Hello my friends and happy Saturday Morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Donald Duck film, Donald's Crime (1945). This cartoon marks a milestone in an important Disney character. In previous shorts Daisy Duck had been voiced by Clarence Nash (also the voice of Donald) and had a very similar voice to that of the ill-tempered but lovable duck. Here for the first time though, she has a more normal sounding voice that stands in contrast to Donald's. In this film that voice is provided by Gloria Blondell, who was the younger sister of actress Joan Blondell. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Donald's Crime: Walt Disney Cartoons - One of Disney's best. Our house was in an uproar of laughter from start to finish. By all means play it. - A.R. Dakin, Rice Lake Theatre, Bissett, Manitoba, Can."
Screenland, 1945
Now to go from one famous cartoon Duck to another, up next Daffy Duck is pit against Speedy Gonzales in Quacker Tracker (1967). Though Daffy and Speedy may seem like an odd combination but in the mid to late 1960's the two were teamed up against each other in 26 short films.
Up next is our good friend Farmer Al Falfa in The 19th Hole Club (1936). The following is a review from The Philadelphia Exhibitor, "The 19th Hole Club - 20th Century-Fox - Educational - Terry Toon. 6min. Typical Terrytoon with the farmer playing golf; general result filler. If more attention were paid to quality than quantity in this series the results would probably be better. So-So."
Motion Picture Daily, 1936
Next comes a delightful Little Lulu cartoon, Chick and Double Chick (1946).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for an early Disney Silly Symphony, The China Plate (1931). This short film was directed by Wilfred Jackson, who would later co-direct such Disney features as Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady and the Tramp (1955). Even at this stage, Disney cartoons had all star casts of animators and this short is no exception. Joe D'Igalo, who would work not only for Disney but also for Warner Brothers, MGM and Fleischer Studios (where he would work on both of their feature films (Gulliver's Travels (1939), Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941)), animates the teacup and teapot as well as the cherries being delivered to the mandarin. Johnny Cannon animated the mandarin eating and sleeping, the geishas dancing, the boy fishing and dragon swallowing the rock. Jack Cutting does much less here only animating the orchestra. Frenchy de Tremaudan (who animated on many of the best Disney shorts of the 1930's animates the first scene with the girl, the dragon eating the mandarin, capturing the girl and fighting with the boy. Rudy Zamora, who would have a long career in animation and would direct episodes of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates the scene with the boy and the girl with the butterfly. Future Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director Dick Lundy would animate the fight between the mandarin and the boy. Ben Sharpsteen, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the couple being chased by both the mandarin and the dragon. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the scene involving the couple and the mandarin at the bridge. Future Donald Duck director (who directed the Donald cartoon earlier in this post) animates the couple dislodging the rock and in the boat. Walt Disney himself provides the laugh for the boy. Six years after this picture the Disney story department proposed a Japanese themed Silly Symphony that would be similar to this short, but that film was never made.
Next we join Dudley Do-Right in the hilarious Railroad Tracks. This cartoon features the villainous Sidney Whiplash who was voiced by Hans Conried (my fellow Disney fans will know him as the voice of Captain Hook in Peter Pan (1953)). Conried loved the role once stating, "I never thought of Snidely as a characterization - I thought the role was designed for me." Chris Hayward (who co-wrote these cartoons with Lloyd Turner) later remembered when he and Turner were assigned the cartoons. Jay Ward (head of the studio) told them "'It's about a stupid Mountie.' So we said, 'Anything else we need to know?' and Jay said, 'No ... Just have fun!'" If these cartoons are any indication they had a lot of fun.
Today's cartoon selection ends with a silent Felix the Cat classic, Felix Dines and Pines (1927).
Thanks for joining me, come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
https://www.imdb.com/
https://mediahistoryproject.org/
https://factsandfigment.com/2020/02/07/donalds-crime-1945/?msclkid=d126407ccdca11ec8e154b37acf23826
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
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