Abbreviations
for fiction titles:
AFTR = A Fair to Remember (1938) (see TaleSpin
Fiction Page)
Big Al (Alphonse) McGuire
Appears in:
AFTR
Species: Bear
Nicknames: Alphonse, Samson (derisively, by Joanna)
Age: (mid-30's)
Appearance: Big, brown, rough-looking, overweight (not obese);
broken nose, knife scar on chest
Birthday: December 3 (Sagittarius)
Favorite Color: Blue, green
Likes: Girl-watching (especially cat-fights), taking credit for good
deeds, and beer
Dislikes: Talkative people, women who get out of control (to him,
that's a stimulating cat-fight that escalates into a brawl...not feminine).
Oh, and don't call him Alphonse --- he hates that.
Strengths: Physically strong, honest, and a hard worker.
Unexpectedly chivalrous sometimes; he loved his mother and couldn't bear to
watch her cower before his father's fists. He's a chauvinist, but won't
hesitate to toss a jerk through a window, even if it's closed. Might
be a good guy somewhere beneath the bluster.
Weaknesses: Female tears ("A girl cries, you gotta do something
about it.") And shapely legs.
Goals: To get a hot date for Saturday night and sneak out of the
vicinity before the sun comes up. ;)
Hobbies: Playing poker, gambling, building, esp. woodwork
Marital Status: Confirmed bachelor (taste in women runs to the flashy
type)
Dream Voice: John Goodman
Childhood
Big Al has never had it easy.
Young Alphonse McGuire, was an only child and an easy target for bullies --- at
home and school --- he watched helplessly as his volatile father beat his gentle
mother into a whispering shadow. At school, the husky boy was
subjected to taunts by his classmates until at thirteen, he learned to use his
size to intimidate them. A brief period of juvenile delinquency followed,
marked by taking a dare to steal from Mr. Hooper's store. His
friends deserted him when he was caught and banned from the store. knowing
the truth would get beaten out of her. But when Mr. Hooper told his
father, the boy returned to school with his arm in a cast. Everyone is
town, including the sheriff, was too afraid of the town bully to protect either
Alphonse or his mother, so life grimly marched on for the boy, who grew bigger
and angrier with each passing year.
But by fifteen, Alphonse --- now 'Al' --- has grown much taller than his father
and become dangerously strong. When he came home from school one day and
found his father savagely beating his mother for shrinking a favorite shirt in
the wash , something in him snapped. Almost blind with repressed rage, the
young man threatened to kill him unless he left and never returned. His
mother took in sewing to make ends meet. Al had to quit school at
fifteen to take care of his mother after his father cleaned out their bank
account and disappeared. No intellectual, but definitely not an idiot
either. Fiercely protective of her, With only a grade 9 education and street
smarts, he lied about his age and went to work on the docks, where his bulk and
strength earned him the nickname 'Big Al'. It wasn't easy, but they
managed to pay the bills and enjoy a few years of peace until she died of
pneumonia when he was twenty. He never got over the death of his
mother, and still feels guilty that he wasn't able to protect her from a life of
poverty and violence.
Adulthood
Alone, without the responsibility of
looking after an ailing mother, Big Al spent more time in taverns with rough
companions. Hard-working, but never terribly ambitious, he preferred
poker and pool after a hard day loading cargo on the docks.
Occupations
Besides being a dock worker, Big Al has
been an auctioneer, a bodyguard, a bouncer, and a bingo caller, to name a few.
In AFTR, he becomes a barker for Haley's Carnival. In his spare time, he
learns carpentry from his friend Handy.
In 1938, (when AFTR takes place), he's in his mid-30's, several pounds
heavier and cynical. Embittered by the absence of willing girlfriends, he
is now less than charming. Obnoxious and gruff, as well as chauvinistic,
he doesn't bother to remember people's names and barely tolerates kids. He
has a sarcastic sense of humor, which doesn't always endear him to others.
Actually, he doesn't mean anything by it --- it's just his way of coping with
the curveballs life throws at him.
Personality
Despite all this, he’s actually a fairly mild-mannered guy.
His rough side tends to surface when he or someone he cares about is
threatened. I think he may
have tried the bully route when he was hanging around with those bad kids at
thirteen (shoplifting, etc.), but he doesn’t take pleasure in hurting anyone,
unlike Joanna. He just doesn’t
have a taste for it, after living with an abusive father.
Relationships with Other Characters
After a rough beginning, he sees past
carnival boss Helen's sweet absentmindedness and grows to genuinely like and
respect her. In some ways she reminds him of his mother. Her
son Strummer he tolerates with amusement (thinks Strummer's crush on Joanna is
hilarious). At first, Handy is kind of father-mentor, as well as the
source of interesting information about the other carnies. When he
first meets Joanna, he is immediately attracted to her, but that doesn't last
long when he gets to know her. Then it's something else.
Comments
by Others
That big brute is
'Alphonse'? He looks like a fugitive from a James Gagme movie. All
he needs is a trench coat and a pair of brass knuckles. (sic) A
professional big mouth
-- Joanna's first thoughts upon hearing that he used to be an auctioneer and
bingo caller. --Joanna, AFTR, Chapter 1
“What about the big fellow, Al? He's not bad looking, if you like big
lugs. But he should smile, for goodness sake. And lose some
pounds." -- Violet, AFTR, Chapter 2
"Huh. He reminds me of a thug. Did you notice the size of his
hands? I bet he could break Fancy Pants Lance in two with those meat hooks
of his." -- Joanna, AFTR, Chapter 2
About his rudeness:
"That's his way, I suppose. I suspects that he don't like females
much. Let it be, luv. He's a good worker, even if he ain't too
friendly." --Helen to Violet in AFTR, Chapter 3
About his chivalry:
"Take Big Al for example. Ye thought nothin' of kickin' and knockin'
him over. I'd say he was a gentleman about it, considerin'. Another
man his size woulda sent ye to the hospital... or the morgue." -- Helen
warns Joanna not to push him too far. AFTR, Chapter 7
Joanna gets stuck under his bed.
Now I know what a bug feels like when it's being stepped on. --Joanna,
AFTR, Chapter 8
When Rebecca wonders aloud if anyone owns a pair of binoculars:
I'll bet Alphonse does. --Joanna's thoughts, AFTR, Chapter 11
Best Lines
Big Al and Joanna are at
it again...
BA: "With a mouth like that, I'm surprised you've got any teeth
left."
J: "Sharks' teeth always grow back."
Big
Al's motto:
"A girl cries, you gotta do something about it."
Will:
I like this part that shows that beneath the tough guy routine he has a moral
honor code on how to act and treat women. It’s
a very glimpse into how Big Al really is.
Gidget: (nods) Yes.
This line is the key to his real self.
He’s never forgotten how his mother had suffered, and can’t stand to
see any woman in distress.
Love
Life
Burly, and ruggedly handsome
--- despite a tendency to make a lousy first impression --- he enjoyed the
perks of several willing women (one at a time, though!), but never allowing it
to go past a brief period of time. Deeply cynical about marriage, he often
sabotaged any potential relationship, perhaps subconsciously fearing that
history might repeat itself, despite the fact that he has never struck a woman
in his life. He, however, has been slapped, bopped on the head with
umbrellas, pocketbooks and splashed with many glasses of wine. Despite his
boorishness, Big Al really likes women... he just doesn't know how to talk
to them. Once, when he was twenty-five, one woman came close to
piercing his armor, but it wasn't meant to be. Rough around the edges he
may be, but he has a certain rough chivalry toward the fair sex. No matter
now many blows he receives (by purse, umbrella or otherwise), he won't hit a
woman back. He still doesn't trust himself, however...
Design Notes
Size:
Big Al’s height is six heads in proportion. He's be 6'3".
Face:
Strong, rounded but no double chin.
His eyes are set rather close together on either side of his nose, his
snout is large and his nose dips down a bit (it had been broken a couple of
times).
Eyes:
Heavy-lidded, deep-set and dark gray.
Suspicious-looking.
Eyebrows:
Black
and bushy, set closely above eyes.
Teeth:
Small and pointed, but rarely shown.
He rarely smiles, but when he does, his eyes crinkle.
Has a deep, raucous laugh.
Body:
Big, overweight without being obese. Barrel-chested, with meaty, muscular arms (He works hard, so he
ain’t flabby).
Markings:
Medium brown, with beige muzzle, neck and belly, palms and
bottoms of feet. He has a long pink
scar along his chest (from knife fight in bar).
He looks like a mean Baloo.
Hair:
His ‘hair’ is just a tuft of fur with three points, plus two below
each ear. Should be
disheveled.
Hands
and Feet:
His hands and feet are large, and powerful.
The pads of his hands and feet are beige.
Clothing:
Hunter green shirt, sleeves rolled down to his elbows, as if
he’s about to fix the sink. Sloppy
blue pants with low crotch (to conform with his ‘bearness’.
Doesn’t wear shoes.
September 2004