Dr. Livesey

About

Dr. Livesey (rus. Доктор Ливси) is a character from the 1988 soviet animated film Treasure Island based on a novel of the same name. In 2021, during the virality of Treasure Island memes among Russian-speaking internet users, Dr. Livesey achieved recognition as a Chad character and became a prominent subject of memes. In August 2022, the character achieved global recognition with the Dr. Livesey Walk meme format.

Origin

In 1988, Kyiv-based Soviet film studio Kievnauchfilm released Treasure Island (rus. Остров Сокровищ), a two-part animated adaptation of the 1883 novel of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson.^[1] In the film, Dr. Livesey (rus. Доктор Ливси), a character from the original novel, is interpreted as a boundlessly optimistic, enthusiastic, quick-to-laugh physician who also excels at strategizing and combat (supercut video shown below). The character is voiced by Yevgeny Papernyy.

A dossier card for the character reads:

Doctor Livesey
A very kind and merry person.
Social personality type.
Not married.

Spread

In Russia

On December 10th, 2018, VK^[2] meme page Treasure Island Memes For Every Occasion (rus. МеМы По ОсТрОвУ сОкРоВиЩ нА кАжДыЙ дЕнЬ) was launched, posting memes based on Treasure Island and referencing it. The page accumulated over 76,000 followers and is considered the main driver behind the major popularity of Treasure Island memes among Russian-speaking users in 2020.^[3] In the group, Dr. Livesey achieved particular popularity among the cartoon's cast of characters, appearing in multiple meme formats and his dialogue inspiring references.

On December 11th, 2018, the earliest found meme featuring the character, a Team Fortress 2 meme distributing the characters as TF2 mercenaries, was posted in the group,^[4] gaining over 80 likes (shown below, left). In the following years, multiple viral memes featuring the character were posted in the group; for example, on June 5th, 2022, VK^[5] user Lyona Maev posted a collection of Livesey Laughing memes that gained over 860 likes in two years (one meme shown below, center). On May 6th, 2021, a Think Mark redraw referencing a scene with the character was posted in the group,^[6] gaining over 2,100 likes and 550 shares in one year (shown below, right).

In August 2021, Creepy Dr. Livesey memes, a remake of Traumatized Mr. Incredible meme format, gained major popularity in the group, spreading to Twitter in the following months. On July 29th, 2021, the page posted^[7] the first such meme that gained over 1,900 likes in one year (shown below, left; more examples shown below, center and right).

Global Spread

Dr. Livesey Walk

On July 2nd, 2022, TikTok^[8] user weirdyunus posted a fancam of Dr. Livesey set to the phonk song "Why Not" by Ghostface Playa that gained over 154,000 views and 8,900 likes in one month (shown below, left).

On July 23rd, TikTok^[9] user @pec_vr posted an object-labeling meme based on weirdyunus' edit that received over 320,000 views and 33,000 likes in three weeks (shown below, center). On July 25th, @pec_vr uploaded^[10] a crop of weirdyunus' fancam that received over 242,000 views and 17,100 likes in two weeks.

In late July 2022, @pec_vr's crop gained popularity as source material for memes. For example, on July 28th, TIkTok^[11] user @kingleojk posted an object-labeling meme that received over 468,000 views and 59,000 likes in two weeks (shown below, right).

The words "rum" and "death" should mean the same thing to you.

On August 2nd, Twitter^[12] user @PeteyHatesYou reuploaded the fancam, with the tweet gaining over 62,000 views, 1,600 retweets and 6,700 likes in two weeks (seen below). Also that day, YouTube^[19] user rpowNiko posted a looped, 39-second long version of the edit that received over 350,000 views in two weeks.

On August 7th, 2022, Twitter^[13] user @JackdawJackal reposted the loop, writing, "This is how I NEED to walk EVERYWHERE." The tweet gained over 268,000 views, 5,100 retweets and 27,200 likes in two days (shown below).

In the following days, the video achieved popularity on Twitter as source material for captions^[14] and as animation reference,^[15] with users recognizing Dr. Livesey as a Chad or Sigma character.^[16]

Dr. Livesey Meme Formats

The Words "Rum" and "Death" Should Mean the Same Thing to You

During his first scene in the film, Dr. Livesey examines the character Billy Bones, an alcoholic, telling him that he should quit drinking if he wishes to continue living. The phrase "the words "rum" and "death" should mean the same thing to you" became a subject of references in memes, and is the character's single best-known quote (examples shown below).

Dr. Livesey Laugh

In the animated film, Dr. Livesey is an optimist who is quick to laugh independent of the circumstances. Dr. Livesey's laugh has been a popular subject of references in memes (examples shown below).

Creepy Dr. Livesey

Creepy Dr. Livesey refers to memes that imagine Dr. Livesey as a terrifying entity. The format gained initial popularity in VK group Treasure Island Memes for Every Occasion in Summer 2021. Creepy Dr. Livesey memes usually utilized an edited image of Livesey taken from his dossier card that appears in the film. For example, on May 23rd, 2021, VK^[17] user Rikkardo Kharatov posted a Five Nights at Freddy's meme that gained over 1,900 likes and 250 shares in one year (shown below, left). On June 8th, 2021, VK^[18] user Veles Polyanovskyy posted a meme that received over 2,300 reactions and 600 shares (shown below, right).

In August 2021, a comparison format and a remake of Traumatized Mr. Incredible format gained popularity in the community, with memes later spreading to Twitter (examples shown below).

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References