Professor Barnaby Owl
Prof. Barnaby Owl
Background information
Park attractions
Voice
Character information
Occupation
Paraphernalia
Status
History[]
Background[]
Prof. Barnaby Owl is an anthropomorphic owl who lives inCritter Country and who is the proprietor of aPhotographic Art Studio at the base ofChick-A-Pin Hill. He is a self-identified, "Practitioner of Photographie Portraiture" who lends his abilities as a photographer to customers.
Physical appearance[]
Prof. Barnaby Owl is a grey owl who wears a checkered vest with a black bowtie and golden keychain. Artwork also shows him wearing a red vest with a green bowtie.
Development[]
Prof. Barnaby Owl was created forDisneyland's Splash Mountain in1992, being the fictional photographer used to assist guests in understanding the ride-photo process. He had an audio-animatronic figure which appeared towards the end of the attraction. Said AA was removed from the park at some point between2012 and2013 for unknown reasons.
Appearances[]
Splash Mountain[]
Within the queue for Splash Mountain, adverts for Barnaby's studio could be seen littered around with illustrations of Barnaby. Additional advertisements and paintings of Barnaby could be found at the end of the attraction, guiding guests to his quarters.
Within the ride, the story implication is that the professor is the one who photographs guests on the attractions through the use of his Daguerreotype camera, likely while flying. An actual audio-animatronic of Barnaby was located at the end of the attraction within the mill, showing off his photos of guests going down into theBriar Patch on a screen. After disembarking from the log, riders entered a "dark room", where they preview their on-ride photograph before exiting to Critter Country. An orchestral swing arrangement of "Sooner or Later" could be heard along the exit path.
Professor Barnaby Owl's Photographic Art Studio[]
This shop is themed around being the establishment of Prof. Barnaby Owl where he sells guests photographs of them from the ride. The establishment is littered with his personal equipment and allusions to his person.
Gallery[]
_-_Professor_Barnaby_Owl_(Animatronic).png "Splash Mountain (Disneyland) - Professor Barnaby Owl (Animatronic).png (544 KB)")
Trivia[]
- Barnaby is considerably similar to the characterProfessor Owl, most notably featured in theDisney Sing Along Songs videos.
- It is likely that his character was inspired by Hoot Gibson the Owl, a character created byMarc Davis for the unbuiltWestern River Expedition.
- InTokyo Disneyland, an audio-animatronic known asBr'er Owl appeared in the queue to interact with guests as they wait in line.
