Scuttle is a seagull (gannet in the live action adaptation) and friend of Ariel. They appear in the film as an expert on human objects with whom Ariel consults about items she salvages, though their identifications consist of nonsense. They wrongly name a fork a "dinglehopper" and says that it is used as a comb, and a smoking pipe a "snarfblatt" while claiming it works like a trumpet. Scuttle is the only one of Ariel's friends capable of flight and as such is very useful in getting help. They were voiced by the late Buddy Hackett in the 1989 animation, and Awkwafina in the 2023 live action adaptation.
Appearances[]
The Little Mermaid[]
Despite their erroneous information on human things, Scuttle provides support and advice when they learn that Ariel has to win Eric's heart in three days. On the third day, Scuttle is the one who discovers that Vanessa, the woman Eric has decided to marry instead, is actually Ursula. They immediately tell Ariel this information, and helps stall the wedding so to allow Ariel to arrive and confront Eric.
The Little Mermaid (TV series)[]
Scuttle appears in two episodes of the final season of the prequel television series in which they are voiced by Maurice LaMarche. The episodes they appear in are "Scuttle", in which Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian meet them for the first time (and all four almost meet Prince Eric), and "The Island of Fear". In these episodes, Scuttle's explanation of human things is a mixture of correct and erroneous.
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea[]
Scuttle appears in a small role in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, where they help Ariel find her daughter Melody, who has run away. Scuttle is voiced by Buddy Hackett in both the 1989 film and 2000 sequel. This film also implies that Scuttle is able to communicate with Prince Eric as they are the first to arrive on the scene at Morgana's lair after Ariel sent Scuttle.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning[]
In The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning, when Marina is on a rock at the surface (animated the same way with Ariel when she sings a reprise for "Part of Your World" in the first film), she pushes herself up but the wave splashes onto her. Scuttle then appears briefly (without a speaking role, but accompanied instead by realistic seagull sound effects) to whom Marina says "don't touch me", referring to their actions in the first two films - tormenting the villain.
House of Mouse[]
Scuttle makes numerous cameo appearances in House of Mouse.
The Little Mermaid: Songs from the Sea[]
In The Little Mermaid: Songs from the Sea, Scuttle performs a song called "The Scuttle Strut" on track 3.
The Little Mermaid (musical)[]
Scuttle appears in the stage adaptation of the original film, where he sings two songs: "Human Stuff," where he explains the human things Ariel has brought to him, and "Positoovity," where he encourages a now-human Ariel to be positive in achieving her goal of winning Eric. The role is originated by Eddie Korbich. In the stage musical, Scuttle has a group of seagull friends, and together they perform a tap dance during the "Positoovity" number.
The Little Mermaid (2023 Live action)[]
Scuttle's only song in any of the films, "The Scuttlebutt" is performed with Sebastian while alerting Ariel about Vanessa.