List of The Land Before Time characters


This is a list of characters in The Land Before Time, a series of animated children's films. The main characters include Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike, and in the spin-off television series and, Chomper and Ruby. Other characters include the families of the main characters, the residents of their home, the Great Valley, and outsiders to the Great Valley.

Creation and development

The idea for The Land Before Time came during production of An American Tail. Steven Spielberg's studio Amblin Entertainment was interested in doing a film about dinosaurs, which were popular at the time, leading Spielberg, director Don Bluth, and producer George Lucas to develop the prehistoric setting and its cast. Inspired by the dinosaur-themed "Rite of Spring" sequence from Disney's Fantasia, Spielberg had originally intended for the movie to have no speech, with music cues and body language telling the story, effectively rendering all the characters mute. However, it was decided that the film could not carry a story without dialogue, and each character was given language accordingly. The film's artists used the Fantasia sequence and characters as guides when creating their first concept art.
Bluth had to learn most of his information about specific dinosaur species before work began, stating "I had to do lots and lots of research because I never was a fanatic about dinosaurs as a kid. But in many ways it became a fictional fantasy because it's about these young children who are taught to hate each other; anyone who is different from him. When they are separated from their parents, these five little children have to learn to get along with each other for survival. So there is a bit of a moral in it, too." The films creators decided to have a Tyrannosaurus as the main villain.
While Bluth had originally wanted to portray a more "forceful, dramatic" representation of prehistoric times, the idea was sometimes at odds with studio executives who wanted a more child-friendly "get-along gang" approach, which called for the main characters becoming cuter, but still distinctly detailed, as a compromise. After the release of the first film, neither Bluth, Spielberg, nor Lucas had further creative input in the series, with character development and design tweaks now guided by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and associated studios.

Main characters

Littlefoot

Littlefoot, voiced by Gabriel Damon, Scott McAfee, Brandon LaCroix, Thomas Dekker, Alec Medlock, Aaron Spann, Nick Price, Cody Arens, Logan Arens, Anthony Skillman and Felix Avitia, is a brown male Apatosaurus, or "Long Neck". His birth marks the beginning of the very first film. When his mother dies protecting him from a sharptooth, he is forced to travel through the harsh wilderness alone to find his surviving grandparents. After meeting several young dinosaurs along the way who would become his best friends, they arrive in the verdant Great Valley where the series primarily takes place. In ', Littlefoot is introduced to his female cousin Ali, a member of another Longneck herd. He eventually meets his father, Bron, in the film '. Bron adopts an orphan named Shorty, who becomes his foster brother.
Littlefoot has been referred to by several species names throughout the series. In the first film he is called a Brontosaurus on the home video packaging and by numerous media outlets. He was also called a Brachiosaurus on the later-released VHS clamshell case and Rotten Tomatoes UK. He is now listed as an Apatosaurus on the official website and in modern incarnations of the series.
He was originally named "Thunderfoot" by the creators of the first film, until it was discovered that a Triceratops character from a children's book had the same name. The original name was kept very late into production, up until just before the movie's release. Littlefoot has been compared to characters such as Disney's Bambi, and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, on how he goes on a strange journey and meets many new friends along the way.

Cera

Cera, voiced by Candace Hutson, and Anndi McAfee is an orange female Triceratops, or "Three Horns". Like Littlefoot, she hatches in the first film, and is later separated from her parents and sisters during an earthquake. She accompanies Littlefoot to the Great Valley where she is eventually reunited with her father. She is stubborn, boastful, sometimes reckless, and occasionally belligerent, but is often made to look foolish when she is proven wrong. The initial film, and a few sequels, attributed an ego to her species, especially to herself and her father, but this is diminished in later appearances. In the movie , her dad begins a new relationship with a Threehorn named Tria, who Cera dislikes at first, but eventually comes to accept. By the, Tria and Cera's father have become mates, and have a child named Tricia, Cera's half-sister.
The character was originally conceived as a male Triceratops named "Bambo", but was changed to a female named "Cera" at the suggestion of producer George Lucas midway through animation of the first movie. Hal Hinson of The Washington Post called Cera "a fiercely cute and rambunctious little dynamo" in his review of the 1988 original, with critic Mark R. Leeper likewise calling her "cute and pugnacious." She was the main character of the 2001 children's book The Land Before Time: Cera's Big Day Out by Molly Goode, Judy Freudeberg, and Tony Geiss, as well as the 2007 book Cera's Shiny Stone based on the TV series episode "The Canyon of Shiny Stones".

Ducky

Ducky, voiced by Judith Barsi, Heather Hogan and Aria Noelle Curzon, is a green female Saurolophus, known colloquially as a "Big Mouth", "Duck Bill", or "Swimmer". She was one of the young dinosaurs who accompanied Littlefoot to the Great Valley when she was separated from her family. After arriving in her new home, her mother adopted the orphaned Spike, who became her foster younger brother. She has numerous biological siblings, with many being born in the original film and . Characterized as having an energetic, cheerful and childlike personality, she speaks enthusiastically often replies to things in triplicate.
Her species has been inconsistently labeled in various Land Before Time media. While the official website referred to her as a Parasaurolophus, she has also been identified as a Saurolophus in the 1997 The Land Before Time Sing-Along Songs video cassette. Other sources have referred to her as an Anatosaurus, including Jerry Beck's The Animated Movie Guide and David Mansour's From Abba to Zoom: A Pop-Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. In her review of the 1988 film, Wendy Miller of the Mohave Daily Miner referred to the character as "an adorably gregarious young anatosaurus who immediately wins the audiences heart."

Petrie

Petrie, voiced by Will Ryan and Jeff Bennett, is a male brown Pteranodon, or "Flyer". He is characterized as panicky and anxious, and traveled with Littlefoot to find his mother and siblings in the Great Valley while learning the basics of flight along the way. He is talkative, but speaks in broken English, usually omitting such linking verbs as "is", "are", and "am", using "me" in place of "I", and referring to himself in third person. He was originally meant to have a larger role in his debut, but much of his screen time was given to Ducky due to how impressed the producers were with Judith Barsi's performance. He was a central character in the twelfth film .
The producers of the original film had difficulty deciding on a voice for the character until it was suggested by Steven Spielberg's son, Max, that he sound similar to Digit from the previous Don Bluth movie, An American Tail. Digit's voice actor Will Ryan was then asked to fill the role. Petrie is the only one of the original five principal characters that is not technically a dinosaur;

Spike

Spike, voiced by Rob Paulsen and Jeff Bennett, is a male green Stegosaurus, or "Spiketail". Despite being the largest, he is actually the youngest of the original main characters; his hatching being witnessed by Ducky whose parents later adopted him. He is characterized as gluttonous, laid-back and rarely speaks, communicating mostly in grunts or scat singing. During the fourth film, ', he speaks for the first time, calling Ducky's name, and again in the eighth film ', where he calls out to his mother. In the same movie, it is mentioned that his birth parents were probably lost in the earthquake of the first film, and becomes close friends with another Stegosaurus named Tippy. The TV series episode "Through the Eyes of a Spiketail", is told largely from Spike's point of view, where he speaks, internally, with a low voice, and can "hear" the song of plants that guide him to them.
Spike's design was based on Bluth's pet Chow Chow, Cubby, with the director commenting that he had a personal fondness for the character, calling him "a pure soul, simple, accommodating, and eager to please." He has been described by journalists as the "fat kid" of the group, "quiet and shy," and a "tagalong."

Chomper

Chomper, voiced by Rob Paulsen, Cannon Young, Max Burkholder, and Issac Ryan Brown is a male purple "Sharptooth". He first appeared in the second film, ', as a newborn hatchling whom Littlefoot and the others attempt to raise before returning him to his parents. He re-appeared as a supporting character in the fifth movie ', in which he is now able to speak the language of both Sharpteeth and leaf-eaters, but must convince his parents and Cera that both groups can get along. He became a main character in the TV series, having migrated to the Great Valley under the care of Ruby, and attempts to discover how its residents can live in harmony so he can pass this knowledge to his own kind. He is also known for having an amazing sense of smell, which comes in handy on occasion. Chomper also appears in the fourteenth movie, when he attempts to greet Wild Arms, who passes out.
In his debut in The Great Valley Adventure, Steve Rhodes of Rotten Tomatoes UK commended the character's design, calling him "a real scene stealer". Chomper is the star of the children's book The Lonely Dinosaur, based on the TV series episode "The Lonely Journey".

Ruby

Ruby, voiced by Meghan Strange, is a female pink Oviraptor, or "Fast Runner", who first appeared in the television series, debuting in the inaugural episode "The Cave of Many Voices". Originally from the Mysterious Beyond, she meets Chomper and agrees to accompany him to the Great Valley, and becomes separated from her parents and two siblings after they are ambushed by a Sharptooth named Redclaw. Later, she re-unites with her family in the episode "Return to Hanging Rock", but returns to the Valley in order to keep looking after Chomper as promised. She made her film debut in the fourteenth movie . Ruby is characterized as being the wisest of her friends, giving advice or encouragement, and often makes repetitive or redundant statements.

Guido

Guido, voiced by Rob Paulsen, is a teal dinosaur who first appears in . He is convinced that he's the only one of his kind, having never seen another of his kind before. His origins are unknown, as he apparently has no idea what he is or where he came from. Though he tries to fly, he can only glide for a brief period of time. He reappears in the TV episode "The Hermit of Black Rock", in which he and Petrie meet an old blind purple Harpactognathus named Swooper, and learns to fly properly. He often appears neurotic or panicky at times, and easily confused.

Secondary characters

Grandpa and Grandma Longneck

Grandpa Longneck, voiced by Bill Erwin and Kenneth Mars and Barry Bostwick, and Grandma Longneck, voiced by Linda Gary and Miriam Flynn, are two older bluish-grey dinosaurs and are Littlefoot's maternal grandparents. They are his primary caregivers after his mother's death; whereas Grandpa Longneck, together with Topsy, serves as a leader of the combined herds of the Great Valley. Littlefoot regards his grandfather as an idol. Although both elders seldom fight, each is fully capable of opposing a tyrannosaur.

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck appear in all of the Land Before Time films, and in many episodes of the TV series. Their names have never been given: all the characters address them by title, or by the species name of "Longneck," including by each other; modifying this, Bron appears as their son-in-law, wherefore he identifies them as "Papa and Mama Longneck."

Ducky and Spike's Mother

Ducky and Spike's mother, voiced by Tress MacNeille and Meghan Strange, is a grayish green dinosaur who appears in most of the movies. Their mother is a kindly, attentive figure, and is treated with respect by all children and adults in the Great Valley. She occasionally has doubts on whether to raise Spike in keeping with her own values or with those of his racial heritage; this was seen in when a herd met and befriended Spike. However, Spike recognises her as his mother and remains with his adoptive family rather than the herd.

Petrie's Mother

Petrie's mother, voiced by Tress MacNeille and Anndi McAfee, has major appearances in ', ', and . In the seventh film, she flies to the "Mysterious Beyond" to find Petrie and Ducky, blaming her brother [|Pterano] for endangering them.

Ducky and Spike's siblings

Ducky and Spike have several siblings. In the first film, Ducky's parents' nest contained about half a dozen eggs, whereas in the second film, Ducky's parents have another nest from which several are hatched.

Daddy Topps

Daddy Topps, voiced by Burke Byrnes, John Ingle and George Ball, is Cera's father. He was credited as "Daddy Topps" in the first film and is otherwise called "Mr. Threehorn". In , Tria refers to him by the pet name "Topsy", much to the annoyance of Cera. He is portrayed as belligerent, domineering, sometimes hostile and stubborn like his daughter.

Tria

Tria, voiced by Camryn Manheim and Jessica Gee, is Topps' second mate. Tria is introduced in ', where she is opposed by Cera until later in the story. Tria and Topps have a child in '.

Tricia

Tricia, voiced by Nika Futterman and Meghan Strange, is Tria's mother and Cera's sister. Tricia is introduced in .

Recurring characters

Ali

Ali, voiced by Juliana Hansen and Nika Futterman, is a young female purple Apatosaurus and a cousin of Littlefoot's, who first appeared in . She quickly befriends Littlefoot, but is wary of the other main characters since they are not Longnecks. However, she befriends them after they all cooperate against common danger. She is their guide through the 'Land of Mists' through which her family formerly traveled. Ali appears again in the TV episode "The Brave Longneck Scheme."

Mr. Thicknose

The elderly Mr. Thicknose is voiced by Robert Guillaume and Dorian Harewood. In his first appearance, , he is a very respected resident of the Great Valley; having convinced the others that he has been everywhere and seen everything. When snow falls in the Valley for the first known time, and he is unable to explain it, the other adults lose faith in him. While stranded in the Mysterious Beyond, he reveals to the children, to whom he acted as a teacher, that most of his knowledge comes from secondary sources. Despite this, he is able to use the knowledge he learned to guide them back to the Great Valley.

Shorty

Shorty, voiced by Brandon Michael DePaul and Elizabeth Daily is a young dark green dinosaur who first appears in . When Bron found Shorty, he was defending a group of much younger dinosaurs. Shorty bullies Littlefoot at first; he antagonizes him until Littlefoot decides that he can be his adopted older brother, and Shorty accepts.

Tippy

Tippy, voiced by Jeremy Suarez and Cree Summer, is a pink and brown dinosaur who first appeared in in which his herd migrates into the Great Valley temporarily, after which he quickly befriends Spike. Unlike Spike, Tippy, though with limited use of words, is very vocal.

Bron

Bron, voiced by Kiefer Sutherland and Cam Clarke, and Scott Whyte is a brown dinosaur, the father of Littlefoot, the adoptive father of Shorty, and the son-in-law of Grandpa and Grandma Longneck. He first appears in ', wherein Bron reveals that he was separated from his wife and in-laws before Littlefoot hatched. Although Littlefoot and Bron are affectionate, they separate at the end of the film, promising to reunite. Bron eventually fulfills this in the TV episode "The Big Longneck Test," in which he administers a series of difficult tasks to Littlefoot. He reappears in the 14th movie ', where he is trapped near a volcano and is hurt. He is shown to be proud of his son's will to save him.

Hyp, Mutt, and Nod

Hyp, Mutt, and Nod are a trio of adolescent dinosaurs, who first appeared in , in which they often quarrel with Littlefoot, Cera, and the others. It is also implied near the end of the film that Hyp the gray dinosaur, behaves in this manner because of the aggressive treatment he receives from his father. His lackey, Mutt the green dinosaur, is shown to be much softer-hearted, as well as dim-witted, whereas Hyp's other lackey, Nod the green dinosaur, frequently emphasizes Hyp's statements, as well as allowing him to ride on his back. They become friends with the others after all eight cooperate against a pack of "Fast Biters".
The trio appear again in the season one finale of the television series, "The Great Egg Adventure."
In the film, they were voiced by Whit Hetford, Jeff Bennett, and Scott Menville. In the TV series, Bennett and Menville resume their roles, but Hyp is voiced by Mikey Kelley.

Mo

Mo, voiced by Rob Paulsen, is a colorful Ophthalmosaurus who first appeared in '. The character is bilingual, speaking a broken form of the herbivore language, as well as his native dolphin-like language. He is very playful, and becomes popular with the main characters aside from Cera, who is at first annoyed by his playful antics.
Though the character's only prominent roles are in the ninth movie and in the TV episode "The Missing Fast-Water Adventure", he has made a few appearances in the films. In ', he jumps out of the water during the "Adventuring" musical number, and he says "And fly!" during the song "Flip, Flap and Fly" in .

Doc

Doc, voiced by Kris Kristofferson and Jeff Bennett, is a nomadic elderly dinosaur. In his first appearance, he saves Littlefoot shortly after arriving in the Great Valley, and Littlefoot idolizes him thereafter as the legendary "Lone Dinosaur", who purportedly saved the Great Valley from a particularly powerful Sharptooth long before; Doc's own statements about having visited the Great Valley before, as well as a large scar on his face resembling one of the legend, support Littlefoot's ideas. At the end of the film, after Doc and Grandpa Longneck defeat two marauding dinosaurs together, Doc leaves the Valley. He appears again in the TV episode "The Lone Dinosaur Returns," in which he now has a lady-friend. During the episode, he is initially appalled by Littlefoot's friendship with Chomper, but is gradually convinced to respect the latter.

Supporting characters

Chomper's parents

Chomper's parents are featured in Chomper's first two film appearances. They are sexually dimorphic, with Chomper's father being dark green and his mother having an olive green color. They are very protective of their son, as when they invade the Great Valley to search for his egg in ', and fighting to protect him in '. Although the two initially treat the protagonists as prey, they promise to spare them, as a reward for rescuing Chomper. They are unique among Sharpteeth as the audience is shown what they are saying via subtitles.

Littlefoot's Mother

Littlefoot's mother, voiced by Helen Shaver, dies in the first film to save Littlefoot and Cera from the Sharptooth pursuing them. Before her death, she is Littlefoot's teacher and caregiver, and introduces the story's principal themes. After death, she appears as a ghost to reveal his destination. She is also shown in a flashback scene in .

Rhett

Rhett is a new friend of Littlefoot's friend Ali, who is introduced in the TV series episode "The Brave Longneck Scheme." He has an arrogant personality and tries to pass himself off as a hero.

Tippy's Mother

Tippy's mother is a kindly female dinosaur who invites Spike to spend time with her herd upon learning that he has been adopted by another species and has not spent time around his species. She later invites him to travel with the herd when they leave the Valley in search of food during the freeze. She and her son, together with their herd, reappear in the episode "The Forbidden Friendship."

Mrs. Twoped

Mrs. Twoped was an unseen friend of Tria around the time of Tricia's hatching. After Tricia ran for the very first time in , Tria remarked that she could not wait to tell Mrs. Twoped about it.

Allies

The Tinysauruses

The Tinysauruses are an underground colony who appear in '. Their leader is old and cranky with a huge voice, named Big Daddy along with his daughter Lizzie. Other individuals include Skitter, Dusty, and Rocky.
The Tinysauruses make a brief appearance in ', and later are mentioned in the TV episode "Stranger From the Mysterious Above."

Kosh

Kosh, voiced by Rob Paulsen, Jeff Bennett and Pete Sepenuk, is a gluttonous, pink dinosaur who appears in some of The Land Before Time films and the TV series. He is almost always seen eating, and usually ends up having his meal disturbed or interrupted in some way. He is also rather quick to anger. He is usually the first to agree with Mr. Threehorn, but often argues with him too.

Rooter

Rooter, voice by Pat Hingle, is an old turquoise dinosaur who consoles Littlefoot after his mother has died. His only appearance was in the first film.

Foobie

Foobie, voiced by Pete Sepenuk, is a mute "Yellow Belly" who is considered the wise one of his herd. Foobie makes friends with Spike. He appears in .

Hidden Runner

Hidden Runner, voiced by Rob Paulsen, is a green and blue bipedal herbivorous dinosaur whose only appearance is in the TV series episode "The Spooky Nighttime Adventure." Hidden Runner has the ability to blend in with its habitat due to its multi-colored markings.

Loofah and Doofah

Loofah and Doofah are two "Yellow Bellies" who appear in . Loofah is voiced by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Doofah is voiced by Sandra Oh. Loofah is the cheerful leader of a herd of Yellow bellies who are looking for the Berry Valley. Doofah is a prominent female in her herd, and is equally friendly and optimistic. Both of them have short-term memory loss and are motivated by impulsive needs.

Milo, Lydia, and Plower

Milo, Lydia, and Plower are featured in the TV episode "Stranger From the Mysterious Above." They believe Spike to be "The Big Wise One". Milo was voiced by Rob Paulsen, Plower by Meghan Strange, and Lydia by Anndi McAfee.

Archie

Archie lives in a cave system just outside the Land of Mists. He appears in where he guides Littlefoot and his friends through the caves. He is voiced by Charles Durning.

Tickles

Tickles appears in . He is voiced by Frank Welker.

Elsie

Elsie returns Littlefoot, Ducky, Cera, Petrie, and Spike to their families at the end of . She is voiced by Christina Pickles.

Dana and Dinah

Dana and Dinah are Cera's nieces appear in They are voiced by Nancy Cartwright
and Sandy Fox.

Sue

Sue saved Littlefoot from a Belly Dragger by crushing its face in . Sue is kind and gentle. She is voiced by Bernadette Peters.

Pat

Pat appears in and is voiced by James Garner.

Saro

Saro is an old friend of Grandpa Longneck, who has been interested in the stories of the longnecks all his life. He appears in the episode of the TV episode "The Legend of the Story Speaker." He is voiced by Pete Sepenuk.

Rainbow Faces

Rainbow Faces appear in . They show scientific knowledge exceeding that attributed to other characters. The male Rainbow Face also appears in The Invasion of the Tinysauruses.

Dara

Dara is a wandering female Diplodocus who first appeared in the TV episode "The Lone Dinosaur Returns." She is the lady-friend of Doc, the 'Lone Dinosaur'. She is voiced by Susan Blu.

Swooper

Petrie and Guido meet the blind and elderly Swooper in Black Rock in the TV episode "The Hermit of Black Rock." He is voiced by Jess Harnell.

Skip

Skip appears in the episode "Return to Hanging Rock". He is voiced by Jeff Bennett.

Etta

Etta appears in . After Littlefoot meets her while looking for shelter during a "Sand cloud", she forces Littlefoot into a cave. To cheer up the downtrodden Longneck, Etta tells Littlefoot to "look for the light". Etta has a burn mark on her arm when a small lava bomb hit her when she was near a volcano called Fire Mountain. She is voiced by Reba McEntire.

Wild Arms

Wild Arms notifies Littlefoot and the rest of the valley that Bron has been imperiled in the Mysterious Beyond.
He is selfish, cowardly, and somewhat mean spirited. He is narcissistic and reluctant to help others. He is voiced by Damon Wayans Jr.

Antagonists

Sharptooth

Sharptooth is a strong, athletic, and powerful Tyrannosaurus Rex and the main antagonist of the first film, injured in pursuit of Littlefoot and Cera, and the slayer of Littlefoot's mother. Having fallen into a crack in the earth during an earthquake, he remains comatose until awoken by Cera, and thereafter pursues them until the end of the film, wherein they drown him in a lake.
In the book adaptation of the first film, he appears to have a grudge against them after Littlefoot inadvertently injured his right eye during his first encounter with him.

Ozzy and Strut

Ozzy and Strut appear in . They are driven from the Valley by Chomper's parents. Ozzy is voiced by Jeff Bennett and Strut is voiced by Rob Paulsen both with British accents.

Dil and Ichy

Dil and Ichy appear in . Dil is a female "big-mouthed bellydragger". Ichy is a male "sharp beak". They pursue Littlefoot and his friends throughout the film, but often quarrel among themselves, partly because of the lack of food and partly because Dil is very nearsighted. Dil is voiced by Tress MacNeille and Ichy is voiced by Jeff Bennett.

Red Claw

Red Claw is voiced by Pete Sepenuk. He has a distinctive scar extending from his left eye to his left hand and bright red claws bright red. He separated Chomper and Ruby from their families leading them to move to the Great Valley. He appears in various episodes of the show.

Screech and Thud

Screech and Thud, voiced by Pete Sepenuk and Rob Paulsen, respectively, are companions of Red Claw.

Pterano

Pterano, voiced by Michael York, is Petrie and his siblings' uncle, but exiled from the herd for abandoning his own followers.

Rinkus and Sierra

Rinkus and Sierra are the henchmen of Pterano in . Rinkus is voiced by Rob Paulsen with a Cockney accent and Sierra is voiced by Jim Cummings.

The Great Hideous Beast

The Great Hideous Beast appears in the TV episode "Stranger From the Mysterious Above".

Unnamed sharpteeth

Many "sharpteeth" are featured in Land Before Time films and television.