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Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with
fairies A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit, o ...
, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland. Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism. In addition to two distinct works by Barrie, ''
The Little White Bird ''The Little White Bird'' is a novel by the Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark, aggressive undertones. It was published in November 1902, by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Scribn ...
'' (1902, with chapters 13–18 published in ''
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely k ...
'' in 1906), and the
West End stage West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1 ...
play '' Peter Pan; or, the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up'' (1904, which expanded into the 1911 novel '' Peter and Wendy''), the character has been featured in a variety of media and merchandise, both adapting and expanding on Barrie's works. These include several films, television series and many other works. Barrie commissioned a
statue of Peter Pan The statue of Peter Pan is a 1912 bronze sculpture of J. M. Barrie's character Peter Pan. It was commissioned by Barrie and made by Sir George Frampton. The original statue is displayed in Kensington Gardens in London, to the west of The Long Wa ...
by the sculptor George Frampton, which was erected overnight in
Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are among the Royal Parks of London. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde P ...
on 30 April 1912 as a surprise to the children of London. Six other statues have been cast from the original mould and displayed around the world. In 2002, Peter Pan featured on a series of UK postage stamps issued by the
Royal Mail , kw, Postya Riel, ga, An Post Ríoga , logo = Royal Mail.svg , logo_size = 250px , type = Public limited company , traded_as = , foundation = , founder = Henry VIII , location = London, England, UK , key_people = * Keith Williams ...
on the centenary of Barrie's creation of the character.


Origin

Peter Pan first appeared as a character in Barrie's ''
The Little White Bird ''The Little White Bird'' is a novel by the Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark, aggressive undertones. It was published in November 1902, by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Scribn ...
'' (1902), a novel for adults. In chapters 13–18, titled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens", Peter is a seven-day-old baby and has flown from his nursery to
Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are among the Royal Parks of London. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde P ...
in London, where the fairies and birds taught him to fly. He is described as "betwixt-and-between" a boy and a bird. Barrie returned to the character of Peter Pan, putting him at the centre of his
stage play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and intended for theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Reading (process), reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Pla ...
titled '' Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up'', which premiered on 27 December 1904 at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. Following the success of the 1904 play, Barrie's publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, extracted the Peter Pan chapters of ''The Little White Bird'' and published them in 1906 under the title ''
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely k ...
'', with the addition of illustrations by
Arthur Rackham Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrator. He is recognised as one of the leading figures during the Golden Age of British book illustration. His work is noted for its robust pen and ink drawings, ...
. Barrie later adapted and expanded the 1904 play's storyline as a
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
, which was published in 1911 as '' Peter and Wendy''. J. M. Barrie may have based the character of Peter Pan on his older brother, David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. His mother and brother thought of him as forever a boy.


Physical appearance

Barrie never described Peter's appearance in detail, even in his novel, leaving it to the imagination of the reader and the interpretation of anyone adapting the character. In the play, Peter's outfit is made of autumn
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
and
cobwebs A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb (from the archaic word '' coppe'', meaning "spider") is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey. Spid ...
. In the book and play, he also carries a dagger and a
sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
, although in some versions he only has one of the two. His name and playing the flute or pipes suggest that he is based on the Greek god and mythological character Pan. Barrie mentions in ''Peter and Wendy'' that Peter Pan still had all his " first teeth".Barrie, J. M. ''Peter and Wendy''. Hodder & Stoughton, 1911, Chapter 1. He describes him as a "lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees". In ''
The Little White Bird ''The Little White Bird'' is a novel by the Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark, aggressive undertones. It was published in November 1902, by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Scribn ...
'' (1902) and ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' (1906), he is seven days old. Traditionally, the character has been played on stage by a female, but can also be played by a male. In the original productions in the UK, Peter Pan's costume was a reddish tunic and dark green tights, such as that worn by
Nina Boucicault Nina Boucicault (27 February 1867 – 2 August 1950) was an English actress born to playwright Dion Boucicault and his wife, actress Agnes Kelly Robertson. She had three brothers, Dion William (1855–1876), Dion Boucicault Jr. and Aubrey Bouc ...
in 1904. This costume is exhibited at Barrie's Birthplace. The similar costume worn by
Pauline Chase Pauline Chase (born Pauline Bliss; May 20, 1885 – March 15, 1962) was an American actress who performed on the stage in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She added the names "Ellen" and "Matthew" to hers when she was baptised ...
(who played the role from 1906 to 1913) is displayed in the
Museum of London The Museum of London is a museum in London, covering the history of the UK's capital city from prehistoric to modern times. It was formed in 1976 by amalgamating collections previously held by the City Corporation at the Guildhall, London, Gui ...
. Early editions of adaptations of the story also depict a red costume but a green costume (whether or not made of leaves) becomes more usual from the 1920s, and more so later after the release of Disney's animated movie. In the Disney films, Peter wears an outfit that consists of a short-sleeved green tunic and tights apparently made of cloth, and a cap with a red feather in it. He has pointed elf-like ears, brown eyes, and reddish hair. In '' Hook'' (1991), the character is played as an adult by Robin Williams, with blue eyes and dark brown hair; in flashbacks to him in his youth, his hair is light brown. His ears appear pointed only when he is Peter Pan, not as Peter Banning. His Pan attire resembles the Disney outfit (minus the cap) and he wields a gold bladed
sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
. In the live-action 2003 ''Peter Pan'' film, he is portrayed by
Jeremy Sumpter Jeremy Robert Myron Sumpter (born February 5, 1989) is an American actor. His prominent roles include the title role in the 2003 live action film ''Peter Pan'', Jacob in the 2014 disaster film '' Into the Storm'', and the recurring role of J. D. ...
, with blond hair, green eyes, bare feet and a costume made of leaves and vines. In the prequel to the main story 2015 ''Pan'' film, he is portrayed by
Levi Miller Levi Zane Miller (born 30 September 2002) is an Australian actor and model. He is known for playing Peter Pan in ''Pan (2015 film), Pan'' (2015), Luke in ''Better Watch Out (film), Better Watch Out'' (2016), and Calvin O'Keefe, Calvin in A Wrin ...
, a young boy who was left as a baby by the orphanage until he gets captured by Blackbeard's pirates and taken to Neverland. Here he wears just simple clothes.


Personality

Peter is an exaggerated stereotype of a boastful and careless boy. He claims greatness, even when such claims are questionable (such as congratulating himself when Wendy re-attaches his shadow). In the play and book, Peter symbolises the selfishness of childhood, and is portrayed as being forgetful and self-centred. Peter has a nonchalant, devil-may-care attitude, and is fearlessly cocky when it comes to putting himself in danger. Barrie writes that when Peter thought he was going to die on Marooners' Rock, he felt scared, yet he felt only one shudder. With this blithe attitude, he says, "To die will be an awfully big adventure." In the play, the unseen and unnamed narrator ponders what might have been if Peter had stayed with Wendy, so that his cry might have become, "To live would be an awfully big adventure!", "but he can never quite get the hang of it".


Abilities

Peter's archetypal quality is his unending youth. In ''Peter and Wendy'', it is explained that Peter must forget his own adventures and what he learns about the world in order to stay childlike. Peter's ability to fly is explained, but inconsistently. In ''The Little White Bird'', he is able to fly because he is said to be part bird, like all babies. In the play and novel, he teaches the Darling children to fly using a combination of "lovely wonderful thoughts" and fairy dust. In Barrie's Dedication to the play ''Peter Pan, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow up'', the author attributes the idea of fairy dust being necessary for flight to practical needs:
...after the first production I had to add something to the play at the request of parents (who thus showed that they thought me the responsible person) about no one being able to fly until the fairy dust had been blown on him; so many children having gone home and tried it from their beds and needed surgical attention. – J. M. Barrie
Peter has an effect on the whole of Neverland and its inhabitants when he is there. Barrie states that although Neverland appears different to every child, the island "wakes up" when Peter returns from his trip to London. In the chapter "The Mermaids' Lagoon" in the book ''Peter and Wendy'', Barrie writes that there is almost nothing that Peter cannot do. He is a skilled swordsman, rivalling even Captain Hook, whose hand he cut off in a duel. He has remarkably keen vision and hearing. He is skilled in mimicry, copying the voice of Hook and the ticking of the clock in the crocodile. Peter has the ability to imagine things into existence and he is able to sense danger when it is near. In ''Peter and Wendy'', Barrie states that the Peter Pan legend Mrs. Darling heard as a child, was that when children died, he accompanied them part of the way to their destination so they would not be frightened. In the original play, Peter states that no one must ever touch him (though he does not know why). The stage directions specify that no one does so throughout the play. Wendy approaches Peter to give him a "kiss" (thimble), but is prevented by Tinker Bell. However, John Caird and Trevor Nunn's introduction to the script for the 1997
Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...
production, states that this was never Barrie's original intention, and was only added for a production in 1927, where Jean Forbes-Robertson took the title role, and played the part with a lighter, more fairy-like, physicality. Robertson was to play the part almost every year until 1939.


Cultural allusions

The character's name comes from two sources: Peter Llewelyn Davies, one of the five Llewelyn Davies boys who inspired the story, and Pan, a minor deity of Greek mythology who plays pipes to nymphs and is part human and part goat. This is referenced in Barrie's works (particularly ''
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely k ...
'') where Peter Pan plays pipes to the fairies and rides a goat. The god Pan represents Nature or Man's natural state in contrast to Civilisation and the effects of upbringing on human behaviour, and he experienced a significant revival of interest among English artists, poets and novelists during the Edwardian period. Peter Pan is a free spirit, being too young to be burdened with the effects of education or to have an adult appreciation of moral responsibility. As a "betwixt-and-between", who can fly and speak the language of fairies and birds, Peter is part animal and part human. According to psychologist
Rosalind Ridley Rosalind Ridley is a British psychologist and researcher who was head of the Medical Research Council (United Kingdom) Comparative Cognition Research Team in the Department of Psychology, Cambridge, UK, until 2005. She was a fellow of Newnham Coll ...
, by comparing Peter's behaviour to adults and to other animals, Barrie raises many post- Darwinian questions about the origins of human nature and behaviour. As "the boy who wouldn't grow up", Peter exhibits many aspects of the stages of cognitive development seen in children and can be regarded as Barrie's memory of himself as a child, being both charmingly childlike and childishly solipsistic.


Relationships


Family

Peter Pan ran away from his parents when he was a baby as told in ''
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely k ...
'' and '' Peter and Wendy''. Finding the window closed and seeing a new baby boy in the house when he returned some time later, he believed his parents no longer wanted him and never came back. This younger sibling is referred to in the chapter "Lock-Out Time" in ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' but is not mentioned again.


Friends


Maimie Mannering

While in Kensington Gardens, Peter meets a lost girl named Maimie Mannering and the two quickly become friends. Peter proposes marriage to Maimie. While Maimie wants to stay in the Gardens with Peter, she comes to realise that her mother is so worried that she must return to her. Maimie promises to always remember Peter and goes back to her mother. When Maimie grows up, she continues to think of Peter, dedicating presents and letters to him. To remember Maimie, Peter rides the imaginary goat that Maimie created for him. She is considered to be the literary predecessor of Wendy Darling.


The Darlings


=Wendy Darling

= It is hinted that Wendy may have romantic feelings for Peter, but unrequited because of his inability to love. In the original novel, Peter later befriends Wendy's daughter Jane (and her subsequent daughter Margaret), and it is implied that this pattern will go on forever. From time to time, Peter visits the real world, and befriends children. Wendy Darling, whom he recruited to be his "mother", is the most significant of them; he also brings her brothers John and
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
to Neverland at her request. It is mentioned that Wendy was the only girl who captured his attention. In the 1991 film '' Hook'', an older Wendy implies that she used to (and perhaps, still does) have feelings for Peter, saying that she was shocked that he did not prevent her wedding day. In the 2002 sequel to the 1953 Disney film, ''
Return to Neverland ''Return to Never Land'' (also known as ''Peter Pan in: Return to Never Land'' and later retitled ''Peter Pan II: Return to Never Land'' on current home video release) is a 2002 American animated adventure fantasy film produced by Disney MovieToon ...
'', Peter and a grown-up Wendy are briefly, but happily, reunited after many years and continue to show feelings for each other. In the 2003 film '' Peter Pan'', the feeling is mutual. Captain Hook can only take away Peter's ability to fly by thoughts of Wendy leaving him, growing up, and replacing him with a husband. Wendy saves Peter by giving him her hidden kiss which gives him the will to live, signifying she is his true love.


=John Darling and Michael Darling

= John is Wendy's younger brother. He is fascinated with piracy and imitates Captain Hook while playing at home with his siblings. He is also courageous and smart. Michael, the youngest of the Darlings, is convinced that Peter Pan is a real person after hearing Wendy's vivid narratives about him. During nursery games, it is Michael who plays the role of Peter Pan. ''Peter Pan In Scarlet'' reveals that Michael died in World War I.


=Mary and George Darling

= The parents of Wendy, John and Michael. Mr. Darling works as a clerk in the
City A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
, and is named after George Llewelyn Davies. Mrs. Darling is named after Mary Ansell, Barrie's wife.


Neverland inhabitants


=Tiger Lily

= Tiger Lily is the daughter of Great Big Little Panther, the chief of the Native American tribe resident in Neverland. Barrie refers to her as "a princess in her own right", and she is often described as such. She is kidnapped by the pirates and left to die on Marooners' Rock but is rescued by Peter. It is hinted later that she may have romantic feelings for Peter but he does not return them, as he is completely oblivious to other people's feelings. In the Disney film, Tiger Lily shows her gratitude by performing a dance for Peter and kissing him. The kiss makes him turn bright red and makes Wendy jealous of Tiger Lily.


=Tinker Bell

= Tinker Bell is a common fairy who is Peter Pan's best friend and is often jealously protective of him. He nicknames her "Tink". She is the friend who helps him in his escapades. Tink's malicious actions are usually caused by her jealousy; these lead to the Lost Boys shooting arrows at Wendy, and eventually revealing Peter's hideout to Captain Hook, in the hope that Wendy will be captured rather than Peter. When Tink realises her serious mistake, she risks her own life by drinking the poison Hook has left for Peter. Her extreme loyalty and dedication to Peter are everlasting.


=The Lost Boys

= Peter is the leader of the Lost Boys, which include Tootles, Nibs, Slightly, Curly, and The Twins. The Lost Boys is a band of boys who were lost by their parents after they "fall out of their perambulators" and came to live in Neverland. In Barrie's novel ''Peter and Wendy'' (but not the original play ''Peter Pan''), it is stated that Peter "thins them out" when they start to grow up. In the song "I Won't Grow Up" from the 1954 musical, the boys sing "I will stay a boy forever", to which Peter replies "And be banished if I don't". In '' Peter Pan in Scarlet'' (2006), the official sequel to Barrie's ''Peter and Wendy'', what happens to the Lost Boys when they begin to grow up is revealed when Slightly starts to grow older, as Peter banishes him to Nowhereland (which means that he and all his allies will ignore the banished person's existence), the home of all the Long Lost Boys whom Peter has banished in times past.


=The Crocodile

= The crocodile is Captain Hook's
nemesis In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view. Etymology The n ...
. After Peter Pan cut off Captain Hook's hand in a fight and threw it into the sea, the crocodile swallowed it and got a taste for Hook, so it now seeks to consume him whole. It also swallowed a ticking clock, which alerts Hook of its presence.


Adversaries


Captain Hook

Captain Hook, whose right hand was cut off in a duel, is Peter Pan's arch-enemy who leads a large group of
pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
. Captain Hook's two principal fears are the sight of his own blood (which is supposedly an unnatural colour) and one saltwater crocodile. His name plays on the iron hook that replaced his hand cut off by Peter Pan and eaten by the aforementioned crocodile, which continues to pursue Hook.


Mr. Smee

Mr Smee is Captain Hook's boatswain ("bo'sun") and right-hand man in J. M. Barrie's play ''Peter Pan'' and the novel '' Peter and Wendy''. Mr Smee is Captain Hook's direct confidant. Unlike the other pirates, Smee is often clumsy and incapable of capturing any of the Lost Boys. Rather than engaging in Hook's evil schemes, Smee finds excitement in bagging loot and treasures.


Original works

* '' Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up'' (1904 play), a play in which Peter brings Wendy and her brothers to Neverland, where he has a showdown with his
nemesis In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view. Etymology The n ...
, Captain Hook. Barrie adapted this play as a novel; numerous variations and other adaptations have been produced in various media * ''
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens ''Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens'' is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely k ...
'' (1906), an origin story wherein the infant Peter flies away from his home, takes up residence in
Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are among the Royal Parks of London. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde P ...
, and befriends the fairies. It is a "book-within-a-book" that was first published in Barrie's ''
The Little White Bird ''The Little White Bird'' is a novel by the Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark, aggressive undertones. It was published in November 1902, by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and Scribn ...
'' (1902) * ''When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought'' (1908), Barrie's sequel play * '' Peter and Wendy'' (1911), a novel Barrie adapted from the 1904 play, later republished as ''Peter Pan and Wendy''; it also incorporates events of Barrie's sequel play, ''When Wendy Grew Up – An Afterthought'' (1908)


Popular culture


Motion pictures and television

*Peter Pan appeared for the first time on screen in the
1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20– 30 – Kuomintang in China hol ...
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
silent
adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...
'' Peter Pan'' released by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
as an adaptation of the original stage play. *Since their 1953 animated film, Disney has continued to use Peter Pan as a character, as in the sequel film '' Return to Never Land'' (voiced by Blayne Weaver), A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information. and in the
Disney Parks Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Inc., formerly Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and informally known as Disney Parks, is one of The Walt Disney Company's five major business segments and a subsidiary. It was founded on Apri ...
, both as a meetable character based in
Fantasyland Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at all of the Magic Kingdom-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed after Disney's animated fairy tale films. Each Fantasyland has a castle, as well as several gentle ri ...
and as the protagonist of the dark ride Peter Pan's Flight. He also appears in the television series '' House of Mouse'' and its film '' Mickey's Magical Christmas'', several Disney video games including the ''
Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square (video game company), Square). It is a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company and is under the leadership of Tetsuya ...
'' series (voiced by Mitsuo Iwata, and later by
Yū Hayashi is a Japanese voice actor and singer from Kanagawa Prefecture attached to Ken Production. Formerly a child actor attached to Gekidan Himawari, he mainly specializes in dubbing roles. He is vocalist of Screen Mode, a band signed with Lantis. Bi ...
), and the television series based on ''Peter Pan'', '' Jake and the Never Land Pirates'' (voiced by Adam Wylie). An older and darker interpretation of this Peter Pan appears as an antagonist in ''Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers'', voiced by Will Arnett. Peter Pan also appears in the short film ''
Once Upon a Studio ''Once Upon a Studio'' is a 2023 American live-action animated film, live-action/animated Crossover (fiction), crossover fantasy comedy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios in celebration of the Walt Disney Company's centennial. ...
'', voiced primarily by Lee Slobotkin, with archival recordings of Bobby Driscoll also being used. *Peter Pan appears in ''
Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates ''Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates'' (known in international markets as ''20th Century Fox's Peter Pan & the Pirates'') is an American animated television series based on J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan that aired on Fox Kids from September 8, 1990, to S ...
'' , voiced by Jason Marsden. *In 1991, Robin Williams portrayed Peter Pan in the live-action film '' Hook'', directed by
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...
, also starring Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook and Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell. *In 2003,
Jeremy Sumpter Jeremy Robert Myron Sumpter (born February 5, 1989) is an American actor. His prominent roles include the title role in the 2003 live action film ''Peter Pan'', Jacob in the 2014 disaster film '' Into the Storm'', and the recurring role of J. D. ...
portrayed Peter in the live-action film directed by
P. J. Hogan Paul John "P. J." Hogan (born 30 November 1962) is an AACTA Award-winning Australian film director and writer. Early life Hogan was born in Brisbane, Queensland. As a teenager, he lived on the North Coast of New South Wales and attended Mt ...
. *Peter Pan appears in ''The New Adventures of Peter Pan'', voiced by Matt Hill and
Jake Paque Jake Paque ( ) is an American voice actor. He is best known for playing Caydan Phoenix in the video game '' Modern Combat 5''. Filmography Animation * '' Super 4'' – Ruby's Father / Lenny / Rock Brock / Various * '' Winx Club'' – Brando ...
. *In 2013,
Robbie Kay Robert Kay is a British actor whose credits include '' Fugitive Pieces'', '' Heroes Reborn'', ''Pinocchio'', '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'', and Peter Pan in the ''Once Upon a Time'' television series. Career Kay's family mov ...
portrayed Peter Pan in the ABC drama series '' Once Upon A Time''. *In 2015,
Levi Miller Levi Zane Miller (born 30 September 2002) is an Australian actor and model. He is known for playing Peter Pan in ''Pan (2015 film), Pan'' (2015), Luke in ''Better Watch Out (film), Better Watch Out'' (2016), and Calvin O'Keefe, Calvin in A Wrin ...
portrayed Peter Pan in '' Pan'', a live action origin film. *In 2015, '' Peter and Wendy'' aired on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
, produced by Headline Pictures, with Zac Sutcliffe portraying Peter. *In 2023, Disney released ''
Peter Pan & Wendy ''Peter Pan & Wendy'' is an upcoming American fantasy adventure film directed by David Lowery, who wrote the screenplay with Toby Halbrooks. Jim Whitaker and Joe Roth served as producers in the production of Walt Disney Pictures, which is a liv ...
'', a live-action reimagining of the 1953 Disney animated film, with Peter Pan being portrayed by Alexander Molony.


Manga/anime, games, and comics

*In the early 1930s,
Edward Mason Eggleston Edward Mason Eggleston (22 November 1882 – 14 January 1941) was an American painter who specialized in calendar portraits of women, fashionable and fantastic. He was also a well known commercial illustrator doing work for companies such as ...
painted a series of images for calendars that included Peter Pan, Native American princesses and pirates * J. R. R. Tolkien's biographer Humphrey Carpenter has speculated that Tolkien's impressions of a 1910 production of Barrie's ''Peter Pan'' in Birmingham "may have had a little to do with" his original conception of the Elves of Middle Earth *He appears in the Italian comic series '' Martin Mystère'' *Japanese
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
artist Mayu Sakai appropriated the English term for her series '' Peter Pan Syndrome'' *Game author Diana Gaeta developed a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting named ''Neverland - The Impossible Island'' that allows players to interact with Peter Pan in an environment based on '' Peter and Wendy'' by J. M. Barrie *Fiction writer Jonathan Green published a role-playing gamebook titled ''Neverland: Here Be Monsters!'' in which Peter Pan appears as a playable character. This version's background story attributes his flight ability and eternal youth to cybernetic implants installed by his genius father after Peter was severely injured by one of the dinosaurs roaming Neverland. *Peter Pan appears in ''Disney Villains' Revenge'', voiced primarily by Michael Welch and by Kevin Schon as an adult.


Music

*Todd Rundgren recorded Never Never Land from the 1954 production with Mary Martin, written by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Jule Styne. From Todd's 1973 album A Wizard, A True Star. *Canadian singer-songwriter
Ruth B. Ruth Berhe (born July 2, 1995), better known by her stage name Ruth B., is a Canadian singer and songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta. She started by singing songs on Vine in early 2013. In November 2015, she released her debut extended play '' The I ...
released the piano ballad " Lost Boy" in 2015, featuring Peter Pan and Neverland, and inspired by the character's appearance in ''Once Upon a Time'' *Italian songwriter
Edoardo Bennato Edoardo Bennato (born 23 July 1946, Naples, Campania, Italy) is an Italian singer-songwriter. He is the brother of the singer-songwriter Eugenio Bennato. He is considered one of the greatest Italian rockers, a genre that he has often combined wi ...
released a concept album "Sono solo canzonette" in 1980 based on Peter Pan and other characters created by Barrie. Eventually created a musical named "Peter Pan" using his songs. *Norwegian-Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad recorded the song "Peter Pan" by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus in 1969 *Swiss singer Paola del Medico performed a song themed on the Peter Pan tale in 1982 *Pop-rock musicians The Jonas Brothers' song " Fly With Me" makes direct references to Peter Pan and Wendy in the lyrics *Country singer-songwriter
Kelsea Ballerini Kelsea Nicole Ballerini (born September 12, 1993) is an American country pop singer. She began songwriting as a child and signed with Black River Entertainment in 2014, releasing her debut studio album the following year, '' The First Time''. ...
released a top-charting country single and song titled "Peter Pan", in 2016 *South Korean boy-band BTS released a music video called "Adult Child", the song makes reference to the Peter Pan story *British musician Kate Bush included her song "In Search of Peter Pan" on her second album '' Lionheart'' (1978). Another song on the same album, "Oh England My Lionheart", makes direct reference to Peter Pan in the lyrics *Korean boy-band EXO released a track called "Peter Pan" on both the Mandarin and Korean versions of the album ''XOXO'' (2013) *Serbian and Yugoslav rock band
Petar Pan Petar Pan (Serbian Cyrillic: Петар Пан; trans. '' Peter Pan'') is a Serbian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Belgrade in 1986. The band was a prominent act of the late 1980s and early 1990s Yugoslav rock scene. History 1986 – 19 ...
was named after the character *Peterpan is the former name for an Indonesian pop-rock band, now called
Noah Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
*The eleventh track of singer-songwriter Troye Sivan's debut studio album '' Blue Neighbourhood'' (2015) is titled "Lost Boy", inspired by Peter Pan *In
Chance The Rapper Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
's song '
Same Drugs ''Coloring Book'' is the third mixtape by American rapper Chance the Rapper. It was produced by his group The Social Experiment, Lido, and Kaytranada, among others. For the mixtape, Chance also collaborated with musicians such as Kanye West, Youn ...
', featured in the album Coloring Book (2015), he makes multiple references to Peter Pan and Wendy, another major character in the novel * Taylor Swift's songs " Cardigan" and " Peter" include multiple references to Peter Pan *Blues/psychedelic rock band
Kula Shaker Kula Shaker are an English psychedelic rock band. Led by frontman Crispian Mills, the band came to prominence during the Post-Britpop era of the late 1990s. The band enjoyed commercial success in the UK between 1996 and 1999, notching up a num ...
included the track "Peter Pan RIP" featured in their fourth album '' Pilgrims Progress'' *Italian singer-songwriter Ultimo named his second album '' Peter Pan'' (2018). It contains the song “Peter Pan (Vuoi Volare Con Me?)”, meaning "will you fly with me?" *Finnish symphonic metal band
Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neva ...
make references to Peter Pan in some of their songs, notably Fantasmic from their 2000 album Wishmaster, and in their 2011 single Storytime from their seventh album
Imaginaerum ''Imaginaerum'' is the seventh studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 30 November 2011 by Scene Nation Oy and Sony Music in Finland, then on 2 December in Nuclear Blast in the rest of Europe and Roadrunner Re ...
*South Korean girl-group
(G)I-DLE (G)I-dle (), stylized in all caps, is a South Korean girl group formed by Cube Entertainment in 2018. The group consists of five members: Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua. Originally a sextet, Soojin left the lineup on August 14, 202 ...
released a track called "Peter Pan" ( Korean: 어린 어른; RR: ''eorin eoreun''; translation: Young Adult) on their sixth EP "
I Feel ''I Feel'' (stylized in sentence case) is the sixth Korean extended play (eighth overall) by South Korean girl group (G)I-dle. It was released by Cube Entertainment digitally on May 15, 2023 and physically the following day. It consists of three ...
" (2023)


Other uses in popular culture

The name Peter Pan has been adopted for various purposes over the years: *Several businesses have adopted the name, including Peter Pan Bus Lines,
Peter Pan peanut butter Peter Pan is an American brand of peanut butter that is marketed by Post Consumer Brands, part of Post Holdings, and is named after the J. M. Barrie Peter Pan, character. The product was introduced by Swift & Company (originally through their "Der ...
, Peter Pan Records, and
Peter Pan Seafoods is a Japanese seafood company, beginning its operation in 1880, when its founder, Ikujiro Nakabe, began a fish sale business in Osaka. The company is the largest of its kind in Japan, with Nippon Suisan Kaisha and Kyokuyo Co., Ltd. as its main co ...
* Three Thoroughbred racehorses have been given the name, the first,
Peter Pan I Peter Pan (1904–1933) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, bred and raced by prominent horseman, James R. Keene. As winner of the Belmont Stakes, the Brooklyn Derby and the Brighton Handicap, he was later inducted into the ...
, was born in 1904 *In the early 1960s, some Cuban families sent their children to resettle in Miami in an emergency effort calculated to save the children from perceived potential mistreatment under the
Castro Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' br, kaer, *kastro). The English-language equivalent is '' chester''. ...
socialist regime; the program was called Operation Peter Pan (or ''Operación Pedro Pan'') *American psychologist Dr. Dan Kiley popularised the Peter Pan syndrome (''puer aeternus'') in his book ''The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up'' (1983). He described individuals (usually male) with underdeveloped maturity. His next book, ''The Wendy Dilemma'' (1984), advises women romantically involved with "Peter Pans" how to improve their relationships


Public sculptures

Barrie commissioned a statue of Peter Pan by the sculptor George Frampton, which was erected overnight in
Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, are among the Royal Parks of London. The gardens are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and sit immediately to the west of Hyde P ...
on 30 April 1912 as a May Day surprise to the children of London. Seven statues have been cast from the original mould. The other six are located in: *, Brussels, Belgium, 1924 * Bowring Park,
St. John's, Newfoundland St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...
, Canada, 1925 * Johnson Park on the campus of Rutgers University,
Camden, New Jersey Camden is a city in and the county seat of Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area and is located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the 2020 ...
, United States, 1926 *
Queens Gardens Queens Gardens or Queen's Gardens may refer to: * Queen's Gardens, Kingston upon Hull – gardens in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England * Queen's Gardens (Croydon) – gardens in south London, England * Queen's Gardens, Westminster – gardens ...
, Perth, Western Australia, 1927 *
Sefton Park Sefton Park is a public park in south Liverpool, England. The park is in a district of the same name, located roughly within the historic bounds of the large area of Toxteth Park. Neighbouring districts include modern-day Toxteth, Aigburth, ...
, Liverpool, England, 1928 *
Glenn Gould Park Glenn may refer to: Name or surname * Glenn (name) * John Glenn, U.S. astronaut Cultivars * Glenn (mango) * a 6-row barley variety Places In the United States: * Glenn, California * Glenn County, California * Glenn, Georgia, a settlement ...
, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1929 Other statues are: * In 1925, the town council of
Melbourne, Australia Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metropol ...
, commissioned a statue of Peter Pan by
Paul Montfort Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
; it is now located in
Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo is a zoo in Melbourne, Australia. It is located within Royal Park in Parkville, approximately north of the centre of Melbourne. It is the primary zoo serving Melbourne. The zoo contains more than 320 animal species from Austra ...
* In 1928,
Charles Andrew Hafner Charles Hafner (October 28, 1888 – July 29, 1960) was an American sculptor. His work was part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), offic ...
created a bronze statue for a fountain in the lobby of the old Paramount Theater in Times Square, but it is now situated in
Carl Schurz Park Carl Schurz Park is a public park in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, named for German-born Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz in 1910, at the edge of what was then the solidly German-American community of Yorkville. ...
, New York * In 1949, a statue of Peter Pan by Alex Proudfoot RSA, Principal of Glasgow School of Art, was erected at the Mearnskirk Hospital for children in Glasgow, commissioned by Alfred Ellsworth in memory of his friend Dr John A Wilson, first superintendent of Mearnskirk Hospital. Wilson had also been a school friend of J.M. Barrie's * A statue by Ivan Mitford-Barberton was commissioned by Vyvyan and Gwen Watson in remembrance of their son Peter and given in 1959 to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Western Cape, South Africa * A pair of statues by Cecil Thomas, one showing Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, and the other Wendy and the Darling children, have been located in
Dunedin Botanic Gardens The Dunedin Botanic Garden (known in local slang as the "Botans", "Botang", Botanic or Botanical Gardens) is located at the northern end of central Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. The garden is close to the University of Otago and one ...
in Dunedin, New Zealand since the 1960s. A slightly different version of the Peter Pan statue, also by Thomas, can be found close to Rotokawau Virginia Lake in Whanganui, New Zealand * A bronze statue by Alistair Smart, originally commissioned by the Angus Milling Company in 1972, is situated in the main square of Kirriemuir, Scotland. * In 1976, Ronald Thomason sculpted a bronze statue in front of the Weatherford, Texas public library honouring Weatherford native Mary Martin, who had portrayed Peter Pan in the 1954 Broadway musical production and several subsequent telecasts * A bronze statue by
Diarmuid Byron O'Connor Diarmuid Byron O'Connor (born 7 December 1964) is a British artist, best known for his sculpture. He attended the John Fisher School in Purley, with presenter Matthew Wright. In 1984, he started at art college in Bristol. In 1986 he ...
was commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and unveiled in 2000, showing Peter blowing fairy dust, with Tinker Bell added in 2005 File:Kirriemuir, Peter Pan Statue.jpg, Statue in Kirriemuir, Scotland File:Statue of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell in Dunedin Botanic Gardens, Dunedin, New Zealand.jpg, Statue in Dunedin, New Zealand File:Peter Pan statue by Diarmuid Byron O'Connor.JPG, Peter Pan statue at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London File:Carl Schurz Park Peter Pan statue.jpg, Peter Pan statue at Carl Schurz Park, New York, NYC


See also

* Peter Pan (1954 musical) * ''Peter and Wendy'' copyright status * Peter Pan syndrome * Puer aeternus * Works based on Peter Pan


References


External links

* (1991 Millennium Fulcrum Edition)
Neverpedia
(archived 27 January 2013)
Peter Pan: over 100 years of the boy who wouldn't grow up
from th
Museum of the City of New York Collections blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pan, Peter Peter Pan characters Fictional English people Fictional swordfighters in literature Child characters in literature Male characters in literature Male characters in film Male characters in television Literary characters introduced in 1902 Child characters in film Child characters in animated films Child characters in musical theatre Trying to prevent adulthood in popular culture Pan (god) Male characters in animation