Uncle Pennybags: Difference between revisions

Not to be confused with [[Rich Idiot With No Day Job]], which is when this is used as a cover for a [[Secret Identity]].

 

 

A [[Sub-Trope]] of [[Idle Rich]].

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* Eduard aka Estonia from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'' is a BROTHER Pennybags.

 

== Comic Books ==

* [[Richie Rich (comics)|Richie Rich]].

* Tony Stark, alias [[Iron Man]], from the [[Marvel Universe]].

* ''The Green Team: Boy Millionaires'' from [[The DCU]].

* Thomas and Martha Wayne from [[Batman]] are both philanthropists as well as their son, Bruce, who runs his Wayne Foundation as a way of preventing and mitigating crime in ways Batman can't. One [[Jonah Hex]] storyline shows that the Waynes' ancestors were also good people who were not corrupted by their wealth and power.

* Rodney Dangerfield played roles like this in films such as ''[[Caddyshack]]'' or ''Back To School''. While not as ultra-rich as most examples, his characters tended to give away gifts or money like there was no tomorrow, and were rude, yet fun to be around.

* Mr. Duncan from [[Home Alone]] 2. An owner of a toy emporium, a philanthropist and generally a great guy.

 

== Literature ==

* One of [[Kinky Friedman]]'s friends in his novels is a "decamillionaire" who's happy to help him if he needs a flight to Hawaii or something.

* Watson Brewer, Kristy's millionaire stepfather, in ''The [[Babysitters Club]].'' Doesn't mind inviting six or seven extra teenage girls to most family vacations.

* [[Lord Peter Wimsey]] acts as an Uncle Pennybags to almost any character who is not wealthy or an antagonist. He's an excellent tipper, for instance, and being a bit character who helps him with an investigation is almost always profitable.

* [[Harry Potter]] ''himself'' has shown an inclination to be this, especially to Ron—to the latter's chagrin.

* In ''[[Myth Adventures|M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link]]'', Tananda is sent to collect on a debt owed by a fellow who turns out to be one of these.

 

* The dad on ''[[Silver Spoons]]''.

* Pete Becker from ''[[Friends]]''. This is justified by him being a [[Bill Gates]] spoof who invented the premiere operating system in the world in his garage at a ridiculously young age.

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

* Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in ''[[Little Orphan Annie]]''.

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

** This could have been a rare shout out to Triple H's original gimmick in the WWF - Hunter Hearst Helmsley, ultra-wealthy American blue-blood. Although at the time Helmsley was much more of a Mr. Burns than an Uncle Pennybags.

*** Or, it could be because he IS filthy rich now, being married to the boss's daughter and all.

 

== Video Games ==

* [[Street Fighter|Ken Masters]], notably in the ''Street Fighter II: V'' anime series. During the first half of the series while he and Ryu are [[Walking the Earth]], he uses his family's mammoth fortune to help those around him; from the relatively minor instances of setting he and Ryu up in a 5-star penthouse suite and buying Chun Li clothes and jewelry as a gift for her serving as their tour guide, to singlehandedly arranging for a massive donation and Red Cross assistance to a remote Indian charity hospital.

* David Sarif from ''[[Deus Ex: Human Revolution|Deus Ex Human Revolution]]'' is ultimately one of these, despite committing a handful of shady actions (which mostly tend to come across as a necessary evil to survive in the cutthroat [[Cyberpunk]] business world).

* Rodrigo Briscoletti from ''Dragon Quest V'' is this trope in spades. He's world famous for his wealth and generosity, and he gets a lot of that wealth from running a casino resort. You can choose in the game to marry one of his two daughters, and he'll lavish gifts on you on your journey. But even if you marry your childhood sweetheart instead, he'll still give you a family heirloom (a legendary artifact you're searching for), pay for your wedding to Bianca, let you stay for free at his casino, ''and'' give you one of his ships to set off in just because he likes you. What a guy!

 

* Ray Smuckles in ''[[Achewood]]''.

* Llewellyn from ''[[Ozy and Millie]]'' fits in here, too. He cites gold as stuff he and his family throw at people when they want them to go away, and in one collection, tries to make gold into cookies. (It works, sort'a.)

 

== Web Original ==

* [[Whateley Universe|Whateleyverse's]] Ayla fits in here (when his friends don't forbid him from spending money on them, anyway). Depending on the story, it varies from being implied to outright stated that he was raised both to view money as just a tool to do things with, and with a strong sense of ''noblesse oblige''; the combination means that he doesn't see the point in not using his money for good works. It's generally implied that his family is in the habit of doing the same thing; it gets mentioned off-hand in one story that there are a ''lot'' of buildings and public works out there named after various members of the Goodkind family.

** He's rich enough to take certain luxuries for granted, and kind enough to feel bad that other people don't have them. And he's smart enough to actually invest her money in other things, and half of his good deeds make his money in the long run.

 

== Real Life ==

* Millionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie held himself up as an exemplar of this trope (though the reality of the matter differs depending on who you ask). He certainly did give away mountains of moolah to charity and public works, in any case.

** Similarly, whatever else you say about Andrew Mellon, you have to admit that he dumped his entire—phenomenal—art collection on the Smithsonian Institution, funded (through a trust) the construction of a [https://web.archive.org/web/20061208014849/http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/aboutnga.shtm place to store it], and placed as condition only that it ''not'' be named for him.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Characters As Device]]

[[Category:Money Tropes]]

[[Category:Rich People]]