The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, created by Maxwell Atoms, is an animated series that currently airs on Cartoon Network in the U.S. The two main plot characters, Billy and Mandy, have obliged the Grim Reaper to be their best friend forever after having won a bet over a sick hamster. Billy is voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz, while Mandy is voiced by Grey DeLisle.

Main characters

Billy

Billy (diminutive for William as we learn in the episode "Smarten Up") is an astonishingly incompetent red-headed child with an oversized nose. With an I.Q. of -5, he exemplifies the concept of "ignorance is bliss." Prone to surprising (if nonsensical) fits of rage, he is a hyperactive, nose-picking, flatulent child with a knack for causing disasters by experimenting with Grim's various supernatural items. He has a fondness for video games (as seen in My Peeps and Beasts and Barbarians), gut-busting junk food (as seen in Billy's Growth Spurt), and playing in places where he shouldn't (including Grim's trunk, various parallel dimensions and his cat Milkshakes' "secret hut"). He suffers from arachnophobia, which causes him to react with fear and violence towards his giant spider "son" Jeff, and he has an irrational fear of clowns, which is only overcome after a conversation with his "Inner Frat Boy" in the episode Attack of the Clowns. In Whatever Happened to Billy Whatshisname?, Billy forms a deep hatred over a "replacement Billy" chosen by Mandy, a warped (as in ugly) version of Billy named Bobby who completely takes over Billy's life. He is voiced by actor Richard Steven Horvitz, who has also voiced Zim.

Related Topics:
I.Q. - -5 - Arachnophobia - Clowns - Frat - Richard Steven Horvitz - Zim

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Mandy

Mandy is Billy's constant companion: a blond, noseless girl with an acerbic attitude, evil personality, and often surprising intellect and knowledge of the supernatural. She usually never smiles, aside from the occasional evil smirk, except during a fantasy sequence in Crushed which shows her falling in love with Billy's friend Piff, and in My Fair Mandy when she is performing as Dorothy Gale (complete with braided pigtails and blue gingham dress), singing "Over the Rainbow" for the talent portion of the school "Miss Scurvy" pagaent. This smile is so anomalous that it causes reality to distort itself so that she, Billy, and Grim become stuck in a The Powerpuff Girls-like universe. But, as in any episode, this is only temporary. She frequently appoints Grim to perform humiliating chores. Mandy seems to possess some sort of evil power, as evidenced by her encounter with General Skarr in the episode Skarred for Life or when searching for a replacement Billy in the episode Whatever Happened to Billy Whatshisname?. In both scenarios she reduced Skarr and Sperg to snivelling messes simply by the force of her presence. She also possesses a collection of napkins as said in subtext in the episode Dream Mutt. She is so clever that stories often end with her solving all problems in some incredible manner involving nothing but her wits and personality. These situations often have Mandy displaying omniscience. She is very rude to practically everybody, even her parents. Only rarely has her character ever faltered from this dark norm. In the episode The Nerve, Mandy becomes downright meek when Billy magically steals her "nerve," although Mandy learns that her nerve is not what makes her "dark, foreboding, and charmingly cynical"; it is Mandy herself. In the episode Crushed she is shown suffering from the effects of love at first sight, including sweating palms, knocking knees, heart-filled fantasy sequences and, yes, even smiling. In the episode My Fair Mandy, Mandy shows sincere and human concern over whether or not she is pretty. When told by her instructor she will never win without smiling and has no chance, Mandy appears sincerely sad complete with a saddened expression (as rare from her as a smile). Voiced by Grey Delisle, who lends a characteristic somber and gothic tone to this character. Although she has been shown to disrespect almost everyone she meets, it is obvious to a certain extent that she cares a bit, as she is always the first to recommend they find Billy when he gets lost or kidnapped. This is somewhat confusing, as in Toys Will Be Toys she attempts to burn a pint-sized Billy with a magnifying glass. This may be because she wants to kill Billy herself, which makes some sense. She is often depicted as a goth and/or bookish character.

Related Topics:
Dorothy Gale - Gingham - Over the Rainbow - The Powerpuff Girls - Grey Delisle - Gothic - Yumi Yoshimura - Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi - Melissa Fahn - Gaz - Nickelodeon - Invader Zim

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Grim

Grim - The Grim Reaper - who lost a bet to Billy and Mandy and is fated to be their "best friend" forever (effectively, their slave), a task he suffers with no small amount of disdain and mockery from other supernatural creatures. He is a scythe-wielding skeleton in a black hooded robe. His accent and some lines suggest he is Jamaican. Grim was apparently a child at the time of the neanderthal and he often brings up traumatic experiences from his youth, such as losing a crucial baseball game (The Bad News Ghouls), being bullied (Billy and the Bully, Bully Boogie), and failing to live up to his parents' expectations (A Grim Prophecy), and what the experiences have taught him. He has had several love interests, including a goth-girl named Malaria, Eris during her "valley girl phase," and Lubbermouth, a worm-like creature with "large, luscious lips" who had an unrequited crush on Grim during high school. Grim hates the servitude he has been placed in, constantly hoping that Billy and Mandy will die on one of the adventures the three go on. Despite this, he has shown some reluctant concern for Billy, who treats him WAY better than Mandy does. This fact has been somewhat confused, as he is always the first to suggest that they leave Billy when he's lost or kidnapped; while Mandy is the one to recommend his rescue. He clearly states in one episode that the reason he didn't rescue Billy earlier in the episode was because he (Grim) doesn't like him (Billy). Voiced by Greg Eagles.

Related Topics:
Grim Reaper - Scythe - Jamaican - Neanderthal - Malaria - Valley girl - Greg Eagles

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Harold and Gladys

Billy's mom, Gladys, hates Grim to the point of psychotic obsession — she considers him a threat to her son's safety, an issue she obsesses over. She also gets very twitchy, and often doesn't take her medication. Billy's dad, Harold, strongly resembles his son in physique, personality, and intelligence. He is convinced, wrongly, that his son is a genius, despite evidence to the contrary. Harold also, seemingly wrongly, claims he was a ballet dancer in "Billy Idiot," much to his son's annoyance, but it turns out Harold really could ballet dance, and his skills save Billy's soul. In the episode "Mommie Fiercest," Gladys and Harold were made children again by accident with Grim's scythe. Whilst young Harold continued on as an idiot, Gladys (temporarily renamed "Corn" by Billy) fought with Mandy over control of Billy. They're later seen as adults again (with no memory of the ordeal), possibly by Grim restoring time for them. Their relationship seems to be a romantic and loving one despite their personality differences. Harold and Gladys met when they where 12 years old. Harold is also voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz, and Gladys is voiced by Jennifer Hale.

Related Topics:
Physique - Personality - Intelligence - Ballet - Richard Steven Horvitz - Jennifer Hale

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Milkshakes

Milkshakes is Billy's cat, a rosy-pink feline who frequently is put into unusual situations by the supernatural events that occur in his owner's life. Whether possessed by Grim, mind-controlled by an intelligent parasite, or hanging by its claws from the branches of a tree, Milkshakes shakes it all off with a calm meow. His stoic attitude is at odds with that of his owner.

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Billy's grandmother

Harold's mother and Billy's grandmother. She babysits Billy while he had a creature on his back. She likes to sleep. She is voiced by Florence Stanley.

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Saliva

Saliva is Mandy's dog, although his behavior is closer to that of Billy, in that he appears to have lower-than average intelligence, motor skills, and awareness. Also like Billy, he can exhibit uncharacteristic rage on occasion. His name echoes his propensity for drooling.

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Irwin

Irwin is Billy's sole male friend of his own age, a nerdish character who longs to gain the admiration (and affections) of Mandy (in the episode Scythe for Sale, in a attempt to make Mandy like him, he uses Grim's scythe to hypnotize her and make her his obedient love slave), and aspires to be cool (though he frequently fails in both goals, typically embarrassing himself). Despite his friendship with Billy, he also seems to harbor some subdued hatred or jealousy towards his incompetent friend, possibly due to the attention Billy receives from Mandy, not realizing that they both get the same disrespect from her. Frequently ends sentences with "yo". He is voiced by Vanessa Marshall.

Related Topics:
Love slave - Vanessa Marshall

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Pud'n

A physically weak and easily terrified classmate of Billy and Mandy who is often either the victim, instigator, or both, of some terrible trauma. He also has a subscription to the "Super Mega Dork" magazine (as seen in the episode Substitute Teacher). He is voiced by Jane Carr.

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Sperg

The local bully, often seen tormenting Billy, Irwin, or Pud'n. He is sometimes the focus of gags based on his uncharacteristic love of dancing and "girly" music. He is terrified of Mandy, as seen in Billy and the Bully and Whatever Happened to Billy Whatshisname?. He plays guitar (a heart-shaped guitar, no less) in a band called Purple Filth. He has acne problems (Just the Two of Pus), is a favorite student of Ms. Butterbean's (Substitute Teacher) and is a gifted ice sculptor (Son of Nergal). He is also voiced by Greg Eagles.

Related Topics:
Guitar - Greg Eagles

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Mindy

The iconic "popular girl", obsessed with proving her worth to Mandy, who exhibits little care for the seemingly spoiled child. A popular quote from her is "in case you didn't know, that was sarcasm" after saying something sarcastic. She is voiced by Rachael MacFarlane.

Related Topics:
Popular girl - Spoiled - Rachael MacFarlane

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Jeff

Billy's "son", a giant spider hatched from an egg found in Grim's trunk who came to believe through imprinting that Billy was his father. He is unusually kind and well-mannered, prone to giving gifts and apologizing profusely. His explanation is that he has an abnormally small "mean gland" which was, although temporarily, increased by himself and Mandy. Billy is terrified of Jeff to the point of hatred, though Jeff is either blissfully unaware of this, or so loving that he ignores it. In the episode Jeffy's Web, it is suggested that Jeff is actually female, as he gives birth to hundreds of baby giant spiders. He is voiced by creator Maxwell Atoms, although he somewhat sounds like he is voiced by Wally Wingert.

Related Topics:
Imprinting - Hatred - Maxwell Atoms - Wally Wingert

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Hoss Delgado

Hoss is a Spectral Exterminator, a hunter of paranormal creatures. Modeled after Ash, the protagonist of the famed Evil Dead horror movie trilogy, Hoss possesses only one hand with the other replaced with a mechanical hand that transforms into a fist, cannon, or (much like Ash) a chainsaw, amongst other things. Hoss also greatly resembles (hair, eyepatch and voice) Snake Plissken, the character portrayed by Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A. He first encountered Grim with the intent of exterminating him, believing that Billy and Mandy were being held hostage. After he learned the truth of their relationship, he congratulated the two children and left (apparently to battle a werewolf in Canada). He has since returned on several occasions to both aid and hamper (such as being convinced that a hair-covered Billy was a sasquatch) the citizens of Endsville, occasionally after being summoned for help. In the episode "Guess What's Coming to Dinner?", Hoss fell in love with Eris, but when he tried to take her in, Eris banished Hoss to the "Puppet Dimension." Hoss is voiced by Diedrich Bader.

Related Topics:
Paranormal - Ash - Evil Dead - Snake Plissken - Kurt Russell - John Carpenter - Escape from New York - Escape from L.A. - Banished - Diedrich Bader

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Nergal

Arch-nemesis to Billy, Mandy and Grim, he is a demonic creature who lives in the roasting center of the Earth. He is an all-black supernatural being with green eyes, a green mouth and teeth and green organs. Among his powers are electrified tentacles that sprout from the back of his head, the ability to make objects rise up and break through the Earth's surface, and control over miniature versions of himself called "Nerglings." In an attempt to make friends he has resorted to kidnapping (in Fiend is Like Friend Without the "R"), raising a carnival from the center of the Earth (in Something Stupid This Way Comes), and seducing Billy's aunt (in Love is Evol Spelled Backwards). He ends up marrying Billy's aunt (thus becoming Billy's "Uncle Nergal") and they have a son named Nergal Junior. Nergal is generally considered something of a loser (as seen in The Loser from the Earth's Core) and he often becomes histrionic over his failings. He has been mistaken for Tony Curtis (in Love is Evol Spelled Backwards). Nergal is voiced by Martin Jarvis.

Related Topics:
Earth - Histrionic - Tony Curtis - Martin Jarvis

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Aunt Sis

Billy's mom Gladys' sister who babysits Billy on Valentine's Day. She is a sullen-looking woman with glasses, a large nose and a hairstyle similar to Gladys. She is a spinster (or a "splinter" according to Billy) who has experienced only four-and-a-half minutes of love in her "pathetic, lonely life." According to Billy's mom, Aunt Sis was in love with a John Travolta-like disco dancer named Dolphin Laygron 25 years ago, but he fell in love with another woman and broke Aunt Sis' heart (presumably the "happiest four-and-a-half minutes of her life" was the length of the song to which she and Dolphin danced). Aunt Sis is courted by Nergal (in Love is Evol Spelled Backwards) but resists his charms until Billy drops a beehive in his pants, causing him to leap around like an idiot. Aunt Sis falls for Nergal's bee sting-inspired "dance moves" and they get married. She and Nergal have a son named Nergal Junior. She lives with Nergal and her son in the roasting center of the Earth, apparently without any ill effects from the heat. Aunt Sis is voiced by Grey Delisle.

Related Topics:
Valentine's Day - John Travolta - Disco - Grey Delisle

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Nergal Junior

Nergal's son by Billy's Aunt Sis, and thus Billy's half-demon cousin. He has the power to transform into other people, and most of the time appears in a borrowed form of a small geek (the geek he apparently "took care of" in the episode Son of Nergal). All of Junior's forms are darker in color than originally, and Junior always has green eyes and glasses no matter what form he's in. Junior has also transformed into a dog and a pair of magic pants (in Runaway Pants). He has an apparently horrific, gruesome true form that is never seen on-screen, although it is suggested in Son of Nergal that he has tentacles that sprout from the back of his head much like his father has. His arrival in the series is comically improbable, as he went from egg at the beginning of Son of Nergal to primary school age apparently in days. As an egg, Junior already wore glasses (but had no eyes), and could talk. In Son of Nergal, Mandy defeats Junior's out-of-control body-snatching by ripping the head off Junior's teddy bear (and only friend). The teddy bear was never seen again. Junior also showed his slightly evil tendencies by freezing everyone who was unkind to him in Son of Nergal and by terrorizing Sperg while in the form of Ms. Butterbean in Substitute Teacher. Nergal Junior is voiced by Debi Derryberry.

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General Skarr

A guest star from the Evil Con Carne program and animated shorts that spun off from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. Retired from villainy, he moved into Billy and Mandy's neighborhood in the episode Skarred for Life. He shows a fondness for gardening (and a continued interest in world domination) in the episode Wishbones. He was also a judge in the Little Miss Scurvy contest in the episode My Fair Mandy. Skarr is voiced by Armin Shimerman.

Related Topics:
Evil Con Carne - Gardening - Scurvy - Armin Shimerman

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Eris

Loosely inspired after the matron deity of the Discordianism religion, here portrayed as a vindictive blonde woman. She is a bitter rival to Grim, who delights in causing all kinds of chaos. She possesses the powerful Apple of Discord, a golden apple which can transform into any shape to perpetuate chaos. Her accent and mode of speech is prone to sudden shifts, from a stereotypical valley girl to a refined British woman (probably a reference to Madonna, known for her coquettishness and periodically reinventing herself). Eris is even drawn with a similar gap in her front teeth in her second appearance. Eris is also voiced by Rachael MacFarlane.

Related Topics:
Discordianism - Religion - Blonde - Woman - Apple of Discord - Apple - Accent - Valley girl - British - Madonna - Teeth - Rachael MacFarlane

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Nigel Planter

A spoof of Harry Potter, Nigel is a boy with glasses and an "L"-shaped scar on his forehead. He's a whiny, overconfident young wizard from Weaselthorpe House at Toadblatt's School of Sorcery. He was soundly beaten by a giant one-eyed dwarf after taking the credit for Mandy's acts of sabotage against Gunderstank House, a rival dormitory, in the episode Toadblatt's School of Sorcery. He was menaced by "Lord Moldybutt" in Nigel Planter and the Chamber Pot of Secrets, but was able to avoid his impending demise with Billy and Mandy's help. In the episode One Crazy Summoner, puberty hits Nigel and he develops a crush on "Herfeffenie Pfefferfeffer," the most beautiful witch at Toadblatt's. His love only backfires when he tries to use a love potion and enchanted chocolates on her. Herfeffenie (a spoof of Harry Potter's Hermione Granger) was soon stolen by "Dorko Malfly" (a spoof of Draco Malfoy). Although on fairly friendly terms with Billy, he is not at all liked by Mandy, who has little patience for his attention-grabbing, constant whining and failed attempts to hit on her. He also has an antagonistic relationship with Dean Toadblatt, who probably would like to see him expelled. Nigel is voiced by Jake Thomas.

Related Topics:
Harry Potter - Wizard - Puberty - Hermione Granger - Draco Malfoy - Jake Thomas

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Irwin's parents

Referred to usually as "Irwin's Mom" and "Irwin's Dad." While Irwin's father is a normal middle-aged man once referred to by the name Dick, Irwin's mother is a mummy. She lives in a sarcophagus in the basement of Irwin's house, which for unexplained reasons looks like an Egyptian tomb. Their marriage is based on love (similar to Billy's own parents, Harold and Gladys), and the many improbable facets of their relationship and having kids are explained by Irwin's father as "questions which don't need to be answered." Irwin's father is voiced by Phil LaMarr and Irwin's mother is voiced (or groaned and mumbled, to be exact) by Vanessa Marshall.

Related Topics:
Mummy - Love - Phil LaMarr - Vanessa Marshall

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Godfather Planter

Nigel Planter's godfather. He is voiced by Alex Rocco.

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Mandy's Parents

Mandy's mother and father. Mandy's mother is also voiced by Vanessa Marshall and Mandy's father is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.

Related Topics:
Vanessa Marshall - Dee Bradley Baker

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Irwin's grandmother

Irwin's grandmother is Dick's mother. She appeared in the episode Duck!

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Ms. Butterbean

Billy and Mandy's teacher. A teacher who exhibits the kind of personality that says she's only teaching to get her paycheck. She is voiced by Renee Raudman.

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Principal Goodvibes

The principal of Billy and Mandy's school. His name was legally changed to Goodvibes. He is voiced by Chris Cox.

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Raven Ravencroft

A hostile bird who appears to have been assigned the host of two episodes, "Tricycle of Terror" and "My Fair Mandy." He wears a fez, a bathrobe, and carries a pipe (in "Tricycle of Terror") or a golden, jewel-encrusted goblet (in "My Fair Mandy"). Typically he sits by a fire in a library room decked out in Edwardian fashion, and comments on the episode at hand. He sometimes shouts out his dialogue at random moments with no expression on his face. Example: "...And what became of Grim and Mandy, you ask? Oh, who cares, they bore the snot out of me. THE, END!!!!!!!!!!!! " or maybe even, "Will Mandy win the pageant? Will she ever smile? I don't care. Instead, here's an important commercial message. IMPORTANT, COMMERCIAL, MESSAGE!!!!!! ." During these outbursts of screaming, the Raven is given an emphatic close-up. The Raven apprears to be a spoof of Poe's poem.

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Piff

Billy's "new friend" in the episode Crushed. He is a ponytailed half-Goth, half-beatnik kid who wears all-black clothes, stylish sunglasses, a jaunty beret and a distinctive "HATE" belt buckle. He is silent through most of the episode, expressing himself only through his imperious attitude, the occasional raised eyebrow and how he applies his saliva to the situation (i.e. spitting or drooling). Mandy develops a debilitating crush on him. His real name is never revealed; "Piff" is the name given to him by Billy when Irwin points out that they have to call him something. Piff is voiced by Maxwell Atoms.

Related Topics:
Goth - Beatnik - Beret - Maxwell Atoms

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Granny Grim

Grim's grandmother (a skeleton with dreadlocks) who has a knack for concocting potions and remedies for various ailments. Her recipes include a stomachache remedy using "Screaming Mimis," Granny's Heebee-Jeebee Juice, and a love potion. In the episode Billy's Growth Spurt, Billy takes her stomach remedy which is supposed to expel toxins, but which ends up creating a parasitic mini-Billy named Yop Yop. Yop Yop melts when he drinks Heebee-Jeebee Juice, Granny Grim's antidote to her remedy. In the episode One Crazy Summoner, Nigel Planter twice summons Granny Grim, once to get her love potion and once to get her enchanted chocolates, in an attempt to win the heart of Herfeffine Pfefferfeffer. Granny Grim's potions never quite work the way they should, but Grim still turns to her for help occasionally. Granny Grim is voiced by Dawnn Lewis.

Related Topics:
Dreadlocks - Potions - Toxins - Parasitic - Antidote - Dawnn Lewis

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