Charlie Allnut is a character from C.S. Forester's 1935 adventure novel The African Queen and the 1951 film of the same name which was an inspiration for the Jungle Cruise.
History[]
Biography[]
The African Queen[]
Charlie Allnut was a Canadian man born in the 19th century. He had a mother whom he described as his, "Poor Ol' Mum" whom he often spoke of. Around 1904/1905, Charlie was one of many Canadian men who moved to Africa to assist in the construction of the Zambezi Bridge. While in Africa, Charlie later worked as a machinist/engineer for mines used by the Belgian empire in the Congo.
In the 1910s, he changed careers to bringing supplies and mail to methodists in British East Africa from a small steam launch of his called The African Queen. In the August of 1914, World War I broke out causing Charlie to flee the colony with methodist Rose Sayer while being pursued by the German Schutztruppe. Sayer and Allnut bonded, fought off the Germans and eventually married along the river.
Jungle Cruise[]
Charlie continued his riverboat career presumably after the events of the film. Allnut was friends with mystic Trader Sam and had some connection to the Jungle Navigation Company. Allnut also had a bad relationship with the captain of the boat the Ucayali Una.
At some point, Charlie and Rose would depart for the African veldt of North Africa in the Zambezi Miss to search for the lost safari. While the two found the safari run up a tree by a black rhino, it is unknown if they succeeded in recovering them. It is possible that Rose died by around 1936/1938 and had her head shrunken by Sam's cousin Chief Nah-mee.
Jungle Cruise appearances[]
Bengal Barbecue[]
There is a photograph of Rose and Charlie riding the Zambezi Miss past the African veldt in this restaurant. The two are shown in possession of a 1911 portrait of Dr. Albert Falls and a stuffed Albert the Monkey.[1]
Magic of Disney Animation[]
Mickey Mouse imitates Charlie on a poster for a film titled, "The Jungle Cruise".[2]
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar[]
One of the post-cards in this bar is sent to Trader Sam by Charlie via the Jungle Navigation Company. This post-card reads, "Sam- Just a word of advice. Avoid the 'Ucayali Una' at all costs. If you want to get up the river, call ME. - Charlie".[3]
Other connections[]
Jungle Cruise[]
One of Chief Nah-mee's shrunken-heads was supposedly made to resemble the head of Katherine Hepburn as a reference to her character Rose Sayer, Charlie Allnut's wife.[4]Also, in the Amazon River Base is a container of, "Rose's Leech Salt" which references a scene in the African Queen where Rose attempts to remove leeches from Charlie's body.[5]
Jungle Cruise (film)[]
The character of Frank Wolff is modelled after Charlie. Also, the father of Lily and MacGregor Houghton is named Charles Houghton, a possibly allusion to Charlie.
Mystic Manor[]
Rose Sayer had a stuffed Albert the monkey in her possession in the photo of the Zambezi Miss from Bengal Barbecue.
Trivia[]
- Allnut's actor Humphrey Boggart also portrayed Rick Blaine in Casablanca.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/sea/attractions/bengal-bbq
- ↑ https://www.micechat.com/44039-meet-minnie-minnie-at-disney-hollywoodstudios/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BZWe4Zjgo1G/
- ↑ https://themouselets.com/top-10-adventureland-secrets
- ↑ https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/disneys-magic-kingdom-late-morning-adventureland-touring-with-jungle-cruise-pirates-and-crowds/