Spike the Bulldog and Chester the Terrier

Spike the Bulldog and Chester the Terrier are animated cartoon characters in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Spike is a burly, gray bulldog who wears a red sweater, a brown bowler hat, and a perpetual scowl. Chester is a terrier who is just the opposite, small and jumpy with yellow fur and brown, perky ears.

History

The characters starred in only two shorts, both directed by animator Friz Freleng. The first of these films was 1952's Tree for Two. In it, Chester tells his idol Spike that he knows of a cat that they can beat up. The cat is Freleng's own Sylvester, but every time Spike thinks he has the cat cornered, a runaway zoo black panther appears in Sylvester's place, thrashing the dog instead. When Chester decides to have a go of it, however, Sylvester finds himself at the little dog's mercy. By the cartoon's end, Spike and Chester have switched roles; Spike is the fawning sycophant, and Chester the smug prizefighter.

The characters' second outing came in the 1954 film Dr. Jerkyl's Hide. Spike (here called "Alfie" and with an English accent) is once again after Sylvester, only this time it is Sylvester himself who pummels the poor pooch, thanks to a potion that transforms him into a feline monster. Chester, of course, never sees this transformed Sylvester, thinking his buddy is being beaten by the tiny tomcat. The final loss of face for Alfie is him being thrashed by a fly that has also been affected by the potion, as it occurs in front of Chester's eyes.

Later appearances

• Spike the Bulldog and Chester the Terrier appear in the 1996 movie Space Jam. They are seen as a pair of paramedics during the basketball game.
• Spike the Bulldog appears in The Looney Tunes Show episode "The Jailbird and Jailbunny." He is seen during the "Blow My Stack" song as a member of Yosemite Sam's anger management group.

Related characters

Another bulldog character appeared in other cartoons with Sylvester and Tweety, but this character is not Spike; he is officially known as Hector the Bulldog.

Several Tom and Jerry cartoons produced by MGM also featured a character named Spike the Bulldog (and his son, Tyke). This is another character, unrelated to Spike used by Freleng. Coincidentally, WB now owns the Tom & Jerry cartoons as well (through Turner Entertainment).