Baloo the Bear

Baloo the Bear (originally voiced by Phil Harris, currently voiced by Joel McRary) is a character from the 1967 Disney animated movie ''The Jungle Book. ''Baloo is a happy-go-lucky sloth bear who likes living an easy life. He meets Mowgli when Bagheera just left him, as the man-cub refused to go the man village. Baloo empathizes with him and immediately sets about teaching him to fight and roar like a bear. Bagheera sees them and is not thrilled with this development, as he knows about Baloo's slacker attitude. But Baloo shoves Bagheera off and teaches Mowgli his philosophy about just finding the bare necessities in life. He floats down a stream with Mowgli on his belly, but Mowgli is snatched by monkeys. The monkeys throw fruit at him and he winds up in a pit, calling to Bagheera for help. He and "Baggy" (as Baloo calls him) go to the run-down palace where King Louie and his monkeys are holding Mowgli captive. Their song, "I Wanna Be Like You", gets to Baloo, and he dresses like an orangutan to join the party. However, when Louie slaps him on the back, his disguise falls off, and a chase ensues, leaving Baloo with a black eye and Louie's palace in shambles.

That night, Baloo and Bagheera chat while Mowgli sleeps. Bagheera convinces Baloo that with the tiger Shere Khan on the prowl, it's best if Mowgli goes to the man-village. When Baloo tries taking Mowgli home, Mowgli gets mad at his "betrayal" and runs away. Baloo next finds Mowgli in the midst of an attack by Shere Khan. Baloo tries to hold him off, but is supposedly killed. Shere Khan eventually runs off when Mowgli ties a fiery branch to his tail. Everyone is sad about Baloo, and Bagheera gives a soliloquoy on how much Baloo meant to him. But Baloo is well and alive, and he, Baggy, and Mowgli head on back home. But Mowgli meets a girl from the village named Shanti and follows her. Baloo is sad to see him go, but Baggy convinces him it's best. And so, the two happily head on back to the jungle.

Trivia

 * Baloo will meet the Bugs and Daffy's Adventures team in Bugs and Daffy's Adventures of The Jungle Book .