Old Fred

Old Fred (addressed as Young Fred by the superannuated Lord Mayor of Pepperland) is one of the protagonists in Yellow Submarine. He is voiced by Lance Percival.

Personality[]

Despite his apparent age and occasional incoherencies, Old Fred is competent and capable, proven when he faithfully and successfully completes his task to find help to save Pepperland- namely The Beatles.

Appearance[]

Old Fred wears a blue naval uniform with a double-breasted tailcoat and three golden braids on each sleeve, a matching peaked cap, with white pants and brown knee-high boots. The rank on his coat sleeves is that of a commander, though the insignia more closely resembles American rather than British naval rank. Even after his promotion to Lord Admiral, his insignia remains the same.

He has reddish-pink skin, short white hair with a white beard and moustache. He is also very tall, easily over 6 foot (comparing his height to the individual heights of the four Beatles).

Storyline[]

In Search of Help[]

When the Blue Meanies attack and occupy Pepperland, a distressed Old Fred is the one who runs to warn Lord Mayor, who first ignores his pleading, but when he himself sees the Meanies approaching, the two run to a monument, at the top of which is a yellow submarine that their "four-fathers and four-mothers" arrived in before settling Pepperland. The Mayor appoints Old Fred to be Lord Admiral of the submarine and dispatches him to go and find help. Old Fred makes it aboard and narrowly escapes, leaving the Mayor behind to be bonked while he continued playing his cello.

Old Fred travels to Liverpool, where he begs Ringo for help. His words are completely intelligible, with him just repeating "music," "mayor," "submarine," "'splosions," and "Blue Meanies." Unfazed but touched by Old Fred's situation, Ringo takes Old Fred to gather his friends- John, George and Paul. They accompany Old Fred back to Pepperland, despite his cautions that "There'll be rough seas ahead," and "Pounding, overwhelming waves."

Sea of Monsters[]

Ringo briefly takes over the helm as they enter the Sea of Monsters, but when Old Fred warns Ringo not to press a particular button- the panic button, Ringo presses it anyway and is immediately ejected into the sea but is soon rescued.

Foothills of the Headlands[]

Soon after Jeremy joins them aboard the submarine, one of the propellers comes loose and the submarine has to stop again. Jeremy helps to repair the problem but he fixes it so well that the submarine starts flying on its own, with Old Fred being unable to stop it. His next appearance is just moments after the Beatles transport to Pepperland through the Sea of Green.

Pepperland[]

Old Fred arrives back in Pepperland just moments after The Beatles arrive via. the Sea of Holes. His task successfully completed, he is only seen again dancing with Lord Mayor as The Beatles defeat the Blue Meanies with their music.