Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #275

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Popeye short, Customers Wanted (1939). This film is a bit of a cheater using clips from previous cartoons. These clips are from Let's Get Movin' (1936) and The Twisker Pitcher (1937). This would cartoon be remade as another Popeye cartoon, Penny Antics (1955). Though this is a cheater cartoon, it is easily one of the better cheaters, because the new footage is just as good (if not better) than the clips. 

Next comes the Aesop's Fables cartoon, Feathered Follies (1932).

From 1976 to 1982 Warner Brothers made a series of 16 TV specials featuring the Looney Tunes characters. Some of these specials were brand new half hour stories, others featured clips for or whole classic cartoon shorts and still others featured a set of brand-new cartoons. Daffy Duck's Easter Special (1980) featured three brand new cartoons with bridging sequences inspired by Duck Amuck (1953). Here is one of the new cartoons from that special, The Chocolate Chase (1980). This short is very much in the mold of the mid to late 1960's cartoons which pitted Daffy Duck against Speedy Gonzales. 

Now for The New Three Stooges short, Mummies Boys (1965). The real Stooges not only star in the live action opening and closing scenes but the voice themselves in the cartoons. This is of course what makes these made for TV cartoons essential for all Stooge lovers. 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Since Easter is tomorrow, what would be better to watch than a classic Easter cartoon. Up next is a classic Silly Symphony called Funny Little Bunnies (1934). This cartoon does not feature much of an actual story beyond the idea of bunnies getting ready for Easter. However, people at the time did not seem to mind this at all. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "This is a likely entry for the best short of 1934. While it may appear that its vogue would be more or less limited to the Easter season because it's purely imaginative substance deals with the manufacture and decoration of Easter eggs and bunnies by a colorful rabbit crew, the splendor and variety of coloring and the highly diverting action lift it far above any seasonal appeal. Musical accompaniment is pleasing." The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Unusually clever, highly entertaining, especially for the youngsters but potentially equally enjoyable for adults, this number of the Walt Disney Silly Symphonies pictures in the inimitable Disney cartoon fashion the manner in which the bunnies, in their woodland workshop, carve out Easter statues of themselves, paint the Easter eggs, with various colors obtained from the end of the rainbow. In this spring season despite the fact that Easter has passed, the subject is highly appropriate and cannot fail to meet with the favor of the entire audience, anytime, anywhere." The cartoon also won the gold medal for "Best Animated Film" at the Venice film festival in 1934. Still as is always the case not everyone was impressed. An exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald was not very positive stating about Walt Disney, "He'll never make another 'Three Little Pigs.' In 1935 this movie was part of a four-week run of Disney cartoons. Here is The Film Daily talking about that, "Starting April 4, Walt Disney productions, released through United Artists, are being featured on the Trans-Lux Theater program for four consecutive weeks. Opening with 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' the next three programs feature the following Disney productions: 'Mickey's Man Friday,' 'Funny Little Bunnies,' and 'The Band Concert,' Disney's first Mickey Mouse subject in Technicolor." Like all of the Disney cartoons of this era, this film has an all-star cast of animators. Cy Young animates the opening scenes as well as the bunnies harvesting the colors from the rainbow. Ben Sharpsteen leads a crew of Jr. animators including Archie Robin, Joe D'Igalo, Ed Smith and Woolie Reitherman. Woolie Reitherman would later become one of Walt's fame Nine Old Men and would direct the Disney features The Sword in the Stone (1963), The Jungle Book (1967), The Airstocats (1970) and more. This is the first known Silly Symphony Woolie worked on. Ben Sharpsteen's group of Jr animators would animate bunnies in the supply room, the eggs rolling down the shoot and the bunnies filling the baskets. Ugo D'Orsi animated the bunnies at the pot of chocolate. Louie Schimdt animates the bunnies filling the molds. Leonard Sebring animates the solider bunnies. Future Donald Duck, Barney Bear and Woody Woodpecker director, Dick Lundy animates the sculptor bunnies. Dick Huemer animates the hens, the painters, the grandpa rabbit and the cross-eyed bunnies. Art Babbit animates the blind bunnies and the first long shot of the bunnies filling the baskets. Ham Luske animates the film's finale. One thing I love about the color Symphonies is that they never take color for granted but instead always make sure it is used to full effect. That is definitely true of this cartoon. This movie was reissued to theaters on April 21, 1950. It made its TV debut on an episode of Mickey Mouse Club that aired on April 19, 1957. 

Next is the silent Out of the Inkwell film, Balloons (1923). This film is full of all the creative, imaginative charm that makes this series so special. The film's producer Max Fleischer appears in live action in this and many other Out of the Inkwell shorts.

Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, The Billy Goat's Whiskers (1937). 

Tonight's cartoon selection ends with a full episode of The Super Mario Brothers Super Show. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #261

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins Bugs Bunny in Super Rabbit (1943). The ending of this short film resulted in the U.S.M.C. acknowledging Bugs Bunny as an honorary marine with the title honorary Marine Master Sergeant Bugs Bunny. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Hearld, "SUPER RABBIT: Merrie Melodies Cartoons - One of the best Merrie Melodies. The kids sure like cartoons of this kind. I run one every Sunday and believe they draw the kids better than the feature.  - Victor E. Dahl, Fayette Theatre, Fayette, Iowa." 

Next comes the Terry Toons cartoon, The Mechanical Bird (1952). This lovely short film is an adaption of the 1843 Hans Christian Anderson short story, The Nightingale. While it doesn't fully capture the charm of that classic short story, this is a very sweet and very charming film. 

Next comes a Modern Madcap cartoon, The Robot Ringer (1962). 

Next is a late Fleischer Studios Popeye short, I'll Never Crow Again (1941). The year after the release of this cartoon Max and Dave Fleischer would find themselves no longer making cartoons for Paramount and many of their employees continuing to make Popeye and Superman shorts for Paramount without them. Many critics of the Popeye series claim that all the cartoons simply feature Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. However, a look at the sailor's filmography shows that there were in fact many cartoons that did not follow this formula in the slightest. The song that Popeye and Olive sing at the beginning of this cartoon is from the first of Fleischer Studio's two feature films, Gulliver's Travels (1939). A review in The Motion Picture Daily called this cartoon, "Good for a few laughs." A review in Showman's Trade Review stated, "While this is not the usual type of Popeye cartoon, the novelty is not sufficient enough to raise it out of the 'fair' class." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "I'LL NEVER CROW AGAIN: Popeye the Sailor— Popeye Cartoons are always enjoyed, but this was not as good as average. Running time, 7 minutes. —J. M. Thomsen, Center Theatre, Marlette, Mich. Rural patronage."


 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

 Now for one of the rare instances of very dark satire in one of Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies, Who Killed Cock Robbin? (1935). This film shows cartoon birds at the mercy of an unjust legal system. Satire, dark humor, celebrity caricatures and slapstick abound. The most significant of the celebrity caricatures is Jenny Wren, a caricature of Mae West. Most of her animation here is handled fantastically by Ham Luske and her voice comes from Martha Wentworth who does a really good impression. This character would later appear in the Silly Symphony Toby Tortoise Returns (1936). Two of Walt's future Nine Old Men animate on this film, Eric Larson and Clyde Geronimi. Eric animates the scene where Cock Robbin falls and the cops rushing in. Clyde animates the scenes involving the blackbirds and the cops, Legs Sparrow with the cops and then going into the witness box, and the cops' raiding the area. For the year of 1935 the National Board of Review named this as one of the Ten Best American Films (not just cartoons but films as a whole). According to JB Kaufman and Russell Merrit's excellent book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series, the idea for making this film had been around the Disney studio as early as October 1933 but work truly began in March 1934. Wilfred Jackson was originally going to be the cartoon's director, but he was replaced with Ben Sharpsteen, who was replaced with Dave Hand, who actually directed the cartoon. Dave Hand would later be the supervising director for the Disney feature films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942). My fellow Alfred Hitchcock fans will recognize that a clip from this cartoon was later used in Hitch's classic movie, Sabotage (1936). The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Ye olde master, Walt Disney, has produced another cartoon which makes a swell approach to the entertainment values he provided in 'Three Little Pigs.' It's class A stuff, effectively done in color. A mysterious shadowy figure 'kills' the fabled Cock Robbin, who, by the by, is the sweetie of a May Western type of bird. Then come the Keystonian cops, also birds, and later the trial. Finally, a birdy version of Dan Cupid admits to having shot Robin but May brings him to with a Big Kiss. Catchy music helps enliven the proceedings." The following is from a 1935 issue of Modern Screen Magazine and was a letter sent in by a reader. "A short time ago I took my five-year-old son with me to a local theatre. When a colored cartoon was shown, he was immensely pleased, as were several other children near us. The cartoon was 'Who Killed Cock Robin?' I may be wrong but I'm under the impression that those pictures are primarily to amuse children. If that is true than it failed. I heard several half-grown boys snickering as 'Jenny Wren' a parody of Mae West, with a high bust, wiggling hips and a sexy voice, flirted with the judge and later indulged in a kiss with Cock Robin. The smaller children merely looked puzzled and disappointed with the whole thing. Please have more cartoons like 'The Three Little Pigs,' 'Water Babies,' etc., unless of course, I'm wrong and those comedies are for grown-ups and not for little children. - Mrs. E. DeLamater, Charleston, S.C."   

Next is a very sweet and sentimental MGM cartoon from Hugh Harman, The Little Mole (1941). This is a beautiful looking and charming little film, though its final message seems to be an uncomfortably pessimistic one, when you think too much about it. 

Next is the silent Out of the Inkwell cartoon, The Boxing Kangaroo (1920). 

Let us close with a song.

Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman 

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #252

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with Porky Pig in Jeepers Creepers (1939). This cartoon shows director Bob Clampett at his absolute best. The film has a great sense of spooky atmosphere, a great sense of energy, a catchy title song (which premiered in the Warner Brothers movie, Going Places (1938), where it was sung by jazz legend Louis Armstrong) and very strong gags. 

For anyone interested in movie history, many of the Disney cartoons of the 1920's are essential watching. The reason for this is that many of them are directed by Walt himself. All of us know Walt Disney as a producer, a studio head, a TV personality and one of the movies' greatest ambassadors, however in these short films we get to see him in the director's chair. Next we have one of the cartoons he directed, El Terrible Toreador (1929). This movie marked the second Silly Symphony cartoon and the first one directed by Walt. As with many early Disney films, this cartoon features many gags that go against the rules put in place in the later Disney cartoons. For instance the later films would not allow body parts to detach or stretch to impossible lengths. Yet in this movie, both of those are common sights. There are also some somewhat risqué gags that wouldn't fit with Disney's later squeaky clean image. Despite this only being the second Silly Symphony, the series already boasts an incredible cast of animators. Ub Iwerks (Walt's right hand man and one of the main influences on the early Disney style) animates the bullfighting scenes and supervised the work of the other animators. Burt Gillet (who would go on to direct many great Mickey Mouse cartoons as well as The Three Little Pigs (1933)) animates the meeting of Carmen and Don Jose. Wilfred Jackson (who would direct some of the best Silly Symphonies and be one of the directors of features like Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady And the Tramp (1955)) animates Carmen's dance. Les Clark (one of the best Mickey animators and one of Walt's nine old men) animates a close-up of Don Jose. Jack King (who would direct some excellent Donald Duck cartoons) animates Escamillo confronting Don Jose. Ben Sharpsteen (who would be the supervising director for Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941)) animates the introduction to the bullfighting scene. 

Up next is the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, Sky Skippers (1930). 

Now for Good Deed Daly in Scouts to the Rescue (1956). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next is Woody Woodpecker in Well Oiled (1947). This short film was directed by former Disney animator Dick Lundy. While working at Disney, he was one of the studio's duck-men, a group of artists who specialized in animating Donald Duck. He would later even direct some Donald Duck cartoons. Between the Donald Duck cartoons for Disney, his various cartoons for Walter Lantz (for whom this cartoon was made) and his Barney Bear cartoons for MGM, he proved himself just as fine of a director as he was an animator. 

Now for Mutt and Jeff in Where Am I? (1925). 

Spooky Swabs (1957) marked the final Popeye theatrical short. This cartoon has Popeye and Olive Oyl aboard a haunted ship. The two characters (as well as Wimpy) had been on a haunted ship before in the cartoon, Shiver Me Timbers (1934). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Grandpa and the Kids (1988). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own TV show. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used


Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #251

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

The Skelton Dance (1929) was the first of Disney's Silly Symphonies and one of the best. The idea for the series came from musical director Carl Stalling (who would later work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). The Silly Symphonies were designed to revolve around music. Walt Disney loved the idea and felt that a second series would allow him to experiment more and not be tied down by the formula of a Mickey Mouse cartoon. The idea for the first film also is believed to have come from Stalling. Stalling would tell historian Michael Barrier about the genesis of the movie stating, "He thought I meant illustrated songs, but I didn’t have that in mind at all. The Skeleton Dance goes way back to my kid days. When I was eight or ten years old, I saw an ad in The American Boy magazine of a dancing skeleton, and I got my dad to give me a quarter so I could send for it. It turned out to be a pasteboard cut-out of a loose-jointed skeleton, slung over a six-foot cord under the arm pits. It would ‘dance’ when kids pulled and jerked at each end of the string. Ever since I was a kid, I had wanted to see real skeletons dancing and had always enjoyed seeing skeleton dancing acts in vaudeville.” Though Carl Stalling would use an excerpt from Edvard Grieg’s March of the Dwarfs, most of the music was an original by Stalling. The animation for the movie was completed in six weeks. The majority of the animation was done by Ub Iwerks, the Disney studio's main animator at the time. He animated some of the earliest Mickey films entirety by himself. On this film he was assisted by Wilfred Jackson and Les Clark. It is not known for sure what Les Clark animated as some sources state he animated the opening scene and others (including his own) state he animated one skeleton playing another's ribs as a xylophone. Wilfred Jackson most likely animated the scene where the rooster crowing (which was reused in The Cat's Nightmare (1931)). When Walt tried to sell this film, it did not go as smoothly as he excepted. Walt's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, would later speak about this, “Father wasn’t easily discouraged. He took The Skeleton Dance to a friend who ran the United Artists Theater in Los Angeles and asked him to look at it. ‘We’re looking at some other things this morning,’ the man said, ‘and I’ll have my assistant look at it. You go with him’. Father sat beside the assistant while the film was run. It was just before the first morning show; a few customers had drifted in and it was obvious they liked The Skeleton Dance but the assistant didn’t listen to them. ‘Can’t recommend it,’ he said. ‘Too gruesome’. Father got a hold of another friend and asked him if he could put him in touch with Fred Miller who managed the Carthay Circle, one of the biggest and most important theaters in town. Father’s friend sent him to a salesman on Film Row. ‘Maybe he can get him to look at your skeleton film’. Father found the salesman in a pool hall shooting a little Kelly (a game played on a standard pool table with sixteen pool balls where each player draws one of fifteen numbered markers called peas or pills at random from a shake bottle which assigns to them the correspondingly numbered pool ball, kept secret from their opponents, but which they must pocket in order to win the game). ‘Leave your picture here, Disney,’ the Kelly player said. ‘I’ll look at it. If I like it, I’ll get in touch with you’. It sounded like a stall but he actually did look at the film. When he looked he said, ‘I think Fred will like this. I’ll take it over to him myself’. As a result, Miller showed The Skeleton Dance with a feature picture he was running. It went over big. Father clipped the local press notices and mailed them to Powers with a note: ‘If you can get this to Roxy (the nickname of Broadway showman Samuel L. Rothafel who ran New York’s prestigious Roxy Theater), he’ll go for it the way Miller did. Powers got a print to Roxy and Roxy liked it. He ran it in his huge New York theater.” This movie premiered at the Carthay Circle on June 10, 1929 alongside F.W. Murnau's feature film, 4 Devils (1929). The Carthay Circle is where later Disney features like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fantasia (1940) would make their Hollywood premiers. 

Up next is the Fleischer Brothers Screen Songs cartoon, You Try Somebody Else (1932). This short film features an early appearance by Betty Boop. This song was written in 1931 by B.G. De Silva and Lew Brown and has lyrics by Ray Henderson. The song had been recorded by the likes of Kate Smith, Rudy Vallee, Ted Black, Guy Lombardo and Connie Boswell. The trio of songwriters also wrote The Best Things in Life Are Free. 

Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, Beaver Trouble (1951).

Now for the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The Mill Pond (1929). This short film features our good friend Farmer Alfalfa. The animation and use of sound may feel crude compared to what Disney was doing at this time, but the cartoon has a kind of unpolished charm because of this. I also love how even if this is a sound cartoon, words for the sound effects as well as the characters giggling appears on the screen like this is still a silent cartoon. Musical notes even come out of the musical instruments. 



 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes the Coyote and Roadrunner in Coyote Falls (2010). This short film played in theaters with the feature film, Cats and Dogs 2: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010). In theaters, this film played in 3-D, making it the first Warner Brothers cartoon in 3-D since Lumber Jack Rabbit (1953). This is the first of 6 theatrically released Looney Tunes cartoons directed by Matthew O'Callaghan. Matthew O'Callaghan also directed the feature films, Curious George (2006) and Open Season 2 (2008) as well as the Disney TV special Sport Goofy in Soccermania (1987). He also created the animated TV series The Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Next comes Felix the Cat in Pedigreedy (1927). 

Next is a late Fleischer Studios Popeye short, I'll Never Crow Again (1941). The year after the release of this cartoon Max and Dave Fleischer would find themselves no longer making cartoons for Paramount and many of their employees continuing to make Popeye and Superman shorts for Paramount without them. Many critics of the Popeye series claim that all the cartoons simply feature Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. However, this short does not follow this formula in the slightest. The song that Popeye and Olive sing at the beginning of this cartoon is from the first of Fleischer Studio's two feature films, Gulliver's Travels (1939). A review in The Motion Picture Daily called this cartoon, "Good for a few laughs." A review in Showman's Trade Review stated, "While this is not the usual type of Popeye cartoon, the novelty is not sufficient enough to raise it out of the 'fair' class." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "I'LL NEVER CROW AGAIN: Popeye the Sailor— Popeye Cartoons are always enjoyed, but this was not as good as average. Running time, 7 minutes. —J. M. Thomsen, Center Theatre, Marlette, Mich. Rural patronage."

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in The Closet (1988). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own TV series.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-spooky-story-of-the-skeleton-dance/

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion Guide to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J. B. Kaufman. 

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #235

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for more classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with one of the best of the many celebrity caricature cartoons of the 1930's, Disney's Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938). Without any of the sentimentality or pathos seen in other Silly Symphonies of this time, this is a pure comedy cartoon and a top notch one at that. While this film is best enjoyed by those who recognize all the movie stars that are being caricatured here, like the best of these celebrity caricature cartoons, this is still a lot of fun for those who don't know them. This short itself was a culmination of various ideas that had been pitched around the Disney studio starting in 1932. This included ideas for an abandoned Silly Symphonies short from the mid-1930's called The Hollywoods, which would have taken place in a forest full of birds and animals that closely resembled popular Hollywood stars. This also included an idea of a proposed Silly Symphony entitled Mother Goose Land, which would find the Mother Goose characters feeling like they were too old fashioned for modern audiences and deciding to jazz up their image with modern music. These two shorts that were abandoned, were revived and combined to create Mother Goose Goes Hollywood. As work commenced on this new film, there were so many ideas that it was even considered releasing this as a two-reeler (most cartoon shorts ran one-reel in length). Ultimately though the picture would be released as a one-reeler. Like all Disney films of this period the short benefits from a top-notch cast of animators. Izz Klein animated the opening with Mother Goose in the scroll and the scenes involving Laurel and Hardy. Bob Stokes animates the scenes with Kathrine Hepburn, Eddie Cantor and the blackbirds singing. Ward Kimball (one of Walt's famed Nine Old Men) animates the scenes involving Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, The Marx Brothers, Joe Penner (including the cameo by Donald Duck) and much of the big dance number. Grim Natwick (who was greatly responsible for the design of Betty Boop) animated scenes involving Charles Laughton, Spencer Tracey, Freddie Bartholomew, W.C. Feilds and Charlie McCarthy. Jack Campbell (a very underrated Disney animator who is best known for his work on the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio (1940)) animates scenes involving Greta Garbo, Edward G. Robinson and Wallace Beery. Don Patterson animated the orchestra on the shoe as well as caricatures of George Arliss and Clark Gable. It is worth noting that Laurel and Hardy are Simple Simon and the Pie Man here as the real Laurel and Hardy almost played the same Mother Goose characters in their feature film Babes in Toyland (1934). This short cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 11, 1958. 

Now we join Honey Halfwitch in Clean Sweep (1967). 

Next comes a delightful black and white Porky Pig cartoon, Get Rich Quick Porky (1937). This was an early cartoon for director Bob Clampett (1937 was his first year as a director) and while it may not be as wild as some of the director's later work, there is plenty to enjoy here. This cartoon also marked the last appearance of Porky's sidekick, Gabby Goat. There is not much to Gabby besides him being grumpy and easily irritated, but the contrast between him and the more optimistic Porky makes for delightful watching. Two of the animators on this movie would later become great Looney Tune directors in their own right. Chuck Jones animates the wonderful scene with the dog, the gopher and a bone as well as the film's ending. Norm McCabe animates Gabby underground with his jackhammer as well as Porky handing the deed to Honest John. 

Up next is the Terry Toons short, The Wolf's Pardon (1947). This movie, like today's first cartoon takes Mother Goose characters into the then current pop culture. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

In the 1930's the Fleischer Studio's Popeye cartoon had reached an incredible level of popularity even rivaling that of Mickey Mouse. These simple black and white seven-minute cartoons captured the hearts of moviegoers just as much as any feature film. Because of this both Paramount encouraged the cartoon studio to create something bigger with Popeye. The result was a series of three two-reel full color cartoons starring the cartoon sailor. These films were over twice the length of an average Popeye cartoon, and they felt bigger in every way possible. My personal favorite of the three is the second, Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (1937). This one has the same larger than usual and visual gorgeous look as the others, but in my opinion the humor in this short is probably the funniest. The cartoon was later edited down to a seven-minute short with some new animation featuring Popeye and his nephews for a cheater cartoon, Popeye Makes a Movie (1950). The following are some exhibitor reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (Color Special): Popeye the Sailor - A two-reel cartoon that means nothing more at the box office than a single. Does not compare with 'Sinbad the Sailor' in entertainment. Running time, 17 minutes. A. Goldson, Gold Coast Theatre, Chicago, Ill. Neighborhood Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Not nearly as funny as it ought to have been. Still most everyone enjoyed it. Popeye needs a change of diet anyway. One tires of too much spinach. - L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Ran it to bolster 'Rosalie' and really believe it drove in a few. Play it. They'll enjoy it. Running time, 20 minutes. - A.E. Eliassen, Rialto Theatre, Paynesville, Minn., Small Town and Rural Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Played this with 'College Holiday.' We put this in as a double attraction and which met with a great success. Played the Easter Sunday with very good business. Had a large matinee. Popeye sure pleases the children. -Edelstein Amusement Company, Homer Theatre, Hibbing, Minn. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Color Special - This is an extra price cartoon of two reels, which was just one reel too long. They can't sustain an audience's attention for the extra length, and it got boresome before it was halfway through. Don't buy it. Kids will like it of course but you don't pay off with them. - A.E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General Patronage."

Now for one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice's Circus Days (1927). Like all of the Alice Comedies, this film features a live action Alice entering an animated world. Playing Alice is Lois Hardwick, the fourth and last child actress to play the character. However, at this time the series was winding down and the filmmakers were focusing more on the animated characters then Alice herself. Animators on this movie include Ub Iwerks, Rollin "Ham" Hamilton, Hugh Harmon, Paul Smith and Rudolph Ising (who was also the live action cameraman). 

Next is a Fleischer Screen Song short, I've Got Rings on My Fingers (1929). So, get ready to sing along and follow the bouncing ball. 

Now for one in a series of 22 Short Films About Springfield (1996).

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.

Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animator-breakdown-get-rich-quick-porky-1937/


https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #234

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with an early Looney Tunes cartoon, Ride Him, Bosko! (1932). This short stars Bosko, the very first Looney Tunes star. The ending of this film is a pure delight. 

Now we join Honey Halfwitch in Poor Little Witch Girl (1965). This short film marked her cartoon debut. This movie is directed by Howard Post. Post is better known for his comic work rather than his animation work. He created the comic strip The Dropouts and DC Comics character Anthro. He had also worked for Harvey Comics on various Casper comic books and on the Heathcliff and Care Bears comics for Marvel as well as being an editor on Looney Tunes Magazine and Tiny Toons Magazine for DC. 

Next is the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1932). This short film features a brief appearance by Betty Boop, whose own starring series would begin later the same year. 

As I have stated before while Popeye cartoons are often assumed to be simply the same storyline over and over, this was not the case, as there were many that did not revolve around Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. One of the great cartoons that don't follow this formula is Goonland (1938). This film introduces new characters to the animated cartoons. However, these characters were not brand new. They had existed previously in E.C. Segar's comic strip, Thimble Theatre for which Popeye was also originally created. The characters of the goons would first appear in the comic strip in 1933, before appearing in this cartoon. This was the only of the theatrical cartoon shorts to feature the goons, however they would later appear in animated Popeye TV cartoons. Poopdeck Pappy first appeared in the comic strip in 1936. While Goonland was his first appearance in a theatrical cartoon short, it was hardly his last, as he would become a reoccurring character in the cartoons. This film would later be remade as Popeye's Pappy (1952), though that cartoon would replace the goons with stereotypical African natives.

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Today's cartoon selection continues with the Pink Panther short, In the Pink (1967). This film has everything I love about Pink Panther cartoons with a generous amount of creative slapstick and some great pantomime. With these cartoons, the filmmakers really helped keep the spirit of silent comedy alive long after the silent era had passed. This movie opens with some reused animation from Pink Panic (1967) where the Pink Panther gets out of the shower. Pink Panic was only released a few months earlier. This scene was animated by Norm McCabe. As McCabe also animated the final gag, we both start and end with his animation. Art Leonardi animates very little of this cartoon. He animates the very beginning of the shadow boxing scene (up until the shadow first punches our pink buddy out) and then Manny Gould animates the rest of the scene. 

Next comes one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice's Fishy Story (1924). Like many of the earliest Alice comedies, this movie features live action wraparounds before and after the cartoon portion. During these live action wraparounds, you can see Walt Disney as the person driving the car. Virgina Davis, the first actress to play Alice, plays Alice here and Leon Holmes plays her heavier set fishing buddy. Holmes was probably chosen for the role due to his physical similarity to Joe Cobb who was appearing in the Our Gang (or Little Rascals) shorts of the time. This cartoon would mark the second appearance of the animated Julis the cat. He had appeared in Alice's Spooky Adventure (1924) before this, and distributor Merget Winkler must have liked him (probably because of the popularity of Felix the cat). In the Alice Comedy following Alice's Spooky Adventure, Alice's Wild West Show (1924) a dog would be used as Alice's sidekick and Winkler would write Walt saying, "I might suggest that in your cartoon stuff you use a cat whenever possible and don't be afraid to let him do ridiculous things." This second film with the cat directly follows Alice's Wild West Show.  



 

Now we join Mr. Magoo in Magoo's Lodge Brother (1959). 

Now let us close with a song. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-pink-panther-in-the-pink-1967/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #227

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Since Easter is tomorrow, what better way to start this post than with an Easter cartoon. Today's first film is a Silly Symphony called Funny Little Bunnies (1934). This cartoon does not feature much of an actual story beyond the idea of bunnies getting ready for Easter. However, people at the time did not seem to mind this at all. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "This is a likely entry for the best short of 1934. While it may appear that its vogue would be more or less limited to the Easter season because its purely imaginative substance deals with the manufacture and decoration of Easter eggs and bunnies by a colorful rabbit crew, the splendor and variety of coloring and the highly diverting action lift it far above any seasonal appeal. Musical accompaniment is pleasing." The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Unusually clever, highly entertaining, especially for the youngsters but potentially equally enjoyable for adults, this number of the Walt Disney Silly Symphonies pictures in the inimitable Disney cartoon fashion the manner in which the bunnies, in their woodland workshop, carve out Easter statues of themselves, paint the Easter eggs, with various colors obtained from the end of the rainbow. In this spring season despite the fact that Easter has passed, the subject is highly appropriate and cannot fail to meet with the favor of the entire audience, anytime, anywhere." The cartoon also won the gold medal for "Best Animated Film" at the Venice film festival in 1934. Still as is always the case not everyone was impressed. An exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald was not very positive stating about Walt Disney, "He'll never make another 'Three Little Pigs.' In 1935 this movie was part of a four-week run of Disney cartoons. Here is The Film Daily talking about that, "Starting April 4, Walt Disney productions, released through United Artists, are being featured on the Trans-Lux Theater program for four consecutive weeks. Opening with 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' the next three programs feature the following Disney productions: 'Mickey's Man Friday,' 'Funny Little Bunnies,' and 'The Band Concert,' Disney's first Mickey Mouse subject in Technicolor." One thing I love about the color Symphonies is that they never take color for granted but instead always make sure it is used to full effect. That is definitely true of this cartoon. This movie was reissued to theaters on April 7, 1950.

Up next is a Columbia Color Rhapsody, Mother Hen's Holiday (1937). 

Now we join Mighty Mouse in The Champion of Justice (1944)

Next comes an animated short film with an emphasis on the short. This is a cartoon, whose title should tell you exactly what to expect. This is Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969). No one can say it doesn't live up to that title. What simply is a one joke film has made people laugh for decades and will continue to do so. Film student Marv Newland made this film when he couldn't get the right shot of a sunrise for a live action short, he was making. This film was made in only the last two weeks of his school semester, but it is better remembered than any other film made in that class. This film would receive the 38th spot in Jerry Beck's The 50 Greatest Cartoons.

Now for a commercial break. 

Now for one of the best post-Walt short films from Disney, It's Tough to be a Bird (1969). This short was the brainchild of Ward Kimball, one of the most brilliant and individualistic artists at the Disney studio. Some of the films he headed in his later years at the studio barely feel like Disney films at all. That is definitely true of this short, which rather than the typical Disney "illusion of life" embraces its own artifice, often employing various different art styles. Ward wanted the lead character to appear obviously hand drawn. Animator Burny Mattinson would remember Ward stating, "I don't want you guys cleaning this stuff up, just keep it rough. Just tie loose ends together and that's all but keep it very rough 'cause we're gonna Xerox it and I just want it as simple as possible." This film had an animal rights message to it and did not offer a very positive picture of humanity. Not everyone at the Disney studio was happy about this. Ward recalled that he felt "an unspoken air of resentment because you're attacking an institution, man, and his idealness and goodness. That's Disney. And you can't even in a subtle, subconscious way make fun of that." Ward did make one concession when it came to this though. He took out a sequence involving seagulls stuck in an oil spill (inspired by a real tragedy that happened near Santa Monica). Ward was told to take this out because the Gulf oil company was sponsoring the Disney TV show. However, when the film won an Academy Award, Ward stated in his acceptance speech, "I also want to extend my condolences to the unfortunate seagulls in Santa Barbara (when there had recently been the largest oil spill on record)" Though this short was originally intended as a segment on the Disney TV show, Card Walker (executive vice president of operations) liked the short so much that he decided to release it to movie theaters instead. It would first play with the live action Disney feature-length comedy, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969).  

From 1976 to 1982 Warner Brothers made a series of 16 TV specials featuring the Looney Tunes characters. Some of these specials were brand new half hour stories, others featured clips for or whole classic cartoon shorts and still others featured a set of brand-new cartoons. Daffy Duck's Easter Special (1980) featured three brand new cartoons with bridging sequences inspired by Duck Amuck (1953). Here is one of the new cartoons from that special, The Chocolate Chase (1980). This short is very much in the mold of the mid to late 1960's cartoons which pitted Daffy Duck against Speedy Gonzales. 

It is now silent movie time with Bobby Bumps Helps Out a Book Agent (1916). I apologize that the video pauses a few times. 

Now it is time for a few Quick Shticks. 

Let us close with a classic film from that cinema legend Señor Spielbergo. All I can say is boo-urns. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation Todd James Pierce. 

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman 

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #224

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Animation fans know director Friz Freleng as a master of timing and very few comedy cartoons have come close to the perfect comedy timing of his films. This can especially be seen in his cartoon, Yankee Doodle Daffy (1943). This in my mind is one of his funniest films and just a pure delight. Despite the title, this film does not have a parotitic theme or revolve around U.S. history. With the James Cagney feature, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) having come out the year before, this pun was probably just too good for the filmmakers to pass up.  Look for a portrait of Friz Freleng hanging in Porky's office. A review in The Motion Picture Daily calls this film a "Pleasant little subject." The following are Exhibitor's reviews from The Motion Picture Herald. "YANKEE DOODLE DAFFY: Looney Tunes Cartoons—This studio's cartoons lately seem to be either exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. This is downright terrible. - W. Verricks Nevins, III, Alfred Co-op Theatre, Alfred N.Y." "YANKEE DOODLE DAFFY: Looney Tunes Cartoons—Good cartoon, but where does it get its name? - Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesdale, W. Va." "YANKEE DOODLE DAFFY: Looney Tunes Cartoons - Average color cartoon. - E.M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla." 

Now for the classic UPA cartoon, Georgie and the Dragon (1951). This movie was directed by Robert "Bobe" Cannon, one of my favorite UPA directors. He had previously been an animator for both Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett's units at Warner Brothers and even Tex Avery at MGM. He even worked on the Disney feature film, Melody Time (1948). As a director he made some of the best UPA shorts including one of the studio's most famous films, Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950). 

 Next comes a short film from the husband-and-wife team of John and Faith Hubley, The Tender Game (1958). This duo brought us some of the most artistic and lovely animated short films of all time. The music on this film is by Ella Fitzgerald (the queen of jazz) and Oscar Peterson (a wonderful jazz pianist). 

Here is an animated insert that John and Faith Hubley made for Sesame Street. 

Now for the Fleischer Superman cartoon, The Eletric Earthquake (1942). For a studio that was best known for silly comedy cartoons like the Popeye and Betty Boop shorts, Fleischer Studios adapted itself extremely well to the action/adventure genre with these films. Even with the flux of superhero cartoons that have followed many still view these shorts as the gold standard when it comes to superhero animation. The makers of such shows as Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Justice League Unlimited have cited these short films are their primary influence. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

To this day some of the most popular cartoon shorts among Disney fans are the ones that used Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy as a comedy team in the same vein as Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers or The Three Stooges. The first of these was Mickey's Service Station. This was also the only one that was in black and white instead of color. In fact there would be only one more Mickey Mouse cartoon in black and white, which would be Mickey's Kangaroo (released later the same year). A quick bit of writing from an issue of The Film Daily (dated March 14, 1935), lets us know where this cartoon premiered, as well as the feature it played with. "Walt Disney's newest Mickey Mouse cartoon, 'Mickey's Service Station' is to have its premiere at the Rivoli Theater tomorrow on the bill with Samuel Goldwyn's 'The Wedding Night' in which Gary Cooper and Anna Sten are co-starred "Here is what some theater owners had to say about this cartoon in The Motion Picture Herald. "Mickey's Service Station: Mickey Mouse- Good filler lots of laughs and excitement. Running time, 1 reel - Rudolph Duba. Royal Theater, Kimball S. D. Small town patronage" "Mickey's Service Station: Mickey Mouse- A dandy cartoon. Mickey Mouse means something at our box office.- J.W. Noah, New Liberty and Ideal Theaters, Ft. Worth, Texas. General patronage."

Now for the silent Out of the Inkwell short, The Cure (1924). 

Continuing today's selection of classic cartoons is Popeye The Sailor Meets Sinbad The Sailor (1936). This is the first of the three Popeye two-reel specials (plus the first color Popeye) and one of the most popular Popeye cartoons. Running at 17 minutes this is twice as long as the usual Popeye film, yet the filmmakers work this to their full advantage. It never feels too long, and the extra time lets the filmmakers put in a more atmospheric fantasy like feel to this cartoon. This would be the first Popeye nominated for an Academy Award and received the 17th spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. A review in The Film Daily called the cartoon "Top Notch." However not everybody was so impressed by this film as evidenced by the following Exhibitors reviews from The Motion Picture Herald. "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor series - Good color but did not bring extra business like Paramount said it would. -Fisher & Bichler, Mattray Theatre, Strasburg, N.D." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor special - Worth twice as much as regular Popeye but no more. I paid more and that makes me a dissatisfied customer. - W. H. Brenner, Cozy Theatre, Winchester, Ind. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor cartoons - This much Balley-hooed two-reeler, all color, third dimensional cartoon failed to come up to the entertainment value of the single reel black and white Popeye series. - M.R. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. - Small Town and rural patronage."

Let us end today's cartoon selection with a classic Simpsons clip from the episode, 22 Short Films About Springfield (1996). 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #220

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning, once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a wonderful Daffy Duck film, The Daffy Duckaroo (1942). This cartoon was directed by Norman McCabe, who I always feel was underrated as a Looney Tunes director. Some of his Looney Tunes shorts are truly excellent, but because most of his cartoons were in black and white and feature a lot of topical gags about World War 2, his cartoons rarely get the exposure that other Looney Tunes directors do. He would return to the Looney Tunes universe well after the golden age as a timing director on such TV shows as Tiny Tunes Adventures, Taz-Mania and The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. I personally love McCabe's version of Daffy. He is as wild and crazy and energetic as Bob Clampett and Tex Avery's version of the character is, but he also has a few traits of the later Daffy that Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng would use. 

Next comes a delightfully surreal cartoon from the Van Bueren Studio, The Phantom Rocket (1933). This short film stars a human duo named Tom and Jerry, that predate the more famous cat and mouse duo. While not as famous as the later duo that would share their name, the human Tom and Jerry starred in some really fun, fast-paced cartoons that are a pure delight for animation lovers. 

Now for Honey Halfwitch in Potions and Notions (1966). This short film was directed by Shamus Culhane. Culhane is one of the most underrated classic cartoon directors (his Woody Woodpecker shorts are some of the woodpecker's best films). His book Talking Animals and Other People is essential reading for any true cartoon fan. 

Now comes an all-time classic, The Dover Boys at Pimento University (1942). This is one of Chuck Jones' most daring (and arguably one of his best) films. The stylized design and animation were unlike most anything being done at this time and look forward to what UPA would become known for in the 1950's. Many have cited Chuck Jones as a very strong influence on UPA and with a cartoon like this who could argue? It is worth noting that the credited animator on this film is Robert Cannon, who would become an important director for UPA (he directed Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950) there). Much of this film's charm came from background artist, Gene Fleury and layout artist John McGrew. These were two very experimental artists, and Chuck gave them plenty of room to experiment. They are a huge part of why Chuck's cartoons for this era really stand out. If you are a fan of Disney's Goofy cartoons, you will probably recognize the narrator, John McLeisch (who narrated most of the Goofy "how to..." shorts). The film's writer Ted Pierce does the voice of Tom. However, the scene stealer of the voice actors is Mel Blanc as he seems to be having a blast voicing the villainous Dan Backslide (coward, bully, cad and thief). Visually Dan Backslide is a caricature of Warner's animator, Ken Harris. This film appropriately appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

 

The Dover Boys themselves would later make a cameo appearance on TV's Animaniacs.

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for the Terry Toon cartoon, One Note Tony (1947). This short film was directed by Connie Rasinski, who had a long career working at the Terry Toons studio, first as an animator then a director. He began working at the studio in 1929 and kept working there until his death in 1965. 

Next comes one of Walt Disney's classic Alice Comedies, Alice Plays Cupid (1925). This short film features Margie Gay as Alice. She was the second young actress to play the role. For us Disney fans one of the greatest thrills of the earliest Disney films is that Walt himself directed them. Because of this we get a better look at the film legend's comedic mind. The gag of night falling, always makes me smile.

As many of you know when Fleischer Studios was shut down, it was succeeded by Famous Studios who not only created new series, but continued the series started by the former studio. Many cartoon fans feel that this series went downhill after this, but the falling of quality was hardly something immediate. I especially am a fan of the early Famous Studios Popeye films. These cartoons may be different from the Fleischer output, but they are fast paced, energetic and a lot of fun. There were also a wide variety of storylines used during this time that were not the simple one of Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. One great example of how good these films are is Me Musical Nephews (1942). The following is a review from The Film Daily, "One of the best Popeye shorts to hit the screen in years. Popeye's young nephews keep their uncle awake by practicing on their musical instruments and the grief they cause him is the central theme for some hilarious fun. This one deserves prominent billing."

Now to end with a great clip and song number from one of my favorite Simpsons episodes, Homer Badman (1994). 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

 The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck

Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/moonlighting-animators-in-comics-connie-rasinski/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/