Sir Jiminy Cricket

“*I dub you Pinocchio's conscience, lord high keeper of the knowledge of right and wrong, counselor in moments of high temptation, and guide along the straight and narrow path. Arise, Sir Jiminy Cricket.*”―The Blue Fairy

***Jiminy Cricket*** is the deuteragonist of the 1940 Disney animated feature film, *Pinocchio*. He is a wisecracking, anthropomorphic cricket that is depicted donning a top hat and tailcoat, with an umbrella always on his person. Jiminy was appointed Pinocchio's official conscience by the Blue Fairy, in hopes that Jiminy can guide Pinocchio on his journey to become a real boy. **Notable for being the original performer of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (which would become the trademark anthem for The Walt Disney Company), Jiminy has appeared alongside Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell as a company mascot throughout the years.**

## Background

### Development

Jiminy is based on the Talking Cricket from the original Pinocchio book that Walt Disney's film is based on. In the book, the cricket tries to lecture Pinocchio about his bad behavior, only to be flattened with a hammer for his efforts, and then come back as an equally preachy ghost. However in the film, the cricket is named Jiminy and instead of being a cameo character, he was made into a major character and joins Pinocchio on his journey to becoming a real boy. According to Walt Disney and the filmmakers, Jiminy's role in the film was meant to develop the heart of the story in the friendship between him and Pinocchio. Jiminy was animated by one of Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, Ward Kimball. In *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*, Ward animated a scene where the dwarves were eating soup. Despite spending eight months animating the scene, it was eventually dropped as it was viewed as unnecessary, and Ward was devastated. Walt realized this and decided to give Ward the job of designing and animating Jiminy Cricket out of sympathy. Like every animated Disney character, Jiminy went through an evolution of designs. Some of the earliest ones resembled more of a realistic cricket. According to Ward, this was a disgusting sight, so he made the character more and more of a cartoonish and sweet-looking creature to the point that the audience only knows he's a cricket because the film says so. **Jiminy's name is derived from *"Jiminy cricket(s)!"*, a polite expletive euphemism for Jesus Christ. The name of the character is a play on the exclamation (which itself was uttered in Pinocchio's immediate predecessor, 1937's *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*). Another example occurs in the 1939 film *The Wizard of Oz* when the group first enters the Wizard's chamber. Dorothy submissively starts to introduce herself, but is interrupted by the Wizard roaring "Silence, whippersnapper!" and producing smoke and huge flames. She is very frightened and quickly retreats, saying "Jiminy crickets!" (Garland also says the expression in her 1938 film *Listen, Darling*). It had also been used as an exclamation by the Swedish father several times in the 1930 movie *Anna Christie*. Another time it is used is in the short 1938 cartoon starring Mickey Mouse *Brave Little Tailor*. That expression is also Howard Cunningham's catchphrase on *Happy Days*. It was also used in later media including *House of Mouse*, *Atlantis: The Lost Empire*, and *Up*.**

### Personality

As an official conscience, Jiminy is famously known as a level-headed and wise figure, capable of leading Pinocchio down a righteous path. At the start, and throughout most of the 1940 animated film, however, this is not exactly the case. Instead, Jiminy is introduced as a wisecracking, feisty, yet generally humble, realist who believed very little in magic and "wishing upon stars". When introduced, he admits that his past-self initially had little faith in the idea of dreams coming true; upon hearing Geppetto's dream to someday have Pinocchio become a real boy, Jiminy comments, "A very lovely thought, but not at all practical." It is also hinted that Jiminy once saw the world as a troubled place, at one point exclaiming that "a conscience is that still, small voice that people won't listen to. That's the trouble with the world, today..." **In contrast to this, he is also fairly quirky and fun-loving, as he engages in conversation with inanimate objects when wanting to chat (such as Geppetto's porcelain figures), and even goes as far as to comedically flirt with the figurines designed with a feminine mold. He also has class, despite his hermit background, and tries to carry himself with a sense of style and flair.** As mentioned, Jiminy was not always as sage and devoted as he is portrayed today. He was appointed Pinocchio's conscience due to being too flustered by the Blue Fairy's beauty to refuse the offer, thus lacking any real skill in serving as a guide or caretaker. He made a legitimate effort to act as cicerone to Pinocchio, but was somewhat high-strung due to pressure, and became easily frustrated with Pinocchio's innocently uncooperative nature; so much so, that he outright abandoned the puppet out of fury on two occasions. He was also doubtful in his own worth; after Pinocchio becomes a successful actor, despite Jiminy's disapproval, Jiminy felt inadequate and left Pinocchio with the belief that an actor would want nothing to do with a conscience. **However, Jiminy's loving heart gave him the strength to eventually grow and develop, not withstanding his shortcomings (very much in tandem with Pinocchio, himself). Towards the end of the film, after facing and escaping peril prior, Jiminy came to view Pinocchio as his best friend and genuinely wanted him to achieve his goal of becoming a real boy. After previously leaving Pinocchio on his own sanction, Jiminy was offered the chance to avoid any further danger during the climax. His strengthened loyalty and care towards Pinocchio, however, motivated him to finally remain by the puppet's side through the harshest endeavors, and against their greatest adversary yet.** Much like Pinocchio, Jiminy is amply rewarded for his growth and self-discovery throughout the former's journey, by becoming an official conscience (recognized by a solid gold badge, as requested). His portrayal in subsequent animated appearances shows that Jiminy has since continued to grow with age and experience, typically presenting himself with a mild-mannered, soft-spoken aura.

### Physical appearance

Jiminy is an anthropomorphic cricket with black eyes. In his initial appearance before the Blue Fairy casts a spell from her wand into his primary outfit, he wore a green coat with patches in each sleeve, underneath is a light olive sweater shirt with a white long sleeve button shirt with a long red scarf which shows the extended collar of his button shirt, light green capris with patches at the back and tattered brown shoes with yellow spats. He wears a gray long tattered hat on his head and carries a small purple umbrella while wearing his tattered white gloves.

On his main appearance from the beginning until the end of the film, Jiminy wears a much more formal attire after being cast upon by the Blue Fairy as Pinocchio's conscience; a black formal coat with an orange vest with a single button on the front, a white short sleeve button shirt underneath and a yellow tie on the collar, pale tan pants and blue shoes with yellow spats. His formal hat is now light blue with orange linings and carries a red umbrella while wearing his white gloves.

In the *Walt Disney Anthology* series, Jiminy retains his main appearance only his vest became teal with a single blue button, his tie is red, his pants are white and his shoes are yellow with blue soles. The linings of his formal hat is red.

In the merchandise, Jiminy was depicted in his main appearance, but only his pants is changed to khaki and the linings of his formal hat are gold.

## Biography

### *Pinocchio*

“*One night a long time ago… my travels took me to a quaint little village. It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining like diamonds high above the roofs of that sleepy old town. Pretty as a picture.*”―Jiminy beginning the story.

The film *Pinocchio* marked Jiminy's debut. He is first seen singing When You Wish Upon A Star next to a book about Pinocchio. After a brief introduction to the viewers, he begins recounting the story of Pinocchio.

In the actual story, Jiminy is first seen in raggedy clothing, traveling through a village late one night. He eventually comes to Geppetto's Workshop, which was the only sign of life as all the other houses and businesses were dark, indicating their residents were all asleep. He sneaks inside and warms himself by the fire while admiring Geppetto's work. Jiminy then observes as Geppetto finishes the puppet he has been working on. Jiminy overhears Geppetto's wish for the puppet to be a real boy, but brushes it off as impractical, though lovely. He later finds himself unable to sleep due to all the ticking from Geppetto's various cuckoo clocks keeping him up until he tells to be quiet, and they comply. Jiminy later watches in amazement as the Blue Fairy brings Pinocchio to life. After a conversation with the fairy, Jiminy is appointed to be Pinocchio's conscience (and Jiminy's ragged clothes are changed into fine attire), as Pinocchio must prove himself worthy of being made a real boy. Jiminy then teaches Pinocchio to whistle so that Pinocchio can call him.

The next day, Jiminy oversleeps and rushes to find Pinocchio, who has been sent off to school by Geppetto. However, Pinocchio is instead encouraged to become an actor by Honest John. Despite Jiminy's counseling to go to school, Pinocchio becomes part of the show of Stromboli. Jiminy becomes angry, but starts to second guess himself when Pinocchio becomes popular and decides to leave believing Pinocchio doesn't need him anymore. When Jiminy decides to wish Pinocchio good luck, he discovers that Stromboli has locked Pinocchio in a birdcage. Jiminy attempts to crack the lock so they can escape, but fails (evidently because, according to him, the lock is "one of the older models"). The Blue Fairy later comes along and frees them, after teaching Pinocchio a lesson on lying when he lied to her, causing his nose to grow until it became like a tree branch, complete with a bird's nest and eggs.

Before the pair can reach home, Pinocchio is dragged by Honest John and Gideon to travel to Pleasure Island, said to be a land for boys by Honest John again. Jiminy manages to sneak on the stage wagon, but ends up separated from Pinocchio. Jiminy eventually finds Pinocchio in a pool hall, where he is smoking and drinking with Lampwick. Jiminy attempts to get Pinocchio to leave, but is insulted by Lampwick. Offended and fed up with Pinocchio refusing to listen to him, Jiminy leaves in a huff and attempts to go home. He discovers that boys who come to Pleasure Island are transformed into donkeys, and runs off to warn Pinocchio.

The two are able to leave by running over a path of rocks (which is the only way on the island that is not blocked off) and jumping into the sea, but not before the curse of Pleasure Island causes Pinocchio to grow a donkey tail and ears. Finally, at home, they learn via a message that Geppetto has gone searching for Pinocchio and was trapped by Monstro. Despite Jiminy essentially being live bait, he follows Pinocchio into the sea to search for Geppetto. However, he is separated from Pinocchio after Pinocchio is swallowed by Monstro. Jiminy is forced to find shelter in a bottle to avoid being eaten by the seagulls.

After Pinocchio and Geppetto escape, Jiminy is the one who discovers that Pinocchio has died as a result while saving Geppetto from Monstro, who tried to catch them resulting in his death when he smashed into the cliff wall. At Geppetto's workshop, he mourns Pinocchio's death alongside Geppetto, Cleo, and Figaro. However, the Blue Fairy, touched by Pinocchio's sacrifice, revives the puppet as a real boy, also curing him of the Coachman's curse. Just like the others, he is overjoyed when Pinocchio is revived as a real boy. He manages to step away from the party and thanks to the Blue Fairy for helping them. As recognition of his own contributions, the Blue Fairy rewards him with a solid gold badge declaring him an official conscience.

## Gallery

***The 2D-Animated wiki*** has a collection of images and media related to ***Jiminy Cricket***.

## Trivia

* In *The Return of Jafar* and Season 1 of the *Aladdin* TV series, Genie briefly morphed into Jiminy.
* Though not appearing in *Geppetto*, he is mentioned by name when Professor Buonragazzo promises Geppetto a new son "Faster than you can say 'Jimminy Cricket.'"