There is no denying the fact that teddy bears are popular and well-loved by young and old alike. As a matter of fact they are probably the most popular toys of all times. And no wonder, they are cute, soft and cuddly. They become our loyal friends and confidants. As children we quickly learn that our teddy bear can protect us from nightmares, comfort us when we are distressed, and he will keep all our secrets.

You cannot ask for anything more from a friend. That probably has a lot to do with the popularity of these collectibles. They are adorable and they are always willing to listen to our problems and take our side anytime we ask them to.

It is no wonder then that some teddy bears have become celebrities and many are recognized by their name alone. Few humans reach that status!

Winnie the Pooh is one of the most famous teddy bears. His creator was A.A. Milne. But it is important to know that much of the inspiration for that creation came from his wife Daphne and his son Christopher Robin. It seems that a trip to the zoo prompted the ideas. You see, Christopher Robin was drawn to a small black bear. In fact, he was obsessed with the bear.

As I mentioned before, the ideas began to flow. Soon afterward A. A. Milne began writing about Christopher Robin and his adventures with his teddy bear called Pooh and their friends. The popularity of Winnie the Pooh has grown to the point that you can find clothing, bedding, cartoons, web sites, and hundreds of toys all featuring this whimsical character.

Winnie does not hold this status alone. Paddington Bear is very famous as well. Paddington was created by a British writer, Michael Bond. Michael first began writing about Paddington in 1958. He continued writing the series of books and in 1967 Bond quit his job to become a full-time writer. Paddington is a sensible sort of character. He understands right from wrong and he will share his advice.

You may have heard of Rupert. This bear was first introduced as a comic strip in 'The Daily Express', a British newspaper. Rupert was created by artist Mary Toutel and the rest of us were introduced to him on November 8, 1920. Rupert is still a part of the same paper today.

However, because of failing eyesight Mary was forced to give up her love of drawing the cartoon. In 1935 Alfred Bestall took over the art of drawing and writing about Rupert and he continued the work until he retired in 1965. Since then various artists have kept Rupert going. He has even been animated in cartoons.

I also want to mention Yogi Bear and Smokey The Bear. Yogi is famous for always trying to swindle campers and others out of their picnic baskets. Yogi lives in Jellystone National Park. His side-kick is Boo-Boo. Smokey The Bear has reminded us of our responsibility to prevent forest fires for over 60 years. Now that is quite a long commitment to service!

Of course there are other famous bears, probably too many for one article to cover. But I think I have touched on the most famous. It is clear that we love our teddy bears!