▁of ▁Rudolf ▁Er ich ▁Ras pe . ▁ ▁The ▁English ness ▁of ▁the ▁commander , ▁the ▁rel uct ance ▁of ▁his ▁audience ▁to ▁listen ▁to ▁his ▁far - fetch ed ▁stories , ▁and ▁the ▁commander ' s ▁ins istence ▁on ▁telling ▁them , ▁suggest ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁P . G . ▁W ode house ' s ▁" Old est ▁Member " ▁golf ▁stories ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Other ▁influ ences ▁include ▁the ▁early ▁animated ▁character ▁Colonel ▁He e za ▁Li ar , ▁[ He ' s ▁a ▁Li ar ] ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁animated ▁short s ▁created ▁by ▁John ▁R . ▁B ray ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Walter ▁L ant z , ▁who ▁was ▁later ▁known ▁for ▁the ▁Wo ody ▁Wood pe cker ▁franch ise . ▁ ▁Another ▁influence ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁Captain ▁Geoff rey ▁Sp ic er - Sim son ▁D SO , ▁R N , ▁a ▁career ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁officer ▁noted ▁for ▁telling ▁of ▁his ▁impro b able ▁explo its ▁whose ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁survey or ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁China , ▁Bor neo ▁and ▁Africa . ▁ ▁Sp ic er - Sim son ' s ▁greatest ▁claim ▁to ▁fame ▁was ▁winning ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lake ▁Tang any ika ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁with ▁two ▁armed ▁motor ▁launch es ▁named ▁M imi ▁and ▁Tout ou . ▁ ▁Epis odes ▁▁ ▁" Over ▁the ▁F alls " ▁ ▁" F ish ▁Story " ▁ ▁" The ▁H imal ay as " ▁ ▁" The ▁North ▁P ole " ▁ ▁" K