Release Date: October, 7, 1933. Director: Lloyd French. Cast: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Tiny Sandford, Charlie Hall, Dick Gilbert. Producer: Hal Roach. Cinematographer: Art Lloyd. Editor: Bet Jordon.
The following is an Exhibitor's Review from the Motion Picture Herald.
"Busy Bodies: Laurel and Hardy - Very good. One of their best. Lots of good laughs. Running Time, 2 reels. - Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Rancine, Ideal Theatre, Burns, Oregon, Small Town Patronage."
Run Time: 25 minutes. Studio: Hal Roach Studios. Directors: Hal Roach, Alf Goulding. Titles: H.M. Walker. Producer: Hal Roach. Main Cast: Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Walter Howe, Ernest Morrison. Cinematographer: Walter Lundin.
With Halloween fast approaching, it seems like a good time to look at a great spooky themed comedy and when you want a silent comedy is there anyone better to go to than Harold Lloyd. While it may not be one of his best films, Haunted Spooks is still an excellent example of why Harold Lloyd remains one of the finest screen comedians.
The basic story is one that is very familiar. A young woman (Mildred Davis) is to inherit the estate of her dead rich grandfather. Unfortunately for her to get this inheritance she needs to live in the grandfather's mansion for one year with her husband. This is no easy feat as she is not married. Meanwhile a young man (Harold Lloyd) is distressed due to his love problems. He tries many times to commit suicide (each attempt only ending in slapstick mishaps). However our two heroes meet and fall in love. This may make it seem like getting the mansion would be a simple affair, but unfortunately for them the woman's uncle (Walter Howe) is set to inherit the estate should the woman fail to meet these requirements. The uncle will try to stop her niece from inheriting the estate by any means necessary, even if that means trying to make the couple believe that the mansion is haunted.
This film begins with Harold and a romantic rival racing to ask a woman's father for her hand. This story line was earlier used as the main story for the short Ask Father (1919). Failed comedic attempts at suicide would later be used by Harold in the short, Never Weaken (1921).
The supporting cast in this film includes some familiar faces to silent comedy fans. Mildred Davis will be familiar to even the most causal Harold Lloyd fan. She was Harold's second major leading lady (Bebe Daniels was the first and Jobyna Ralston was the third (afterwards Harold's leading ladies would differ from film to film)). When Bebe Daniels left the Lloyd films for more dramatic roles in 1919, both Harold and producer Hal Roach agreed that they should find another regular leading lady to play opposite Harold. They also equally agreed that this new leading lady should differ from Daniels. A new leading lady was found in eighteen year old Mildred Davis. While it took a while to find the correct characterization for Davis in these films, the chemistry between the two quickly shined. They had great chemistry off-screen as well as the two would become romantically involved (Harold and Daniels had been romantically involved as well) and would become husband and wife. Rare for Hollywood stars, the two would stay married until she passed away. While never in as big of roles as Mildred, Wallace Howe was also a regular staple of Harold Lloyd films often in uncredited bit roles. Howe first appeared in a Lloyd film in 1918 and continued appear in these films until The Milky Way (1936). He even at times played multiple roles within the same film (including the infamous Safety Last) Wallace Howe also served as Harold's make-up man through much of this time. One of the most familiar faces to silent comedy fans will be Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison. This was not the only Harold Lloyd short he appeared in (others included Get Out and Get Under (1920) and Number Please (1920). Born in 1912, in 1919 Ernie become the first black performer to sign a long term Hollywood contract. Ernie left quite an impression on Hal Roach who quickly took note of the young performer's great comic energy and timing. Hal decided to create a short subject series around the young actor. This resulted in the short, The Pickaninny (1921) which sadly did not create the ongoing series it planned to. Yet the idea to make a short subject series around him stayed with Roach and when Hal created the Our Gang series, Ernie Morrison became one of the stars of that series, appearing in 28 Our Gang shorts. Later in the talkie era Ernie became one of The East Side Kids (the group that would morph into the Bowery Boys).
Exhibitor's Herald, 1921
During the shooting of this film Harold Lloyd had an accident with what he believed was a prop bomb (it was a real bomb) and lost his thumb and forefinger on his right hand. Because of this accident shooting had to be put on hold while he recovered. Shooting at first took place August 9-23, 1919 and continued shooting January 5-25, 1920. Due to the accident he had to wear a prosthetic hand and if you pay close attention you can notice which scenes were shot during which period by looking at his hand. According to the audio commentary by Richard Correll, Suzanne Lloyd and Annette D'Agostino Lloyd the scene where Harold is driving with Mildred and feeding the birds in the back was the last thing shot before the accident. Interestingly the release schedule for the Harold Lloyd films was not interrupted by the accident, as they had made enough films yet to be released that the schedule was completely filled. For more information on the bomb accident click here.
The following are five exhibitors reviews from The Exhibitor's Herald.
"Haunted Spooks (Pathe), with Harold Lloyd - This is one of the very best comedies we have ever run. A valuable addition to a good feature program. It is safe to say that the great majority of our patrons came to see this excellent comedy rather than the feature. - H.V. Friedrich, Majestic Theatre, Sheboygan, Wis. - Downtown patronage."
"Haunted Spooks (Pathe), with Harold Lloyd - Absolutely a clean up. Chaplin and Arbuckle are not in a class with Lloyd. - R.J. Cooper, Opry House, Kirbyville, Tex. Neighborhood patronage."
"Haunted Spooks (Pathe), with Harold Lloyd.—This is the best comedy I have ever run. I thought the people would go wild. Harold makes you dust off the S.R.O. -R.K. Stonebrook, Wisner theatre, Eldora, Ia. - Neighborhood patronage."
"Haunted Spooks (Pathe), with Harold Lloyd - We played all Lloyds in the first series. Best and cleanest comedies on the screen. Have booked second series. Book 'em - John L. Naiman, Lyric theatre, Alexandria, Nebr. - Neighborhood patronage."
"Haunted Spooks (Pathe), with Harold Lloyd.—The kids went crazy over this and one old crab said it was the best comedy he ever saw.—Roy W. Adams, Pastime Theatre, Mason, Mich. - General Patronage."
The following is an article from a 1920 issue of Motion Picture News.
"Motion Picture critics of the leading metropolitan dailies, in passing judgement on Harold Lloyd's new $100,000 comedy, 'Haunted Spooks,' distributed by Pathe, which played at the Rivoli and Strand theatres, proclaimed it not only Lloyd's best effort but one of the finest comedies of the season. The opinion expressed by the New York Evening Sun representative reads as follows :
"'The most entertaining feature of the Strand bill this week is the Harold Lloyd picture, called 'Haunted Spooks.' The audience yesterday afternoon roared over its comicalities. It's the funniest motion picture of the season. Lloyd's attempts to commit suicide, and his adventures later with the very human spirits far exceed the ordinary fun limit of screen farces.
"Almost as positive that Lloyd's latest attraction is his most representative screen work, was the reporter of the New York Tribune who covered the Strand show.
"'The true feature of the bill is the Harold Lloyd comedy, 'Haunted Spooks.' There were moments when this picture drew laughter from every member of the big Sunday audience, and it made all of the people laugh some of the time. There is more than a semblance of a plot to the thing; the titles are amusing; and the business which produces the laughs is astonishingly fresh and diverting.'
"From the pen of the New York Sun and Herald scribe came the following praiseworthy comment:
"'A word of blessing must be said for 'Haunted Spooks.' Harold Lloyd's latest frolic, for it has something of a spirited plot some of the most diverting suicides ever attempted on screen, and altogether is hilarious enough to cause even a medium to cease, for the time being, to take ghosts seriously.'"
The following is from a 1920 article in Moving Picture World.
"'Haunted Spooks,' after its reception at the Strand Theatre, which led Managing Director Jack Eaton to call it 'the greatest comedy of the year,' has repeated this reception throughout the country. Critics in every key city where the latest Lloyd comedy has been shown were unanimous in their opinion Lloyd the leader in his field of comedy endeavor and that 'Haunted Spooks' represents the cleverest and cleanest mirthmaker ever on the screen."
Happy Saturday morning again my friends. That is right it is time for more classic cartoons.
We start off with a classic Betty Boop cartoon, Ha Ha Ha (1934). Before the Fleshier Brothers made Betty Boop cartoons they made a series of silent cartoons called Out of the Inkwell. This cartoon certainly takes influence for that series. In the beginning of the cartoon we see in live action an inkwell and a board to draw on. From this a live action hand comes and draws Betty on that board. This is how Koko the Clown entered in most of the Out of the Inkwell cartoons. Speaking of Koko, he plays a supporting role in this cartoon. He actually was a supporting player in many of the Betty Boop cartoons of the 1930's. The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated May 12, 1934). "Ha! Ha! Ha!: Betty Boop cartoons - This is another good cartoon from Paramount featuring Betty Boop and assisted by Koko. Betty as the dentist and Koko as the patient are very funny and will please everyone in your audience. Just the kind of entertainment we like and want more of them. Running time eight minutes. - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, NC, General Patronage."
Next comes the last of the great series of cartoons of the 1940's teaming Donald Duck and Goofy together, Crazy With the Heat (1947). These cartoons are delightful all the way, with Goofy's obliviousness to his circumstances (however bad they may be) playing off of Donald's insane temper. This just gets Donald more and more annoyed as the films get funnier and funnier. This is a rare Disney cartoon short directed by Bob Carlson, who mostly worked as an animator by the studio. With how funny this film is that certainly seems a shame. A review in The Film Daily called this cartoon, "Exceptionally good." I can't argue with that.
Now comes a really late Merrie Melodies cartoon staring Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales, Mucho Locos (1966). This cartoon is what is known as a cheater meaning it uses clips from various older cartoons, similar to a TV clip show. One of the clips used is from Robin Hood Daffy (1958). Since in that cartoon Daffy co-starred with Porky and the pig appears in the clip, this marks the last use of Porky in a Looney Tunes or Merrie Melody. Despite this he doesn't say a word. The last cartoon where the pig played a major part was Corn on the Cop (1965). This cartoon is the only Warners cartoon in which Herman Stein does the music. Stein was much more prolific as a composer from live action movies and TV. This cartoon hardly marks the characters' finest hour, but it is entertaining in a weird way.
Since I mentioned the Out of the Inkwell series when talking about our first cartoon, I feel it is appropriate to end with an Out of the Inkwell cartoon. So enjoy, Bedtime (1923).
Thank you for joining me come back for more classic cartoons next week.
Leo McCarey was one of the all time great American filmmakers (and my personal favorite director). He is often given credit for coming up with the idea to team Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. He directed the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, and Harold Lloyd in The Milky Way. He also directed such classics as The Awful Truth, Going My Way, Make Way For Tomorrow, and The Bells of Saint Mary. I personally amazed Leo's name is rarely mentioned among such other greats of comedy direction during the 1930's and 40's such as Frank Capra and Preston Sturges. Leo is definitely one of the greats of screwball comedy. With a director this good it is no wonder this film is so great.
Almost unbelievable for a film this great there was never a complete script. Pages of the script were changed almost daily. The actors never memorized the lines, because they felt they could easily be changed the next day. The rewrites were done for a reason. The first part of this film was more light-hearted and the second half was more dramatic. One suggestion was by Charles Boyer himself. He suggested a scene involving his character's grandmother (played by Maria Ouspenskaya) would play a bigger role in the story.
The story involves a man named Michel (played by Charles Boyer) and a woman named Terry (played by Irene Dunne). They meet on a boat and fall deeply in love with each other, despite the fact that both are engaged. They arrange to meet on the Empire State building. Unfortunately on her way there, Terry is hit by a car and becomes temporarily paralyzed. Terry doesn't want Michel to know she is paralyzed, so she can run to him when she is better. Michel is hurt by this as he doesn't know what happened. They meet again on Christmas, before Terry becomes better and she is afraid to admit it to him. However this meeting will change both their lives.
This movie is incredible. Everything in it is as good as it can be. The acting is great, the writing is fantastic, and the direction is as good as can be. The characters are more than just romantic comedy stereotypes and are very well thought out characters. On top of the comedy and romance, this movie features some fairly profound moments as well like those involving the grandmother. I couldn't recommend this movie more. By the way I am not the only one who holds this film in such a high regard. The film's stars Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne called this their personal favorite film they worked on.
Leo McCarey himself remade the film in 1957 as An Affair to Remember.
Below is an advertisement for the film in Boxoffice Magazine.The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald (dated August 5, 1939)
"Love Affair: Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer - Very much enjoyed by my patrons. A refreshing story and the kids were great. Can recomend this one. Running Time 80 minutes. Played July 6 - A.L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Saskatchewan, Canada. Rural and small town panronage."
The following is another exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald (dated May 27, 1939).
"Love Affair: Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer - Although this did not draw as we expected it to, it certianly did please.Running time 89 minutes. Played April 25-26. - A.N. Miles, Eminice Theatre, Eminience, Ky. Small Town and rural pantroange."
Here is another exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herlad (dated October 28, 1939).
"Love Affair: Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer - Irene Dunne was born just a few miles from here and the local folks just lay a little claim to her because she is a Hoosier. She is always a good draw no matter how often played. 'Love Affair' is one of her best so they all said and that is good enough for me. Running Time 89 minutes. Played October 4-5. - Jim Haney, Milan Theatre, Milan, Ind. General pantroange."
Run Time: 55 minutes. Studio: Chadwick Pictures. Director: Fred Newmeyer. Writers: Thomas T. Crizer, Charlie Saxton. Main Cast: Larry Semon, Kate Price, Dorothy Dawn, Oliver Hardy. Cinematographers: George Baker, Nicholas T. Barrows.
Larry Semon was one of the popular comedians of the 1920’s. His films were fast paced, creative and often quite funny. Like Charlie Chaplin, Semon was in complete control over many of his films, often directing and producing them as well as staring. Unlike Chaplin though this turned out to be a problem for Semon. As good as Semon was at gags and creative ideas, his films were often lacking in the character department. While the characters of Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin feel so real to us, Semon’s character is often bland and relies on jokes and situations to make him entertaining. This caused trouble in a movie like The Wizard of Oz (1925) where we are unable to connect with anyone on screen and therefore there is no magic awe or wonder.
Possibly Larry
Semon’s greatest film is the feature length, The
Perfect Clown. This film perfectly shows Semon’s comedy made to be
suited for feature length. While the story is still not as strong as those in
the films of his contemporaries, Larry’s character is more fleshed put and
believable here. This probably has to do with the movie being directed by Fred
Newmeyer instead of Larry himself. The movie slows down the pace and lets us
get to know the characters, while still providing us with the very funny and
creative slapstick the comedian is known for. One wonders if Semon had made
more movies like this if his reputation among silent film buffs would be
stronger today. This is certainly one of the most overlooked gems of silent
film comedy.
The story has Larry as a bank clerk. He is given $10,000 to deposit in the
bank. However the bank is closed and Larry tries to deliver the money to the
bank clerk at night. This causes him to get into a lot of trouble. Oliver Hardy (before teaming with Stan Laurel) has a delightful role as a landlady’s son, who at first treats Larry harshly,
but becomes much nicer when he learns Larry is carrying so much money. With Oliver Hardy appearing in this picture it is worth noting that Stan Laurel had also worked in multiple Larry Semon films. However this was at a different time and the two never appeared together in a Semon film. An article in Moving Picture World dated October
31, 1925 talks about the film’s press book. It states “The press book on ‘The
Perfect Clown’ starring Larry Semon is the most unusual book ever turned out by
the Chadwick Pictures Corporation. The picture being called one of the best
comedies produced by Semon, called for a book that would tell its story.
“’The Perfect Clown’ is one of the funniest pictures in the annals of filmdom,
and the book is not only a press book but is also written in the comedy vein.
Exceptional stunts, individuality and originality sound a new note in the line
and description. The scene cuts are invaluable for publication, and are
uniquely tied up with jokes. Eight pages of interesting reading matter and
honest-to-goodness news will ‘put the picture over.’
“Instead of the usual semi-photographical reproductions for poster, a series of
cartoon reproductions with snappy sayings make up the posters. There is also
another of cartoons for exploitation as ‘The Perfect Clown Sez: A man who hides
behind a woman’s skirts, nowadays, is not a coward – he is a magician’ or an
additional sign copy, ‘The Perfect Clown Sez: They’re selling crossword whiskey
now – you drink it vertical and get carried out horizontal.’ These signs are
accompanied by the cartoon of the funster himself, and are certain to pave the
road to the theater with laughs.”
Despite the excellence of this film not everybody was enthusiastic about it at
the time. A review in Photoplay stated “A very bad comedy with Larry Semon.
Might have been funny in two reels.” An exhibitor wrote about it to Exhibitors
Herald “The Perfect Clown: Larry
Semon – A typical Semon comedy with slapstick and all that goes with it.
Nothing great however. Worth what Specialty, Dallas will charge you, then some.
Seven Reels. – Fry. Palace Theater, Mt. Pleasant, Tex. –General patronage.”
Another Exhibitor wrote, “The Perfect
Clown: Larry Semon – Can’t see him in anything longer than two reels. Just
a bunch of foolishness and another night wasted. If you like Larry, I guess
you’ll like it but that lets it out. Six Reels. – Henry Reeve, Star Theater,
Menard, Tex. –Small Town Patronage.” If you think all of Larry Semon's feature films are like his underwhelming "adaption" of The Wizard of Oz (1925), you might want to check out this film, as it could easily change your mind. The film is on YouTube and you can watch below.
Release Date: March 3, 1934. Director: Gus Meins. Cinematographer: Art Lloyd. Editor: Louis McManus. Producer: Hal Roach. Cast: Our Gang (Spanky McFarland, Wally Alright, Stymie Beard, Scotty Beckett, Jerry Tucker, Jane Taylor, Tommy Bond, Pete, Bubbles Trin, Cotton Beard, Tommy Bupp, Tony Kales, Jean Aulbach, Donald Proffitt), Tiny Sandford, Tiny Ward, Charlie Hall, Harry Bernard, Ernie Alexander.
Hello my friends, it is time to look at one of the all time great talkie Our Gang shorts, Hi'-Neighbor.
This short introduced a new director to the Our Gang shorts, Gus Meins. Before going into films, Meins worked as a cartoonist for the Los Angles Evening Herald. Before working on Our Gang though Meins had experience directing short comedies staring kids. He directed some of the silent Buster Brown series starring Arthur Trimble (This series also featured Pete the Pup before the dog joined Our Gang) and the some of the silent Newlyweds and Their Baby series. He would direct nearly all the Our Gang shorts from 1934 to 1936. Producer Hal Roach would later state about Gus Meins "He was a good director for the gang and always did a very good job." Marvin Hatley the musical director for the studio would call Meins, "a fine director with a wonderful personality - a very happy sort of person." As well as these Our Gang shorts, Meins also directed some feature films for the Hal Roach Studio including Babes in Toyland (1933 with Laurel and Hardy), Kelly the Second (1936 with Patsy Kelly) and Nobody's Baby (1937 with Pasty Kelly). On the last of these films, Meins would get into an argument with Roach leading to him getting fired. Tragically Meins life would end in 1940 at the age of 47 due to suicide. This caused much shock among the Hal Roach studio staff.
Similarly this film introduced a new member of the Our Gang group, Scotty Becket. Born Scott Hastings Beckett on October 4, 1929 in Oakland California, Scotty was only four years old at the time of his Our Gang debut. Scotty moved to Los Angles and got his start in movies at the age of three. His debut film was Gallant Lady (1933). Scotty played a character at age three and interestingly the same character at age six was played by other Our Gang regular, Dickie Moore. The two would later both appear in the movie Dangerous Years (1947, remembered today as the film debut of Marilyn Monroe). Scotty would only be a member of the gang for two years, but he certainty left his mark. During his time with the gang he would often be paired with Spanky as the two would often prove themselves smarter than the older kids who underestimated them. These two were often the highlight of the shorts. After leaving the gang he still maintained a good movie career appearing in such films as Kings Row (1942), A Date With Judy (1948), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) and Days of Jesse James (1939). He had a brief career on television as well playing the character of Winky in Rocky Jones, Space Ranger (1954). Tragically he would also die of suicide at a young age (38).
A new neighbor moves into the gang's neighborhood. He has a brand new shiny toy fire engine and the gang wants to take a ride. However the neighbor won't let them. When Jane walks by the new boy offers her a ride. A jealous Wally states that they have a better fire engine. Since they don't the gang builds their own fire engine. A massive one that holds all of the kids. The new kid is not impressed calling it a piece of junk. Soon he challenges the gang to a race downhill. The new kids crashes his fire engine and the gang is victorious.
Spanky would later state in an interview, "You couldn't make a series like ours today, the kids are too jaded. Remember we started out in the Depression years, when building a clubhouse or a homemade fire engine out of junkyard scraps was a fabulous imagination peaker for the kids, especially the way our prop department could put them together. Today if Little Jimmy wants a bike or a clubhouse, Dad just goes out and buys him one." It is true that a short like this reflects a different time period that will never come back. However that does not mean it has dated. This film is just as charming today as it was in 1934. That is because this film still represents what many of us wish our childhood could have been like and what kids today would still find appealing. The Our Gang kids may have been poor, but they were happy and filled with much determinism. The new kid may have been rich, but he looked down on our heroes and extremely underestimating them. How much would we today still like to show people who view us this way, up the way the Our Gang kids do. The idea of building your own fire engine is a fantastic one. It appeals to the child inside each of us. How could you not wish you could have done something like this as a kid, and what kid all these years later could not think this is the coolest idea ever? This film will still charm anyone who watches it today and in generations to come.
The big race features a mixture of footage shot on location and use of a process screen. The process screen was used rather sparingly though making the sequence look all the more real. The effect works very well here.
During later reissues this film would be retitled Hi Neighbor.
The later Our Gang short, Three Men in a Tub (1938) would rework the basic story points of Hi'-Neighbor. In that film Darla is wowed by Waldo's motorboat making Alfalfa jealous. Alfalfa, Spanky, Buckwheat and Porky create their own boat to show him up and challenge him to a race.
The following are some exhibitor reviews for Hi'-Neighbor.
Motion Picture Herald, November 10, 1934"Hi, Neighbor: Our Gang - This is the best Our Gang Comedy in many months and I certainly hope their will be many more to come. This pleased all of my patrons both young and old. Plenty of laughs and excellent entertainment for all. Running Time 18 minutes. - J.J. Medford. Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C."
Motion Picture Herald, June 2, 1934"Hi, Neighbor: Our Gang - One of the best of the Our Gang series and they are all good. Running time 20 minutes. - B. Hollenback, Rose Theatre, Sumas, Wash. Small Town Patronage."
Motion Picture Herald, May 12, 1934"Hi, Neighbor: Our Gang - This comedy has laughs in it and the kids seem to like them. Running Time, 19 minutes. - A.H. Edwards, Orpheum Theatre, Orwigsburg, Pa. Small town and rural patronage."
The following is a review from The Film Daily (dated March 1, 1934).
"Kiddes will principally enjoy this one which relates the arrival of a snooty rich kid with a large new fire engine auto. The gang gathers but is refused a ride by the rich kid who takes the girl of the gang riding. Kids proceed to build a fire engine with spare parts. Then follows a race down a long hill with amusing windup."
An issue of the Motion Picture Herald dated December 29, 1934 listed this as one of its "Short Subjects of 1934 Suitable for Junior Matinees." Other Our Gang comedies listed include For Pete's Sake, Honkey Donkey and Mike Fright. This list also lets us know that the silent Charlie Chaplin short The Count (1916) received a reissue in 1934.
The following video is the short itself
The following video is a great comparison of how the original shooting locations looked in 1934 and in 2018.
The following is a later colorized version of the short.
Here is the partial remake, Three Men in a Tub.
In the 1980's Hanna-Barbera made Animated TV cartoons off the Our Gang series as part of their The Pac Man/ Little Rascals/ Richie Rich Show (1982-1983). The following is a clip from one of those cartoons which involved a snooty rich kid moving into the neighborhood, but this time it was a girl that all the boys fawned over, making Darla feel left out.
Here is the theme to that show.
Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann's incredible book, The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang served as an amazing resource for this article.
Happy Saturday morning, my friends. Of course with it being Saturday morning, you know what that means it is time to watch cartoons. That is why each Saturday morning I am going to share some classic cartoons with you.
First up is a cartoon from the kings of Saturday Morning themselves, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. This cartoon stars Peter Potamus and his sidekick So-So. As was common in the Hanna-Barbera television cartoons of the 1950's and 60's, our main character's voice was based off of a popular actor. Peter's voice (provided by Daws Butler) voice was based off the comedic actor Joe E. Brown (best remembered for his role in Some Like It Hot (1959)). The Hanna-Barbera character Lippy the Lion had pretty much the same voice. Also like most of the Hanna-Barbera TV shows of this era, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera are credited with the direction of this cartoon. This show premiered in 1964 and that is the year this episode comes from, enjoy.
Though many of us today associate Looney Tunes with characters like Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, the first staring Looney Tune character was Bosko, a little black boy who shared much in common with Mickey Mouse. This character was created by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, who were former Disney animators and later major directors for MGM's cartoon output. When they left in 1933, they would take the rights of this character with them, which led Warner Brothers to have to create new characters. This is the very first Looney Tunes cartoon ever, Sinkin' in the Bathtub (1930). The credited animator of this film is Friz Freleng (credited as Isadore Freleng), who would later become one of series' main directors as well as the creator of Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and (not for Looney Tunes) Pink Panther.
For a more modern Looney Tunes take, I was personally quite a fan of The Looney Tunes Show (2011-2014). Here is one of my favorite songs from that show.
Next up is a classic Terry Toons cartoon staring my favorite Terry Toons characters, Heckle and Jeckle. Here is Blue Plate Symphony (1954). This cartoon was directed by Connie Rasinski who had been directing for the studio since 1937.
Last but not least is a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, Mickey's Gala Premiere (1933). This cartoon features Mickey Mouse having his new cartoon premiere at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Showing up are all sorts of Hollywood stars of the era. Those who love old movies like I do will have tons of fun trying to pick out all the old stars.
The following are some exhibitors reviews for Mickey's Gala Premiere.
Motion Picture Herald, December 9, 1933.“Mickey’s
Gala Premiere: Mickey Mouse – The best to date. Shows all the stars in
review and just watch the patrons pick them out. Disney’s cartoonist certainly
stepped out in this one. Book it without hesitation. Running time, seven
minutes. – William A. Crute, Victoria Theatre, Vancouver, BC. Neighborhood
Patronage.” Motion Picture Herald, March 10, 1934 “Mickey’s Gala Premiere: Mickey
Mouse – This cartoon is better than the average. Be sure to play it. Running
time, 9 minutes. – A.H. Edwards, Orpheum Theatre, Orwigsburg, PA, Small Town
and Rural patronage.” Motion Picture Herald, April 7, 1934 “Mickey’s Gala Premiere: Mickey
Mouse – One of the best cartoons of the year. Plenty of laughs and will appeal
to both young and old. Plenty of good caricatures of practically all of the
screen actors and actresses. One of the best shorts I have seen in the past
year. – J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N. C., General Patronage.” Motion Picture Herald, August 19, 1933 “Mickey’s Gala Premiere: Mickey
Mouse – In our opinion the best Mickey Mouse of them all and that is going
some. – Charles Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa. General Patronage.”
The
following is from an article in The Film Daily (dated June 23, 1934).
“It seems that in dear ole England the audiences very seldom applaud a feature
pix, let alone a short but at a theater in Huddersfeild they showed Walt
Disney’s ‘Mickey’s Gala Premiere’ and blimey if the bally customers didn’t
cheer and whistle and stomp their hooves for several minutes. The main feature
had started the management had to stop the reel and rerun Mickey Mouse.”
Stay tooned next Saturday morning for more cartoon treasures.
Running Time: 18 minutes. Release Date: July 2, 1938. Shooting Dates: 3/14/38 - 3/17/38. Production Number: 423. Director: Charley Chase. Writers: Al Gielber and Elwood Ullman. Photography: Lucien Ballard. Editor: Arthur Seid. Associate Producers: Charley Chase and Hugh McCollum. Editor: Arthur Seid. Cast: The Three Stooges (Moe, Larry, Curly), Gladys Gale, Marjorie Dean, Bud Jamison, Eddie Fetherstone, John T. Murry, Pat Gleason.
Hello all you numbskulls and lamebrains, it's time to look at one of the great Three Stooges shorts, Violent is the Word for Curly.
The title of this short is a play on Valiant is the Word For Carrie, which was a 1935 book by Barry Benefield and a major movie in 1936. The play on the title however is just that. Violent is the Word for Curly does not resemble Valiant is the Word for Carrie in any way. This was just a punny title that tickled somebody's funny bone and wound up as the title of a film.
This movie was directed a comedy legend, Charley Chase. Chase had previously worked at Hal Roach Studios where as an actor he starred in one of the funniest series of two reel comedies ever during both the silent and early talkie era. He was no stranger to directing though. Before his own staring series he directed some fantastic silent short comedies for Roach and he would direct some of his own sound comedies. In 1937 Chase would move to Columbia. Here he would continue to star in his own series of shorts, but he also would direct some of Columbia's own Three Stooges and Andy Clyde films. Not shockingly his directorial efforts for these series were fantastic. His other stooge films included Tassels in the Air (1938), Mutts to You (1938), Flat Foot Stooges (1938) and Saved by the Belle (1939). This is a great lineup as any Stooge fan will tell you. He could have directed more, but sadly he passed away in 1940 at the age of 46 due to a heart attack.
What this short is probably best remembered for today is the song Swinging the Alphabet. The idea to use this song came from Charley Chase. Charley's maid knew the song and taught it to each to Charley's children. The song actually dated back to 1875. The Stooges would later rerecord the song (under the title The Alphabet Song) on their 1959 children's album The Nonsense Songbook (this time with Curly Joe DeRita as the third stooge). You can compare both versions by watching the below YouTube videos.
As this film starts we see Mildew College, an all female college. The students are interested in sports (especially basketball), but Mrs. Catsby doesn't want sports. Some dialogue mentions that three professors will be visiting to teach and fund the school. We then see the Stooges, they just got new jobs as gas station attendants. There first customers are the three professors mentioned earlier. Through much slapstick humor the Stooges make this a very trying trip for the professors. Curly puts gas in the radiator. Moe not realizing what Curly has done lights a match to see if Curly put water in there. The results are explosive. The boys hop in an ice cream truck (that they threw the professors' suitcases into) to make an escape. Curly freezes in the back and Moe and Larry thaw him out. In the process the boys get their clothes all wet. They put on the professors' clothes. Mrs. Catsby mistakes them for the real professors. When asked to give a speech Larry doesn't understand a student's questions. Moe quickly remedies this by beginning a performance of Swinging the Alphabet. Later the real professors come by to expose the Stooges. To create a distraction the boys teach basketball (which under the Stooges takes on the rules of football) to the students. However the real professors make a basketball filled with explosives. Mrs. Catsby tells the boys she will give the school an athletic fund if they can get the real professors back. They throw the basketball over a hedge and it immediately blows the professors right on screen.
This is simply a fantastic short on all levels. From the gas station scenes to the final joke, this film never lets up on laughs. There is not a single joke that misses and many are laugh out loud funny. The song number is fantastic. It is often overlooked that music played a big part in what makes The Three Stooges great. They have very nice voices and could deliver a song fantastically. This is why they would have quite a good career making records in the late 1950's and 60's. This is one of the boys' best musical performances.
Abbott and Costello would later star in a feature film entitled Here Come the Coeds (1945). That film would also take place at an all female college and feature basketball as one of its comedic highlights.
For those of you keeping score at home there are 22 slaps in this film. Clips of this film were used in the complation feature, Stop! Look! and Laugh (1960).
The following is a review from The Film Daily (dated September 23, 1938).
"The Three Stooges are hired help at a filling station and when the three new professors journeying to a near by girls college stop for gas, the boys service them so thoroughly that everything is wrecked. The Stooges escape with the professors' luggage and rig themselves out in their college gowns. Impersonating the missing professors, they take the entire student faculty and college cuties for a merry whirl, replacing the regular studies with swing and athletics. The Stooges are a merry and boisterous trio filled with the joy of life and will no doubt convey their bubbling enthusiasm to the audiences that will witness their lunatic antics. In the cast are Marjorie Dean, Eddie Fetherson, Gladys Gale. Directed by Charley Chase. The original story filled with clever wit and bizarre imaginative touches is the work of Al Giebler, a chap who has a brilliant future ahead of him. If he lives to stand the strain."
The following is a review from Boxoffice (dated September 10, 1938)
"There is another word for Curly as a comedian and it isn't violent. That probally goes for the comedy too. But if your customers go for the slam-bang type of comedy these fellows knock out they won't be disappointed in this. All the violent motions and grunts that pass for gags are included. This time the boys are mistaken for college professors who are expected at an institute for higher learning. They cause considerable damage in their customary manner until the real profs show up."
The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (Dated July 29, 1939).
"Violent is the Word For Curly: Three Stooges - Excellent for our farm lads. - Harold Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada, General Patronage."
The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (Dated January 14, 1939).
"Violent is the Word for Curly: Three Stooges - A comedy that went over with a bang with our weekend audience. Very good. Running Time 18 Minutes - A.J. Inks, Crystal Theatre, Ligoneir, Ind. Small Town Patronage."
The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (Dated June 29, 1940)
"Violent is the Word for Curly: Three Stooges - Played this a second time, as Columbia had no others we had not played. Audience liked it very much. Played in the right place, you cannot beat these Stooge Comedies. -C.. L. Niles, Niles Theater, Anamosa, Iowa. General patronage."
I have mentioned before how much I love exhibitors reviews and shared many I have found with you. Today I have a special treat, a whole page of exhibitors reviews of Larry Semon films from the Exhibitors Herald. The reviews are posted below. I believe it is safe to say he was popular. To see these clearer click here.
-Michael J. Ruhland
Merry Christmas, my friends. Today we are going to look at a Christmas cartoon that I absolutely love. This is an early color Silly Symphony cartoon (in fact the fourth one) that shows the Disney studio at the height of its powers.
With this being an early color Disney cartoon, there is not a moment in which the filmmakers don't use color to their advantage. They knew not to take color for granted but instead use it to create a pure atmospheric spectacle. In fact this cartoon still stands out today partly for its beautiful use of color.
The following is an Exhibitors Review from the Motion Picture Herald (Dated January 13, 1934)
"Santa's Workshop: This is the greatest one-reeler we have ever had the pleasure of screening in our theatre and did the kids flock in! It is filmed in glorious color and there is only one word that can describe it - beautiful. Just as the name suggests, it shows Santa's workshop where all of the toys are made and just the type of short for this season. We played this three days and many patrons young and old, saw it two or three times. Many thanks to Walt Disney and United Artists for this great short. Running time, eight minutes - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C. General Patronage."
The following are two more Exhibitors Reviews from the Motion Picture Herald (Dated October 28, 1933).
"Santa's Workshop: Silly Symphony - An excellent all color short you will do well to book. They just rave over it. Running time, seven minutes - Wm. A. Crute, Victoria Theatre, Vancouver, B.C. Neighborhood Patronage."
The following is another Exhibitors Review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated January 3, 1933).
"Santa's Workshop: Silly Symphonies - These cartoons are good but an exhibitor can feed his public up on them by booking too many. Once a week is plenty. Running time, eight minutes. - Edmund M. Burke, Fort Plain Theatre, Fort Plain, N.Y. General Patronage."
The following is another exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated February 4, 1933).
"Santa's Workshop: Silly Symphony - Another great color cartoon from Disney. This brought additional business after playing 'Babes in the Wood.' - H.R. Hisey, State Theatre, Nashville, Ill."
An issue of National Board of Review Magazine (dated January 1933) stated about this cartoon, "Worth being kept permanently available for Christmas programs."
A working title for this film was Santa's Toy Shop. It premiered at the Roxy in New York on December 16, 1932 playing alongside the feature film, Man Against Woman. It played with this movie from the 16th to the 23rd. It would continue to play at the theatre from the 24th to January 1st, 1933 this time playing alongside the feature. Rare for a short cartoon at this time, Santa's Workshopwas revived in big name movie theatres in 1933.
This film went through production relatively fast beginning in September 1932 and hitting movie theatres by December of the same year.
Walt himself provided the voice of one of the elves. Walter Geiger provided the voice of Santa and J. Delos Jewkes and Pinto Colvig (the voice of Goofy) provided voices for other elves.
To read two articles from The Film Daily (dated December 9, 1933) about various stores decorating their windows with Disney displays for Christmas (including a picture of one of these displays) and how Santa's Workshop worked its way into this click here.
This cartoon would later receive a sequel, The Night Before Christmas (1933). Perhaps I will write about that sometime. In 1936 an idea for another Silly Symphony cartoon centering around Santa and his helpers at the north pole was proposed. In this cartoon a little boy would have been shrunk to the size of a toy and given a chance to see Santa's workshop. One title for this would have been The North Pole. This idea never came to be.
Animation
Note: Ben Sharpsteen headed a crew of animators. All this animation will appear under Ben Sharpsteen with additional animators listed in prentices. It is interesting to note how many of these animators would go on to become major animators for Disney in their own right. Clyde Geronimi worked with other animators on a couple of scenes and these are handled in the same manner. Also bear in mind that the choice of words are from the original animation draft.
Ben Sharpsteen (Castle (Marvin Woodward); Gnomes grooming reindeer (Art Babbitt); Stables - castle in distance - truck up to castle (Art Babbitt); Factory (Joe D'Igalo); Put heads on horses and saw bodies (Harry Reeves); Put legs and rockers on horses (Harry Reeves); Bore holes in horses (Harry Reeves); Put tails on horses (Ham Luske); Paint horses (Louie Schmitt); Paint department (Dick Williams); Checkered paint (Paul Fennell); Tailors (Chuck Couch); Permanent wave (Fred Moore); Plane knocks toys off the shelf (Ed Love); Toys start to move (Joe D'Igalo); Band and soldiers march (Ed Love); Penguins, tinkertoy, donkey, elephant, jap dolls, Chaplin and cop dolls marching (Fred Moore, Jack Kinney, Jack Cutting, Nick George); Mule kicking wagon - other toys passing (Chuck Couch); Noah's Ark (George Drake); Pan of many toys - Kazotski toy last (Nick George, Jack Kinney, Ed Love); Jack in box (Jack Cutting); Last of toys in bag - pick up bag and start out with it (Clyde Geromini); Santa flies off in distance (Loie Schmitt)) Les Clark (Gnomes working on sleigh - all stop and sing; Bass gnome says "Better hurry up."; Gnomes resume work on sleigh) Norm Ferguson (Santa and secty. Santa reads Molly's letter; Santa picks up long letter; Santa starts to read long letter; Santa finishes letter; Santa orders soap - follow gnome on pan to factory) Tom Palmer (Secty looks up Molly in big book; Secty looks up Billy in his book; Secty says "Billy didn't wash his ears.") Jack King (Santa picks up mama doll; Santa teaches doll to say "mama" and "O.K.s" her; Santa inspects mammy doll and airplane) Clyde Geronimi (Toys start into bag (truck back); Last of toys in bag - pick up bag and start out with it (Ben Sharpsteen); Outside castle - gnomes cheer as Santa and bag of toys get in sleigh) Eddie Donnelly (Santa sings goodbye song and starts up on pan - goes up in air)
Story: Santa and his elves (or gnomes) prepare for the big Christmas Eve flight. The elves feed the reindeer, Santa reads his mail, other elves make the toys (whistling while they work before Snow White), Santa tests some toys and after all this they are ready for the big night. Santa sings goodbye and heads into the sky.
Below is the sequel film.
Thanks to JB Kaufman and Russell Merritt's book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion Guide to the Classic Cartoon Series, which proved a huge help in writing this article.
Merry Christmas all. Now that Thanksgiving is over it is officially the Christmas season and as such I am glad to spend some time writing about some Christmas movies I love. Enjoy.
Because of
the success of the duo's first comic operetta The Devil’s Brother (1934), Laurel and Hardy appeared in more comic operettas. The best was probably Babes in Toyland based off of Victor
Herbert’s operetta of the same name.
The story centers on Stanley Dum (Stan
Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy), who live with the woman in the shoe (Florence
Roberts) and her daughter Little Bopeep (Charlotte Henry). The woman in the
shoe can't pay her rent and if she doesn't get the money soon Bopeep will have
to marry the evil Barnaby (Henry Brandon), despite Bopeep being in love with
Tom-Tom (Felix Night). Stan and Ollie try to do everything they can to help
Bopeep, the woman in the shoe and Tom-Tom.
Henry Brandon would later revive his role as Barnaby in the Our Gang short, The Our Gang Follies of 1938. The script even refers to the character as Barnaby.
Producer Hal Roach had much different plans for this film in the beginning. He wanted it
to feature all the studio's stars, including the Our Gang kids, Thelma Todd
and Charley Chase. However no one but Hal Roach seemed to be pleased with
the original outline for the film, and it was put on hold. When the idea was
picked up again, all the other stars of the Hal Roach studios except Laurel and
Hardy would not be in the film anymore. Everyone but Hal Roach became happy
with this new film. Hal Roach would still like the original idea better.
Hal Roach would later state, "Why I let Laurel and Hardy go was because of Babes in Toyland. I knew that after Babes in Toyland, I knew that I was through making Laurel and Hardy pictures. At that time it got the point where it was no longer fun, or anything else to me. When I let Laurel and Hardy go, it had nothing to do with money. I said, I didn't want to make any more pictures with them." In truth Laurel and Hardy would continue making movies for Hal Roach through 1939 but the experience of Babes in Toyland, left a bitter taste in his mouth for the rest of his life. This started as a passion project for him and for one of the few times in his career Hal Roach actually wrote the script for a movie. Hal Roach later recalled presenting this new story to Stan Laurel. "I thought Stan was going to go nuts over it. I gave Stan the story when I got home and he said, 'Oh we can't do this.' I said 'Why?' He said, 'Well we can't work without our derby hats. They are our trademark.' I said, 'In the first place they are Chaplin's trademark. You can put a bandana handkerchief on your head, and you'll still be Laurel and Hardy.' We argued for about two weeks. Babes in Toyland was a big property, and I was paying real dough for it. I had worked so hard on this thing, and I was so disgusted in light of this opposition, and I just said 'Enough. I'm out of this thing completely. Go make the picture.' I never paid a bloody bit of attention to what they did, and it was a flop. It didn't even get the cost back. And I know that the story I had written would've gone very well. Could've been one of the biggest pictures in the business."
Hal Roach and Walt Disney were friends
and because of this Walt allowed him to use the song, Whose Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, from the Disney Silly Symphony
short cartoon, The Three Little Pigs.
Also this film featured Mickey Mouse as one of the characters in Toyland. Since
this was a live action movie Mickey was achieved by using a monkey in a mouse
suit.
On July 17, 1933 Hal Roach wrote Walt Disney, the following letter.
"Dear Walt: On the idea of using the Three Little Pigs in 'Babes in Toyland,' that I talked to you about the other day, the only thing we would like from you is the right to use the theme music and possibly get the girls who sang the music or a sound track of their voices. "We would use but a very small part of the music - just enough to introduce them. If the make-up on the children that I mentioned, does not work out satisfactorily, we will use three real little pigs instead. "Please let me know what you would like to do about this. "Kindest regards Sincerely Hal Roach."
On July 27th Walt Disney responded.
"Dear Hal: Answering your letter of July 17th, you have our permission to use the characters and music from The Three Little Pigs in your Laurel and Hardy feature, Babes in Toyland, in the manner you have outlined to me recently. "However our contract with Irving Berlin Inc. is such that you will have to pay Berlin music royalities for use of any music from The Three Little Pigs. I am sure you will have no trouble in making arragnements with them but if you should, please get in touch with us and we will see that you are taken care of properly. "Please be assured that we are more than willing to cooperate with you on this and anything that might come up in the future, and this letter is more or less a form which is made necessary because of the many licensee contracs we have already entered into for use of the characters. "If you would like to use the original girls who did the voices, I would be glad to get them together for you or you many use any piece of the soundtrack, as well as any models of the characters. In other words, with my best regards I am, Sincerely yours, Walt Disney."
Babes
in Toyland was directed by Charles Rodgers and Gus Meins. Nearly all of
Charles Rodgers’ directorial credits are Laurel and Hardy films. Gus Meins was
one of the main directors of Our Gang films. The production number for this film was F-5. Hal Roach's originally story was completed in December 1933. A new story and screenplay treatment went into work in June 1934 and the final script was completed by July 28.
Sets and the stop motion sequences were prepared in January 1934. Though shooting was originally meant to start on February 26, due to all the production issues shooting did not actually begin until August 6th. Shooting occurred from August 6th through August 16th, until the production was suspended. Shooting would resume on Sept. 24 and wrap up on October 17th. Editing took place in late October. The film's preview took place on November 9th, and it was finally released on November 30th.
Babes in Toyland is very charming on
all levels it is very funny, it has a good story, nice musical numbers, and a
great atmosphere. The Bogey Land sequence is very atmospheric. The Stan
and Ollie characters are just as likable as ever. What makes this film so great
is that all the different elements work together perfectly. None of them
distract from the others, and they all are done well individually as well.
Though the look of this film may be dated (though not much) it is very charming
and is a delight to see. Everything comes together perfectly here. The story,
music, and humor all come together to create something very special and what is
probably the best of the duo’s operettas and one of their greatest feature
films.
The following are two exhibitor’s reviews from the Motion Picture Herald (dated
February 2, 1935).
“Babes in Toyland: Laurel and Hardy
– Played to fair business and all liked it. Good for both children and adults.
Played January 11 – Warner McLaughlin, Empire Theatre, Port Henry, N. Y. Small
town patronage.”
“Babes in Toyland: Laurel and Hardy
– Wonderful. Laurel and Hardy do some fine work and the story is good.
Production, cast, story, sound, sets and in fact everything is all that one
could ask or except. – S.H. Rich, Rich Theater, Montpeiler, Idaho.”
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies by Randy Skredvedt
March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel and Hardy's Babes in Toyland by Randy Skredvedt
With it being Mickey Mouse's 90th Birthday and with Christmas rapidly approaching, I feel it is the perfect time to look at what may be my favorite Mickey Mouse cartoon, Mickey's Good Deed.
Mickey's Good Deed was a shockingly huge departure from what most earlier Mickey Mouse cartoons have been . Most of the earlier cartoons had been non-stop gag fests. There was little to no room for sentimentality as the cartoons tried to cram in as many jokes as possible. In fact The Moose Hunt (1931) unsubtly mocked such sentimentality as seen in this film. In that cartoon Mickey believes he shot Pluto and is crying. Pluto, when Mickey is not looking, literally winks at the audience and then continues to play dead when Mickey looks at him again. Mickey's Good Deed marks the first Mickey cartoon in which we are supposed to take any sentimentality seriously. This was a bold move on the part of the Disney studio. We were now supposed to feel actually sympathy with a character who previously was only meant to be laughed with or at. To ask an audience to emotionally connect with any cartoon character was not a popular thought at the time. It is not only something the Disney studio was not doing at this time, but something no American cartoon studio was trying. The idea that one could emotionally connect with a moving drawing was something animation studios were warry about. It was well known that audiences could laugh at a cartoon character, but the idea of them accepting such a character as real seemed unbelievable.
Around this time many critics referred to Charlie Chaplin and Walt Disney as the two true geniuses of the cinema. This cartoon is probably one of the closet connections that can be found between their films. This came not only from this cartoon's use of sentimentality but also from the depiction of Mickey Mouse here. Mickey like Charlie Chaplin's tramp is an outsider who doesn't truly belong in the world around him. The world of the rich pigs in this movie is completely separate from the world of Mickey and Pluto. Despite this Mickey is a wise character who has his own outlook on life that is much more rich and beautiful than that of those who are finically better off, again this is something that is very similar to Chaplin's little tramp.
In this film, Mickey is poor and happy, while the rich characters are unhappy. With this film being made during the Great Depression, this probably helped audiences of the day relate to and root for Mickey. Audiences of this time did not want to see rich characters go through life on easy street. They wanted to see a poor character make it not by using money but instead by good old American optimism and a can do spirit. This gave them hope and a feeling of pride in who they were.
The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated January 6, 1934).
"Mickey's Good Deed: Mickey Mouse - Christmas cartoon. Kids like Mickey. That's why they come. One Mickey Mouse cartoon on your Saturday's program brings the kiddes out to the matinee. Running time eight minutes. - Edmund M. Burke, Fort Plain Theatre , Fort Plain, N.Y. General Patronage."
The following is another exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated December 23, 1933).
"Mickey's Good Deed: Mickey Mouse - This is another good cartoon comedy, if you can play this on Christmas day, it will go over good. This one is not as good as the last one but will please the kiddes. Running time, eight minutes. -JJ Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C. General Patronage."
The following is yet another exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated January 13, 1934).
"Good Deed: Mickey Mouse - One of the best Mickey Mouse cartoons Walt ever made. Running Time eight minutes. Louis Perretta, Crescent Theatre, Maboningtown, Pa. Town and city patronage."
The following is another exhibitors review for the Motion Picture Herald (dated December 2, 1933).
"Mickey's Good Deed: Mickey Mouse - Got a lot of laughs and pleased generally. Something for the kids when the feature isn't too their liking. Mayme P. Musselmann, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Ka. Small Town Patronage. "
The working title for this film was Mickey's X-mas Picture. This cartoon was directed by Burt Gillett, who was directing most of the Mickey Mouse cartoons of this time as well as a few of the Silly Symphonies. From 1934 to 1936 he would head the Van Bueren animation studio. Afterwards he would work at the Walter Lantz studio. This film featured a great team of animators as well. Les Clark would go on to become one of Walt's Nine Old Men. Norm Ferguson was one of the great personality animators for the studio and helped define the character of Pluto. Ben Sharpsteen would be the supervising director for the Disney features, Pinocchio and Dumbo. Dick Lundy would later join the Walter Lantz studio and become one of Woody Woodpeckers best directors. Tom Palmer would later direct cartoons for both Warner Brothers and Van Bueren.
Animation Johnny Cannon (Mickey playing on street - passers by drop coins in cup; Pluto howling - bites fleas, etc.; Mickey and dog cont. Dog finishes howl - exit)
Ben Sharpsteen (Café - both hungry - Mickey empties cup in hand - surprised expression; Mickey's hand - nuts, blots, screws, etc., instead of money; Mickey and Pluto walk away - feel sad; See rich man's house - they start to play; Mickey running - slips on ice - drops fiddle - it slides cut to R; Fiddle lands in street - gets smashed by sleigh. Mickey in - sees wreckage; Crowd in sleigh yells "Merry Xmas!"; Mickey sad - hears off-stage sobbing - looks around; Poor house - Mickey and dog look thru the window; Interior of poor house; Mickey outside watching - gets idea - grabs Pluto and runs on pan; Flash of mother sleeping - repeat; Exterior - kids yelling off-stage - Mickey peeks in window to watch them; Fireplace scene kids playing with toys; Pluto with turkey, etc. on tail. kids hits father and dog with fruit, dishes, etc.; Butler on ladder fixing star on Xmas tree - dog knocks, ladder from under him; kid on table throws cake; Butler sees cake, ducks - pan over to father - he gets it in face; Pluto climbs tree - kid runs in, pulls on tinsel; Pluto knock father down - ornaments fly thru - star sticks him in fanny; Father tells butler to throw dog out - turkey still on tail; Interior - kid gets spanked)
Les Clark (Inside - kid breaks toys, cries; Kid hears dog - goes to window; Flash Mickey and dog playing; Father sends butler out of house to buy Pluto)
Frenchy de Tr'emaudan (Exterior of front door - butler comes out with money in hand - yells at Mickey; Mickey and dog scared - run with fiddle; Butler catches Mickey - tries to buy dog - Mickey refuses - dog bites butler - dog and Mickey exit to R)
Tom Palmer (Outside house - Mickey sells dog - runs off with money in his hand)
Hardie Gramatky (Interior rich house - butler gives dog to kid - brat stops crying; Kid hits dog with mallet, dog surprised - pinches nose - dog flops out of sc.; Pluto lands on R.R. tracks; Kid turns switch - train starts out of sc.; Train rams dog - chases and gooses him; Kid laughing; Father and butler chuckle - shake hands; Flash of kid laughing - repeat)
Dick Lundy (Mickey takes presents to poor house - puts on Santa makeup; Mickey enters; Kids asleep - Mickey in - raises cover to see another row of kids under covers; Fireplace - Mickey tries put toys in sox quietly - makes lots of noise; Jack-in-box; Flash of kids asleep; Front door - Mickey exits - trips on toy train - big noise going out; Kids wake up - start to pile out of bed, very excited when they see gifts)
Gerry Geronimi (Dog lands in snow - comes up - looks around; Dog starts off to look for Mickey - turkey still tied to tail)
Norm Ferguson (Dog finds Mickey all alone - they eat the turkey - "Merry Xmas" with mouth full of food. Iris Out.)
Story: It is a snowy Christmas Eve night and Mickey is playing bass fiddle on the street to make some extra money. When Mickey checks what is in his change jar he finds nuts and blots leaving him and Pluto no money to eat. Meanwhile in a rich house a father and a butler are trying to keep a crying kid entertained with all sorts of toys, but the kid keeps on crying. The kids hears Pluto outside and wants him. The father sends the butler out to buy Pluto, but Mickey refuses to sell. Running away Mickey's bass fiddle gets broken. Mickey is sad for a moment but is distracted when he hears a noise. He goes up to a poor house and sees a crying mother with nothing to give her kids for Christmas. As the kids' heads are filled with thoughts of Santa Claus and presents, Mickey knows come Christmas morning they will be disappointed. He goes back to the rich house and sells Pluto. Pluto is miserable in this new house as the little rich kid tortures him. Mickey uses his new money to buy toys for the kids. He visits their house late at night dressed as Santa Claus. He tries to deliver the toys quietly but his clumsiness makes more and more noise. The kids wake up and Mickey barely escapes without being seen. The kids are playing with their new toys as happy as can be. As Pluto is running away from the little kid who keeps chasing him. The father becomes the brunt of this slapstick chase, he demands the butler to throw the dog out. While the father himself spanks the little kid. Pluto still has a turkey the kid threw at him attached to his tail and when him and Mickey have their happy reunion the two have a nice Christmas dinner.
In 1991, the Disney studio made a colorized version of this cartoon short.
Release Date: March 3, 1934. Director: Gus Meins. Cinematographer: Art Lloyd. Editor: Louis McManus. Producer: Hal Roach. Cast: Our Gang (Spanky McFarland, Wally Alright, Stymie Beard, Scotty Beckett, Jerry Tucker, Jane Taylor, Tommy Bond, Pete, Bubbles Trin, Cotton Beard, Tommy Bupp, Tony Kales, Jean Aulbach, Donald Proffitt), Tiny Sandford, Tiny Ward, Charlie Hall, Harry Bernard, Ernie Alexander.
