Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with the Mickey Mouse cartoon, The Chain Gang (1930). This movie is said to be the introduction of Pluto, but this Pluto bears little resemblance (outside of how he visually looks) to the character we know today. He is not Mickey's dog or even his friend here. In this movie two identical looking bloodhounds are chasing Mickey. Neither of the bloodhounds are differentiated in anyway, so it is hard to say which one would go on to a long film career and which one would fade into obscurity. It is worth noting that a scene involving them would be animated by Norm Ferguson, whose later animation of Pluto is often credited with helping give the dog his personality. Animation from this scene would later be reused in four cartoons featuring Pluto. Ferguson would also animate the opening scene of the picture. The first apperance of these dogs was animated by future Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director, Dick Lundy (he also animated their little dance). Les Clark, who would later go on to be considered one of Mickey's best animators, doesn't animate the mouse much here. Instead, he animates the guard yelling, the dogs howling to the musical number, the guards with the machine guns and the pig getting shot. Future supervising director of Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), Ben Sharpsteen animated the prisoners with the picks and the scene with the horses and the wagon. Future Donald Duck director Jack King animated the pig trying to smash the rock, the cat playing the cow's tail like a musical instrument and the guard yelling for help. Tom Palmer animates Mickey trying to break the rock, Mickey being pulled back by the ball and chain when he tries to run and the final shot of the picture. Johnny Cannon animates the guard sleeping, the cat dancing, the whistles blowing and Mickey running downhill. Future supervising director for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942) animates the cow playing the pick like a piccolo, Mickey playing a rock like a musical instrument and Mickey falling through the roof of the prison.
Next comes the Paramount, Modern Madcap cartoon, The Lion's Busy (1961). Sir Reginald is voiced by Jack Mercer, the voice of Popeye and he is doing an impression of the character actor, Richard Haydn.
Next is Porky Pig in Confusions of a Nutzy Spy (1943). This short was directed by Norman McCabe, who while never achieving the fame or recognition of Chuck Jones, Tex Avery or Bob Clampett, is a director whose cartoons I have always had a special fondness for. Much of the reason that McCabe is not as familiar to cartoon fans today is that his work rarely shows on TV. There are three major reasons for this. One is that his output is in black and white, another is that much of it is very topical of the WW2 era and yet another is that most of these films feature racial stereotypes. McCabe's Looney Tunes association did not end with the golden age. He would work as a timing director on the TV series, Tiny Toon Adventures, Taz Mania and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. Confusions of a Nutzy Spy was an increasingly rare case of Porky being the star of a cartoon around this time. Though Porky not long ago had been the star of nearly every Looney Tune, this had been changing. Porky's roles would get smaller to the point where though he still appeared in every Looney Tune, he became strictly a supporting player (even in cartoons that featured his name in the title). Just a couple of years before this movie, the first Looney Tune in years not to feature Porky was released, The Haunted Mouse (1941). After this there were quite a few more Looney Tunes not featuring Porky as well as ones in which he only had brief cameos. The following are a couple of exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. "CONFUSIONS OF A NUTZY SPY: Looney Tunes Cartoons—Routine stuff. Always goes over big with the kids. Ran Friday, Saturday to good audience of kids and the house shook.—Wilson T. Cottrell, Caro- lina Theatre, Oxford, N. C." "CONFUSIONS OF A NUTZY SPY: Looney Tunes Cartoon—This is only a fairish sort of a black and white cartoon.—W. V. Nevins, III, Alfred Co-Op Theatre, Alfred, N. Y."
Popeye was easily one of the most popular cartoon stars of the 1930's, even becoming Mickey Mouse's biggest rival with movie goers. Because of this it was decided that he should be put into something larger than average 7-minute cartoon. So, the Fleischer Brothers put him in three films that run more than twice the length of average Popeye short. The first of these three cartoons was Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936). This film was larger than the average Popeye cartoon on every level including being produced in beautiful Technicolor (this marked Popeye's first appearance in color). The short was also a showcase for the Fleischer Brothers' incredible 3-D backgrounds. These were achieved by the building miniature sets and placing them on a turntable. Animation cels were then hung on a glass plate and shot. Though decades have past no moviemakers have ever surpassed what the Fleischer Brothers achieved with this, as it is still breathtaking today. The following are some exhibitor reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the sailor - Step on it. It's a feature in itself. Running Time, 20 minutes. - S. A. Kimball, Sokokis Theatre, Limerick Maine. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor in Technicolor - Coloring was interesting. Subject matter about average for Popeye material. Pleased okay and may account for a few extra kiddies. Hardly worth the rental asked though. - L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N. H. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor Series- Good color, but did not bring the extra bussiness like Paramount said it would. Running Time 2 reels. Fischer and Bichler, Mattray Theatre, Strasburg, N. D." This film got the #17 spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Motion Picture Herald, 1936
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes the 12th Dogfather film, Eagle Beagles (1975). While by the 1970's most studios were no longer making cartoons for movie theaters, DePatie-Freleng was helping keep the animated short film alive with multiple series. One of these series were the Dogfather cartoons for the mid-1970's. These shorts were a take-off of Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) with the titular character even sounding like Marlin Brando. 17 theatrical cartoon shorts were made of this series.
Next, we join the one and only Gandy Goose in a game of Mexican Baseball (1947). This movie is a pure example of cartoon absurdity and I love it. The simple idea of a team made up of two guys playing against a full-sized baseball team is just a delightful idea.
Now let us close with a song.
Film Daily Yearbook, 1948
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
http://afilmla.blogspot.com/search/label/Shorts_Columbia?updated-max=2009-04-25T21:00:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=10&by-date=false
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimite History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
The 50 Greatest Cartoons by Jerry Beck
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