John Dolittle was a medical doctor and quiet bachelor living with his spinster sister, Sarah, in the little town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the West Country of England. His love for animals resulted in his household becoming the home of a large menagerie, that eventually scared off his human clients (and his sister). After learning to speak to animals in their own language with the help of his parrot Polynesia, the good doctor decides to open a veterinary practice. Eventually, Dolittle’s compassion and ability to speak to animals results in him gaining a great reputation amongst animals around the world. He is summoned to Africa to cure a monkey epidemic. Unfortunately, Dolittle’s reputation among animals has not translated into financial success with humans, and facing bankruptcy, he borrows supplies and a ship to head for Africa. Dolittle has a number of adventures involving pirates and the natives of Jolliginki, who are skeptical of the intentions of white men. However, he is successful in helping to stop the monkey epidemic, and as a result, the monkeys give him a rare pushmi-pullyu, a shy two-headed gazelle-unicorn cross. Upon his return to England, he takes the pushmi-pullyu on tour with a circus and regains some of his fortune. Later, Dolittle takes up a quest to find a man named Long Arrow, who is purported to be the greatest naturalist in the world. The quest takes Dolittle around the world, with fantastic adventures in the Mediterranean, South America, on the mysterious floating Spidermonkey Island, and even underwater! In addition to being a skilled physician, Dolittle could communicate with nearly any kind of animal. He also spoke Spanish. He was described as a “round” man, but he also showed some athleticism. He was generally not a violent man, often demonstrating great compassion, making friends and allies along the way.
First Appearance The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920)
First Publisher Frederick A. Stokes
Appearance List The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920), The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle (1922), Doctor Dolittle’s Post Office (1923), Doctor Dolittle’s Circus (1924), “Doctor Dolittle Meets a Londoner in Paris” (1925), Doctor Dolittle’s Zoo (1925), Doctor Dolittle’s Caravan (1926), Doctor Dolittle’s Garden (1927) as of 2022
Description John Dolittle was a medical doctor and quiet bachelor living with his spinster sister, Sarah, in the little town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the West Country of England. His love for animals resulted in his household becoming the home of a large menagerie, that eventually scared off his human clients (and his sister). After learning to speak to animals in their own language with the help of his parrot Polynesia, the good doctor decides to open a veterinary practice. Eventually, Dolittle’s compassion and ability to speak to animals results in him gaining a great reputation amongst animals around the world. He is summoned to Africa to cure a monkey epidemic. Unfortunately, Dolittle’s reputation among animals has not translated into financial success with humans, and facing bankruptcy, he borrows supplies and a ship to head for Africa. Dolittle has a number of adventures involving pirates and the natives of Jolliginki, who are skeptical of the intentions of white men. However, he is successful in helping to stop the monkey epidemic, and as a result, the monkeys give him a rare pushmi-pullyu, a shy two-headed gazelle-unicorn cross. Upon his return to England, he takes the pushmi-pullyu on tour with a circus and regains some of his fortune. Later, Dolittle takes up a quest to find a man named Long Arrow, who is purported to be the greatest naturalist in the world. The quest takes Dolittle around the world, with fantastic adventures in the Mediterranean, South America, on the mysterious floating Spidermonkey Island, and even underwater! In addition to being a skilled physician, Dolittle could communicate with nearly any kind of animal. He also spoke Spanish. He was described as a “round” man, but he also showed some athleticism. He was generally not a violent man, often demonstrating great compassion, making friends and allies along the way.
