Talking Cricket

The Talking Cricket ( it, Il Grillo Parlante) is a fictional character that appears in the 1883 Italian book ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (''Le avventure di Pinocchio'') by Carlo Collodi.

Role

The Talking Cricket, who has lived in Geppetto's house for over a century, makes his first appearance in chapter IV, after Pinocchio's mischief has landed his maker Geppetto to spend one night in prison, and insists that Pinocchio must either attend school or work to function properly in the world. When Pinocchio refuses to listen, the Cricket states, "You are a puppet and what's worse is that you have a head of wood", whereupon Pinocchio throws a mallet at the cricket, which kills him.

In chapter XIII, the Talking Cricket reappears as a ghost to Pinocchio, telling him to return home rather than keep an appointment with the Fox and the Cat (''Il Gatto e la Volpe''). Pinocchio refuses and in chapter XIV, he is subsequently injured.

The Talking Cricket's ghost reappears in chapter XVI, where he and his colleagues the Crow and the Owl tend to Pinocchio's injuries. While the Crow and the Owl argue over if Pinocchio is dead or alive, the Talking Cricket states that Pinocchio is fine and disobeyed his father.

The Talking Cricket makes his final appearance in chapter XXXVI, living in a house given to him by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair, where he allows Pinocchio and the ailing Geppetto to stay while Geppetto regains his health.

Media portrayals

*In the 1940 Disney film ''Pinocchio'', the Talking Cricket is renamed Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Cliff Edwards) and portrayed very differently, as he becomes Pinocchio's inseparable companion and advisor, under instructions from the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair (renamed the 'Blue Fairy'). His relationship with Pinocchio is much less adversarial than in the book as he accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures. Jiminy Cricket also appeared as the host of the two story segments in the theatrical release ''Fun and Fancy Free'', as well as in several recurring segments of the children's television series ''The Mickey Mouse Club'', and he later appeared as the Ghost of Christmas Past in ''Mickey's Christmas Carol''. Jiminy also appeared as a Disney mascot. Jiminy Cricket later appears in ''Disney's House of Mouse'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' voiced by Eddie Carroll. In later projects following Eddie Carroll's death, Phil Snyder and Joe Ochman have since voiced Jiminy Cricket. In Disney's 2022 live-action remake, he is voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

*In Giuliano Cenci's 1972 animated film ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'', the Talking Cricket (voiced by Lauro Gazzolo), though anthropomorphized, differs little from the character of the novel, but gets killed after Pinocchio throws a mallet at the cricket like in the original novel. The only difference in characterization is that he does not reappear in the Fairy's house as a doctor.
*In Steve Barron's 1996 live action film ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'', the Talking Cricket is a CGI character named Pépé (voiced by David Doyle, in his final film performance one year before his death in 1997) and is also portrayed similar to Jiminy Cricket. He is an optimistic character who advises Pinocchio against Volpe and Felinet as well as the main antagonist Lorenzini and also accompanies Pinocchio on his adventures. He was supposed to be voiced by Wallace Shawn but was likely re-cast at the last minute, though Shawn's voice can be heard in one of the trailers. He would reappear in the film's 1999 sequel '' The New Adventures of Pinocchio'', this time voiced by Warwick Davis.
*In the '' Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child'' episode "Pinocchio", the Talking Cricket is actually a termite named Woody (voiced by Chris Rock), but is portrayed very much like Jiminy Cricket.
*In Roberto Benigni's 2002 live action film ''Pinocchio'', the Talking Cricket also made an appearance and is played by Peppe Barra with John Cleese doing his English voice-dub. The Cricket is similar to Jiminy Cricket and (like him) is a companion to Pinocchio.
*The Talking Cricket (under his Disney alias) appears in ''Once Upon a Time'', played by Raphael Sbarge. His human alter-ego is local psychiatric counselor, and part-time legal advisor, 'Dr. Archie Hopper', in which he is much more timid than in his Cricket guise.
*The Talking Cricket appears in the 2008 Italian-British miniseries ''Pinocchio'', portrayed as female by Luciana Littizzetto.
*The Talking Cricket appeared in the 2012 ''Pinocchio'' film, voiced by Carlo Valli with his English dub voice provided by Arthur Grosser.
*In the live-action Italian film ''Pinocchio'' (2019), co-written, directed and co-produced by Matteo Garrone, the Talking Cricket is portrayed by actor , while his English dub voice is provided by Luca Dal Fabbro.
*In the 2022 stop motion Netflix film ''Pinocchio'' that was produced, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, the Talking Cricket’s name is Sebastian J. Cricket, and is portrayed as a writer, traveller and admirer of Arthur Schopenhauer, whose portrait he carries with him. He is voiced by Ewan McGregor.

References

Bibliography

* Collodi, ''Le Avventure di Pinocchio'' 1883, Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli

{{Pinocchio

Pinocchio characters
Fictional ghosts
Fictional physicians
Fictional crickets
Literary characters introduced in 1883
Male characters in film
Male characters in literature
Male characters in animation