- āGood Geppetto, you have given so much happiness to others, that you deserve to have your wish come true.ā
- ―The Blue Fairy before granting Pinocchio life.
Geppetto is the tritagonist in Disney's 1940 film Pinocchio. He is a woodcarver who creates Pinocchio and wishes for him to become a real boy. When his wish comes true, he becomes the father of Pinocchio. He was voiced by Christian Rub in the original film. Geppetto was animated in the original film by Art Babbitt.
Personality
Geppetto is a kind and generous old man who dreams of having a son. His generosity gets him noticed by the Blue Fairy. She mentions to the sleeping Geppetto, that he deserved to have his wish come true due to all the happiness he had brought to others. Geppetto proves to be a devoted father, as he attempts to teach Pinocchio valuable lessons, and later goes on a search for Pinocchio when the puppet never returns home.
He also appears to have some musical talent, as he not only creates a number of music boxes, but is seen playing a concertina.
Appearances
Pinocchio
Geppetto is described by Jiminy Cricket as a woodcarver who lives in a small home with his kitten Figaro and goldfish Cleo. Geppetto is shown to be talented, and is working on his greatest creation, a puppet. Geppetto then names the puppet Pinocchio, for he was made of pine, and plays around with it once he's completed.
Geppetto then realizes it's bed time and spots a wishing star from his bed. He reveals to Figaro his wish for Pinocchio to become a real boy. Geppetto dozes off to sleep. During his slumber, Geppetto is visited by The Blue Fairy who grants Geppetto's wish for his acts of kindness to others. Through her magic, Pinocchio comes to life. He walks and talks, complete with a conscience, Jiminy Cricket. While Jiminy and Pinocchio are singing to celebrate their union Pinocchio falls off the shelf and makes much noise.
Geppetto meets the living Pinocchio for the first time.
The noise awakens Geppetto, who realizes that he, Cleo and Figaro are not the only ones in the house at the moment. Geppetto spots Pinocchio, who he thinks is still just a puppet and places him back on the shelf. Pinocchio speaks to Geppetto. Geppetto believes he's dreaming and splashes water on himself. Geppetto realizes it's not a dream and begins to celebrate along with Cleo and Figaro. Pinocchio innocently catches his own finger on fire, and Geppetto panics. Geppetto then douses Pinocchio's finger with Cleo's fish bowl water and decides that the group should go to bed before anything else happens.
The next morning, Geppetto prepares Pinocchio for his his first day of school, presenting him with a vest and an apple for the teacher. On the way, Pinocchio is taken to Stromboli by local crooks J. Worthington Foulfellow and his sidekick Gideon. When Pinocchio doesn't come home, Geppetto goes out once again to look for his son. At one point he passes Stromboli's Caravan, but neither he nor Pinocchio spot each other.
Later on Geppetto, Figaro and Cleo eventually learn of Pinocchio's presence on Pleasure Island and sail out to rescue him but are swallowed by Monstro the whale on the way. After being informed of Geppetto's fate via a message from the Blue Fairy, Pinocchio and Jiminy set off to save them. Pinocchio is eaten by Monstro and reunites with Geppetto. Pinocchio then plans to escape by making Monstro sneeze, though Geppetto is hesitant due to the monstrous whale's temper. The plan works but leads to a deadly chase. Geppetto nearly drowns when their raft is destroyed, but Pinocchio manages to save him. Geppetto, Cleo, Figaro, Jiminy all make it to safely to shore, but Pinocchio is killed by a giant wave. Back at Geppetto's workshop, Geppetto and the others mourn Pinocchio's death. In honor of Pinocchio's courage, the Blue Fairy revives Pinocchio as a real boy. Geppetto is initially ignorant to the fact that his son is alive (even while speaking to him), but rejoices when he looks up and sees Pinocchio. The family then celebrates in elation.
House of Mouse
Geppetto with Pinocchio and Jiminy in House of Mouse
Geppetto made numerous cameo appearances in Disney's 2001-03 television series House of Mouse, usually seen with Pinocchio or Figaro. In "House of Genius" he was amazed at the robots created by Ludwig Von Drake. In the episode "Goofy's Menu Magic" when the club was flooded in soup, Pinocchio and Geppetto can be briefly seen in the wooden raft in the sea of soup. In one episode, Geppetto complained about how he didn't get any sleep, while Pinocchio stated "I slept like a log". Geppetto can be spotted inside Monstro during Ludwig Von Drake's headcount of all the Disney characters in "Ask Von Drake".
Geppetto can also be seen in Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, with Pinocchio during the finale song. He can also be seen in Mickey's House of Villains, being imprisoned in the kitchen alongside other protagonists when the Disney Villains take over.
Live action appearances
Once Upon a Time
Geppetto in Once Upon a Time.
Geppetto (Tony Amendola, Michael Strusievici as a young boy) is an elderly carpenter and Pinocchio's caretaker. Geppetto is orphaned when Jiminy accidentally transforms Geppetto's parents into puppets. To make amends, Jiminy looks after him. Geppetto later carves himself a son named Pinocchio out of magical wood. As a little boy puppet, he gives his life to save Geppetto from drowning in a storm. As a reward, Blue Fairy turns Pinocchio into a real boy. The Blue Fairy asks Geppetto to carve another enchanted tree into a magical wardrobe with the ability to save two people, the pregnant Snow White and Prince James from the Evil Queen's curse. However, the curse will send everyone to a land without magic and Pinocchio, who is a real boy because of magic, may turn back into a puppet. Geppetto bargains with the Fairy to use the second spot for Pinocchio, and the Fairy lies to the others and says that the wardrobe can only save one. When Snow White's child is born, instead of giving up Pinocchio's spot to Snow White, Geppetto sends his son and tells him to protect the child and get her to believe in magic after twenty years.
In Storybrooke, he is Marco, the town's handyman and an old friend of Archie, who is really Jiminy. Marco states that he and his wife are unable to have children. August Booth, the adult Pinocchio, later tells Marco that he failed his father and though he tried to keep his promise, he tried too late. Marco tells him that if he had a son, that would be enough. August offers to work as Marco's assistant though he cannot be paid, and Marco agrees to take him on.
Video games
Kingdom Hearts series
Kingdom Hearts
Geppetto is an elderly Italian woodcarver and the creator of Pinocchio. After he made a wish to have Pinocchio turned into a real boy, the Blue Fairy made his wish come true because he had given countless joy to many people. As a person, he's extremely kind and is very fascinated with gummi blocks that could be used to travel to other worlds. When the Heartless came and destroyed his world, he somehow escaped and has been traveling to many worlds to find Pinocchio. He is first met in the bowels of Monstro, standing on his wooden ship, which Monstro had swallowed whole. It is never explained exactly how this occurred, since Monstro swims between worlds in Kingdom Hearts, and Geppetto had no way of traveling there. Nevertheless, he requests the help of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, asking them to bring back his son, Pinocchio.
After the Monstro ordeal, he, like many other refugees, moves to Traverse Town with Pinocchio and opens up a shop in the First District after Leon helps him find a home. At this shop he designs blueprints for Gummi Ships and gives them to Sora for free, so that Sora can use them in the war against Maleficent and the Heartless.
In the credits of the first Kingdom Hearts game, he's last seen laughing with Pinocchio after he becomes a human boy.
He is voiced by Tony Pope and Jeff Bennett (KH3D) in English, and Japanese voice by Kazuo Kumakura.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
He appeared as a memory version of himself in Sora's memories in Castle Oblivion.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
He appears in Monstro's body, who had eaten him while he went looking for Pinocchio. While stuck there, he meets Riku.
Disney Parks
Geppetto posing for a photo at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Geppetto appears in Disney Parks around the world as a meetable character. Geppetto appears in many parades and shows as well.
Geppetto makes a notable appearance in Celebrate A Dreams Come True Parade in Walt Disney World. In Disneyland,his workshop is an attraction.
For meet and greets, Geppetto is often found in Fantasyland accompanied by either Pinocchio or Jiminy and occasionally with Honest John and Gideon. In Tokyo DisneySea, Geppetto can occasionally be found along the Mediterranean Harbor.
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Geppetto can be seen as an Audio-Animatronic in the dark ride during certain scenes naturally reliving the scenes from the film.
Fantasmic!
Geppetto appears in the bubble montage as well as on Steamboat Willie or Mark Twain River Boat depending on the park.
Trivia
- The name "Geppetto" is a variant of "Guiseppe", which is Italian for "Joseph".
- In the original Italian story of Pinocchio, Geppetto was depicted as a woodcarver on hard times, so poor he can't even afford wood for a fire, so he paints one in his fireplace! He also was also a bit vain, as he wore a silly blond wig to try to hide his baldness, and also had a bit of an irascible side, especially if people made fun of his wig. The author Carlo Collodi was said to have based the character on an eccentric old man he knew growing up, only the real-life Geppetto was a coffin-maker, not a wood-carver! (Granted, both careers deal with wood...)
- In a deleted scene for the original film, Geppetto was to tell the story of Pinocchio's "grandfather", a mighty tree.
- Animator Art Babbitt once noted that Geppetto was his favorite character to animate.
- In Disney's Villains' Revenge Geppetto is mentioned when you click to a watch that in the room Jiminy Cricket says: (This is a clock manufactured by the very Geppetto).
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