Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #213

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with what has often times been called one of the greatest cartoons of all time, One Froggy Evening (1955). This is one of the masterpieces of the career of the great Chuck Jones. This film is beautifully made, with pitch perfect timing, clever gags and a very smart story. It would be placed at #5 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. This short would get sequel decades later, Another Froggy Evening (1995). The Tiny Toons Adventures episode, Class Cut-Up (1990) would be a remake of this short. 

Up next is the Terry Toons cartoon, Go West Big Boy (1931). This is one of the few early Terry Toons shorts that is not named after a type of food or drink. 

Next is the Tom and Jerry short, Smitten Kitten (1952). This short film is a "cheater" cartoon meaning that it is a short that uses clips from previous Tom and Jerry films. This cartoon uses clips from The Mouse Comes to Dinner (1945), Solid Serenade (1946), Salt Water Tabby (1947) and Texas Tom (1950). The little green devil version of Jerry had previously appeared in the short, Springtime for Thomas (1946).  This character would later appear in a 2014 episode of The Tom and Jerry Show called Pranks for Nothing. This character would even be a playable character in the 2019 mobile game, Tom and Jerry Chase. He also appears (though he isn't playable) in the 2000 Gameboy Color Game, Tom and Jerry in Mouse Attacks! Tom and Jerry fans will immediately notice that his Jimmy Durante inspired voice is the same as Spike the Bulldog. By this point that voice had been used by Spike only in a few cartoons and back when people saw these films only in theaters many audience members would not have seen those previous shorts. So, while this is obvious to us now, it was not to most anyone watching the short back then.

Next is the classic Mickey Mouse film, Mickey's Rival (1936). The titular character is a mouse named Mortimer. Those of you who know your Disney history will know that Mortimer was a name that was considered for Mickey. This was Mortimer's first appearance though he bared more than a little resemblance to Mr. Slicker a character that appeared in the Micky Mouse comic strip. Though Mickey's Rival was his only appearance in a theatrically released short film, it was not his only appearance in animation. He became a reoccurring character in the television shows, Mickey Mouse Works (1999-2000) and House of Mouse (2001-2003). He also has a role in the direct to video movie, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) and has appeared briefly in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006-2016) and Mickey and the Roadster Races (2017-present). Outside of animation he has been used very often in the Disney comic strips and began to appear in them around the same time he made his debut in movie theaters. Mortimer's design is said to be based off of Walt Disney and those who have seen pictures of a young Walt, will find this easy to believe. The ending to Mickey's Rival has Mickey and Minnie simply shaking hands. However, it was originally planned for Mickey to have a buzzer on his hand to play a Mortimer type prank on Minnie. Though this would have been out of character for Mickey at this time it would have fit perfectly in with the Mickey Mouse of the late 1920's. A review in The Motion Picture Herald stated, "The subject is less complex than many of the recent Disney fabrications but wholly entertaining." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse - We find that the bad characters often frighten our small children, and they go out into the foyer until it is passed over. - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada, General Patronage." The following is another exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse—Played this the second time as it is one of the best of the Mickeys. — C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa. General patronage." A review in The Motion Picture Daily stated, "Clever animation and fast-moving, but there have been better Mickey's. For instance, 'Alpine Climbers.'" The following is from a 1936 issue of The Film Daily, "United Artists' latest Walt Disney release, 'Mickey's Rival', introducing Mortimer Mouse, will open at the Radio City Music Hall with 'Swing Time' on Thursday, and at the Rivoii Theater with 'The Last oi the Mohicans.'"

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes the Out of the Inkwell silent short, Ko-Ko Nuts (1925).

Before Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck or Porky Pig the star of the Looney Tunes series was Bosko. Here is an example of a Looney Tunes cartoon starring him, Bosko's Party (1932). 

Now for the delightful Silly Symphonies cartoon, The Cat’s Nightmare (1931). You may notice the video below titles the cartoon, The Cat's Out. J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's essential book on the Silly Symphonies explains this, "Modern sources have sometimes identified this film as The Cat's Out. This was the working title and survives today in an original vault print. However, the finished film was copyrighted and released as The Cat's Nightmare." Interestingly this short played on The Mickey Mouse Club under both names (The Cat's Out on January 23, 1956, and The Cat's Nightmare on February 27, 1956). Whatever the name this is a darn good cartoon. It contains all of the atmosphere that enhances so many of the early Symphonies (especially the ones with a spooky theme). It may not quite be The Skelton Dance (1929), but it is a good film in its own right. Speaking of The Skelton Dance the animation of a rooster crowing (by Wilfred Jackson) is reused from that more famous Symphony. A review in The Film Daily states, "Right up to the high standard of this popular animated cartoon series." The following is a review from the Motion Picture Herald, "A clever piece of cartoon work, typical Silly Symphony number. The theme is as the titles suggests, and the animators have taken full advantage of its laugh making possibilities." However, a review in Motion Picture Reviews warns us, "A Halloween spooky atmosphere is so well done that it might frighten a sensitive child."

Today's cartoon post ends with The Simpsons in Shut Up, Simpsons (1988). This was a short from the Tracey Ullman Show before The Simpsons got their own TV series. 

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

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

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

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

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

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Mickey%27s_Rival

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Smitten_Kitten

https://mediahistoryproject.org/