Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are fictional characters from African-American oral traditions popular in the Southern United States. This character has been recorded by many different folklorist but well known from the Uncle Remus folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris. The cult film Coonskin, directed by Ralph Bakshi, focuses on a trio of characters inspired by the original folktales. Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox all appear, and the elements of the stories are moved to a then-contemporary urban setting.
Disney Adaptions
In the animated sequences of the 1946 Walt Disney-produced film Song of the South like in the tales, Brer Fox is the stories' antagonist, while Brer Bear is his dim-witted henchman. Brer Fox was voiced by actor James Baskett, who also portrayed the live-action character Uncle Remus. In contrast to the earlier illustrations of Frederick S. Church, A. B. Frost, and E. W. Kemble, the Disney animators depict the characters in a more slapstick, cartoony style. The Disney versions of the characters have made appearances in other works:
An entire segment dedicated to the pair is featured in the 1956 one-hour television specialOur Unsung Villains.
Brer Fox and Brer Bear make cameo appearances in several episodes of the Disney's House of Mousetelevision series, with Bonkers in the episode "Casabonkers", and in the direct-to-video release .
Brer Bear has made cameo appearances in other Disney 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.
Brer Bear has also made sporadic appearances in Disney's Gladstone comics. Although one Disney comic names Br'er Bear a title of "Honorary Constable of Cockleberry County" his "performance" is more akin to Fearless Fosdick; as a comic relief villain Br'er Bear-along with Br'er Fox & Br'er Weasel-are members of the "Foul Order of Foulfellows".
Brer Fox is slightly smarter than Brer Bear-although like his contemporary villain compatriot Brer Zeke Wolf aka the Big Bad Wolf a running gag is that he usually fails whatever he tries Only once did he ever succeed at anything-when he stole a chicken from a pen kept by the three Little Piggs
They appear often in the Dutch Donald Duck comics, usually hunting Broer Konijn.
Both Brer Bear and Brer Fox make an appearance in the video gameDisneyland Adventures and both can be seen near Splash Mountain in Critter Country.
