| Barney Google | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Barney Google |
|
First Appearance |
Take Barney Google, F'rinstance (June 17th, 1919) |
|
Original Publisher |
King Features Syndicate |
|
Created by |
Billy DeBeck |
Origin[]
Barney Google is a small, good-natured, and lazy avid sportsman known for his large eyes and a moustache, with a penchant for gambling and mischief. Despite his small stature and homeless lifestyle, he possesses a big heart and a resilient spirit. He is a lovable rogue, always seeking excitement and fortune, though rarely achieving lasting success.
Barney gets Spark Plug.
Prior to becoming a ne'er-do-well hobo, Barney was relentlessly henpecked by the formidable Mrs. Lizzie Google, a wife "three times his size" who sued him for divorce and virtually disappeared from the strip thereafter. Barney's closest companion is Spark Plug, a racehorse he wound up winning from a man who had been tossed out the window of the Pastime Jockey Club, landing atop of Barney who happened to be on the sidewalk. Convinced this relatively soft landing had saved his life, the grateful victim gave Barney the horse in gratitude. Despite their ups and downs, Barney and Spark Plug share a deep bond and are inseparable partners in their escapades.
He is typically seen wearing a bowler hat, a suit, and often smoking a cigar. His appearance reflects the fashion of the early 20th century.
Public Domain Appearances[]
Public Domain Comic Strip Appearances[]
- Take Barney Google, F'rinstance (1919-1928)
- Barney Google and His Faithful Nag Spark Plug (1923) (Cupples & Leon Co.)
- Barney Google and Spark Plug #2 (1924) (Cupples & Leon Co.)
- Barney Google and Spark Plug #3 (1925) (Cupples & Leon Co.)
- Barney Google and Spark Plug #4 (1926) (Cupples & Leon Co.)
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- All the Funny Folks (1926)
Public Domain Film Appearances[]
- Horsefeathers (1928)
- OKMNX (1928) (or Barney Google's Welcome Home)
- T-Bone Handicap (1928)
- Money Balks (1928)
- The Beef-Steaks (1928)
Public Domain Animated Appearances[]
- Tetched in the Head (1935)
- Patch Mah Britches (1935)
- Spark Plug (1936)
- Major Google (1936)
Public Domain Comic Book Appearances[]
- Large Feature Comic v2 #11 - Barney Google and Snuffy Smith
Notes[]
- Barney Google is believed to be a potential inspiration for the name of the number googol, which in turn was the etymology for the search engine Google.