a mother - she was initially in the movie but they scrapped her for story telling purposes. She was the reason for "Proud of Your Boy".

Mary Poppins featured a full family.

Lady and the Tramp featured a full family with Jim Dear, Darling, and the baby. They then showed Lady and Tramp's canine family at the end.

I think 101 Dalmations also features a full family. Pongo and Perdita had a nice little family before the 86 other dogs showed up.

 

[VSL]

I must say, I was rather disappointed with Disney when it came to Hercules - they should have stuck to either the Roman names or the Greek ones, not mixed them!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I always thought they only had one parent in order to save money on hiring the 'cast'.

I have often noticed that in the non animated Disney movies when the family (or single parent family) get down and out they always HAVE to move to a huge mansion (albeit a bit dusty) with loads of antique furniture. Hope when I go broke I do it the Disney way!!!

Slightly Goofy

 

[goofy's friends]

Not animated, but one of my favorites recently is Sky High because it has both parents and it is a great story. This has been an issue with my kids until recently (9 and 7). It really bothered them that a parent died--esp. in Lion King--it seems a rather violent death. We always have to fast forward that part
Just out of curiousity, anyone know if Chicken Little has his parents? Will be interesting

 

[swtnikki]

First of all, intresting topic. Second of all, as I'm looking at my dvd's, I think y'all forgot to mention Dinosaur - Aladar, though adopted, had those lemurs. Lilo had Nani *Lilo & Stitch*, & only one of the boys has a set of parents in Newsies. Plus from what I saw in the previews, I think Chicken Little only has his dad.