Bartholomew Cubbins

Bartholomew Cubbins, a page, is the hero of two children's story books by Dr. Seuss: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (1938) and Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1949).

Besides his two books (and stage adaptations of them), Bartholomew Cubbins also appears as a character in the TV show The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. He is mentioned in a song by songwriter Bill Pere.

The main character of Seuss's only film, The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T, is named Bartholomew Collins. Like Cubbins, Collins is a young boy who is wiser than the adults around him.

Religious significance

Robert L. Short, in his book The Parables of Dr. Seuss, points out that Bartholomew shares a name with one of the apostles of Jesus. In Illuminati writings he is one of several archangels left on earth to battle in the apocalypse. Bartholomew Cubbins is the one who exhorts the silly king into humility and repentance.

In popular culture

• Thirty Seconds to Mars front man Jared Leto has directed several music videos under the alias Bartholomew Cubbins, including the song, "Kings and Queens", "From Yesterday,", "Hurricane" in which a Dr. Seuss book also appears and the newest, "Up In The Air", "Do or Die" and "City of Angels".
• In 1999, Tom Smith released a Dr. Seuss-themed parody of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" called "500 Hats".
• A theater company in Chicago is named "Theater Oobleck." This also is a tribute to Ted Geisel's brave and wise page boy. "Since they arrived in Chicago 23 years ago, the itinerant ensemble - which takes its name from a Dr. Seuss book, Bartholomew and the Oobleck - has specialized in original works based on incongruous cultural cross-references." ^[1]

See also

• Horton the Elephant - another Dr. Seuss character who appears in two different books.

References

• Dr. Seuss and Mr. Geisel, New York, Random House, 1995. ISBN 0-679-41686-2