Jeremy Hillary Boob

Jeremy Hillary Boob Ph.D. is a fictional character in the animated movie Yellow Submarine (1968). He was voiced by Dick Emery.

The Beatles, on their way to save Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, encounter Jeremy, a strange, gopher-like little brown-furred man with a blue face, pink ears and a fluffy, rabbit-like tail. He has an extremely eccentric and flamboyant manner. He lives in the Sea of Nothing, a.k.a. Nowhere Land, speaks mostly in rhyme and describes himself as an "eminent physicist, polyglot classicist, prize-winning botanist, hard-biting satirist, talented pianist, good dentist too". Jeremy also owns a mysterious purple and green object that can turn from a typewriter to a tree, to an easel, a piano, and numerous other things. He spends the vast majority of his time frenetically creating art, using the various transformations of the object. He is seen carving stone, editing a nearly finished book, composing piano music, and painting in rapid succession.

The band realises one of their songs sums Jeremy up well and they sing "Nowhere Man" about him as he cavorts with their magic. However, as they prepare to leave, Jeremy realizes how literally empty and lonely his life is and becomes inconsolable. Feeling sorry for him, Ringo Starr offers to take him with them and he gratefully accepts.

Later, the Submarine breaks down, and Jeremy helps fix one of the propellers. This makes the Submarine almost too efficient, and it speeds off without them. Jeremy is later kidnapped by the Blue Meanies in the Sea of Holes, and is eventually found in Pepperland, hanging by the leg to the branch of a tree. When Ringo cuts him down, he then helps The Beatles to defeat the Meanies by covering the Chief Blue Meanie with flowers, thereby proving that a Nobody can in fact, be somebody.

Creation

Jeremy Hillary Boob was intended as a parody of public intellectuals and polymaths, most notably theatrical director and doctor, Jonathan Miller, whom story writer Lee Minoff had previously worked with.^[1] He is also alleged to have been inspired by Cambridge poet J.H. Prynne.^[2]

Quotes

"Ad hoc, ad loc and quid pro quo.

So little time — so much to know!"

George Harrison: Do you speak English?

Jeremy: Old English, Middle, a dialect pure ...

Paul McCartney: Well, do you speak English?

Jeremy: You know, I'm not sure!

Ringo: He's so smart he doesn't even remember what he knows.

Paul: Hey, fellers, look!

Jeremy: [Writing with his toes] The footnotes for my nineteenth book. This is my standard procedure for doing it. And while I compose it, I'm also reviewing it!

Jeremy: If I spoke prose you'd all find out

I don't know what I talk about.

Ringo: Jeremy! Can it be you?

Jeremy: Can it be me? I think you'd better inquire of the guard,

For when I was captured, they took all my cards.

(When preparing to fight the Chief Blue Meanie) "Where ground is soft, most often grows/Arise, arise, arouse, arose! A... a rosy nose?"

(While rejoicing with the redeemed Chief Blue Meanie and Max) YES! Ah "yes" is a word with a glorious ring! A true universal euphonious thing! Engenders! Embracing! And chasing of blues! The very best word for the whole world to use!!

References

1. Hieronimus, Robert (2001). Inside the Yellow Submarine. ISBN 0-87349-360-5.
2. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/article/241414