Cap'n Kevin also known as Skipper Kevin is a character from the Jungle Cruise and Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. He is a fictionalized depiction of artist Kevin Kidney.
History[]
Biography[]
Cap'n Kevin was a skipper for the Jungle Navigation Company in the early half of the 20th century. Kevin lived in a hut somewhere in the jungle and was fond of a drink called the Miehana. In 1928, Kevin was awarded with the, "Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence".
Kevin was particularly close with JNC affiliate Trader Sam who saved his life from a stampede of giraffes. Kevin would refer to Sam as "Sammy" and the two would spend nights together in Kevin's hut, often drinking Miehanas. In the mid 1930s, Trader Sam opened a bar in the Polynesian isles and hung up a framed photograph of Kevin within it with a message from the cap'n written on it.
By 1938, Cap'n Kevin was owner of a book called, "101 Jokes about Animals and Plants". Kevin lost this book and it was found by Trader Sam, then held for safekeeping within the company's Lost & Found (which Sam had turned into a gift-shop). Kevin was notified about this by an announcement on the Global Broadcasting Service, asking him to meet with Sam at the gift-shop (which around this time was being ransacked by monkeys).
Development history[]
Cap'n Kevin is a fictionalized version of Disney collaborator Kevin Kidney who previously worked as a skipper for the Jungle Cruise. Kidney's collaboration with Disney theme-parks lead to him being homaged in Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. This photograph mentions, "Miehana", a drink made for tiki bars by Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily. Kevin's reference in the Jungle Cruise is likely a tribute to ex-Imagineer Kevin Lively who created the controversial scene of Trader Sam's Gift Shop!.
Appearances[]
Jungle Cruise[]
Kevin Kidney used to work at the Jungle Cruise as a skipper. On the Global Broadcasting Service, Skipper Missy asks that Skipper Kevin meet Trader Sam at the lost & found for the return of his book, "101 Jokes about Animals and Plants".
Skipper Canteen[]
There is a plaque in the Skipper Canteen commemorating Skipper Kevin's awarding of the, "Dr. Albert Falls Memorial Award for Jungle Excellence".[1]
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar[]
There is a photograph of Cap'n Kevin hung up in this bar. On the photo is a message to Trader Sam reading, "Sammy- Come by my hut later for a "Miehana". -Cap'n Kevin ".[2] There is also a post-card simply from Kevin which reads, "Sam, saving my life during that giraffe stampede was an act of highest heroism, Thabks for sticking your neck out! Kevin".
Trivia[]
- The phrasing of Kevin's post-card to Sam may imply the two to have been in a relationship.