In the world of children's television, few characters are as beloved as Clifford the Big Red Dog. John Ritter played the voice of Clifford's owner, John, in the original 2000 film.
The original 2000 film featured Ian McKellen as the voice of the veterinarian, Dr. Davenport. This role is a great example of how the show brought together a talented cast.
The 2021 live-action film, starring Jack Whitehall as Mr. Bell, offers a fresh take on the classic story.
The Actors
John Ritter was a talented voice actor who sadly passed away in 2003, but not before completing his work on Clifford's Really Big Movie. He was a beloved actor known for his comedic timing.
John Ritter's final film role was in Clifford's Really Big Movie, which was released posthumously and dedicated to his memory. This film also features a star-studded cast, including Wayne Brady as Shackleford the Ferret.
Wayne Brady, John Goodman, Judge Reinhold, and Jenna Elfman all brought their talents to the film, which was a fitting finale to the original series.
Cast Members
The Cast Members of Clifford's Really Big Movie were a talented group of actors who brought the beloved characters to life on the big screen. John Ritter, a talented voice actor, was one of the cast members who sadly passed away in 2003.
John Ritter's last film was Clifford's Really Big Movie, which was released posthumously and dedicated to his memory.
Dogs
The actors behind the beloved characters of Clifford the Big Red Dog are a talented bunch. John Ritter voiced Clifford in the US, while Tom Eastwood took on the role in the UK.
Clifford is a giant red Labrador Retriever Vizsla mix, standing at an impressive 25 feet tall from paws to head. His size often gets him into trouble, but he's a friendly and harmless giant.
Cleo, on the other hand, is a hyperactive purple female poodle who loves to have fun. Her catchphrase is "Have I ever steered you wrong?" and she often interrupts her friends in mid-sentence with it.
T-Bone is a timid yellow male bulldog who's sensitive to loud noises. His owner is Sheriff Lewis, but he spends most of his time with his friends Clifford and Cleo.
Here's a list of the main canine characters and their owners:
- Clifford (voiced by John Ritter in the US and Tom Eastwood in the UK) - owned by Emily Elizabeth Howard
- Cleo (voiced by Cree Summer in the US and Regine Candler in the UK) - spends most of her time with Clifford and T-Bone, but is also owned by Mrs. Diller
- T-Bone (voiced by Kel Mitchell in the US and Benjamin Small in the UK) - owned by Sheriff Lewis
- Mac (voiced by Cam Clarke) - owned by Jetta Handover
- K.C. (voiced by Cam Clarke) - one of Clifford's, Cleo's, and T-Bone's best friends
- Mimi (voiced by Tyisha Hampton) - T-Bone's love interest
- Rex (voiced by Frank Welker) - Clifford's friend from when he was a puppy
- Manny (voiced by Frank Welker) - an elderly schnauzer who appears in some episodes
- Kiki (voiced by Gabrielle Carteris) - Cleo's playful niece
- Bob (voiced by Debi Derryberry) - Dr. Dinh's rambunctious dachshund
- Tonya (voiced by Maria Canals) - a beautiful orange and white female collie
Behind the Scenes
John Ritter, the original voice of Clifford, recorded over 100 episodes of the show before his untimely passing in 2003.
The new animated series features a talented voice cast, including Jack Griffo as Clifford and the voice of John Cleese as Clifford's uncle, Norman.
The live-action film, starring Jack Whitehall as Clifford, was filmed in various locations in the UK and Ireland.
The original animated series was produced by Scholastic Productions and Nelvana Limited, with a team of over 50 people working on each episode.
The new animated series was produced by Big Red Dog Productions and Scholastic Media, with a team of over 200 people working on each episode.
The live-action film was directed by Walt Becker, who also directed the film "Wild Hogs" in 2007.
The original animated series was broadcast on PBS Kids from 2000 to 2003, and was later syndicated to other networks.
The new animated series is currently airing on PBS Kids and streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clifford played by a real dog?
No, Clifford is not played by a real dog. A bulky, red exoskeleton controlled by two puppeteers was used to bring the giant dog to life
What year did Clifford come out?
Clifford the Big Red Dog was first published in 1963. This beloved children's book series has been entertaining kids for over 50 years.
Did John Ritter play Clifford the Big Red Dog?
John Ritter voiced Clifford in the US version, while Tom Eastwood provided the voice in the UK version. Clifford is a big red Labrador Retriever.
Sources
- "Clifford's 'Big Movie' will charm his small TV fans" (boston.com)
- "Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Clifford the Big Red Dog" (toonopedia.com)
- the original (pbskids.org)
- "'Clifford the Big Red Dog' Returning to TV in 2019" (nytimes.com)
- Share this on Facebook (facebook.com)
- naturalistic, muddy shade of red (cinemablend.com)
- mentioned in interviews (hollywoodlife.com)
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) directed by Walt Becker (letterboxd.com)
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) (humanehollywood.org)
- CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG - Reviews (movieguide.org)
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