| Spike the Bulldog and Chester the Terrier | |
|---|---|
| Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies characters | |
 Spike and Chester inTree for Two. | |
| First appearance | Tree for Two (1952) |
| Created by | Friz Freleng |
| Voiced by | Spike:Mel Blanc (1952-1983) Chester:Stan Freberg (1952-1996) |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Spike:Bulldog Chester:Terrier |
| Gender | Male |
Spike the Bulldog andChester the Terrier areanimated cartoon characters in theWarner Bros.Looney Tunes andMerrie Melodies series of cartoons. Spike is a burly, graybulldog wearing a red sweater, a brownbowler hat, and a perpetual scowl. Chester is aJack Russell terrier who is just the opposite, small and jumpy with yellow fur and brown, perky ears.[1]
The characters starred in only two shorts, both directed byanimatorFriz Freleng. The first of these films wasTree for Two (1952).[2] In it, Chester tells his idol Spike that he knows of acat that they can beat up. The cat is Freleng's ownSylvester, but every time Spike thinks he has the cat cornered, a runaway zooblack 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 was in the short filmDr. Jerkyl's Hide (1954).[3] 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 his being thrashed by afly that has also been affected by the potion, as it occurs in front of Chester's eyes.
