Boris Badenov is an antagonist of the 1959–1964
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
cartoon
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
s ''
Rocky and His Friends
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC tele ...
'' and ''
The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the American Broadca ...
'' for short. He was originally voiced by
Paul Frees
Solomon Hersh "Paul" Frees (June 22, 1920November 2, 1986) was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass, and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during ...
.
Badenov's name is a pun on that of the 16th-century Russian
Tsar
Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
Boris Godunov
Borís Fyodorovich Godunóv (; russian: Борис Фёдорович Годунов; 1552 ) ruled the Tsardom of Russia as ''de facto'' regent from c. 1585 to 1598 and then as the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. After the end of his ...
(i.e., "good enough" vs. "bad enough"). His accent and explosive temper are a homage to Hollywood actor
Akim Tamiroff
Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff, russian: Аким Михайлович Тамиров (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character act ...
,
[ especially Tamiroff's role in '']The Great McGinty
''The Great McGinty'' is a 1940 political satire comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff and featuring William Demarest and (in her final screen appearance) Muriel Angelus. It was Sturges's fir ...
'', a 1940 film directed by Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Origina ...
.
Badenov was created by Bill Scott, who based the character's appearance on that of Gomez Addams
Gomez Addams is the patriarch of the fictional Addams Family, created by cartoonist Charles Addams for ''The New Yorker'' magazine in the 1940s, and subsequently portrayed on television, in film and on the stage.
Cartoons
In Charles Addams's ori ...
.
Character overview
Boris is a spy
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
from the fictional nation of Pottsylvania
Pottsylvania is a fictional country that appeared in the television series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and '' The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''Rocky and Bullwinkle''.
Pottsylvania is a parody of a Cold War-era eastern Europe ...
, and takes orders from the strongman
In the 19th century, the term strongman referred to an exhibitor of strength or similar circus performers who performed feats of strength. More recently, strength athletics, also known as strongman competitions, have grown in popularity. Thes ...
known as Fearless Leader
Fearless Leader is the main antagonist in the 1959–1964 animated television series '' Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', both shows often collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. He is the employer of ...
(and occasionally the rarely seen Mr. Big). Boris' missions range from trying to steal a secret rocket fuel formula
In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwee ...
to eliminating all television from the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
as part of Pottsylvania's various attempts to seize power. Boris, who is thoroughly dedicated to (and takes delight in) all manners of nefarious deeds, would also sometimes engage in his own schemes, such as starting his own organized crime
Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
gang and hiring himself out as a professional executioner, and frequently conspires schemes simply to get rich (such as by posing as a Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
director to bilk Bullwinkle out of his life savings in " The Last Angry Moose" or usurping Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
by taking advantage of a freak polar drift
Polar drift is a geological phenomenon caused by variations in the flow of molten iron in Earth's outer core, resulting in changes in the orientation of Earth's magnetic field, and hence the position of the magnetic north- and south poles.
The N ...
in " Topsy Turvy World"). Separately from the television series, a commercial for the ''Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' featuring Boris established that he was an active member of Local 12 of the Villains, Thieves, and Scoundrels Union. During this commercial, Boris also claims to be "the world's greatest nogoodnik". Boris is also quite proud of the fact that the nicest thing Fearless Leader ever did for him was sending a picture of himself to Boris inscribed "Drop Dead — Fearless Leader". He is a master of disguise and aliases.[
According to the Rialto Theater's " Moosebill" for "Downhill: The Musical" (a special table of contents insert created for the ]DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
box set ''Rocky and Bullwinkle & Friends, The Third Season''), Boris was educated in the Pottsylvania public schools before taking a scoundrelship to U.S.C. (the University of Safe Cracking), from which he graduated magna cum louse. He has a cast-iron stomach; and because of it was one of only three survivors of the ruling clique of Pottsylvania, the other two being his superiors Fearless Leader
Fearless Leader is the main antagonist in the 1959–1964 animated television series '' Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', both shows often collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. He is the employer of ...
and Mister Big. Boris enjoys light reading; his favorite book is an anthology of fiendish plans called the ''Fireside Crook Book''. He is also a charter member of the Van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
Society, a Pottsylvanian club whose members collect human ears.
Early in the series, Boris was taller and had red eyes. After the first episodes, he changed to his normal height, but still retained the red eyes until a few episodes afterwards. Humorously, they changed from red to white after he had woken up from a long slumber, as if the redness was caused by sleep deprivation.
Boris is nearly always accompanied by his fellow criminal, Natasha Fatale
Boris Badenov is an antagonist of the 1959–1964 animated cartoons ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' for short. He was originally voiced by Paul Frees.
Badenov ...
. The first time he appeared without her was in the story arc, "Buried Treasure
Buried treasure is a literary trope commonly associated with depictions of pirates, criminals, and Old West outlaws. According to popular conception, these people often buried their stolen fortunes in remote places, intending to return to them ...
". The first story arc where neither appeared was "The Three Moosketeers
The following is a list of Rocky and Bullwinkle segments of the American animated television feature ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (1959–1964). In the original broadcasts and later subsequent DVD releases, two Rocky a ...
".
Usually, Boris' misdeeds are thwarted by Rocky the Flying Squirrel
Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel, also known as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, is a fictional character and one of the two male protagonists of the 1959–1964 animated series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'' (both shows often referr ...
and Bullwinkle the Moose. Boris's attempts at killing "moose and squirrel" (as he refers to them) also always end in failure, usually by his own scheme backfiring on him. "Of course, I've got plan!" he says. "I've always got plan! They don't ever work, but I've always got one!" As Boris expresses his plight in one promo: "I send in lady spy with package which is really bomb. Door gets locked, she can't get out, who gets blown up? Me!"
Boris appeared in all but three ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' storylines: ''The Three Moosketeers
The following is a list of Rocky and Bullwinkle segments of the American animated television feature ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (1959–1964). In the original broadcasts and later subsequent DVD releases, two Rocky a ...
'', ''The Ruby Yacht'', and ''Mucho Loma''. Boris often appeared in segments of ''Bullwinkle's Corner
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the American Broadca ...
'', ''Mr. Know-It-All
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC te ...
'', and ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Fan Club''.
Catch phrases
Boris's main catch phrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
(spoken when frustrated) is "Raskolnikov
Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Родион Романович Раскольников, Rodión Románovich Raskólʹnikov, rədʲɪˈon rɐˈmanəvʲɪtɕ rɐˈskolʲnʲɪkəf) is the fictional protago ...
!" (a reference to the novel ''Crime and Punishment
''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...
'' by Dostoevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
), spoken in his Pottsylvanian accent (a mock-Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
accent).
Boris would also say, "''Sharrup you mouth!''" to Natasha when his schemes failed. However, in the final segment of "Greenpernt Oogle
The following is a list of Rocky and Bullwinkle segments of the American animated television feature ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (1959–1964). In the original broadcasts and later subsequent DVD releases, two Rocky an ...
", when he and Natasha were stuck in their own mine field, he says to her, "''Natasha, next time I get fiendish plan, do me big favor? Sharrup my mouth!''" She does indeed do this in one episode, saying those very words to Boris as the car they were in dropped over a cliff to the ground in the 8-segmented story arc "The Treasure of Monte Zoom
The following is a list of Rocky and Bullwinkle segments of the American animated television feature ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (1959–1964). In the original broadcasts and later subsequent DVD releases, two Rocky a ...
". Also, whenever his superior gives him an order, he utters the line "You sair it!"
Boris would usually greet a new acquaintance by saying, "Allow me to introducing myself. I am Boris Badenov, world's greatest no-goodnik".
In other media
*In the 1992 Showtimes Network film '' Boris and Natasha: The Movie'', the live-action Boris was played by Dave Thomas Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital ...
.
*In the 2000 theatrical film '' The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'', the live-action Boris was played by Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, host and director. An Emmy and Tony winner, he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series '' Se ...
.
*Boris reappears in the 2014 3D DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios and simply known as DreamWorks) is an American animation studio that produces animated films and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division ...
short film ''Rocky & Bullwinkle
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC te ...
'', where he was voiced by Robert Cait.
*Boris now appears in the 2018 Amazon Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pri ...
series '' The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'', where he is now voiced by Benjamin Diskin
Benjamin Isaac Diskin (born August 25, 1982) is an American actor who was affiliated in Studiopolis, Bang Zoom!, SDI Media, Funimation, VSI Los Angeles, and NYAV Post.
Early life
Diskin was born in Los Angeles County, California to a Jewish fa ...
. This incarnation, while still mean and selfish, is also ditzy, easily distracted and somewhat childlike, almost an evil version of Bullwinkle. Instead of usurping Santa, he shows great admiration for him. ("I talk about Santa all I want. He's very magical man.") He's also a surprisingly gifted keytar player, although it appears his mother didn't approve of the instrument. He was sent to spy school because his mother had hoped for him to be Pottsylvania's next top model, but as time went on she realized that wasn't possible.
* Boris has appeared in two Robot Chicken
''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The writers, ...
sketches.
Natasha Fatale
Natasha Fatale is an antagonist of the 1959-1964 animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
cartoons ''Rocky and His Friends
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC tele ...
'' and '' The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the American Broadca ...
''. She was voiced by June Foray
June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American voice actress. She was best known as the voice of such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Lucifer from Disney' ...
.
Natasha is a spy
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
for the fictional country
A fictional country is a country that is made up for fictional stories, and does not exist in real life, or one that people believe in without proof.
Sailors have always mistaken low clouds for land masses, and in later times this was given ...
of Pottsylvania
Pottsylvania is a fictional country that appeared in the television series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and '' The Bullwinkle Show'', collectively referred to as ''Rocky and Bullwinkle''.
Pottsylvania is a parody of a Cold War-era eastern Europe ...
, and takes orders from the nation's leader, Fearless Leader
Fearless Leader is the main antagonist in the 1959–1964 animated television series '' Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'', both shows often collectively referred to as ''The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''. He is the employer of ...
. Natasha usually serves as an accomplice to fellow spy Boris Badenov. Like Boris, she is also a master of disguise.[
According to the Rialto Theater's Moosebill for "Downhill: The Musical" (a special table of contents insert created for the ]DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
box set ''Rocky and Bullwinkle & Friends, The Third Season''), Natasha is supposedly the only child of Axis Sally
Axis Sally was the generic nickname given to women radio personalities who broadcast English-language propaganda on behalf of the European Axis Powers during World War II. These included:
* Mildred Gillars, a German-American who broadcast for Ge ...
and Count Dracula
Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel '' Dracula''. He is considered to be both the prototypical and the archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by som ...
. A former Miss Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, she was expelled from college for subversive activities at a local cemetery. She traveled from Transylvania to the United States at the age of 19, landing in New York, where she spent two years posing for cartoonist Charles Addams
Charles Samuel Addams (January 7, 1912 – September 29, 1988) was an American cartoonist known for his darkly humorous and macabre characters, signing the cartoons as Chas Addams. Some of his recurring characters became known as the Addams Fa ...
, and as the party girl who pops out of the big cake at embalmers' stag parties. (Much as Boris was loosely based on Gomez Addams, Natasha's appearance was based on that of Morticia Addams
Morticia Addams (née Frump) is a fictional character from the ''Addams Family'' multimedia franchise created by American Charles Addams in 1933. She plays the role of the family's reserved matriarch. Morticia Addams has been portrayed in severa ...
, who had not yet been named at the time ''Rocky and His Friends'' was airing.)
She met Boris when they were arrested for throwing rocks at Girl Scouts. He became smitten with her charms and they became partners in crime. Usually, Natasha's and Boris's misdeeds are thwarted by Rocky the Flying Squirrel
Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel, also known as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, is a fictional character and one of the two male protagonists of the 1959–1964 animated series ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show'' (both shows often referr ...
and Bullwinkle the Moose. She refers to them collectively as "moose and squirrel". She is almost always shown in a purple dress, but in the last season it is often red.
Natasha's last name is a pun
A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...
on the phrase ''femme fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
'', with emphasis on the "fatal" part; in keeping with that, Natasha was drawn as a shapely, attractive looking woman. However, in nearly all episodes, the character is identified only as Natasha, with no surname. She is apocryphally known as "Natasha Nogoodnik". However, she is identified in the series premiere by her proper name by the show's narrator, making "Fatale" her canonical and correct surname. However, either or both may be a nom de guerre
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
.
In the 1992, Showtimes Network film '' Boris and Natasha: The Movie'', the live-action Natasha was portrayed by Sally Kellerman
Sally Clare Kellerman (June 2, 1937 – February 24, 2022) was an American actress and singer whose acting career spanned 60 years. Her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in Robert Altman's film ''M*A*S*H'' (1970) earned her an Oscar no ...
. In the 2000 theatrical film '' The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'', the live-action Natasha was portrayed by Rene Russo
Rene Marie Russo (born February 17, 1954) is an American actress and model. She began her career as a fashion model in the 1970s, appearing on magazine covers such as ''Vogue'' and ''Cosmopolitan''. She made her film debut in the 1989 comedy '' ...
. In the 2014, 3D DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios and simply known as DreamWorks) is an American animation studio that produces animated films and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division ...
short film ''Rocky & Bullwinkle
''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends'' (commonly referred to as simply ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'') is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC te ...
'', Lauri Fraser provided the voice for Natasha. Natasha's original voice actor, June Foray
June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American voice actress. She was best known as the voice of such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Lucifer from Disney' ...
, reprised her role as Rocky but not as Natasha. In the 2018 Amazon Video
Amazon Prime Video, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming and rental service of Amazon offered as a standalone service or as part of Amazon's Prime subscription. The service pri ...
series '' The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'', she is voiced by Rachel Butera.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Badenov, Boris
Animated characters introduced in 1959
Villains in animated television series
Comedy film characters
Fictional Eastern European people
Fictional gangsters
Fictional outlaws
Fictional secret agents and spies
Fictional thieves
Fictional con artists
Male characters in animation
Male film villains
Rocky and Bullwinkle characters
Television characters introduced in 1959