Dot (Dot and the Kangaroo)

Dot is the main character and protagonist of the posthumous 1899 novel Dot and the Kangaroo by Ethel C. Pedley, and the 1977 film of the same name and the eight sequels that followed, directed by Yoram Gross.

Dot is voiced in animated form by Barbara Frawley from Dot and the Kangaroo until Dot and the Bunny and by Robyn Moore from Dot and the Koala onwards. Ashley Ayre plays Dot in live-action form in Around the World with Dot and Dot and Keeto.

In the Dot Movie Canon, Dot is known to still be alive as of the final film in the series Dot in Space.

Bio

Dot is a little girl from Australia who goes on adventures, usually involving animals in her country like a kangaroo, with the song "Red Kangaroo". Dot is aged between five and seven according to sources relating to the book but her age remains unknown in the films and it is possible that she ages slightly during the series' run as her hair and dress vary in length from Dot and the Koala onwards. It could also be possible that Dot somehow becomes an orphan from Dot and the Whale onwards as her home and family do not appear in the series after Dot and Keeto, although the signs only start to show from Dot and the Smugglers onwards.

Personality

Dot cares very much for all creatures great and small and particularly the kangaroo who finds her when she is lost in Dot and the Kangaroo. Dot will go to many lengths, such as going to Antarctica or even to Space, at the risk of her own life and freedom to help animals and people in need. Dot also has a passion for dancing and singing.

Dot is shown to be capable of great courage and to stand up for the rights of animals and other people and even her own rights if needs must and point out the errors of their ways. Dot is also shown to seize the initiative whenever this or any of her other qualities are required of her, whatever the consequences. This stems from Dot learning of the hostility of the animals towards humans in Dot and the Kangaroo and she usually has to deal with this problem despite her ongoing devotion to helping people and animals.

Dot's adventures usually feature Dot going on a journey in search or aid of a particular animal, encountering and helping other people and animals along the way. Every now and again, Dot is required by the animals or other people to solve a particular problem or join forces with them to rebel against a common enemy or fight for a particular cause. Dot sometimes ends up getting herself into some form of trouble or conflict and has to turn to the animals, other people or even her own initiative to put things right.

Dot is shown to survive in sub-zero temperatures in her usual appearance in Around the World with Dot and Dot and the Whale, she learns how to survive underwater in the latter and converse with inanimate objects in the former. Dot is also seen to sometimes rely on magic vegetation which enable her to talk to animals or shrink or magic in general which is sometimes what leads to her adventures.

Appearance

Dot is usually barefoot and wears a yellow dress with a white collar and sleeves with a white vest and white panties underneath. Dot maintains this appearance whatever the circumstances and wherever she goes, even while sleeping at home in Dot and the Koala and in live-action form in Dot and Keeto. Dot's dress is prone to tearing and sometimes already so and briefly turns completely red in Dot Goes to Hollywood. Dot's collar and sleeves sometimes feature a brown patch in Dot and the Kangaroo and vary between white, pale-yellow and cream from Around the World with Dot onwards. Dot's dress appears in a wide variety of colors in posters and other media depicting the first eight films.

Dot wears a pink and white chequered shirt, blue jeans and canvas shoes in live-action form in Around the World with Dot and her clothes change several times in Dot Goes to Hollywood, most notably a pink-collared purple dress. Dot also wears a white helmet and space-suit with brown gloves and grey boots over her usual clothes in Dot in Space. A DVD Cover of Dot and the Whale appears to depict Dot wearing sandals but she remains barefoot in the actual film.

Trivia

• Dot will meet Tino Tonitini, Ash Ketchum, Littlefoot, SpongeBob SquarePants, and their friends in Tino's Adventures of Dot and the Kangaroo.
• Dot will meet Winnie the Pooh and his friends in Pooh's Adventures of Dot and the Kangaroo.