Saturday, May 11, 2024

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #276

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Magoo Goes Skiing (1954). This short film was directed by Pete Burness. Burness had previously been an animator on MGM's Tom and Jerry shorts as well as some classic Looney Tunes. At this time, he was the main director of the Magoo series. 

 



Now for an Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The Fly's Bride (1929). So, enjoy this sugar-coated pill of wisdom. 





Up next comes Woody Woodpecker in Ace in the Hole (1942). This is a wonderful early Woody Woodpecker short. 



Next comes a real classic, the Bugs Bunny cartoon, The Wacky Wabbit (1942). As many of you know all the major Looney Tunes directors had their different take on Bugs Bunny. Bob Clampett's Bugs was very much a fun-loving prankster. Unlike Chuck Jones' version of the character, this Bugs did not always need to act in self-defense but could just pick on someone to have a little fun. That is true of the way he treats Elmer here. Elmer in this film is not hunting wabbits, but simply minding his own business, when Bugs decides to let the poor fellow have it. Elmer in this cartoon looks different from how many movie fans picture him looking. This is because he was briefly redesigned to look like his voice actor Arthur Q. Byran. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Fourteen carrot entertainer this 'Wacky Wabbit.' There's a laugh in every foot. The wise guy rabbit in this instance tries his trick on a gold prospector. He drives the poor guy crazy confounding him and keeping him constantly on the jump. Bugs Bunny grows in stature with every new Merry Melody release. He bids fair to become as funny as any character now in animated cartoons. The smart showman should grab this short." 




Now it is time for a commercial break. 



















And now here's something we hope you'll really like.




Now comes a wonderful silent Alice Comedy, Alice In The Big League (1927). This is the last Alice Comedy film and features Lois Harwick as Alice. She was the fourth and final child actress to play the character. 




Up next is the Max Fleischer Color Classic, The Fresh Vegetable Mystery (1939). One of the best of the series this plays like a much darker version of a Disney Silly Symphony. The film also benefits from a wonderful cast of animators (many of whom are not well known even among animation buffs). Eli Brucker animates the opening with all the vegetables sleeping. Tom Golden animates the introduction to the police potato as well as the villain dropping the forks and the villain crawling into the root beer bottles. Bill Sturm animates the officer drinking the beer as well as the scene with him and the carrot and the villain chasing the officer. Bob Bently and Irv Spector animate the introduction of the villain. Bob Bemiller animates the cop running away from the bottle tops. Edith Vernick animated only one scene in the picture, the potatoes leaving the bag. Tom Golden then animates all these potatoes raiding the "Hole in the Wall Cafe." The highlight of this picture is the grilling of the various vegetables by the potato police officers. Bob Bemiller animates the grilling of the corn and the orange. Eli Brucker animates the grilling of the onions. John Walworth animates the grilling of the egg. Nelson Demorest animates the villain interrupting this scene. Bill Strum animates the wonderful final sequence beginning with the officers chasing the villain with an eggbeater. The uncredited writers of this film were Jack Ward and Bill Turner.






Now to end by singing a song we all know. 




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

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-fresh-vegetable-mystery-1939/

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/













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