Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #221

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a delightful Merrie Melodies cartoon, The Sheepish Wolf (1942). This short film was directed by Friz Freleng.

Now it is time for a silent movie, Egg Cited (1926).  Like most of these shorts this movie cleverly combines animation and live action, as Koko the clown once again battles with his live action creator and often times rival, Max Fleischer (played by himself). Of course, one of the joys of these movies for animation buffs is that they can actually see Max interacting with his characters. The introduction of Max in this film is simply fantastic and remains one of my favorite moments of any of the Out of the Inkwell shorts. 

Next comes an early example of one of Disney's Silly Symphonies, Arctic Antics (1930). Like all Disney cartoons of this era, this short film benefits from an incredible cast of animators. The opening scene with the bears and seals was animated by Frenchy de Tremaudan. Wilfred Jackson, who would go on to direct some of the finest Silly Symphonies shorts animates more of the bears and seals as well as the penguin leader and the little penguin during the march. Dave Hand, who would later be the supervising director for the Disney feature films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the bear cub on the ice cake and much of the penguin march. Les Clark, one of Walt's future Nine Old Men and one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates the large bear on the ice cake and a penguin doing a dance by himself. Norm Ferguson, whose animation would help define the character of Pluto, animates the operatic walrus (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves (1929)) and the penguins dancing in a chorus line. Ben Sharpsteen, who was the supervising director for the Disney feature films Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the four dancing seals, the seals applauding (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves (1929)) and the walrus with the fish. Dick Lundy, who would go on to be a great Woody Woodpecker director, animates the seal dancing by himself and the seal balancing a fish on his nose. Johnny Cannon animates the seal squeezing the walrus' nose. Jack King, who would go on to direct some wonderful Donald Duck cartoons animates more of the penguin march. This short film would make its TV debut on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 17, 1956. 

Now we join our old friend Gandy Goose in his very first color cartoon, Doomsday (1938). This short film is a delightful take on the story of Chicken Little. 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Next is one of the most popular and best pairings of Mickey, Donald and Goofy, Lonesome Ghosts (1937). This film provides one with everything they could want from one of these cartoons. It has tons of fast-paced slapstick and creativity throughout. The story of this movie changed over the time it was being made, originally the haunted house was going to be a fake created by gangster Pete to scare others away. As you will see when you watch the film, the ghosts here are completely real. This caused a review for Motion Picture News too call the movie, "rather scary for tiny tots." A review in The Film Daily however said just the opposite stating "The Ghost stuff is all played for laughs instead of spookiness and the kids will eat it up." The following are a couple exhibitors' reviews from The Motion Picture Herald. "Lonesome Ghosts: Walt Disney cartoons - Another Disney of outstanding entertainment. - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General Patronage." "Lonesome Ghosts: Walt Disney cartoons - I feel that Disney is living on his Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs reputation and his cartoons are not up to the usual standard he formally had. Running Time seven minutes - A.J. Jinks, Crystal Theatre, Ligonier, Ind. Small town patronage." This short film made its TV debut on the very first episode of the Disneyland TV series, The Disneyland Story (1954). 

Now we join our old friend Flip the Frog in Puddle Pranks (1930). The only person credited on this film is Ub Iwerks, someone who Disney fans should be quite familiar with. His work with Walt Disney (the two basically co-created Mickey Mouse) on the early Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies cartoons, as well as the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shorts and Alice Comedies, helped shape Disney animation and to fully state his impact on Disney history is impossible. Yet he would be lured away from Disney to head his own cartoon studio, where he would make this film. After his own cartoon series didn't catch on with the public the way his Disney work had, he wound up back at Disney. There he did special effects for such Disney movies as The Three Caballeros (1944), Song of the South (1946), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), and Mary Poppins (1964). He even worked on some episodes of Disney's TV children's show, The Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1958). Away from Disney, he did special effects work on Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963). 

Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World, 1930

Next is Woody Woodpecker in Dippy Diplomat (1945).

Now to end with the next part of the Looney Tunes Webtoons, mini-series, Toon Marooned (2001). Who will get voted off this week? 

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

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

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein 

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 

https://mediahistoryproject.org/