| Spike the Bulldog and Chester the Terrier | |
| Series: | Looney Tunes |
| Multiple: | yes |
| Image Upright: | 1 |
| First: | Tree for Two (1952) |
| Creator: | Friz Freleng |
| Voice: | Spike: Mel Blanc (1952-1983) Chester: Stan Freberg (1952-1996) |
| Species: | Spike: Bulldog Chester: Terrier |
| Gender: | Male |
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 wearing a red sweater, a brown bowler hat, and a perpetual scowl. Chester is a Jack 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 by animator Friz Freleng. The first of these films was Tree for Two (1952).[2] 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 was in the short film Dr. 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 a fly that has also been affected by the potion, as it occurs in front of Chester's eyes.