Bob and his family
"Long ago, in the faraway land of ancient Greece, there was a golden age of powerful gods and extraordinary heroes. And the greatest and strongest of all these heroes was the mighty Hercules. But what is the measure of a true hero? Ah. That is what our story is..."
- The Narrator before being interrupted by the Muses
Bob, also called Bobby Baby and Bobby Boy by Thalia, or known simply as The Narrator, is a character who narrates Hercules (voiced by Charlton Heston) and its animated series (voiced by Robert Stack) before being cut off by the Muses. He is voiced by Charles Heston in the film, and Robert Stack in the animated series.
Appearances[]
Hercules[]
Unnamed in the film, Bob serves as the original narrator of the story of the mighty Hercules and his journey to become a true hero. However, before he could begin the story, the Muses found the original narrator's way of telling the story as being too depressing. He is not heard from nor mentioned in the film since.
Hercules: The Animated Series[]
"The mighty Hercules.The legendary hero of heroes.Tested by dangers that no mere mortal could brave. The thousand headed Hydra. The fearsome Nemian Lion. And perhaps the greatest challenge of all--"
"High school!"
- Bob and Thalia in "Hercules and the First Day of School"
Like in the film, Bob (or "Bobby") serves as narrator of the animated series which follows the adventures of young Hercules, expanding upon the Greek demigod's feats during his formative, adolescent hero-in-training years, while also attending the Prometheus Academy on Zeus' instruction. He often starts off an episode, but is then cut off by the Muses who occasionally interrupt him. Though he doesn't always speak during the beginning of an episode. He is often called Bobby Baby or Bobby Boy by Thalia. Bob sings at least once with the Muses in "Hercules and the the Assassin" through "Pericles of Athens" named after the beloved leader of the same name. The only time he is seen is in "Hercules and the Return of Typhon", where Bob is revealed as an incorporeal ghost, and his family's actions are only seen by moving hats. He has a wife named "Mrs. Bob" (voiced by Susan Tolsky), a daughter named "Tiffany" and a son named "Chad". Witnessing Bob's invisible family, Pegasus shakes his head in disbelief. In some episodes, such as "Hercules and the Bacchanal", Bob narrates halfway through the show. It is also shown in the same episode that he envies Hercules' life of adventure and that he likes ice cream with rainbow sprinkles.