Saturday, August 30, 2025

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #246

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester and Tweety in Tweet and Lovely (1959). This is one of my favorite Sylvester and Tweety films. Voice actor Mel Blanc would later write, "Sylvester has always been a favorite of mine. He's always been the easiest character for me to play. When I was showing the first model sheet for Sylvester with his floppy jaws and generally disheveled appearance, I said to Friz Freleng, 'A big sloppy cat should have a big shthloppy voice. He should spray even more than Daffy.' While recording Sylvester cartoons my scripts would get so covered in sylvia I'd repeatedly have to wipe them clean. I used to suggest to actress June Foray, who voiced Tweety's vigilant owner Granny that she wear a raincoat to the sessions." 




Next is the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, My Baby Just Cares for Me (1931). The title song was written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn. The two had written such songs together as Carolina in the MorningMy Buddy, My Man from CarolineLove Me or Leave MeMakin' Whoopee and Yes Sir, That's My Baby. The song was written for the movie, Whoopee! (1930) starring Eddie Cantor. Sorry that this short is missing a small part of it. 






Now for Heckle and Jeckle in Log Rollers (1953). 




Next is the Mickey Mouseworks cartoon, Mickey’s Remedy (1999). This short would later be used in the House of Mouse episode, Snow Day (2002). 





Now it is time for a commercial break. 
















Up next comes an early example of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons with The Bird Store (1932). This short film is similar to many of the Silly Symphonies of the time period. The movie starts out with simply a bunch of cute little gags involving a bird store and then a villain enters and many of the characters team up to stop this villain. The cartoon is directed by Wilfred Jackson, who would later co-direct such Disney features as Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady and the Tramp (1955). The film also features an all-star cast of Disney animators. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the opening scene. Future Donald Duck director, Jack King animated the lovebirds, the canaries being excited and the baby being returned to its parents. Frenchy de Tremaudan, who worked as an uncredited animator on many of Disney best short films, animates the bird sharpening its beak and the parrot with the cash register. Johnny Cannon animated the jalopy birds and the canaries pecking at the cat. Clyde Geronimi, who would be a co-director on Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady and the Tramp (1955) and the supervising director for Sleeping Beauty (1959), animates the horn birds and the cat in the cage. Norm Ferguson, whose animation would later help define the character of Pluto, animates the parrot with both the mirror and the typewriter. Future Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director Dick Lundy animates the whooping birds and the cat stalking the canaries. Future Hanna-Barbera director, Rudy Zamora animates the Marx Birds. Future Looney Tunes and Van Beuren director, Tom Palmer animates the baby canary taking on a singing lesson. Albert Hunter animates the birds watching with excitement. Master Mickey Mouse animator, Les Clark animates the baby canary running from the cat and the scene with the dogs. Ben Sharpsteen, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Pinnochio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), heads a whole crew of animators including Chuck Couch, Marvin Woodward, Hardie Gramatky, Harry Reeves and Dick Williams. 




Now for a silent Aesop's Film Fables short, Two of a Trade (1922). This short film features our friend Farmer Alfalfa.



Now for Hoot Kloot in Big Beef at the O.K. Corral (1974). In this short film, Hoot Kloot faces off against the outlaw Billy the Kidder. 




Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Closeted (1988). This was a short made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family 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

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

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_Remedy



 

















1 comment:

  1. Hoot Kloot has fewer Warner veteran credits, just writer John Dunn and of course co-producer Friz Freleng. Maybe it's a measure of the studio's expansion, or an indication of a downturn in quality.

    ReplyDelete