The pilot we are look at is called The Secret Weapon and stars a character called Space Mouse. This character did exist before this cartoon in comic books, but this marked the first time he would be animated. The idea for the character came from a 1959 cartoon staring the mice characters Hickory, Dickory and Doc called Space Mouse. A comic editor named Chase Craig was told to create a comic book based off a Walter Lantz property. Chase Craig saw Space Mouse in a press release and was excited to use this Space Mouse as a character before he found out that Space Mouse was not an actually character in the cartoon. Still Craig liked this idea and made a comic book with a character named Space Mouse and asked Walter Lantz if it was ok if he declared this character as a property of the studio. Lantz agreed and the comic series was a hit. Naturally the Walter Lantz studio wanted to make cartoons based off this character and created a TV pilot. This pilot was directed by one of the studio's main stays Alex Lovy. The pilot was not picked up but not to let it go to waste the studio released it in movie theaters in 1960.
The cartoon begins with Space Mouse being called to the planet Rodentia by King Size the king of the mice. It seems cats from the planet Felinia seem to be invading constantly. The king tells Space Mouse to take care of this problem and gives him a pill to sallow if things go wrong. He doesn't know what the pill does but all spies are supposed to have a pill. The king also gives Space mouse a Siamese cat costume. In this costume, Space Mouse pretends to be a waiter at the restaurant where the king of the cats eats. Soon though Space Mouse is found out and takes his pill. It turns him invisible for just enough time to escape. Space Mouse then decides to release the secret weapon an army of dogs. Where does he get these dogs you might ask from the Dog Star of course. Space Mouse comes home a hero.
Though this film was released theatrically, its TV origins are quite obvious. Though at this time the studio's budget was severely cut, this cartoon had animation even more limited than the average theatrical short from this era. With this the cartoon is much more dialogue heavy than the average Lantz short from this era. There was little visual humor here instead the humor comes all from the characters speaking. Such an example is when our hero puts on the Siamese Cat costume, he speaks like a stereotyped Asian (even calling himself Charlie Chin). This is not humor that flows from how he moves but from how he speaks. The cartoon even features Space Mouse narrating, telling you stuff other Lantz cartoons would show you instead. One could close their eyes and still get all the story and humor from this film.
Despite all this the cartoon has a strange simple charm to it. The story is simple, but is always interesting and it never feels to rushed or to drag out. There are some good jokes here that get some good laughs. While the animation leaves a lot to be desired, the design work is quite good. This may never be placed among the studio's best cartoons, but it is likable and worth a watch for my fellow Walter Lantz fans.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Coming Up Sunday: A review of one of the most popular movies of all time. If you need a hint, just remember this a kiss is still a kiss and a sigh is just a sigh.
I only like Walter Lantz Space Mouse and am in the process of buying all the American comic books featuring him. A bit difficult because i live in West Europe where he is almost unknown. The comic books have the same relaxed atmosphere of circa 1960 but look a lot like Disney comics of that period. That is because they were probably made by the same artists..
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