Wallace and Gromit is a British clay animation comedy series created by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. The series consists of four short films and a feature-length film. The series centres on Wallace, a good-natured, eccentric, cheese-loving inventor, along with his companion Gromit, a silent yet loyal and intelligent anthropomorphic dog. Wallace was originally voiced by veteran actor Peter Sallis, but as of 2011, this role has been passed on to Ben Whitehead. Gromit remains silent, communicating only through means of facial expressions and body language.
Because of their widespread popularity, the characters have been described as positive international icons of both modern British culture and British people in general. BBC News called them "some of the best-known and best-loved stars to come out of the UK".[1] Icons has said they have done "more to improve the image of the English world-wide than any officially appointed ambassadors".[2] The films have received critical acclaim, with three of the short films, A Grand Day Out (1989), The Wrong Trousers (1993) and A Close Shave (1995), having 100% positive ratings on the aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes; the feature film, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), gained a 95% rating. The feature film is also the second highest-grossing stop motion animated film ever, only behind Chicken Run, another Nick Park creation.[3]
Wallace and Gromit spearhead the fundraising for two children's charities, Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation, which supports children's hospices and hospitals in the United Kingdom, and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity.