The stories are set in early Victorian England, where Doctor John Dolittle lives in the fictional English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh in the West Country.

Where does Dr Dolittle come from?

Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr says he based his portrayal of the character in a new adaptation on a 19th Century Welsh doctor who lived in Llantrisant. He told the Graham Norton Show that as soon as he had discovered William Price's story, he knew he had found his inspiration for the character of Dr Dolittle.

Is Doctor Dolittle Irish?

As Robert Downey Jr. steps into the role for "Dolittle" (in theaters Friday), the "Iron Man" star takes on the vocal equivalent of battling Marvel uber-villain Thanos: His doctor has a Welsh accent, which the actor has described "the single hardest accent on Earth."