Chip 'n' Dale
Chip
had the small black nose, Dale had the bigger red nose (or was it the other
way around?) Chip was always the more practical, businesslike of the two;
Dale was the fun loving, goofier one. Beyond those two distinctions, there
was not too much difference between the two, and their joint warfare against
a number of enemies, usually Donald Duck, made the pair inseparable.
They originally started as bit players with no intention of continuing
on beyond a one-shot role in "Private Pluto." Disney had been looking for
different foils for Donald, and Jack Hannah took the two (who had been originally
developed by Gerry Geronomi) and gave them more personality. Their voices
were performed by Jimmy MacDonald and Dessie Flynn.
Chip 'n' Dale were rarely malevolent, and their drives originated from
two simple motives; finding (or keeping) a place to live and finding (or
keeping) food. But once they got started protecting their own well-being,
it was always difficult for them not to try to have a little fun with whatever
their situation was. Especially with Donald, who always seemed to get the
worst of their mischief. Only once did they truly find themselves in competition
with each other; over a cute little female chipmunk named Clarice.
Chip 'n' Dale appeared in 23 different shorts, and were revived for the
featurette "Mickey's Christmas Carol." We've also been promised that we
should see them in upcoming "Mickey's Mouse Works" shorts as well.