| “ | Buck LaFarge, Animal Security. How's it hangin'? | „ |
| ~ Buck LaFarge |
Buck LaFarge is a major antagonist in the 1996 film Dunston Checks In.
He was an animal control officer whose theories and antics made Robert Grant think of him as a nutcase, but Mrs. Dubrow admired his style of determination to solve the problem because in her opinion, obsessive people got things done.
He was portrayed by the late Paul Reubens, who also played Amilyn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lock in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Reuben in Chowder, Ivor in Minecraft: Story Mode, Professor Parenthesis in Phineas & Ferb and Willard Wyler in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.
History[]
It is revealed that Buck had been in the Animal Control business for quite sometime. He tells Robert and Mrs. Dubrow that he had once seen a turtle under the sewers in 1967 that looked like "a Volkswagen with a tail" making him uncomfortable to use any toilet facilities since.
Role[]
After an orangutan named Dunston was disrupting the Majestic Hotel, he was called in to sort out the problem.
He was shown in to Robert's office where he asked him to pick out what creature was causing all the trouble.
When it was revealed to him, LaFarge points out the subject as "Pongo Pygmeaus" (Orangutan).
LaFarge makes a theory that Dunston may of gotten into the hotel by coming from the sewers. Robert sees it as absurd, but LaFarge berates him saying he's never seen what the sewers are capable of, referring to the incident with the turtle years ago.
He pulls out a shotgun and arms it with a tranquilizer dart that could knock a human out for 18 hours, but would kill the orangutan. He heads for the greenhouse to find Dunston. But Robert's son Kyle who had arrived during their discussion and had overheard what LaFarge had said, arrives there first.
LaFarge enters the greenhouse, looking through the underbrush while Dunston and Kyle keep as quiet as they can. He suddenly goes to their hiding place but finds he can't fire the shotgun. LaFarge then sees that Dunston is hanging from its barrel. While exchanging monkey talk with LaFarge telling him to get off, Kyle sneaks below him and ties his bootlaces together.
After Dunston finally lets go of the shotgun, LaFarge trips and falls over backwards, landing on his back which causes the weapon to fire, shooting out one of the greenhouse windows instead.
Dunston manages to escape, but LaFarge refuses to give up. Robert berates him for making the disturbance and Mrs. Dubrow asks if he got rid of Dunston. LaFarge angrily looks down at his boots and says that he has not because they are dealing with a very smart animal. He is then seen patrolling the hall of the hotel, still looking for Dunston.
Later at the annual Crystal Ball, he makes another attempt to get rid of Dunston and brings his dog Bang to sniff him out, much to Robert's dismay, especially when Bang greets him by sniffing his crotch, and makes him take him to be looked after by a bellboy.
LaFarge then mingles with other guests until he is sent by Robert to attend to the dog's howls. After getting some information from Bang that Dunston is in the Ballroom, he pulls out a small handgun loaded with the same tranquilizer dart and sets off to find him. While trying to find him, he accidentally upsets a guest named Tex who assumes by the way he is crawling under every table that he is being a pervert towards his wife and threatens to break him in half.
While still searching for Dunston who was also trying to escape his cruel owner Lord Rutledge, Mrs. Dubrow tells him to shoot him when she sees him perched on top of a chandelier. Kyle is horrified and rushes over to help Dunston. LaFarge takes one shot and misses. He puts in another dart and takes aim, but Kyle intervenes by knocking him in the back of his leg, causing him to miss again, and accidentally fire the dart in the but of another guest named Lionel Spalding, who then collapses into unconsciousness.
Later he goes over to Dunston and Kyle and apologizes saying he was only trying to do his job and it was nothing personal. Dunston then punches him in the chin with LaFarge saying "I deserved that."
Quotes[]
| “ | Hypothetical situation: It's Easter. You think it might be cute to put a baby orangutan in your kid's basket. Well at first it is cute and then it gets bigger. The kids lose interest and then one night, you flush it down the toilet. (Robert: That's ridiculous!) You ever been in the sewers of this city Mr. Grant? WELL I HAVE! I could tell you stories. (makes a ghostly whistle) I saw a turtle one time looked like a Volkswagen with a tail. It's 1967, the summer of love. I haven't felt comfortable sitting on the john since. | „ |
| ~ Buck LaFarge |
| “ | (Robert: Are you crazy?) (Mrs. Dubrow: Did you get him?) No, I did not! We're dealing with a very smart animal here. (Robert: He's a psycho!) (Mrs. Dubrow: I like obsessive people, they get things done.) | „ |
| ~ Buck LaFarge |
| “ | He's in there Bang? (Bang barks) All right, as you were. | „ |
| ~ Buck LaFarge |
| “ | (Tex, after seeing LaFarge under his table: Can I help you with something son?) I'm looking for a Pongo Pygmaeus. (Tex: I catch you looking at my wife's Pongo Pygmaeus once more, I'm gonna break you in half!) Right. | „ |
| ~ LaFarge accidentally annoying a guest. |
| “ | May I call you Dunston? I'm really sorry. I was just trying to do my job, it was nothing personal. Do you believe me? (Dunston punches him in the chin) I deserved that. | „ |
| ~ LaFarge apologizing to Dunston. |
Trivia[]
- The number on the door of his jeep says "[215] 555-HUNT".