Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #234

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Popeye movie, Customers Wanted (1939). This film is a bit of a cheater using clips from previous cartoons. These clips are from Let's Get Movin' (1936) and The Twisker Pitcher (1937). This movie would be remade as another Popeye cartoon, Penny Antics (1955). Though this is a cheater cartoon, it is easily one of the better cheaters, because the new footage is just as good (if not better) than the clips. 

Next comes the Terry Toons cartoon, African Jungle Hunt (1957). 

Next we join the fox and the crow in The Dream Kids (1944). In this movie the crows tries to give the fox nightmares. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Just a routine Technicolor cartoon. This time they get mixed up in some dream sequences as the crow attempts to invade the Fox's warm house, resulting in some fast, if not-too-funny scenes."  

Mickey's Amateurs (1937) is a rare directorial effort by Pinto Colvig, who my fellow Disney fans will know best as the voice of Goofy (who appears in this film). He co-directed this cartoon with Erdman Penner and Walt Pfeiffer. Penner spent most of his time at Disney working in the story department. He even worked on such Disney feature films as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (1941), Victory Through Air Power (1943), Make Mine Music (1946), Melody Time (1948), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955) and Sleeping Beauty (1959). Walt Pfeiffer was a childhood friend of Walt Disney and would become manager of Disney's Penthouse Club. None of these men were typically directors of cartoons and to see them in the director's chair is a rare treat. The three also wrote the short, which was a more typical job for them.  In their book Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History, J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein describe this film as "...an extremely offbeat cartoon, with wild, freewheeling gags and animation that suggest other studios as much as Disney." Animator Al Eugster remembered working on this cartoon with a real fondness stating, "I felt I had more freedom during my assignment on this film." This short would be the last Mickey Mouse cartoon released for United Artists. The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald. "Making sport of the current amateur hour craze, the Disney penmen have devised some of the craziest and comic cartoon moments yet to hit the screen. With Mickey Mouse as the master of ceremonies, the talent parade their specific specialties. Donald Duck recites "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," which is a very coy act for Donald and a good laugh for his audience. The female aspirants are represented by Clara Cluck and Carabelle Cow who offer a song and a piano treat. The highlight of the progamme and the one that would receive this reviewer's vote is 'Bandmaster Goofy and his Fifty Piece Band.' Goofy and his 'Rube Goldberg' invention play 'In The Good Old Summertime' and then going modern, the pace proves too much for the maestro and his machine. The subject must be seen to be appreciated and enjoyed and enjoyed. The fun it offers defies description. Running time, one reel."  

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next we join Sylvester and Tweety in The Jet Cage (1962). Though this film gives Milt Franklin credit for the music, much of the music was done by William Lava. This is because Milt Franklin died of a heart attack before finishing the musical score and had to be replaced by William Lava. About the Sylvester and Tweety cartoons, director Friz Freleng stated, "Tweety doesn't do anything. He can't even put a hat on because his arms are too short. And he's got such a bug head. The comedy comes out of Sylvester and his determination, his stubbornness to get the bird no matter what happens to him. Still everybody says 'Oh I love that Tweety.' Audiences are funny. They never love the characters that really get the laughs." 

Now for a classic silent movie, Cramps (1916). 

Now for a Tijuana Toads movie, Fastest Tongue in the West (1971). Pancho is voiced by Tom Holland (not the Spider-Man actor, a different Tom Holland), who was also the voice of Speedy Gonzales' cousin, Slowpoke Rodriguez. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in one of their shorts for the Tracey Ullman Show (before they got their own TV series), Home Hypnotism (1989). 

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

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

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

https://lantern.mediahist.org/