Heimlich

Heimlich the Caterpillar Background information Feature films A Bug's Life Toy Story 2 (cameo) A Bug's Life 2: The Revenge of the Grasshoppers Television programs Video games Park attractions World of Color Heimlich's Chew Chew Train Block Party Bash Pixar Play Parade Portrayed by Portrayed by Animators Voice Joe Ranft Bill Fagerbakke (currently) Jerome Ranft (current) Performance model Designer Inspiration Honors and awards Character information Full name Other names Personality Clumsy, hungry, dim-witted, gluttonous, sweet Appearance Obese lime green caterpillar, green stripe on his back, red antennae Birthday April 25 Occupation Clown Affiliations Good Goal To become a "beautiful butterfly," to help Flik fight off the grasshoppers Home P.T. Flea's Circus Relatives Pets Allies His boss P.T. Flea, Flik, Atta, Dot, The Queen, Dim, Rosie, Francis, Slim, Gypsy, Manny, Tuck and Roll, Molt, Valian Minions Dim, Rosie, Francis, Slim, Gypsy, Manny, Tuck and Roll, Molt (new member), Valian, Dot Enemies Hopper, Molt (formerly), Thumper, the grasshoppers, the Bird Likes Food, performing Dislikes Francis' attitude, getting fired, performing on an empty stomach Powers and abilities Weak flight (as a butterfly) Weapons Fate Becomes a butterfly and leaves Ant Island with his fellow circus bugs. Quote "I hate performing on an empty stomach!" "Someday I will be a beautiful butterfly and then everything will be better." "Francis, leave them alone. They are poo poo heads!"

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Heimlich is a caterpillar (later butterfly) from Disney/Pixar's 1998 film A Bug's Life. He was voiced by the late great and talented, Joe Ranft, and later voiced by Jerome Ranft in the sequel film, who also voiced Lenny in Toy Story, Wheezy in Toy Story 2, Claws Ward in Monsters, Inc., Jacques in Finding Nemo and Elmo St. Peters in The Brave Little Toaster.

Personality

Heimlich is shown to have a gluttonous appetite and is seen eating almost all the time, especially while helping the ants construct a model bird to scare Hopper and his gang. Although brave, he still shows fear when a real bird nearly eats him. Also, when Hopper says at the approaching circus wagon, he frightens Heimlich who says he thinks he's going to wet himself.

Appearances

A Bug's Life

Heimlich is a fat green caterpillar with a German accent who works as a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. He is very gluttonous and always seems to be eating. Even during a performance, he offered to help finish one of the audience members' candy corn. The fly refused, but then it turned out that he got the candy corn anyway. He then later calls the flies "Poo Poo Heads" when Francis is arguing with them.

At the beginning of the film, he says that he dreams of being a beautiful butterfly. He also at one point turns gray when he sees the mural of him being killed in the battle against the grasshoppers. At the end of the film, he pops from his chrysalis, squeezes out (having only turned blue), and sprouts a pair of tiny wings, finally a butterfly, but still remains flightless (due to his obesity), and it takes the efforts of Francis, Manny, Flik, and a few other ants to get him up in the air. Whilst a caterpillar, Heimlich was carried by the rhinoceros beetle, Dim, for transport.

A Bug's Life 2: The Revenge of the Grasshoppers

Heimlich appears as a major character again.

Trivia

• Heimlich's obesity may be a reference to Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
• Heimlich also appears in Toy Story 2.
  • He appears close-up in an outtake of the film, alongside Flik, where they express their excitement about the making of a sequel to their film, but tells Flik that the film is a sequel that is not for A Bug's Life.
  • Heimlich is also present during the film, he is seen crawling on the branches just before Buzz Lightyear chops them down.
  • While Buzz is looking for Woody at Al's Toy Barn, he passes toys of Heimlich and other characters from A Bug's Life.
• Heimlich is the second classic Pixar character voiced by the late Joe Ranft, after Lenny.
• Heimlich isn't a meetable character in theme parks, but he is a robotic character in the Pixar Play Parade in Disney California Adventure located in Los Angeles and Anaheim, California. His theme park robots were voiced by John Ratzenberger.
• Heimlich appears in World of Color.
• Heimlich was possibly named after Dr. Henry Heimlich, inventor of the Heimlich maneuver.