5 Wallace & Gromit Facts That Are Dog-Gone Interesting
Wallace and Gromit — the quirky animated duo comprised of an absent-minded inventor and his brilliant dog who go on over-the-top adventures, often motivated by Wallace’s wacky inventions — have been British icons since their creation in 1989 by animator Nick Park, for the animated short Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out. The pair set off on a new adventure in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which comes to American audiences on Netflix on January 3, 2025, after having a successful opening in the UK.
In honor of the highly-anticipated new film, here are some fun facts about funniest man-and-dog duo since Scooby and Shaggy.
1Wallace was inspired by a real person
BBC/Everett Collection
Park drew inspiration for Wallace from his own father, who was known for his inventive spirit and constant tinkering. Interestingly, Wallace was initially designed with a mustache and smaller cheeks, but after hearing original voice actor Peter Sallis pronounce the word “cheese,” Park decided to give Wallace larger cheeks and a wider mouth to match the vocalization.
2The films have multiple Oscar wins
DreamWorks/Everett Collection
Park has snagged four Academy Awards — a rare achievement for anyone, but especially an animator. His accolades include Best Animated Short Film for Creature Comforts, The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave, plus Best Animated Feature for Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Notably, Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out was also nominated for an Oscar but lost to Park’s own Creature Comforts. This success helped establish Park and the company Aardman Animations as pioneers in the world of clay animation.
3He’s received royal recognition
DreamWorks/Everett Collection
In 1997, Park was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to the arts. This prestigious honor led to an invitation to have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II, highlighting the cultural impact of his work, particularly with Wallace and Gromit.
4Gromit was originally going to be a different animal
DreamWorks/Everett Collection
Can you imagine Gromit as anything other than a dog? Well, he almost was. The silent yet expressive pup was initially conceived as a cat. However, during the development process, Park found that a dog would be easier to model in claymation, leading to Gromit’s canine transformation.
5A grand beginning … that actually took 6 years
BBC/Everett Collection
Wallace and Gromit made their debut in the 1989 short A Grand Day Out, but the journey to the screen was anything but quick. Park began working on the film as a student project while attending the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. The stop-motion animation process was painstakingly slow, requiring meticulous attention to detail for every frame. It took six years to complete, partly because Park was also working on other projects at Aardman Animations, including the Academy Award-winning short Creature Comforts.
When the film finally aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, 1990, audiences were instantly charmed by the eccentric inventor Wallace and his loyal, silent canine companion, Gromit, as they journeyed to the moon in search of cheese.
Tell us, which Wallace and Gromit movie or short is your favorite?
Remind 
Kid Stuff
June 2018
Unleash your inner child by reliving your favorite kids TV shows, cartoons, toys and more!
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