Christopher Robin

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Christopher Robin is a character created by A. A. Milne. After the rights were sold, he has subsequently appeared in Disney cartoons.

He appears in Milne's poems and in the two books: Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928). In the books he is a young boy who is one of Winnie-the-Pooh's best friends. His other friends are Piglet, Tigger, Kanga and Roo (taken separately from kangaroo), Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl. His catchphrase is "Silly old bear", and is characterized by his uneven socks. In the second book, there are hints that Christopher Robin is growing up. In the final chapter, the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood throw him a farewell party after learning that he must leave them soon. It is implied that he is to attend boarding school.

Christopher Robin was based upon the author A. A. Milne's own son, Christopher Robin Milne, who in later life became unhappy with the use of his name, writing in one of a series of autobiographical works: "It seemed to me almost that my father had got where he was by climbing on my infant shoulders, that he had filched from me my good name and left me nothing but empty fame". In addition to the two Pooh books the character was immortalized in other works by A. A. Milne including two books of poems: When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927). One of the poems, Vespers, was said by Christopher Milne as "the one work that has brought me over the years more toe-curling, fist-clenching, lip-biting embarrassment than any other".

An arrangement of another of the poems, Buckingham Palace, was first recorded by Ann Stephens in July 1941. Petula Clark released a recording of it in 1953 to coincide with the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and despite neither making the charts, both versions were popular on BBC radio's Children's Favourites programme.

[edit] Disney's version

Stephen Slesinger acquired the rights to Winnie-the-Pooh and related characters from A. A. Milne in 1930. His widow licensed the rights to Disney in 1961. Since 1966, Disney has released numerous features starring Winnie the Pooh and related characters.

In Disney's Winnie the Pooh franchise, an American Gopher is added to his friends. Christopher Robinsin's mother is also added in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Christopher Robin is also heard in the short-lived puppetry television series The Book of Pooh and has made an appearance in My Friends Tigger & Pooh, in the episode entitled "Many thanks for Christopher Robinsin".

While the other Pooh characters appear in the Kingdom Hearts video game series, Christopher Robinsin has yet to appear. It is probably because Sora takes on his role when visiting the 100 Acre Wood world.