Public Domain Super Heroes
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Button-Bright
Button-Bright

Real Name

Saladin Paracelsus de Lambertine Evagne von Smith

First Appearance

The Road to Oz (1909)

Original Publisher

Reilly & Britton

Created by

L. Frank Baum

Origin[]

While he was lost, Button-Bright was discovered by Dorothy Gale and the Shaggy Man sitting along the side of a road digging a hole. He accompanied them to Foxville where King Dox was so impressed with his curious nature that the king transformed the boy's head to that of a fox. When they arrived in the Land of Oz, Button-Bright bathed in the Truth Pond and regained his own head. The party traveled to the Emerald City where they attended Princess Ozma of Oz's birthday celebration. Afterward, Button-Bright traveled home in a soap bubble created by the Wizard of Oz.

Several years later, when Button-Bright was older, he grew restless during an extended period of rain in Philadelphia. He found an umbrella in the attic and on the way to his Uncle Bob's house he discovered it had the magical ability to carry him anywhere he wished. He traveled to Buffalo, Chicago, Denver, and finally California where he met Trot and Cap'n Bill. They took a picnic trip with the umbrella and found themselves on Sky Island where they were captured by the Boolooroo, who took the Magic Umbrella and made Button-Bright his Royal Bootblue.

The companions escaped through the Fog Bank and into the Pink Country, where Button-Bright was reunited with Polychrome, who made Trot the Queen of Pink Country. Trot formed an army and marched back through the fog bank to get their umbrella back. When Trot conquered the Blue skins, she became Queen of all Sky Island. The party returned home, and Button-Bright went home to Philadelphia. His father locked up the magic umbrella, so he could no longer travel; but he wrote to Trot nonetheless.

Button Bright lost his magic umbrella, and found himself in the Land of Mo where he was caught in a popcorn blizzard. The Bumpy Man found him and he was reunited with Trot and Cap'n Bill and met their new friend the Ork. He traveled with them on several adventures, eventually finding themselves in Jinxland, a small country in the Land of Oz. They finally made their way to the Land of Oz proper, and Ozma invited him to stay.

Appearance and Demeanor[]

When he first met Dorothy Gale, Button-Bright was a very young boy. He wore a sailor suit and had curly hair, a round, chubby face and big, blue eyes. He answered most questions with "Don't know." His father said he was "bright as a button", so his mother called him Button-Bright (The Scarecrow later hypothesized that the button they had in mind might have been covered with dull cloth).

By the time Button-Bright met Trot and Cap'n Bill, he was a little older (though still younger than Trot), thin with a rather pale complexion. His blue eyes were round and earnest. He wore rich and expensive clothes: a blouse waist, a short jacket, and knickerbockers with fine silk stockings and tan shoes.

Button-Bright is always quiet and composed. Nothing is ever able to astonish him. He is never rude, but cheerful and brave and willing to do whatever is asked.

Public Domain Appearances[]

  • The Road to Oz
  • Sky Island
  • The Scarecrow of Oz
  • The Lost Princess of Oz
  • The Magic of Oz
  • Glinda of Oz

Notes[]

  • While the original character who appeared in Oz books published before 1928 is in public domain, the version of the character used by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, or post-1928 Oz books are NOT in the public domain.

See Also[]

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