Who Are the Best Disney Characters Who Never Speak?

Dumbo (Dumbo)

Alongside WALL-E, Dumbo is probably the best known speechless character in animated history. Dumbo becomes worthy of the viewer’s sympathy almost immediately, as the character is taunted by other elephants due to his oversized ears and, eventually, separated from his mother. It’s not until he becomes friends with a scrappy mouse named Timothy that Dumbo begins to come out of his shell. The movie primarily follows Timothy’s efforts at transforming Dumbo into a big circus star. Dumbo the elephant lives up to his reputation as one of the animation genre’s most beloved figures, and his inability to speak only adds to his mystique and appeal.

Dopey ('Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs')

Though he never speaks a word, Dopey stands out as the most lovable and memorable member of the famed Seven Dwarfs. He’s a sweet, goofy figure who first discovers Snow White sleeping in their seven beds, and it’s clear immediately that Dopey is immediately smitten with the runaway princess. In the film’s sweetest scene, Dopey attempts to get a second kiss from Snow White by doubling back to the end of the line when she gives each of the dwarfs a kiss. Dopey’s loyalty to Snow White eventually leads him to assist his brothers in vanquishing the evil Queen, and Dopey is clearly ecstatic after learning that Snow White isn’t actually dead. In an interesting bit of trivia, Dopey’s various vocal effects were provided by legendary voice-over artist Mel Blanc—best known for voicing Bugs Bunny and dozens of other Warner Bros. cartoon icons.

Maximus ('Tangled')

Before we meet Maximus, introduces us to Pascal—the adorable little chameleon that acts as protagonist Rapunzel’s (Mandy Moore) trusty sidekick. But as memorable as the speechless Pascal is, it’s Maximus who inevitably stands as Tangled’s most indelible speechless character. Maximus is the smart, tenacious horse that makes it his life’s mission to track down and capture Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi). Maximus eventually has a change of heart after realizing that Flynn is truly in love with Rapunzel. In fact, Maximus ultimately plays a pivotal role in ensuring that Flynn and Rapunzel live happily ever after as he saves Flynn from being executed for his crimes.

The Crocodile ('Peter Pan')

Though nameless and speechless, the Crocodile remains one of the most memorable and fearsome villains in Disney’s history. The Crocodile has been hunting Captain Hook ever since Peter Pan fed him Hook’s left hand. Hook’s only warning that the Crocodile is approaching is the ominous tick-tock sound of the alarm clock in the Crocodile's belly. Throughout Peter Pan’s brisk running time, the Crocodile pursues Captain Hook with a vengeance that’s nothing short of tenacious—with Hook finally defeated as the Crocodile chases him away from Neverland.

Abu ('Aladdin')

Though the parrot Iago never seems to shut up in Aladdin, Aladdin's faithful companion Abu—a kleptomaniac monkey—remains speechless throughout the film. Abu loyally accompanies the thief-turned-prince throughout his adventures in Agrabah. Midway through the film Aladdin recruits another speechless companion, the flying Magic Carpet. Though Abu and Magic Carpet sometimes quarrel, they both loyally serve Aladdin.

Cri-Kee ('Mulan')

A sidekick to a sidekick, Cri-Kee is the tiny purple cricket that accompanies Mushu (Eddie Murphy) on most of his adventures. Cri-Kee is considered by many of the other characters to be a lucky cricket, and although Cri-Kee’s presence in Mulan is limited, the character manages to make the most out of his brief screen time. He eventually helps Mushu defeat the film’s villain, Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer), by firing a missile directly at the Emperor’s Palace.

Edited by Christopher McKittrick