Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #195

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with one of the greatest cartoon shorts ever made, Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953). This short was my favorite cartoon as a kid and I watched it over and over until I had it completely memorized. With this, it is amazing that I still love it today, but I guess that goes to show just how great it is. I am not the only one with such a high opinion of it. It appears in fourth place in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons as well as his book The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. Such beloved filmmakers as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas cherished this film. Lucas even made sure the short, preceded Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), when that movie was reissued to theaters. The cartoon would even spawn two sequel shorts (Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century (1980), Attack of the Drones (2003)), and a surprisingly great TV series (Duck Dodgers) that ran from 2003 to 2005. So, enjoy the original classic. 

Now we join the Terry Bears in Snappy Snap Shots (1953). 

Up next is a great Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, The Cookie Carnival (1935). This film marks the first Symphony to be directed by Ben Sharpsteen. Sharpsteen would go on to become the supervising director of Disney features like Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941). This is also the first Symphony for animators Bill Tytla (my favorite Disney animator) and Grim Natwick. Tytla is best known by Disney fans for his work on feature films like Snow White (1937), Pinocchio and Dumbo. He played a major role in animating the Dwarfs for Snow White, Stromboli in Pinocchio and the elephants in Dumbo (including the titular character). In this short Tytla animates the boy cookie singing to the girl cookie as well as the angel and devil food cakes. Grim Natwick had before joining the Disney Studio had played a role in the development of Betty Boop. Here he animates a long scene (with some assistance by Eddie Strickland and Frank Thomas) in which the boy cookie gives a makeover to the girl cookie. This was some of the best animation of a female character done at Disney by this time. Because of this he would often be cast with animating female characters. Among those female characters would be the star of the studio's first feature film, Snow White. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Cookie Carnival, The: Silly Symphony - I do not like this one. It might be OK for nursey but not for grownups. Just a bunch of candy men, etc. the usual hokum. Running time, eight minutes, —Paul J. Pope, Avon Theatre, Geneva, Ala., Small Town and Rural Patronage." 

Now for Krazy Kat in Lambs Will Gamble (1930).

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a classic silent Felix the cat cartoon, Felix Gets Revenge (1922). Though over 100 years old, this short is still fresh and a lot of fun today.  

Next is The Pink Panther in Pink Sphinx (1968). This short film was directed by Hawley Pratt, who had been a layout artist on many of Friz Freleng's (the Freleng in DePatie-Freleng (the studio that made these films)) cartoons for Warner Brothers. Pratt was directing quite a few Pink Panther shorts and other films for DePatie-Freleng at this time. 

Next is Donkey Kong in Gorilla Gangster (1983). This cartoon comes from a TV Show called Saturday Supercade. Each episode of this show was made up of multiple cartoons based on popular video game characters. Other video game characters featured in this show included Frogger, Donkey Kong Jr., Q*bert, Space Ace, Kangaroo and Pitfall Harry. In this cartoon, Donkey Kong is voiced by Soupy Sales, a comedian best known for his TV work in the 1950's and 60's. Mario is voiced by Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers.

Today's cartoon selection ends with the brilliant opening to a classic Simpsons episode, Bart's Friend Fall in Love (1992). 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of classic cartoons. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck. 

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/