Mr. Skullhead

Mr. Skullhead

Mr. Skullhead is a character from the animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. He originated on Tiny Toons when the character Elmyra Duff removed the tiny skull in the center of the hairbow she wears and imagined he had a show and created his theme song. Later he made the transition to Animaniacs where he was a minor character, featured in the "Good Idea/Bad Idea" segments and starred in one full-length cartoon, "Skullhead Boneyhands," a parody of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands. Skullhead never spoke, and usually fell victim to some sort of catastrophe.

Skullhead appears as an over-simplified skeleton (his head being a simple oval) wearing a blue suit with matching derby hat. He seems incapable of speech. His intro for his theme song ends with him being smashed, his own bones spelling out the title.

"Good Idea/Bad Idea" from Animaniacs

Each "Good Idea/Bad Idea" was generally a 30-second segment between cartoons. In the segment a narrator (Tom Bodett) describes a "good idea" which was usually some mundane but enjoyable activity which Mr. Skullhead would then perform. The narrator would describe a "bad idea" which was the same task except with one crucial detail changed. Mr. Skullhead would then perform the variation on the first activity which usually resulted in him now injuring himself.

Show	Good Idea	Bad Idea
17	Playing the piccolo in a marching band.	Playing the piano in a marching band.
17	Feeding stray kittens in the park.	Feeding stray kittens in the park to a bear.
24	Stopping to smell the roses.	Stopping to feel the roses.
28	Taking a deep breath before jumping into a swimming pool.	Taking a deep breath after jumping into a swimming pool.
28	Going alpine skiing in the winter.	Going alpine skiing in the summer.
28	Kissing a loved one.	Kissing a total stranger.
28	Doing your own yard work.	Doing your own dental work.
30	Dressing up for Halloween as a pirate.	Dressing up for Halloween as a piñata.
39	Picking up litter.	Picking up kitty litter.
39	Playing the accordion at a polka festival.	Playing the accordion anywhere else.
41	Having breakfast served to you in bed.	Having tennis balls served to you in bed.
41	Whistling while you work.	Whistling while you eat.
48	Drinking fresh milk from the carton.	Drinking fresh milk from the cow.
50	Singing Christmas carols to your neighbors.	Singing Christmas carols to your neighbors on the Fourth of July.
50	Finding Easter eggs on Easter morning.	Finding Easter eggs on Christmas morning.
57	Visiting the circus.	Having the circus visit you.
62	Going trick-or-treating on Halloween.	Going trick-or-treating on St. Patrick's Day.
67	Giving a small child a balloon.	Giving a small child a bunch of balloons(child floats away).
67	Taking up a new hobby like bird calling.	Taking up a new hobby like buffalo calling.
67	Ordering a chili dog to go.	Ordering a chili dog that makes you go.
67	Visiting picturesque McLean, Virginia.	Visiting picturesque McLean Stevenson.
69	Tossing a penny into a fountain to make a wish.	Tossing your cousin Penny into a fountain to make a wish.
69	Giving your dog a bath.	Having your dog dry-cleaned.
69	Playing horsey with your little sister.	Playing horsey with your Aunt Bertha.
69	Throwing a surprise party for your father.	Throwing a surprise party for your grandfather.
69	Playing cops'n'robbers in the park.	Playing cops'n'robbers in the bank.
69	Playing catch with your grandfather.	Playing catch WITH your grandfather.
69	Playing the scales on a piano.	Playing the scales on a fish.
73	Buying a pair of shoes on sale.	Buying a parachute on sale.
73	Climbing a mountain.	Climbing a mountain lion.

The GIBI was reprised in two issues of the Animaniacs comic book: the special Christmas edition released a few months before the series proper, and another one late in the series' run. These often featured characters other than Skullhead, like the Warners or Slappy.

Mr. Skullhead occasionally appeared elsewhere on Animaniacs such as in the cartoon short about Shakespeare's Hamlet entitled "Animaniacs on Hamlet".