List of major characters from The Mighty Boosh

Main Characters

Though the various forms of The Mighty Boosh have had many recurring characters, it has evolved a "central cast" of four or five characters who usually appear in the show:

Howard Moon

Howard Moon
File:Julian.barratt.boosh.live.jpg Barratt as Howard Moon in The Mighty Boosh Live 2006
First appearance	"Killeroo"
Last appearance	"Sammy the Crab"
Created by	Julian Barratt
Portrayed by	Julian Barratt
In-universe information
Nickname	Monsoon Moon, the theatre wallabee, Hailstone Howard, Shrimp Eyes, Small Eyes, Fox Bummer
Gender	Male
Occupation	Shopkeeper, Zookeeper, Kangaroo Boxer, Musician, DJ, Mime, Actor, Poet, Novelist, Photographer, Cyclist, Rider of the Penny Farthing, stamp collector, 'Jazz Maverick'.

Howard TJ Moon (Julian Barratt), TJ standing for Tommy Jerry (Tommy after Thomas Edison and Jerry after Jerry the mouse), is an aspiring musician/actor/poet/novelist/photographer with frequent delusions of grandeur. In the first series he works at the Zooniverse as a zookeeper, alongside Vince. In the second series, Howard and Vince have left the zoo and formed a band together. He is vain, despite being "generic-looking" and he often makes outrageous claims which he has trouble backing up (he claims, for instance, to have turned down a lucrative offer extended by Walt Disney himself to sort all of Disney's pens). He reacts to criticism violently. His favourite style of music is jazz-fusion, and he spends part of each day in a "jazz trance" and refers to himself as a jazz maverick. He is unlucky in love, and in series one is in love with reptile keeper, Mrs. Gideon. His attempts to impress her with his novel writing and snake capturing are often the launching point for his and Vince's adventures. His 'cream' love poems, where he likens his love's attributes to cream, as in 'her teeth are like hard, shiny pegs of cream,' have earned him the title 'Britain's leading cream poet.' Despite his lack of success, he seems to see himself as a smooth-talker and while he thinks he is being cool and dashing, his attempts to smooth talk women are awkward at best. To impress the two electro girls he talks of animals in heat and in series two, to impress Precious Lilywhite, he speaks about jazz and plays a tune on his self made flute. Ironically, in series two, he does manage to earn the love of a....sort of female - in the form of Old Gregg. Old Gregg even proposes marriage to Howard, but Howard, despite his limited options in love, does not reciprocate.

Howard believes that he has a dark, brooding, poetic side to his personality and has many artistic pretensions, although almost all of his artistic efforts come to nothing. In series two, he flirts with being a nature photographer who longs to get his pictures on the cover of Global Explorer. He briefly came close to becoming a published author, although he ruined his chances when Mrs. Gideon criticized his writing and he flew into a blind rage and struck her before his potential publisher. He is a gifted musician, thanks to selling his soul to the Spirit of Jazz, although he refuses to play instruments because the Spirit of Jazz "gets inside" him and makes him do embarrassing things. This claim is, however, short lived as in series two he is seen playing a variety of instruments on several occasions with no threat of the Spirit of Jazz coming for him and he plays the instruments with no fear of anything happening. In Series two, Howard's lack of funkiness is suggested as one reason he has not garnered the success he so wants. Vince tells him he looks like 'a supply teacher' and that he's 'too white'.

Howard considers himself an intellectual, but while he is somewhat smarter than Vince, he is not nearly as intelligent as he thinks he is. Howard is always on the brink of starting a grand project, and believes that he will become famous somehow, someway. Whenever Howard is near to death, he pleads not to die, saying, "I've got so much to give." While Vince is always dressed very flashily, Howard tends to look unkempt and shabby. In the second series, we learn that Vince cuts Howard's hair while Howard is asleep. Howard doesn't believe in accessories. As he puts it, "There is a simple truth to me."

Howard apparently has a rather erotic anus and some medical peculiarities. Howard once had a close friendship with a fox at the zoo named Jack Cooper, often suggested as having a sexual nature. The other employees started rumors that Howard was a "Fox Bummer" and while Howard and Jack both persistently denied the rumors, there is the suggestion that something happened between them that they feel guilty about. In the Killeroo episode, Fossil announces that Howard is a former male prostitute, and while this seems unlikely, Howard did not deny it. In the episode Party Howard reveals he is a virgin, making it even more unlikely. Until the third series, Howard has been represented as always having looked just like he does now and being the same age as Vince Noir, as a flashback to Vince and Howard's childhood school days showed them in the same class and that even then Howard was a full-grown man (with a moustache). In the third series episode Party, Howard reveals, now with a dramatic involvement of the viewer, that he is ten years older than Vince and a flashback in that episode shows him looking like a child, albeit still with a moustache. Killeroo reveals that Howard has some hideous deformity on his torso, although we never see what it is. (We see him shirtless in several later episodes, and no deformity is visible; continuity is not The Mighty Boosh's priority)

Howard can be aggressive (he often threatens to "come at" Vince, for instance) but when faced with an actual fight, he tends to fold quickly. He is generally a very angry and frustrated man, and while he berates Vince for having an excessively sunny outlook on life, he also relies on Vince for emotional support. Howard often treats Vince like an inferior, although the laconic Vince is generally more amused than offended by Howard's superior attitude. They tease each other constantly, but there is a deep bond between them and both have demonstrated repeatedly that they'll risk death to rescue each other from various ridiculously dangerous situations and they even share a kiss in one episode. When facing death, the two will often reminisce about very silly things - like that one time they ate soup. This usually leads into a crimp.

Vince Noir

Main article: Vince Noir

Bob Fossil

Bob Fossil
First appearance	"Killeroo"
Last appearance	"The Party"
Created by	Rich Fulcher
Portrayed by	Rich Fulcher
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Zoo-owner, Pieface Showcase host, The Velvet Onion owner

In the radio series Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher) is the ill-tempered and slightly odd owner of Bob Fossil's Funworld, an inept zoo. In the TV series, he is the manager of the Zooniverse and zoo owner Dixon Bainbridge's right-hand man. He is loud, brash, American, chubby and possibly retarded. He is Howard and Vince's enemy, often trying to set them up for disaster, although on occasion he has expressed a (perhaps subconscious) attraction to both of them. On radio, Fossil liked Vince and hated Howard, on television he generally dislikes both of them (although he is sometimes friendly to Vince), and his radio persona is somewhat replaced by employer Bainbridge. Fossil has a desperate crush on Bainbridge, and declares that he is very interested in getting involved in Bainbridge's "shady operations." Bainbridge often pushes Fossil roughly aside or knees him in the groin, but Fossil claims this is something they do all the time and it's a way of showing affection. On at least one occasion, Fossil and Bainbridge apparently got drunk and drove around beating up midgets, though this may be more rambling from Fossil.

On the TV series Fossil is portrayed as incompetent; for example he doesn't know how to dial a phone and calls a portable tape recorder his "talk box". He is often very childlike and emotional, and when confronted with something disturbing (such as a mysteriously floating cup, or a cage full of mutants) he will shriek horribly. Though Fossil is chief zoo keeper, he knows nothing about animals. He is unable to identify the animals he supposedly cares for at the zoo, even the relatively easy ones, such as the elephant (which he calls "the grey leg-face man"). According to the radio series, Fossil also had a traumatic childhood which involved his mother hiding in a bunker at breakfast while throwing eggs at him. In one first series episode he says into his "talk box", "Note to self: I hate whites.", the first instance of an anti-white racism theme that runs throughout the first series. In the series, Fossil has his own theme song for the zoo: "Nicey nicey zoo zoo, for him and her and me and you!"

Though Fossil and the zoo were, without explanation, absent from the second television series, he makes a brief reappearance at the end of The Nightmare of Milky Joe as the presenter of "The Pie Face Showcase" TV music programme. In this appearance he makes a joke about his wife; it is unclear if he actually has a wife or not, although she is also mentioned in the radio series ('I got a tiny wife to support'). He returns in the third episode of series 3, "The Power of the Crimp", as the owner of the Velvet Onion club, where Vince and Howard regularly gig. It is revealed that his mother thinks he is in a Vietnamese PoW camp.

In the live show it is revealed that he starred in the title role of a detective show called "Big Leg" though it is clear the show was not real although the character of Big Leg appears later to defeat The Hitcher. The idea of Fossil starring in his own show seems unlikely as, when asked to act, he flailed his limbs in a robotic manner and said "Check me out I'm an actor, I know what to say."

Fossil does not like cricket, and communicates this through the medium of dance, particularly to 10CC's "Dreadlock Holiday". It's possible this dislike stems from a bad experience, as he is heard saying to Naboo "… and that's why you should never bring a cricket bat to Greece".

Bollo

Bollo
First appearance	"Bollo"
Last appearance	"Party"
Created by	Noel Fielding & Julian Barratt
Portrayed by	Dave Brown (Radio series, TV series 2 + 3), Peter Elliott (TV series 1)
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Naboo's Familiar, DJ

Bollo (Peter Elliott for TV series 1, Dave Brown for radio series, TV series 2 and 3 and live show) is an ape who, in the first series of the television show, lives in the zoo and is a DJ in the second series although we never actually see him play a show. He is wise and old; according to the radio series, he is 100 years old. However, his "real" age in series two is 40 (his "press" age being 29). He openly dislikes Howard Moon, although when Howard is in danger Bollo usually takes the situation seriously and will take part in the rescue efforts. Bollo thinks very highly of Vince. In the second series he is Naboo's familiar and does various tasks for him, although he is apparently not very good at the job and Naboo contemplates trading him for an upgrade. Bollo secretly wishes to fulfill his ambition of touring Europe as a drummer alongside Vince and – with slight reluctance – Howard, although Naboo refuses to allow it. To this end, he recently auditioned for a part in a well-known chocolate advert featuring a drumming gorilla, as was recently revealed on the Boosh website, although he evidently failed to get either that part, or the part of King Kong in Peter Jackson's remake of the classic film. Bollo grew up in the jungle with his best friend Chinquo, although eventually he cut off Chinquo's head and feet. Bollo appears to die at the end of the first season episode Bollo, but he returns a few episodes later in fine health. Bollo's "monkey strength" comes in handy on a number of occasions. In every episode in series 2 he says

"I've got a bad feeling about this"

, a reference to the films of the Star Wars saga in which the quote is said in each of the 6 films.

Naboo

Naboo
First appearance	"Killeroo"
Last appearance	"Party"
Created by	Noel Fielding & Julian Barratt
Portrayed by	Michael Fielding
In-universe information
Gender	Eunuch
Occupation	Shaman, protector of the Fountian of Youth, Club DJ, Shop owner

Only appearing in the TV series and the stage shows, Naboo Randolf Robbitypobbity The Enigma (Michael Fielding) is the psychic shaman who works at the zoo. Naboo's familiar (his helper) is Bollo. He is wise, worldly and helpful whilst at the same time having the demeanour of a stoned teenager. Naboo has demonstrated powers as varying as dream visitation, tasseography, psychiatry, and teleportation or conjuration. He seems to have a magical solution for almost any problem; when confronted with the sinister Spirit of Jazz, for instance, he had a Hoover vacuum at the ready and was able to (temporarily) imprison the Spirit of Jazz within it. Naboo comes from the planet Xooberon, and was mistakenly sent to Earth to protect an amulet from theft by the King of Xooberon's enemies. He is a loyal friend to Howard and Vince, rescuing them from many of their self-inflicted situations. His abode is filled with magical books and talismans and several pet frogs who he will squeeze or smoke when they misbehave or annoy him. He also possesses a "miracle wax" capable of making anybody's hair beautiful. In the second season episode Fountain of Youth, we learn that Naboo is actually hundreds of years old but stays young with a youth potion from his home planet. He sometimes smokes hookahs and listens to Tangerine Dream with his mate, Pete, who works in Dixons. When the zoo almost closes in season one, Naboo considers getting a job at Dixons, or becoming a "mighty hawk". When he is extremely cross, Naboo will "turn his back on you" (literally; he will slowly turn away, and then keep turning until he faces you again). In the second season, Naboo travels around on a flying carpet. In series 3 it is revealed that he has no genetailia, and is infact, a eunuch or "as smooth as a porche's bonnet".

Other Recurring Characters

Dixon Bainbridge

Dixon Bainbridge
First appearance	"Mutants"
Last appearance	"Charlie"
Created by	Noel Fielding & Julian Barratt
Portrayed by	Matt Berry (TV Series 1), Richard Ayoade (Radio Series, TV Pilot)
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Zoo-owner, explorer

Dixon Bainbridge (Matt Berry) is the owner of The Zooniverse and Howard Moon's nemesis in series one. Not appearing in the radio series, he largely takes over Bob Fossil's character from that series, although he is evil in a more deliberate and much less insane way than Fossil was on radio.

He is a proud man with a deep, booming voice. He seems to succeed wherever Moon fails - be it exploring, writing or moustache growing (he uses his magnificent moustache to get him out of trouble - for example, by hiding a pistol in it.) While the press prints stories of his heroic adventures as an explorer, he is in reality a very sneaky, sinister fellow involved in various shady operations. He experimented on zoo employees to create human/animal mutant hybrids and he imprisoned the zoo's former owner, Tommy, in the Jungle Room for many years. He appears to be a man of prejudice, saying goodbye to Naboo as "So long, gypsy" (Although this is more likely a reference to the Fleetwood Mac song Gypsy, as Naboo had just been listening to the Fleetwood Mac album Tusk when Bainbridge approached him). He also takes pleasure in the pain of others, as in Krakatoa in 1962 he stayed for an extra day to watch the hanging. For all his evil intent, he is also much more brave, resourceful and (superficially) charming than Howard, and when he's not off on some dangerous adventure he hangs around with high-society types around the world. He has contempt for Vince and Howard, but while Howard sensibly despises Bainbridge in return, Vince is sometimes awed by Bainbridge's tales of adventure.

Bainbridge's assistant is Bob Fossil, who has a crush on him, although Bainbridge has contempt for Fossil and often knees him in the groin. Fossil is always hoping to be part of Bainbridge's shady operations, although Bainbridge generally treats Fossil like his lackey. Fossil, while a generally sleazy person, isn't quite up to Bainbridge's standards of evil, and when confronted with the products of Bainbridge's mutant experiments, Fossil was horrified. In the episode Tundra, Bainbridge and Fossil perform an impassioned version of Total Eclipse of the Heart that has become something of a fan favorite. It is possible that Bainbridge and old friend Hamilton Cork were both killed by Charlie in the Series 1 episode "Charlie", as neither are seen or mentioned since.

In the pilot episode for the television series, Bainbridge was played by Richard Ayoade who couldn't continue in the role due to a contract with Channel 4. Also in the pilot episode, Bainbridge was not the owner of the zoo as depicted on Series 1, but a zoo keeper who was thrust to "Head Keeper" due to Fossil's admiration of him (because, as Fossil admits to Naboo, he is homosexual). Bainbridge also makes a special guest appearance on the Live Tour DVD, delivering a package to Howard which contains Old Gregg.

Mrs. Gideon

Mrs. Gideon (Victoria Wicks) is Howard's love interest. On radio she was mentioned briefly as a woman in Howard's jazz band who had broken his heart after falling for the "rustic wisdom" of Rudi Manciego. Rudi joined the band and muscled out Howard, leaving him broken-hearted and unable to get another jazz gig.

On TV, when she worked at the zoo, she was head of Reptiles, and she always forgot who Howard was, but was interested in Vince, to Howard's disgust and envy. She finds the idea of a human shedding their skin "disgusting".

She isn't interested in boxing, but likes trumpets and bookmarks (both things that Howard conjectured women would like).

She only appeared in the first series of the television show.

Lester Corncrake

Lester Corncrake
First appearance	"Journey to the Centre of a Punk"
Last appearance	"Party"
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Blind Vinyl Doctor

Lester first appears in Series 3, Episode 2. After Vince bites the Jazz Skat vinyl by Howling Jimmy Jefferson in an effort to impress his new punk mates (Mickey Jizz, Jacky Jerkoff, Viv Ass and Dick and Donny Braindamage), Howard takes the disk to 'The Vinyl Doctor.' After Lester diagnoses that the disk is 'critically' broken and that the piece is missing, he realises Vince swallowed the missing part. Later, in order to save Vince from the Jazz Beast infilitrating his blood and killing him, Lester and Howard are shrunk by Naboo and Bollo. Lester appears again in the Party episode, which ends with Tony Harrison outrageously humping Lester's decapitated head.

Joey Moose

Joey Moose (Brown) is the Australian zoo keeper at the zoo, and sponsors the kangaroo that Howard fights. He is seen briefly at the beginning of the Mutants episode before being knocked out by Dixon Bainbridge. He is seen later on in the episode hideously mutated. He is released from his cage along with the other mutants, and participates in the mutant song before leaving the zoo.

He also seems to have a love for tomatoes.

The Hitcher

Main article: The Hitcher (character)

The Hitcher (Noel Fielding) is a green, hitchhiking, huge-thumbed cockney. He is also pure evil, trapping Howard and Vince in a zoo for animal offenders, trying to steal a magic amulet from Naboo and killing all the characters at the end of the 2006 live show.

Rudi Van DiSarnio

Rudi (Julian Barratt) is a High Priest of the Order of the Psychedelic Monks and in the band The Bongo Brothers. His appearance, which includes a gigantic afro and a flowing set of purple robes, as well as his extreme proficiency with a fusion guitar, seems heavily based on that of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. Although he is a rockstar, his behaviour and attitude is extremely puritanical; he thinks of drink and women as 'distractions' (in stark contrast to the animalistic nature of his bandmate, Spider Dijon), and even went so far as to say that he considered all women 'strange and evil'. This may be one reason why he is no longer married. He is also suspected of having a sexual relationship with his guitar, which he calls 'Miranda', though Rudi has always maintained that this was a misunderstanding on his wife's part ('I was naked, it was dark, I was changing a string, I became entangled.')

The Moon

The Moon
First appearance	"Call of the Yeti"
Last appearance	"Party"
Created by	Noel Fielding & Julian Barratt
Portrayed by	Noel Fielding
In-universe information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Earth's Moon

The Moon was originally used in Noel Fielding's one man show 'Voodoo Hedgehog' at the Edinburgh Festival. It is clear that The Moon is played by Noel Fielding, covering his face with shaving foam. In the 2006 live tour, The Moon is a hologram projected onto a disk, hanging above the stage. He first appears in Series 2 and says a variety of bizarre things. He has a dreamy voice with a thick, East European accent of indeterminate origin, and talks about himself, the stars and other planets, as well as strange and often borderline incoherent things (he's pretty much a loveable simpleton). For example, he talks about licking the Sun's back "all on his yellow suit" without the Sun knowing, or the time he saw a man with a tube and how the man made the moon big inside the tube (a telescope). He reappears in Series 3, where he apprantly likes Jazz. In The Power of the Crimp an imposter tries to take his place, but he calls Jupiter over to eat the imposter, to which The Moon says 'Im the only moon round here.' He has a variety of little poems and songs, with perhaps his best-known poem being the one about various astronauts walking on his face and looking at all the stuff that the moon has to offer. To judge by the conclusion of the second season episode Nanageddon, the moon is apparently a fan of The Cure (he sings Love Cats over the closing credits). The Moon always appears to be simplemindedly cheerful, and he is described by Tony Harrisson as "an alabaster retard".