Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Oswald the rabbit in Everybody Sing (1937). Many animation histories end Oswald's story with when Walt Disney learned that he did not actually own the rights to this character he created, which lead to him creating Mickey Mouse. However, the rabbit's story does not end here. He would appear in many cartoons afterwards, first produced by Charles Mintz and then Walter Lantz (later of Woody Woodpecker fame). In the earlier Walter Lantz Oswalds, the character was very recognizably the same character that Walt Disney used. However, in the later ones (including this film), he was redesigned to the point where he no longer looked like the Walt Disney character. Though this is technically an Oswald cartoon, the rabbit actually receives quite little screen time here.
Next comes Cubby Bear in Mischievous Mice (1934). This short film is one of three that Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising made three shorts for the Van Buren studio after leaving Warner Brothers (where the made the earliest Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). The first two of these (Cubby's World Flight (1933) and Gay Gaucho (1933)) received a theatrical release. However, this third film didn't. In the late 1940's Hugh Harman Productions did however release a print of this film with music from the studio's Industrial film, Easy Does It (1946). Enjoy.
Next comes one of my favorite cartoons from director Norm McCabe, Daffy's Southern Exposure (1942). I absolutely love the way this film treats Daffy. He is very much in his early wild and crazy mode. But at the same time there is a bit more to him than just being crazy. He is also the type of duck who is always simply looking for a good time and will ignore the warnings of others if they try to get in the way of him having fun. Still even when getting his comeuppance, he never learns any sort of lesson and remains the same duck he was the beginning of the cartoon. This is a fun characterization for Daffy, especially as he is still fun of the pure energy that makes the early Daffy so popular. This is just as much of a fully formed character as the one we would see in the later Chuck Jones classics of the 1950's. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "DAFFY'S SOUTHERN EXPOSURE: Cartoon- Good black and white cartoon. Enjoyed by people that saw it. —Conrad H. Tapia, Chief Theatre, Casa Grande, Ariz."
Now we join Donald Duck in Donald’s Happy Birthday (1949). This short film made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled At Home with Donald Duck (1956). It later appeared on an episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color entitled Kids is Kids (1961).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next, we join Popeye in Greek Mirthology (1954). This short film is the Hercules story as told by Popeye. The cartoon was directed by Seymour Kneitel, who started working with Popeye when the Popeye theatrical animated shorts began in the mid-1930's. He would continue working with the character through his 1960's TV cartoons.
Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, The Old Oaken Bucket (1941). The following is a review from Showman's Trade Review. "No wonder quartets continue to sing of 'The old oaken bucket that hangs in the well,' if the story behind it is as pleasant and delightful as the animators have made it here. The bucket is an elevator which lowers the hero, a frog, to his sweetheart, whom he takes to his sweetheart, whom he takes to neighborhood amusement park, where they try the parachute jump, the tunnel of love, the roller coaster and other 'thrills' before returning home. While this is no
'Great shakes' as a cartoon, it is still entertaining, and a good subject to brighten any program. Paul Terry produced."
Next is the Pink Panther in Pink Arcade (1978).
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
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
Good morning my friends and welcome for a special Fourth of July edition of Saturday Morning Cartoons.
In 1997 animation legend Chuck Jones wrote a children's book starring Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny titled Daffy Duck for President. When Warner Brothers decided to follow the feature film,Looney Tunes Back in Action (2003) with a series of new animated Looney Tunes shorts for movie theaters, one of these shorts was a cartoon based off this book. Daffy Duck for President (2004) never got the theatrical release it should have as Looney Tunes Back in Action proved a disappointment at the box office. However, this is a truly delightful cartoon. It was dedicated to Chuck who had passed away in 2002.
Now we join our sailor friend Popeye in Patriotic Popeye (1957). This Fourth of July cartoon features Popeye and two nephews. When Popeye's nephews were introduced, he had four of them. This then went down to three and then to two.
Next comes the silent cartoon short, Bobby Bumps Fourth (1917). The Bobby Bumps films were made by Earl Hurd. Earl Hurd has a very important place in the history of animation. He was in fact the inventor of animation cells. Him and John R. Bray owned a patent on animation cells and any studio that used them had to pay license fees. About the Bobby Bumps cartoons film historian and critic Leonard Maltin would state, "They are among the most mature, most well-conceived cartoons of the silent era - certainly the best work done in the mid- to late teens."
Now for a short film from Stephen Bosustow Productions, Freedom River (1971). This is an intelligent and lovely film that is helped by narration from no less than Orson Welles. The film was directed by Sam Weiss, who would go on to work as a layout artist on such animated TV shows as The Bullwinkle Show, The Dick Tracy Show, Underdog and Rugrats.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for our favorite pink friend in Yankee Doodle Pink (1978). This is essentially a reissue of the earlier Pinky Doodle (1976) with a few extra scenes.
In December of 1941 the Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Morganthau contacted Walt Disney about making a short film encouraging Americans to pay their taxes. The story goes that Walt was surprised by this request believing that all American citizens paid their taxes on time. Disney writers Joe Grant and Dick Huemer wrote a story involving Donald Duck as an average tax payer. When an aide was surprised that Disney didn't create a new character to represent the average tax payer, but Walt felt that Donald was a natural choice. He argued that this was the same as when a Hollywood studio would use one of their biggest live action stars to promote the war effort. Donald was the Disney studio's biggest star at the time (as well as a character everyone loved and saw themselves in) and to have him push the war effort was vital to the project. The cartoon was titled The New Spirit (1942) and was a major success. The Treasury Department stated that about sixty million Americans saw this cartoon and a poll showed that 37% of these Americans stated that this positively influenced them when it came to paying taxes. In 1943 the Treasury Department approached Walt about making another one of these shorts. This resulted in The Spirit of '43 (1943).
Let us end with another patriotic Disney short, Ben and Me (1953).
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.
Donald Duck: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with the Terry Toons cartoon, The Golden Hen (1946). This short film stars Gandy Goose and Sourpuss. The goose and cat duo were teamed in a series of cartoons and like many of cartoon characters of the era, their voices were inspired by famous personalities of the time. Gandy Goose was based off the radio comedian Ed Wynn and Sourpuss is based off of Jimmy Durante. The two provide a great contrast with each other making their shorts still a lot of fun today. The film was directed by Mannie Davis. Mannie Davis was not only a prolific Terry Toons director, but he was also the big brother of Looney Tunes director Art Davis.
Next comes the Merrie Melodies cartoon, I Like Mountain Music (1933). This short film is the first in a series of Warner Brothers cartoons where objects come to life in a store at night. Like many Merrie Melodies of the time, this cartoon was based off a song that Warner Brothers owned. The title song was written by James Cavanaugh and Frank Weldon. These two also collaborated on such songs as Christmas in Killarney and Thirty-Two Feet and Eight Little Tails. James Cavanaugh was also a writer on the song You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You, which was a hit for both Nat King Cole and Dean Martin.
Now for the Famous Studios cartoon, The Bored Cuckoo (1948). This short film was directed by Bill Tytla, a former Disney animator who had done some fantastic work on the Disney features Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941).
Up next is one of the best post golden age Looney Tunes cartoons, Box Office Bunny (1991). This short film played before the feature film The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1991) in movie theaters.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoon, Little Annie Rooney (1931). Be sure to sing along with the bouncing ball.
Next, we join Little Lulu in Beau Ties (1945). This delightfully cynical cartoon is one of my favorite Little Lulu shorts.
Now for a charming Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, Lullaby Land (1933). Like most Disney films of this era, Lullaby Land benefits from a very strong cast of animators. Ham Luske animates the baby at home in his cradle and the baby and the dog with the Sandman. Art Babbitt animated the baby and his dog in the Land of Nowhere. Dick Humuer animates the baby with the matches and the Bogey Men. As was often the case at this time Ben Sharpsteen lead a crew of junior animators, some of whom would go on to do great things. These junior animators included Leonard Sebring (medium close up of the parade), Roy Williams (bottles of castor oil; potty chair; curling irons), Louie Schmitt (baby and do playing leapfrog; baby breaking the watch), Ed Love (the knife and pruning shears; the scissors family; the fountain pens), Marvin Woodward (the baby and do watching a fight; the dog with a pincushion) and Bob Kuwahara (the flowers going to sleep). The story outline was done in March 1933. The layout work (by Charles Philippi, Hugh Hennesy and Ferinand Horvath) was done from April 10 to May 11, 1933. The animation was done from May 2 to June 27, 1933. The film was copyrighted on July 29, 1933. The negative cost of this film was $13,071.52. To show how these shorts film became increasingly more expensive to make, The Skeleton Dance (1929), Disney's first Silly Symphony's negative cost was $5,485.40. At the New York Radio City Music Hall Lullaby Land ran from August 31 to September 6, 1933, with the feature film One Man's Journey (1933) starring Lionel Barrymore. An issue of The Film Daily (dated October 6, 1933) stated, "United Artists worked out an effective tie-up with Gimbel Brothers and the Radio City Music Hall during the showing of Walt Disney's Silly Symphony, 'Lullaby Land' at the Music Hall. Gimbel's devoted a window display to a series of original drawings from 'Lullaby Land,' together with a blow-up in color of one of the scenes from the picture. This blow-up was used as a background for nursery merchandise. The department store also used a newspaper advertisement that was virtually an advertisement for 'Lullaby Land' and the Music Hall. 'Roxy' used several of the originals from 'Lullaby Land' in the Music Hall lobby, and a card calling attention to the display at Gimbel's. This marks the first time the Roxy has ever given a store credit in the lobby of the Music Hall." The film made its TV debut on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 26, 1956. I never saw this cartoon as a kid, but I think it is quite possible it would have given kid me bad dreams. Hopefully you all sleep well tonight.
Now to 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 Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
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
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
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.
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.
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.
