Goofy’s Voice Actor Shocks Fans By Saying The Character Isn’t Actually A Dog

It’s been nearly a hundred years since Goofy first appeared on television, and fans have long debated what kind of animal he really is.

Disney made it crystal clear that characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Clarabelle Cow are exactly what their names suggest.

Mickey is unmistakably a mouse, Donald is a duck, and Clarabelle is a cow.

Then there's Pluto, whose dog-like mannerisms leave no doubt that he is indeed a dog.

And even though Pete has a bear-like appearance, he is actually known to be a cat in Disney’s universe.

Looking at Goofy with his clumsy, lovable personality, most people assume he’s a dog too.

But according to Bill Farmer, the actor who has voiced Goofy for years, that assumption might be a bit off the mark.

Mickey Mouse may have been introduced as early as 1928, but Goofy didn’t make his first appearance until 1932 in the animated short Mickey’s Revue.

Initially, Disney artists gave him the name "Dippy Dawg."

After his initial six appearances, Goofy was reintroduced in 1934 under his now-iconic name, "Goofy," and became a regular member of the cast in Mickey’s Adventures.

But other than calling him "Dawg" in the early days, Disney never really specified what kind of animal Goofy is.

If you compare him to Mickey’s pet dog Pluto, it’s clear that Goofy doesn’t share many canine traits.

Goofy walks on two legs, talks, and interacts much like a person, whereas Pluto sticks to barking and moving around on all fours.

Bill Farmer has been the voice of Goofy since 1987 The Walt Disney Company/Getty Images/Disney

This has led to online theories about Goofy possibly being a different type of animal entirely.

One Twitter user humorously questioned this, asking: "The people have been debating for years & years… Is goofy a dog or a cow?"

Bill Farmer, who has been the "official voice" of Goofy since taking on the role back in 1987, has weighed in on this long-standing debate about his character's true nature.

He hinted that fans may have been looking at this all wrong for decades.

In 2020, during an interview with Yahoo News!, Farmer clarified his stance on Goofy’s identity by stating: "He is not a dog."

Farmer revealed Goofy isn't a dog Disney

"Pluto is a dog, but Goofy seems to be in the canine family in the same way that a wolf is not a dog, but they also are in the canine family. I think 'Canis Goofus' is the technical Latin term for what Goofy is. He's just Goofy."

And there you have it. Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy, has given his answer.

However, since Goofy was originally called "Dippy Dawg," there might still be fans, myself included, who suspect he could just be a funny, clumsy dog after all.