Nanny is a supporting character in the 101 Dalmatians franchise. She is the nanny to the Dalmatian puppies (and Roger and Anita's daughter in the live-action remake) and housekeeper of the Radcliffes (or Dearlys).
It is shown in the live-action remake that Nanny was once Anita's nanny in childhood.
Nanny is voiced by the late Martha Wentworth in the first film, the late Charlotte Rae in the TV series, the late Russi Taylor in the animated storybook game (in which she also voiced Lucky), and Mary McLeod in the second film, and portrayed by Joan Plowright in the live-action remake (who also played Martha Wilson in the 1993 live-action Dennis the Menace movie).
Nanny is hired by Roger and Anita Radcliffe as a cook-and-housekeeper, although the Radcliffes seem to see her more as a member of the family than a servant. Within only a few months, she becomes very close to the family and is especially joyful when the puppies arrive at long last. When Cruella De Vil visits to offer a buying price for the newborn puppies, she joins Roger and Anita in standing up to her and subsequently to decline her offer. She even called Roger a blooming hero for his courage. Nanny's primarily responsible for watching the puppies when the Radcliffes aren't around, such as when they're on walks with Pongo and Perdita. During this time, she grows quite attached to the young dogs. That evening, while Roger and Anita are out, Jasper and Horace arrive to steal the puppies for Cruella, posing as electricians to gain entry. Nanny is not fooled by their ruse and refuses to let them in with the masters of the house gone. The two crooks ram their way into the house and though she puts up a tough fight, Jasper holds her in the attic while Horace abducts the puppies. After the two thieves leave, she runs downstairs expecting to see the family valuables gone, but discovers the puppies have been stolen instead, to her alarm. She runs out into the street, hysterically calling for help.
Apart from being seen in a newspaper photo, sitting sadly by the vacant puppy basket, Nanny is not seen again until the end of the movie, just before the puppies come back home at Christmas. She serves tea to Roger and Anita as she sobs over remembering the puppies, but she hurries to open the door when she hears the familiar sound of barking right away. Even though the dalmatians scatter ashes and soot all over the apartment and its inhabitants from their disguise to hide from Cruella and the Baduns, Nanny's never happier to be reunited with them and dusts them off so they can be recognized.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure
In Patch's London Adventure, she has been seen calling the puppies for dinner in the first place. During this scene, she tells Rolly he might be allowed to eat one bowl at a time.
When Roger and Anita Radcliffe move to the farm, she continues her duties as their maid, she picks up the newspaper and puts it on the laundry basket, but she puts it down near the hole into the music room when she hears the kettle boiling. Whenever Jasper and Horace come to steal the puppies, Nanny hears the Kanine Krunchies theme, playing from the van. She encounters the Badduns by hitting them with a frying pan; however, they chase her through a pig sty. The Badduns tie Nanny up and lower her down a well.
Later, she’s rescued by the police, and she arrives with them to identify the Baduns as the ones who kidnapped the puppies. The Baduns point out it was Cruella who made them do it and is behind of the dognapping.
101 Dalmatians (1996)
In 101 Dalmatians, it is said that Nanny used to be Anita's Nanny. She recalls Anita was always good at drawing when she was a little girl and is pleased to be working for Anita again as she begins a family of her own now. She’s the first to realize that Perdita is expecting with pups and when she notices Anita demonstrating all the same signs, she finds out Anita is pregnant too.
When the Puppies are born, she brings the towels downstairs for Perdita and informs Roger and Pongo about their arrival. When Roger brings a stillborn pup back to life, she names it Lucky. She arrives to give the Puppies their collars afterwards.
On the night, the puppies are abducted while Roger and Anita are gone for a stroll to the park (while also taking Pongo and Perdy with them), she was putting some unfinished dog food in a pot ("Waste not, want not, that's my motto").
When Horace and Jasper show up, she does her best to fight back and manages to punch Horace in the face. And yet, they lock her in a cupboard under the stairs. Nanny manages to break free and looks into the basket where the puppies are, realizing that Jasper and Horace kidnapped the puppies. Then, Roger, Anita, Pongo and Perdita show up hearing the Pensioner's bulldog barking angrily at Jasper and Horace; Nanny explains she tried to stop the two of them, but they locked her in the cupboard, and she shouted, but no one could stop them. Then, all of a sudden, Roger and Anita realize the mistake they made in leaving the puppies unprotected, and give the police a phone call and the Pensioner, who explain to them. During the Twilight Bark scene, Nanny is seen to bark in her sleep.
When Pongo and Perdita run off to find the Puppies, Nanny has been able to guess why they did so, and concurs with Roger's suspicion of Cruella being the culprit. When she notes dogs can smell ill intentions, Suddenly, Anita realizes Roger is right about Cruella and her motivation.
When the Puppies are returned and the Dearly's are offered to keep them, Nanny figures they have seventeen already, so adding some more would be a good idea.
In the end, she moves in with Roger and Anita, when they move to the country.
House of Mouse
Nanny makes a small cameo in the House of Mouse series.
