still remember THE WILD THORNBERRY'S ?

Characters

The Wild Thornberrys, left to right, Nigel (bottom left), Marianne (with camera), Eliza (with glasses), Darwin (the chimpanzee), Donnie (with Nickelodeon Hair), and Debbie (sitting down, bored)

Elizabeth "Eliza" Thornberry

Voiced by Lacey Chabert and on certain episodes, Becca Gilley, Eliza is the main character, who (unknown to most) gained the ability to speak with animals after an encounter with an African shaman (as shown in the episode "Gift of Gab"). Eliza is portrayed as a geek by her extensivezoological knowledge and her glasses and braces. She has freckles and long red-orange hair that is usually worn in pigtails like Pippi Longstocking, and occasionally a ponytail. She also has a companion-monkey (chimpanzee) like Pippi Longstocking; but instead of superhuman strength, Eliza has the "super-power" of being able to talk to animals; meanwhile the name "Eliza" invariably derives from the name "Eliza Dolittle," from the film "My Fair Lady" and Doctor Dolittle, due her ability to talk to animals. She almost always wears a yellow dress, though later in the series she sports other clothes. Eliza suffered a serious attack of appendicitis while rock climbing in the Australian outback. Eliza is 13 in the series.

Deborah "Debbie" Thornberry

Voiced by Danielle Harris, Debbie is a typical 16-year-old girl who is Eliza's older sister, interested in music and fashion, and who longs for the normal suburban life her parents' job deprives her of. Even though she ridicules Eliza, she truly does care for her. She commonly wears an orangecamisole, a green flannel shirt, blue jeans (with holes deliberately torn in the knees as a 'grungy' fashion statement) and brown Birkenstock clogs. In "The Wild Thornberrys Movie", she learns Eliza's secret after Eliza reveals it to the poachers that were threatening to kill her if Eliza didn't tell them how she knew about their plan to kill a herd of elephants. Debbie is amazed that Eliza gave up her gift to save her life and promises to keep her secret -- but only under the belief that if she doesn't, she'll be turned into a baboon. It is shown in the episode "Chew If by Sea" that Debbie suffers from chronic seasickness.

Sir Nigel Archibald Thornberry

Voiced by Tim Curry and every now and then by John Anderson, Nigel, born in Sweden, is the only child of Radcliffe and Cordelia (since none of his family members said he had any siblings) travels around the world with his family making wildlife documentaries for his own show. He resembles Steve Irwin and David Attenborough, and speaks with an English accent. He somewhat resembles Lt. Col. Algernon Hawthorne in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, played by Terry-Thomas. He is easily excited and is usually calm, even in the face of danger, and his catchphrase is "Smashing!" Nigel was knighted by the Queen of England, and offered a professorship at Oxford University. Much to his mother's disapproval, Nigel turned down the professorship. Although he is an expert at the natural world, Nigel is pretty slow when faced with other things; but he is always fascinated by nature, even in the face of his own demise as a result of it.

Lady Marianne Hunter Thornberry

Voiced by Jodi Carlisle, Marianne is Nigel's wife and operates the film camera. Marianne is a strong woman, often the voice of reason, and sometimes loses patience with Nigel. She is usually the one to take on disciplinary duties, forcing Eliza to stay in the confines of the comvee, or forcing Debbie to complete her schoolwork.

Darwin Thornberry

Voiced by Tom Kane with the monkey noises of Blake Farmer, Darwin is a chimpanzee who travels with the family and is a loyal companion to Eliza. He usually wears a regularsleeveless shirt with blue stripes and blue shorts. He speaks with a distinct upper-class British accent. He tries to be the voice of reason to Eliza, however she rarely takes his advice, since he is almost always hesitant to follow her plans; in response, she accuses him of cowardice, once calling him a "crybaby in a tank-top" for his hesitancy. He was found by Eliza, and was the first animal she ever talked to. In the Wild Thornberries Movie: The Origins of Donnie, Darwin was seen in a flashback, stealing the sleeveless tank top that was once owned by Debbie,

Donald "Donnie" Michael Thornberry

Voiced by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and occasionally Tyler Arfman - on more than one occasion the little known Dylan James voiced the character, Donnie is a feral boy who (as revealed in the 2001 4-part TV movie, "The Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie") was raised by orangutans (similar to Tarzan) after his real parents, a pair of naturalists, were killed by poachers. Before the Thornberrys adopted him, the special also reveals that Nigel and Marianne knew his parents. He commonly wears a pair of leopard-spotted shorts (also similar to Tarzan's leopardskin loincloth) and he loves to eat bees. He talks very wildly and unintelligibly in animal-sounds (but nothing Eliza can understand), but is able to adapt to most environments. Donnie is 4, but turns 5 in "The Origin of Donnie".