Handlebar is a male Rigellian and the owner of the Trading Post, a hub of the community which serves the function of a general store, hotel and saloon/bar in Fort Kerium on New Texas.
A former space pirate, Handlebar is ashamed of his criminal past, when he was known as Cooky Blix-a-Nix. He surrendered on Pagan's Planet and served two years for piracy. He is now completely a reformed character and legitimate businessman with pride in his establishment. His strength and intimidating presence tend to keep patrons in line.
Handlebar provides useful information gleaned from local gossip in the saloon to law officers Marshal BraveStarr, Thirty/Thirty and Deputy Fuzz, and even on occasion joins their posse when extra strength is needed.
Character Background[]
Handlebar was a hulking, 14-ton, green-skinned bartender with a bright orange handlebar moustache and a Brooklyn accent. And he was also known as hard-working, aspiring, no-nonsense, dignified, level-headed, educated, bold, altruistic, rational, humble, accountable, nurturing, dependable, lion-hearted, efficient, benevolent, affectionate and respectful.
History[]
Rampage
He was formerly known as "Cooky Blix-a-Nix" a space pirate from the Rigel star system. After serving 2 years in prison, Nix moved to New Texas to start over with a nice, honest life. On one occasion he nearly betrayed BraveStarr after being blackmailed by his old crew who threatened to tell everyone about him being a pirate. But Handlebar's personal ethics stopped himself from doing so. He run a Trading Post and Bar, in the town square of Fort Kerium as a meeting place.
He mostly serves BraveStarr and Thirty/Thirty a popular drink called sweetwater in his bar, as they sit and discuss the moral lesson learned in that day's episode although he does engage in a fight with a mechanical steer named Rampage in one episode and wins. If faced with trouble in his bar he uses the serving trays as throwing weapons with pinpoint accuracy and considerable power.
Species[]
Some background to his race, the Rigelians is given in the episode Sherlock Holmes in the 23rd Century - Part 1, in which we meet another Rigelian, Dr. Wt'sn, who looks quite similar to Handlebar and a Rigelian criminal who appears another episode. Rigel is described by Sherlock Holmes as "A large planet, with high gravity. A hot, intensely bright sun, a thick soupy atmosphere and a strong, handsome native population."
Toy Bio[]
One notable difference between Handlebar's toy and cartoon model is that the toy has a bio-mechanical looking hand, whereas the animation model seems all organic.
Behind the Scenes[]
Handlebar was voiced by Alan Oppenheimer.
Appearances[]
- Episode 02: Memories (cameo) (none speaking role)
- Episode 03: The Day the Town was Taken
- Episode 04: Brother's Keeper
- Episode 05: Kerium Fever - Handlebar offered Fred a free glass of Sweetwater when the Prospector could not afford one of his own. However, Handlebar disapproved when the human prospectors began name-calling the native Prairie-People. Later Handlebar talked about social unrest with Old Timer and was persuaded to spill the beans about BraveStarr and Judge J.B.'s relationship. He was unaware that one of Tex Hex' Spy-Flies was eavesdropping on them, but the bartender did grow annoyed by the constant buzzing noises the little machine made, and swatted it.
- Episode 06: The Taking of Thistledown 123
- Episode 09: BraveStarr and the Law (mentioned only)
- Episode 10: Eye of the Beholder - Handlebar got Ally Kingston's baggage for her and loaded on Molly's Stratocoach.
- Episode 11: Eyewitness
- Episode 13: BraveStarr and the Medallion
- Episode 16: Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here
- Episode 21: The Vigilantes
- Episode 24: The Good, the Bad and the Clumsy (moral only) (none speaking role)
- Episode 29: Hostage (mentioned only)
- Episode 30: Runaway Planet (mentioned only)
- Episode 35: Fallen Idol
- Episode 36: Nomad is an Island (cameo) (none speaking role) - Handlebar was present when BraveStarr activated the defence-mode of Fort Kerium.
- Episode 37: Night of the Bronco-Tank
- Episode 38: Buddy
- Episode 39: Handlebar and Rampage
- Episode 44: Tex's Terrible Night
- Episode 47: The Price (cameo) (None speaking role) - Handlebar was among the mourners when the lifeless body of Jay Olman was taken away.
- Episode 53: The Bounty Hunter
- Episode 54: Shake Hands with Long Arm John - Handlebar had been neglecting to fix a loose board in the floor at the Trading Post, which gave Fuzz an idea to trap Dingo Dan. Handlebar cooperated in Fuzz's scheme by serving both him and Dingo Dan Sweetwater.
- Episode 57: The Ballad of Sara Jane(cameo) (none speaking role) - witnessed the explosion in Scrap Valley from inside Fort Kerium.
- Episode 58: The Little Lie that Grew
- Episode 61: Legend of a Pretty Lady
- Episode 63: The Blockade
- Episode 64: Thirty/Thirty Goes Camping (mentioned only)
- Episode 65: Strength of the Bear - Handlebar followed Thirty/Thirty into the Badlands riding a Turbo-Mule to help Bravestarr.