Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #190

Happy Saturday morning my friends. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with an excellent Donald Duck cartoon, The Trial of Donald Duck (1948). This movie is directed by Jack King, who had directed a large number of great Donald Duck shorts. King would retire in 1948, the same year this cartoon was released. This film would make its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired December 12, 1956. 

Next comes Sylvester and Tweety in Tweet Dreams (1959). This movie is what is often referred to as a cheater. This means that it uses clips from earlier cartoons. The cartoons which have clips used here include Sandy Claws (1954), Tweety's Circus (1955), A Street Cat Named Sylvester (1953), Gift Wrapped (1952) and Too Hop to Handle (1956). Another cheater cartoon, Freudy Cat (1964) uses a similar premise where Sylvester visits a psychist. That picture would feature Sylvester going after Hippitey Hopper instead. Voice actor Mel Blanc would later write, "Sylvester has always been a favorite of mine. He's always been the easiest character for me to play. When I was show the first model sheet for Sylvester with his floppy jaws and generally disheveled appearance, I said to Friz Freleng, 'A big sloppy cat should have a big shthloppy voice. He should spray even more than Daffy.' While recording Sylvester cartoons my scripts would get so covered in sylvia I'd repeatedly have to wipe them clean. I used to suggest to actress June Foray, who voiced Tweety's vigilant owner Granny, that she wear a raincoat to the sessions." 

Next comes a delightful Van Beuren cartoon, Cubby's Picnic (1933). This movie stars Cubby Bear. If the character looks a lot like Mickey Mouse, that is not a coincidence. Nearly every American cartoon studio at this time, was creating films featuring character who looked and acted just like Mickey. This was especially true of the Van Beuren Studio, who got sued in 1931, for using mice characters who were too close to comfort for Walt Disney. 

Just as the Pink Panther character came out of the opening credit sequence for the live action feature film The Pink Panther (1964), a fellow DePatie-Freleng cartoon character, The Inspector came from the opening credits sequence of that movie's sequel A Shot in the Dark (1964). The Inspector was based off of the main character of these movies, Inspector Clouseau, however he was not quite just an animated version of Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards' famous character. Since the Pink Panther diamond was not used in this sequel and his name is not in the title of the film, the Pink Panther character was not used for these opening credits. Later sequels which would not feature the diamond, would have "Pink Panther" in their titles and feature the character in the opening credits. This opening title sequence was directed by George Dunning, who is best remembered today for directing the Beatles' animated movie, Yellow Submarine.

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes Peter Potamus in The Good Hood (1964). 

Now for a silent movie starring Dreamy Dud, He Resolves Not to Smoke (1915).

Next comes the fifth Hoot Kloot film, Pay Your Buffalo Bill (1973). This is the third film in which Hoot Kloot faces off against his nemesis Crazy Wolf. Both Hoot Kloot and his horse Fester are voiced by Bob Holt. For DePatie-Freleng Holt would also voice The Dogfather and Harry Halibut (from the Misterjaw cartoons). For Hanna-Barbera, he would voice Grape Ape. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939). This is the first Daffy Duck short to be directed by Chuck Jones. Though Chuck Jones would play a major role in helping transform Daffy Duck from the early crazy character into the more selfish and greedy duck, in this movie Daffy is completely at his craziest ("that is correct, 100% correct"). At this time Chuck was directing slower paced and more dramatic cartoons then his Warner Brothers cartoon associates, however this film is complete cartoon silliness that moves along at a pretty quick pace for Chuck at this time period. Many cartoon fans will recognize this movie for its presence on many public domain DVDs and Blu-rays. 

Thanks for joining me. Just so you know there will be no Saturday morning cartoon posts for the next two weeks, because I am taking a trip out of the country with my church. But after that break, I'll be back to posting animated gems each week. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide to the Coolest Cat in Town by Jerry Beck

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.

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