Recent Works and Parodies
The Cowardly Lion is a minor character in author Gregory Maguire's 1995 revisionist novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and its 2003 Broadway musical adaptation. In both works, he is first seen as a Lion Cub (lion with human attributes) who has been torn from his mother and used as an experiment (in the book by Doctor Dillamond's replacement, Doctor Nikidik, and in the musical an agent of the Wizard) on the nature of Animals. Elphaba (the future Wicked Witch of the West) saves the Lion Cub that in the end of both adaptations attempts to kill her. He also appears in Maguire's 2005 sequel Son of a Witch, also in a minor role. The Cowardly Lion is the central character in the third book of the series, A Lion Among Men, where he is given the name of Brrr, which was the name given to him in Wicked. Doctor Nikidik mentions that he intended to give the Lion Cub the name of Prrr, but since "it shivers more than it purrs," he names it Brrr.
He appears in the The Wizard of Oz cartoon voiced by Charlie Adler. The Cowardly Lion has his brave/cowardly persona intact, and even gets to wear the Ruby Slippers for a short while in one episode.
In the ABC television movie The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Fozzie Bear plays the role of the Lion.
In the VeggieTales episode The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's, he is renamed the "Hungry Lion" who was played by Pa Grape. His Kansas counterpart from the 1939 film also appeared in this Christian cartoon.
In the 2007 Sci Fi television miniseries Tin Man, the Lion is re-imagined as a character named Raw, a member of the race of Viewers - half-man, half-lion beings with telekinetic and empathic abilities.
The Cowardly Lion appears in Dorothy and the Witches of Oz played by Barry Ratcliffe. He appears on Earth in the form of Bryan Jennings.
He is voiced by Todd Stashwick in the direct-to-DVD animated film Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz, a midquel/parallel of the classic 1939 film featuring Tom Cat and Jerry Mouse with Droopy.
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