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“Gorilla cartoon” can mean a named TV character, a gorilla in a theatrical animated short, or an animated King Kong. A useful place to start is Magilla Gorilla, the Hanna-Barbera character; for short-film examples, Disney’s Ajax and Beppo appear in different cartoons. These are selected examples, not a complete catalogue.
Which gorilla cartoon are you looking for?
Use the character or format you remember to narrow the search. The examples below span television characters and theatrical shorts; they should not be treated as one continuous series or a complete history.
| Character or title | Format | Identifying context |
|---|---|---|
| Magilla Gorilla | Hanna-Barbera cartoon character | The Television Academy’s Hall of Fame tribute includes Magilla among Hanna-Barbera’s characters. |
| Ajax in Donald Duck and the Gorilla | Theatrical short | D23 dates the short’s release to March 31, 1944, credits Jack King as director, and identifies the gorilla as Ajax. |
| Beppo in The Pet Store | Disney short | D23 describes Beppo performing impressions, including an impression of King Kong. |
| King Kong | Animated appearances across media | Ray Morton’s King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon includes a section on Kong’s animated incarnations. |
Magilla Gorilla: the named Hanna-Barbera character
If you remember a gorilla as the central named character rather than a one-off creature in a short, Magilla Gorilla is a strong match. The Television Academy identifies him among Hanna-Barbera’s characters. That identification places him within the studio’s broader animation legacy; it does not establish audience figures for Magilla himself.
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The Television Academy describes Hanna-Barbera shows collectively as reaching a worldwide audience of over 300 million people in their 1960s heyday and being translated into more than 28 languages. Those are studio-wide figures, not measures of Magilla Gorilla’s individual popularity.
Gorillas in theatrical cartoons: Ajax and Beppo
Ajax in Donald Duck and the Gorilla
D23 records Donald Duck and the Gorilla as released on March 31, 1944, directed by Jack King, with Ajax as its gorilla. If the remembered cartoon involved Donald Duck, Ajax is the specific gorilla to look for.
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Beppo in The Pet Store
D23’s description of The Pet Store identifies Beppo as a performer of impressions, including one of King Kong. This is a different example from Ajax: the Kong reference is part of Beppo’s impersonations, not evidence that the short is itself a King Kong cartoon.
King Kong cartoons are part of a wider character history
King Kong’s animated appearances sit within a larger history of the character across media. Bloomsbury’s description of Ray Morton’s revised book King Kong: The History of a Movie Icon includes a section on animated incarnations and discusses films, television, books, comics, toys, collectibles and a Broadway musical. The book is a deeper-reading option if your interest is Kong rather than a particular gorilla short.
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Using these examples as drawing references
For a painter or cartoonist, first decide whether the reference is a named TV character, a gorilla appearing in a short, or King Kong. That distinction helps keep a study focused: the examples above identify the characters and titles, but do not establish detailed visual features or provide image references. Consult the cartoons or authorized artwork directly before relying on specific shapes, colors or poses.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the merchandise evidence can—and cannot—tell you
A 2016 Toy Factory catalog lists Magilla Gorilla among Hanna-Barbera character products. This confirms historical merchandise evidence only; it does not establish whether Magilla toys or plush are currently in stock, currently licensed, or offered on particular seller terms.
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