Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #229

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Mighty Mouse in The Feuding Hillbillies (1948). In this short film Mighty Mouse helps a group of mice who are tormented by hillbilly cats. 

Next comes a black and white Looney Tunes short that I have always had a real fondness for, Porky's Bear Facts (1941). This cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng and while it is not as completely crazy as the black and white Looney Tunes directed by Tex Avery, Bob Clampett or Frank Tashlin it does certainly have moments that show what was quickly becoming the studio's signature sense of humor. Characters break the fourth wall and silly visual gags certainly find their way in at times. Yet at the same time the film feels more grounded and story driven than some of the studio's other efforts at this time. The story itself is somewhat of a takeoff on The Grasshopper and the Ants (which Disney had made a Silly Symphony based around in 1934). In typical Warner style the ending here goes completely against the moral of the story. Like many Porky cartoons of this era, Porky's role is very minimized. The truth was most of the directors were getting tired of working with the pig and this made him become a supporting character in his own cartoons for a while. A reviewer in The Film Daily was not that impressed with this cartoon stating "Rate it just as fair." A reviewer in the Motion Picture Daily found the true main character of the film quite likable stating, "An engaging character that shiftless bear." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "PORKY'S BEAR FACTS: Looney Tunes — Fine. Vitaphone is our best bet for good cartoon fare. Running time, nine minutes.—Fred C. Allen, Princess Theatre, Piedmont, Ala. Small town patronage."

Now for a really fun Talkartoon cartoon from the Fleischer Studios featuring an early version of Bimbo the Dog (best known as Betty Boop's canine boyfriend), Tree Saps (1931). At this time Bimbo was the star character at the Fleischer Studios, but it would not be long until his girlfriend would eclipse his stardom and he would be playing supporting roles in Betty Boop cartoons. Eventually Bimbo would stop appearing in the Betty Boop series and Betty would receive a different group of supporting characters. Bimbo's last appearance in a theatrical cartoon short was in the Betty Boop film, I Heard (1933). The climatic scene of Tree Saps will easily remind cartoon fans of the much more famous Mickey Mouse short, The Band Concert (1935). However this movie predates that classic. 

Next comes the Popeye movie, Me Musical Nephews (1942). Though the Famous Studios Popeye cartoons have a poor reputation, I have a real fondness for the earliest of the Famous Studios Popeyes (especially the black and white ones). They are filled with a wonderful sense of comic energy that is simply a joy to watch. This is on full display in this short film. This movie would be remade in color as Riot in Rhythm (1950). That later short pretty much was the exact same cartoon but in color. 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Now for the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon, The Wily Weasel (1937). Now that Disney has the rights to Oswald it is natural that everybody thinks of him as a Disney character. Many know the history that Walt Disney created Oswald. However distributor Charles Mintz hired away Walt's animators and let Walt know that if he did not give into Mintz's demands Mintz could make Oswald cartoons without him, because Walt had no rights to the character. Walt would leave and create Mickey Mouse. However this is where the character's history ends for many people. However that is not when Oswald's film career stopped. Mintz made a few cartoons with Oswald until Universal took the rights away from Mintz and put another Walt in charge of the series. This other Walt was Walter Lantz, later of Woody Woodpecker fame. From 1929 through 1943 Lantz would produce Oswald cartoons. The earliest of these kept the original design that had been used in the Disney films, but by the time this movie was made the character had been redesigned to the point of being unrecognizable. Interestingly with this design change, the character's shorts became much more like the cartoons Disney was making around this time and less like the earlier wilder Lantz cartoons. 

Now for a silent movie, Koko Packs Up (1925). 

Motion Picture News, 1921

As I have stated many times on this blog some of my all-time favorite cartoons are the Goofy cartoons directed by Jack Kinney. Up next comes a very fun example of these short films, Father's Weekend (1953). Like many of Jack Kinney's Goofy cartoons, this movie places the Goof in the role of the everyman, which is a role he worked very well in.

Today's cartoon selection ends with the Looney Tunes webtoon, Junkyard Run #3 (2001).

Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.