How Teddy Bears Have Been An Integral Part Of Movies And Not Just An Accessory

Teddy bears have been used in movies since time immemorial. Some of these characters, let’s not call them props, make very brief appearances, while others play key roles in the tale. In any case, they've made the transition from the ambiguity of the toy shop shelf to the eternity of cinema, playing the roles of confidant, booby trap, and even surveillance vessels at times. Remember these teddy bear stars the next time you snuggle up with a childhood pal, who work hard to prove they're more than just fluff.

As the month of February begins, people from all over the world start celebrating the Valentine’s Week. Today, as everyone celebrated Teddy Day, here’s taking a look at some of the most popular character of teddy bears in movies.

Ted in ‘Ted’ and ‘Ted 2’

‘Ted, a raunchy raunchfest in which the writer/director portrays the fuzzy, f-bomb-dropping title character, was funny. Ted is the screen's most mischievous plush buddy and a longtime friend and enabler of Mark Wahlberg's man-boy.

Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear in ‘Toy Story 3’

Don't be fooled by her kind demeanour or her rosy, pristine look. Lots-O'-Huggin Bear, voiced by Ned Beatty with a growly twang, is a fearsome, issue-laden monster whose anguish of being jilted by a previous owner fuels a desire to make life miserable for nice toys worldwide. Lots-O', with his squeeze-your-cares-away grin but two faces, puts a damper on Buzz and company's aspirations in this love-showered threequel, standing as a sorrowful metaphor of toy expansion gone astray.

Lancelot in ‘Labyrinth’

From the forced position of surrogate mother to impoverished, abducted Toby to the obvious pull of David Bowie's spandex-wrapped bulge, Jim Henson's Labyrinth is as much about young Sarah's (Jennifer Connelly) march to adulthood as it is about her journey to Bowie's androgynous Goblin King's palace. Her large collection of toys, none of which matters more than Lancelot, the blonde bear that Toby accidentally took, is the most powerful sign of her persistent immaturity. The deed is enough to make Sarah desire for the baby's kidnapping, which appears to be a touch excessive given what follows.

Jonah’s Teddy Bear in ‘Sleepless In Seattle’

Sleepless in Seattle, directed and co-written by Nora Ephron, a woman we all recently sadly said farewell to, was the mother of three-hanky, girls-night films, and its ending contains a teddy bear as important as Rose Dewitt Bukater's beautiful diamond. Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) discovers the backpack of Sam Baldwin's (Tom Hanks) son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), holding a teddy bear, which sparks the dialogue when Sam and Jonah arrive to the World Trade Center's observation deck. The bear serves as a comfort object that brings a family together for the first time.

Paddington Bear in ‘Paddington’

The film adaptation of Paddington Bear isn't due out until 2014, but the character has been outperforming his contemporaries since Michael Bond's A Bear Called Paddington was released in 1958. Based on a similar bear Bond observed on Christmas Eve in a London toy store near Paddington Station, the lifelike creature has enthralled children all around the world. Paddington is an immigrant who arrived in London after coming from Peru. This bear, civilised and courteous, couldn't be bothered to stick his paw in a jar of honey. Thank you very nicely, he'll enjoy marmalade sandwiches.