I always thought it was “Waldo”, but perhaps Nick Dutt at Tattooz R Us in Kilsyth. Victoria, Australia is looking to avoid a trademark lawsuit?
Actually, the truth is that in Australia (and most places other than the US and Canada), the character is “Wally”, and was renamed “Waldo” in 1987 for the US market. I’m not really sure why. They also call him “Walter” in Germany (I guess even German children appreciate the value of being formal and polite), and “Charlie” in France (who knows why).
Comments
2 responses to “Where’s Wally? <i>Wally?</i>”
The following comments were imported from our old comment system:
Posted on 03-28-2006 22:23:25 by Kendra
Very creative, I love it!
Posted on 03-29-2006 05:15:05 by mpatshi
in belgium his name is wally:)…never waldo:)
Posted on 03-29-2006 07:04:13 by tokyowars
In Australia Waldo is the bad Wally, his arch nemisis so to speak…
Posted on 03-29-2006 09:21:06 by vicky
in the UK it is also Wally.
Posted on 03-29-2006 09:25:20 by vicky
after doing a bit of research it appears that it was originally Wally, and the author was British.
Also, Wally’s arch-nemisis was actually Odlaw – which is Waldo spelt backwards.
Posted on 03-29-2006 11:57:29 by LostSally000
That is sooooo creative, did people actually sit down and found a way to hide him in the drawing? That’s awesome!!!!! I would get one too….
Posted on 03-29-2006 15:15:17 by ana
here in portugal it’s wally too.
Posted on 03-29-2006 15:20:23 by fre_k
Viky’s right. Its wheres wally over here. I loved those books.
Posted on 03-29-2006 19:32:34 by camilafs
In Brazil it’s Wally too.
Posted on 03-29-2006 22:00:09 by Futzzz
In Denmark his name is Holger.. yeah.. just to be difficlt.. we dont rreally use the w though.. might be why..
Posted on 03-29-2006 22:01:25 by Futzzz
btw its Willy in Norway..
Posted on 03-30-2006 02:01:03 by penski
Last time I asked someone “Where’s Willy?!?!” I got slapped in the face.
🙁
*n
Posted on 03-30-2006 07:00:29 by starspring
I love this! really creative.
And it sounds prudish, but I suspect they changed it here because wally sounds too much like a nickname for a dick and some conservative shlep somewhere nixed it in favor of “waldo”. Not sure but it seems plausible.
Posted on 03-30-2006 14:18:21 by me
arch nemisis…
what does he do point him out?
Posted on 03-30-2006 15:27:34 by tokyowars
In the TV show he would just cause trouble. Can’t really remember, its been about ten years since I saw it.
Posted on 04-01-2006 14:53:35 by blackLiquid
I remember discorvering this when I was nine and lived in america for a year, I was actually a little freaked out comming from Aus to discover he wes “Waldo” in USA 😉
The following comments were imported from our old comment system:
Posted on 03-28-2006 22:23:25 by Kendra
Very creative, I love it!
Posted on 03-29-2006 05:15:05 by mpatshi
in belgium his name is wally:)…never waldo:)
Posted on 03-29-2006 07:04:13 by tokyowars
In Australia Waldo is the bad Wally, his arch nemisis so to speak…
Posted on 03-29-2006 09:21:06 by vicky
in the UK it is also Wally.
Posted on 03-29-2006 09:25:20 by vicky
after doing a bit of research it appears that it was originally Wally, and the author was British.
Also, Wally’s arch-nemisis was actually Odlaw – which is Waldo spelt backwards.
Posted on 03-29-2006 11:57:29 by LostSally000
That is sooooo creative, did people actually sit down and found a way to hide him in the drawing? That’s awesome!!!!! I would get one too….
Posted on 03-29-2006 15:15:17 by ana
here in portugal it’s wally too.
Posted on 03-29-2006 15:20:23 by fre_k
Viky’s right. Its wheres wally over here. I loved those books.
Posted on 03-29-2006 19:32:34 by camilafs
In Brazil it’s Wally too.
Posted on 03-29-2006 22:00:09 by Futzzz
In Denmark his name is Holger.. yeah.. just to be difficlt.. we dont rreally use the w though.. might be why..
Posted on 03-29-2006 22:01:25 by Futzzz
btw its Willy in Norway..
Posted on 03-30-2006 02:01:03 by penski
Last time I asked someone “Where’s Willy?!?!” I got slapped in the face.
🙁
*n
Posted on 03-30-2006 07:00:29 by starspring
I love this! really creative.
And it sounds prudish, but I suspect they changed it here because wally sounds too much like a nickname for a dick and some conservative shlep somewhere nixed it in favor of “waldo”. Not sure but it seems plausible.
Posted on 03-30-2006 14:18:21 by me
arch nemisis…
what does he do point him out?
Posted on 03-30-2006 15:27:34 by tokyowars
In the TV show he would just cause trouble. Can’t really remember, its been about ten years since I saw it.
Posted on 04-01-2006 14:53:35 by blackLiquid
I remember discorvering this when I was nine and lived in america for a year, I was actually a little freaked out comming from Aus to discover he wes “Waldo” in USA 😉