Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #216

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Heckle and Jeckle in Wild Life (1959). 

Up next is the Walter Lantz produced cartoon, The Big Cat and the Little Mousie (1938). I personally have a fondness for these black and white Walter Lantz cartoons. This is a really charming and fun film. It may not be exactly hilarious, but it does have a real charm to it. The whole sequence with the drunk mouse is similar to a famous sequence in the Disney cartoon, The Country Cousin (1936) and was perhaps inspired by it. While the character animation here may not be as impressive as that of the Disney film, it is still quite well done. A review in The Film Daily stated, "Kids and grownups alike will find this yarn amusing." A review in the Motion Picture Herald calls this film "unnecessary" and states, "The background commentary with its 'teeny weeny little mousie,' has a burlesque ring in light of the theme of this Oswald Rabbit subject." 

Next comes an early example of one of Disney's Silly Symphonies, Arctic Antics (1930). Like all Disney cartoons of this era, this short film benefits from an incredible cast of animators. The opening scene with the bears and seals was animated by Frenchy de Tremaudan. Wilfred Jackson, who would go on to direct some of the finest Silly Symphony shorts animates more of the bears and seals as well as the penguin leader and the little penguin during the march. Dave Hand, who would later be the supervising director for the Disney feature films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the bear cub on the ice cake and much of the penguin march. Les Clark, one of Walt's future Nine Old Men and one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates the large bear on the ice cake and a penguin doing a dance by himself. Norm Ferguson, whose animation would help define the character of Pluto, animates the operatic walrus (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves (1929)) and the penguins dancing in a chorus line. Ben Sharpsteen, who was the supervising director for the Disney feature films Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the four dancing seals, the seals applauding (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves) and the walrus with the fish. Dick Lundy, who would go on to be a great Woody Woodpecker director, animates the seal dancing by himself and the seal balancing a fish on his nose. Johnny Cannon animates the seal squeezing the walrus' nose. Jack King, who would go on to direct some wonderful Donald Duck cartoons animates more of the penguin march. This short film would make its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 17, 1956. 

 Now for the World War Two era Terry Toons short, Keep 'Em Growing (1943). This film is incredibly topical and of its time but that is just what makes it so much fun. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for the first short film directed by Walt Disney, Little Red Riding Hood (1922).

Next comes another real classic, Falling Hare (1943). This cartoon features one of the few characters to get the upper hand of Bugs, the gremlin. Despite only appearing in this one short, the character has proven quite popular and has appeared in quite a few Looney Tunes spin offs. The original title for this short was going to be Bugs Bunny and the Gremlin. However, since Disney was working on an animated feature film about gremlins (a movie that would never be finished), the studio took the word gremlin out of the title of this cartoon to appease the Disney studio. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Literally and figuratively, Bugs Bunny, already a prime favorite among current cartoon characters, gets off to a flying start in the distribution season just started. The buck-toothed, long-eared clown meets up with a gremlin and both find themselves aloft in an airplane, with Bugs or what's left of him being darn glad to get back to earth. There are plenty of laughs throughout. The tough Bunny, if this initial '43-'44 offering of his producer Leon Schlesinger, is any criterion, is in for a further rise in popularity among fans who like humor. Of course, the reel is in Technicolor. It was supervised by Robert Clampett and animated by Roderick Scribner. Warner Foster wrote the story and Carl W. Stalling handled the musical direction." This cartoon amounts to one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons and it is appropriately in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.  

Motion Picture Daily, 1941

Now for the Aesop's Sound Fables short, Gypped in Egypt (1930). The following is a review from The Film Daily, "This Aesop Fable has the cartoon cat and dog on an adventure in Egypt. They fall into an ancient town and find themselves surrounded by mummies and skeletons that come to life. There is a funny fire sequence, with all the skeleton riding pell-mell to the fire in chariots. It finishes with a wild ride in an elevator to the top of an obelisk, where they step off the platform into space. A nightmare of goofy antics cleverly worked out for the laughs."   

Now for The Simpsons in Skateboarding (1988). This was a short made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the family received its 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. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

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

100 Greatest Looney Tunes Edited by Jerry Beck.

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #210

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Tom and Jerry short, Designs on Jerry (1955). This short film is one of the best Tom and Jerry cartoons of the 1950's. While it may not have as many laugh out loud gags as the 1940's Tom and Jerry shorts, it more than makes up with this with a clever premise and a great execution. The idea of blueprints coming to life was later reused in the opening of TV's Tom and Jerry Tales. Clips from this film would later be reused in the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Shutter Bugged Cat (1967). 

I love of the cartoons of Chuck Jones from any period but there is something special about his films from 1942 and 1943. At this time, he was fully getting away from his slower paced cuter output of the late 1930's but had not yet gotten to the style of films he would make in the 1950's that everybody is familiar with today. So, what we get from output during these two years are cartoons that experiment with what you can do in an animated short. It doesn't hurt that he worked with such experimental artists as layout man John McGrew. Chuck gave McGrew plenty of freedom and what John accomplished in these movies is nothing short of amazing. This is especially shown in The Case of the Missing Hare (1942), where experimentation is seen in every moment. Just watch the abstract backgrounds that show a mixture of two colors at a time, but the colors change when there is a strong action in the foreground. This is something someone may not notice on their first watch, but it is something they can feel. A review in The Film Daily stated, "Here is another hilarious, the Leon Schlesinger creation that keeps growing in comic strength with every new release." I think anyone watching this cartoon today will recognize that the antagonist is not Elmer Fudd, but one reviewer from The Exhibitor didn't as in his review he stated "...this has Elmer, as a magician..."  A review from the same magazine less than a month later stated, "Elmer isn't in this." The latter is right. A review in Variety called this "One of the better Bugs Bunny subjects."

Up next is the early Terry Toons short, Scotch Highball (1930). 

A couple decades before The Flintstones, the Fleischer Studio made a series of cartoons taking place in the Stone Age. Here is one of those films, The Foul Ball Player (1940). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Heavenly Puss (1949) is probably one of the best remembered and most beloved of the Tom and Jerry films. It certainly is one that has stayed in the minds of cartoon fans. The credited animators here are Ed Barge, Irv Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson. Each of them gets their time to shine. Irv Spence animates the scene where Tom is crushed by the piano. Ed Barge handles most of the animation of the cat that grants passage to Heaven as well as the scene with the small kittens. Ray Patterson animates the scenes with the evil version of Spike the bulldog.  William Hanna and Joseph Barbera would later make a semi-remake of this film with the Pixie and Dixie cartoon (from The Huckleberry Hound Show), Heavens to Jinksy (1959). Clips from Heavenly Puss would later be reused in the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Shutter Bugged Cat (1967). 

Next comes the classic Disney cartoon, Orphan's Benefit (1934). This film marks the second Donald Duck cartoon, and the first time Donald appeared alongside Mickey and friends. As many of you know, Donald first appeared in The Silly Symphony short, The Wise Little Hen (1934). However, some of those who worked on the Disney cartoons at this time (including Walt), misremembered this as the first Donald Duck cartoon. This may be because the short was the first one the studio started work on. Historian J.B. Kaufman has stated that the Disney story department began work on this cartoon (with an outline entitled The Surprise Party) in November 1933, before they started work on The Wise Little Hen.  However, this outline was quite different from the finished film. Donald was a small boy who was dragged to a party by his mother and made to recite Mary Had a Little Lamb. The recitation of Mary Had a Little Lamb has its origins in the origin of Donald's voice. Clarence Nash had created this voice as a child himself not to be the voice of a Duck but of a crying baby goat. He used to entertain his friends by reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb in this voice. He would later do this act professionally both live and on radio. Walt Disney, having heard Nash do this voice on radio, felt that it sounded more like a duck and pitched the idea of voicing a duck to Nash. In the early 1940's several older Disney cartoons were considered for some shot for shot remakes. However, only one of these were made and that was Orphan's Benefit (1941). The remake was almost exactly like the earlier picture except being that in color and using the 1941 designs of the characters. In fact, the remake even uses the exact soundtrack of the original. However, I personally prefer this 1934 black and white original and I hope you love it too. A review in The Film Daily stated, "It's all very clever, screamingly funny and with a dandy of a musical score." The original ending for this film was going to be Mickey, Minnie and Donald dressed as pigs performing Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. However, that ending would be replaced by Donald's temper tantrum. Donald Duck's voice Clerance Nash later remembered, "I was more nervous about that picture than I as about The Wise Little Hen. I don't mind telling you that I prayed a lot, that the character would be a success. I was with a group of Disney people and my wife was with me too. I was just like an average audience - I got a big kick out of it, and I completely forgot I had anything to do with it." 

Now for a short silent cartoon starring Pongo the Pup, Pongo Cleans Up The Goat Family (1924). Sorry about the video not having music.

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Bart's Little Fantasy (1989). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before The Simpsons go their own TV show. 

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

Donald Duck: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein

DVD audio commentary (Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 1) by Jerry Beck.

 https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/orphans-benefit-revisited/

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/origins-of-the-duck/

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

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/go-to-hades-part-2/

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #257

 Happy Saturday morning my friends and welcome back for some more classic cartoons. 

Possibly the best of the Fleischer Brothers' Color Classics cartoons and a must watch for me every Christmas season is Christmas Comes but Once a Year (1936). As well as a really catchy title song and some fun gags, this cartoon has a warm Christmas-y feel. Unlike some of the studio's other attempts at sentimentality, this film never feels forced in this respect. Instead, the sentimentality feels genuine and earned. Though most of the Color Classics featured one off characters, this short stars Grampy from the Betty Boop cartoons. Grampy was one of the best things about the later Betty Boop films and he definitely gets to shine here. The title song in this short movie would later be reused in the Popeye cartoon, Let's Celebrake (1938) with the lyrics changed to be about New Years instead. Some of Grampy's household toy ideas would later be used in the Casper cartoon, True Boo (1952). 

Disney cartoons have long been associated with sentimentality and cuteness. Yet this wasn't always the case. The early black and white Mickey Mouse films were mostly pretty much the opposite. They focused purely on the gags and jokes and with keeping the comic momentum going. A perfect example of this is Mickey's Orphans (1931). This movie has all the makings for a sentimental cartoon. It takes place at Christmas time and the involves Mickey adopting a bunch of orphans. Yet all of this is played strictly for laughs and some of the kids can be a little sadistic. A review in the Motion Picture Herald stated, "The youngsters will get a real kick out of this short, and the oldsters will extract a bit of enjoyment." A review in The Film Daily gave the same sentiment stating, "It will delight all children and get many a laugh from their elders." An issue of The Film Daily (Dated February 7, 1932) stated "In addition to El Brendel in person this week's show at the Roxy is a special treat for the kids. The presentation includes four scenes based on 'Mickey's Orphans,' the Mickey Mouse cartoon that was held over for three weeks at this house. The characters of Mickey and Minnie are portrayed by the Arnaut Brothers, popular pantomimists. Patricia Bowman, Fred Waring's orchestra in a novelty entitled 'Dancing Melodies,' and the Roxyettes also are part of the proceedings. In the Mickey scenes, the Roxyettes and ballet group are made up to represent kittens, musical notes and animated furnishings in Minnie's boudoir." This cartoon was reissued to theatres in 1934.

      

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Now comes a Famous Studios Screen Song cartoon, Toys Will Be Toys (1949). Look for a cameo by one of the studio's biggest stars, Popeye the Sailor, as well as the old Fleischer Studios character, Koko the Clown. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a musical break. 

Next is one of my favorite Christmas cartoons of all time, Mickey's Good Deed (1932).  This film was from 1932, at this time, Mickey was at the absolute height of his popularity. He was famous in a way that no cartoon character before had ever been. Critics often compared his popularity to that of Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, and like that character Mickey had fans of all types. He was equally popular with intellectuals and small children. In fact, this same year Walt Disney would receive a special Academy Award for creating Mickey. Renowned Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein (best known for his silent film The Battleship Potemkin (1925)) was a huge fan and even wrote essays on Walt Disney, that discussed the brilliance of Mickey Mouse cartoons (He would remain a huge Disney fan and even later call Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) the single greatest film ever made). Almost every other American cartoon studio was copying what Disney had done with Mickey Mouse. Characters like Foxy (at Warner Brothers) and Cubby Bear (at Van Beuren) were extremely thinly disguised copies of Mickey himself. In fact, in 1931, the Van Beuren studio was sued by Walt for using two mice characters that looked exactly like Mickey and Minnie. There was no doubt, Mickey was movie royalty. Mickey did for animated comedies, exactly what Charlie Chaplin's little tramp had done for live action comedies. Like the comedy films made before Chaplin, the animated comedies before Mickey were often very funny, but you very rarely felt any other emotional response to what was happening on screen. Mickey changed all that and nowhere was it clearer than in Mickey's Good Deed. You may notice that this doesn't sound like your typical cartoon short of the era, and my point is it isn't. This film while not sacrificing the slapstick comedy, also adds a lot of drama to the story itself. However, the Disney studio understood exactly what Chaplin had found out earlier. If the comedy and the drama are both driven by the story and characters, they can both easily co-exist. This idea is done to absolute perfection in this cartoon. This is a beautiful and moving film, while it never forsakes the comedy. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Right up there with the best of these animated cartoons. Subject has a special holiday flavor in that it shows how Mickey and his dog manage to bring cheer into a big family of needy animal folks. Clever and lively as usual." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "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 kiddies out to the matinee. Running time, eight minutes. - Edmund M. Burke. Fort Plain Theatre, Fort Plain, N.Y. General Patronage."  

Today's cartoon selection ends with one of the loveliest Christmas TV specials of all time, The Snowman (1982). 



 

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

Resources Used

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

The Disney Villain by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson

Disney by Sergei Eisenstein  

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #185

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

Starting off is a delightful black and white Porky Pig cartoon, Get Rich Quick Porky (1937). This was an early cartoon for director Bob Clampett (1937 was his first year as a director) and while it may not be as wild as some of the director's later work, there is plenty to enjoy here. This cartoon also marked the last appearance of Porky's sidekick, Gabby Goat. There is not much to Gabby besides him being grumpy and easily irritated, but the contrast between him and the more optimistic Porky makes for delightful watching. Two of the animators on this movie would later become great Looney Tune directors in their own right. Chuck Jones animates the wonderful scene with the dog, the gopher and a bone as well as the film's ending. Norm McCabe animates Gabby underground with his jackhammer as well as Porky handing the deed to Honest John. 

Next comes a wonderful Donald Duck cartoon, Modern Inventions (1937). A review in The Film Daily called this picture, "One of the funniest episodes in which Donald Duck has been featured." In a 1938 article from World Film News Richard Ford writes, "Several Disney Cartoons - Donald and Pluto and Modern Inventions have Machiavellian incidents to which many children are frightening. This fear subsequently gives way to sympathy for the victim, so that Donald Duck is liked on a basis of tragedy rather than comedy." In the June 26, 1937 issue of Boxoffice magazine this movie was named "Short of the Week." The following is the review from that issue. "Donald Duck stamps himself as pre-eminent among cartoon comedians by his hilarious antics in his creator's final Technicolor subject for United Artists release. Unquestionably one of the most laugh-provoking subjects to issue from Disney studios since Donald first made his timid entrance as a minor cartoon character over a year ago. In this clever satire on the machine age Donald enters an exhibit where a robot butler immediately moves his hat much to the duck's fury. His irritability increases as he is cradled in an automatic baby carriage and is forcibly fed with a bottle and clothed with a diaper. However the piece de resistance is Donald's struggles while placed upside down in a barber chair with the mechanical attendant clipping off his tail feathers and blackening his face. The laughs follow in such quick succession that they are practically continuous." Though no director is credited on this short, it was directed by Jack King, who directed many of Donald's finest cartoons. 

Next we join The Terry Bears in The Reluctant Pup (1953). This cartoon was directed by Mannie Davis. 

Movie fans tend to agree that some of the funniest cartoons ever made are the shorts that Tex Avery directed for MGM. A great example of why can be seen in today's next cartoon, Doggone Tired (1949). Tex once described to historian Joe Adamson, "I found out the eye can register an action in five frames of film. Five frames of film at twenty-four a second, so it's roughly a fifth of a second to register something, from the screen to your eye to your brain. I found out that if you want something to barely be seen five frames was all it needed ... Say we had an anvil falling, we would bring it in perhaps four or five frames before the hit, that's all you need - djuuuuuu ... Bam! it's there, and you don't need to know where in the hell it came from. It makes the gag that much funnier. If you saw this thing coming down, and you panned down with it, and it hits - uh uh." 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

    

Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Up next comes a silent movie starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Tall Timber (1928). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with the TV special It's the Pied Piper Charlie Brown (2000). Though this is not one of the most remembered specials, it is one of the most important ones. It is the first special of the 21st century, it is the last one that Charles Schultz had any involvement in, and it is the first special to be released after Charles Schultz's death. This is also an unusual special by Peanuts standards. Most of you sure familiar with the fact that most Peanuts animation never showed the adults and had a trombone replace the sound of their voices. In this special you get to see and hear the adults. This actually wasn't the first time it was done in Peanuts animation though. A couple of other examples of animated Peanuts adventures that included speaking and visible adults are the mini-series This is America Charlie Brown (1988-1989) and the theatrically released feature length movie, Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!!) (1980) (and these are only two examples). This is also a rare special to adapt a classic children's story with Peanuts characters in it. While this is a common practice with many cartoon characters it is rare for the Peanuts gang. 

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

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

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animator-breakdown-get-rich-quick-porky-1937/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #184

 Good morning my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a wonderful Friz Freleng directed cartoon, D' Fightin' Ones (1961). This short film is a wonderful parody of the Stanley Kramer movie The Defiant Ones (1958). In that movie a white man and a black man who are chained together escape from prison. Despite the white man being a racist and the two having a strong hatred for each other the two must work together to survive. In this cartoon we have instead of a white man and a black man, we have Sylvester the cat and a big dog chained together. This idea in itself its very funny, but the cartoon is still wonderful even for those who don't know what it is parodying.  

Next we join Gandy Goose and Sourpuss in Sham Battle Shenanigans (1942). This was the first of a series of cartoons made during World War 2 which put Gandy and Sourpuss in the army. They were not the only cartoon characters to be drafted into the army for a series of cartoons during World War 2. Disney's Donald Duck (despite wearing a sailor suit in civilian life) also joined the army. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Done in Technicolor, this Terry-Toon confection is a sweet source of laughter - loud and plentiful. The action has to do with the mishaps that befall a cat and duck during war maneuvers. Being thoroughly inexperienced soldiers, the two get themselves into a lot of silly situations, out of which they manage to work themselves in an extremely funny manner. Some of the incidents are good for howls." Enjoy the cartoon and remember to have some Dunker's Donuts while watching it. 



 

Director's Jack Kinney's Goofy cartoons are the closest the Disney studio came to Tex Avery's MGM cartoons. These short films are fast paced gag filled satires that take full advantage of the cartoon medium. They are also some of my personal favorite cartoon shorts. A great example of why these films are so great can be seen in this next cartoon, Tomorrow We Diet (1951). 

Now it is time to join our flapper friend Betty Boop in one of her early appearances, Kitty From Kansas City (1931). This short film was released a year before Betty got her own series, so it is part of the Fleischer Brothers' Screen Songs series. This is the series where movie goers would follow the bouncing ball and sing along with popular songs. In many of these films there would be a popular singer of the time performing the song. Here that singer is the crooner Rudy Vallee, who had recorded the title song in 1930 and had a hit with it. The same year as this movie, Rudy would appear in Betty Co-ed (1931), another Fleischer screen song cartoon. Paramount Around the World magazine would state "Speaking of Screen Songs, 'Kitty from Kansas City,' in which Rudy Vallee appears in person, is easily the best short that this radio and stage celebrity has ever made." Of course, Paramount may have been more than a little biased here.

Motion Picture Herald, 1931

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for an episode of The New Three Stooges featuring the voices of the real Stooges who also appear in the opening and closing live action segments. The live action segments would often be repeated even when the cartoon was new. Curly Joe DeRita felt that this hurt the show. He thought that people would see a live action segment they had seen before and assume the show was a rerun and change the channel not knowing the cartoon was new. 

Now for a silent movie starring Felix the Cat, Felix Revolts (1923). 

Last but certainly not least comes an all time classic, The Dover Boys at Pimento University (1942). This is one of Chuck Jones' most daring (and arguably one of his best) films. The stylized design and animation were unlike most anything being done at this time and look forward to what UPA would become known for in the 1950's. Many have cited Chuck Jones as a very strong influence on UPA and with a cartoon like this who could argue? It is worth noting that the credited animator on this film is Robert Cannon, who would become an important director for UPA (he directed Gerald McBoing-Boing (1950) there). Much of this film's charm came from background artist, Gene Fleury and layout artist John McGrew. These were two very experimental artists and Chuck gave them plenty of room to experiment. They are a huge part of why Chuck's cartoons for this era really stand out. If you are a fan of Disney's Goofy cartoons, you will probably recognize the narrator, John McLeisch (who narrated most of the Goofy "how to..." shorts). The film's writer Ted Pierce does the voice of Tom. However the scene stealer of the voice actors is Mel Blanc as he seems to be having a blast voicing the villainous Dan Backslide (coward, bully, cad and thief). Visually Dan Backslide is a caricature of Warner's animator, Ken Harris. This film appropriately appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

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 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

  

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #174

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Donald Duck film, Donald's Crime (1945). This cartoon marks a milestone in an important Disney character. In previous shorts Daisy Duck had been voiced by Clarence Nash (also the voice of Donald) and had a very similar voice to that of the ill-tempered but lovable duck. Here for the first time though, she has a more normal sounding voice that stands in contrast to Donald's. In this film that voice is provided by Gloria Blondell, who was the younger sister of actress Joan Blondell. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Donald's Crime: Walt Disney Cartoons - One of Disney's best. Our house was in an uproar of laughter from start to finish. By all means play it. - A.R. Dakin, Rice Lake Theatre, Bissett, Manitoba, Can."

Screenland, 1945

Now to go from one famous cartoon Duck to another, up next Daffy Duck is pit against Speedy Gonzales in Quacker Tracker (1967). Though Daffy and Speedy may seem like an odd combination but in the mid to late 1960's the two were teamed up against each other in 26 short films. 

Up next is our good friend Farmer Al Falfa in The 19th Hole Club (1936). The following is a review from The Philadelphia Exhibitor, "The 19th Hole Club - 20th Century-Fox - Educational - Terry Toon. 6min. Typical Terrytoon with the farmer playing golf; general result filler. If more attention were paid to quality than quantity in this series the results would probably be better. So-So." 

Motion Picture Daily, 1936

Next comes a delightful Little Lulu cartoon, Chick and Double Chick (1946). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for an early Disney Silly Symphony, The China Plate (1931). This short film was 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). Even at this stage, Disney cartoons had all star casts of animators and this short is no exception. Joe D'Igalo, who would work not only for Disney but also for Warner Brothers, MGM and Fleischer Studios (where he would work on both of their feature films (Gulliver's Travels (1939), Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941)), animates the teacup and teapot as well as the cherries being delivered to the mandarin. Johnny Cannon animated the mandarin eating and sleeping, the geishas dancing, the boy fishing and dragon swallowing the rock. Jack Cutting does much less here only animating the orchestra. Frenchy de Tremaudan (who animated on many of the best Disney shorts of the 1930's animates the first scene with the girl, the dragon eating the mandarin, capturing the girl and fighting with the boy. Rudy Zamora, who would have a long career in animation and would direct episodes of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates the scene with the boy and the girl with the butterfly. Future Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director Dick Lundy would animate the fight between the mandarin and the boy. Ben Sharpsteen, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the couple being chased by both the mandarin and the dragon. 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 scene involving the couple and the mandarin at the bridge. Future Donald Duck director (who directed the Donald cartoon earlier in this post) animates the couple dislodging the rock and in the boat. Walt Disney himself provides the laugh for the boy. Six years after this picture the Disney story department proposed a Japanese themed Silly Symphony that would be similar to this short, but that film was never made. 

Next we join Dudley Do-Right in the hilarious Railroad Tracks. This cartoon features the villainous Sidney Whiplash who was voiced by Hans Conried (my fellow Disney fans will know him as the voice of Captain Hook in Peter Pan (1953)). Conried loved the role once stating, "I never thought of Snidely as a characterization - I thought the role was designed for me." Chris Hayward (who co-wrote these cartoons with Lloyd Turner) later remembered when he and Turner were assigned the cartoons. Jay Ward (head of the studio) told them "'It's about a stupid Mountie.' So we said, 'Anything else we need to know?' and Jay said, 'No ... Just have fun!'" If these cartoons are any indication they had a lot of fun. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with a silent Felix the Cat classic, Felix Dines and Pines (1927). 

Thanks for joining me, come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

https://www.imdb.com/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://factsandfigment.com/2020/02/07/donalds-crime-1945/?msclkid=d126407ccdca11ec8e154b37acf23826

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

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

  

Linus Van Pelt Theologian

 

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Silver Screen, 1931

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

And on that day you will say, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted." Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth. Isiaih 12:4-5

Linus Van Pelt - Theologian

 

Always Remember

 

June 6th, 1998

Memorial Day With Peanuts

 

May 31, 1976

May, 29, 1972

Snoopy and D-Day

Today marks the 75th adversary of D-Day. This of course is one of the most important days of World War 2. For any of you who do not know the history of this day I suggest clicking here.

It is sadly rare for a newspaper comic strip to salute this day, but Charles Schultz did just that with his Peanuts comic strip. Snoopy is of course more associated with WW1 than WW2. He was a WW1 flying ace who went up against the Red Baron. These strips were of course completely played for comedy and were often hilarious. Two strips Charles Schultz's made remembering D-Day featuring Snoopy would be done in a more serious matter. Here are those strips.

June 6, 1998

 
June 6, 1993

Charles Schultz also made some strips about D-Day with Snoopy that had a much more comedic tone. Including a series of strips that ran from June 6-11, 1994. Here are those.

June 6, 1994.

June 7, 1994


June 8, 1994



June 9, 1994



June 10, 1994


June 11, 1994


If any veteran's are reading this, thank you for everything and God bless you./

-Michael J. Ruhland

The Easter Beagle in the Peanuts Comic Strip

Hello my friends, we all love the TV special It's The Easter Beagle Charlie Brown (1974). Snoopy has also appeared as the Easter Beagle multiple times in the comic strip. Here are all the comic strips the Easter Beagle appeared in.

April 14, 1968

March 29, 1970






April 11, 1971


























April 2, 1972






















April 22, 1973

April 19, 1976

April 10, 1977

April 7, 1985



-Michael J. Ruhland

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"Happy Birthday" Snoopy

Today is when we celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest dogs in the history of comic strips and animation, Snoopy himself. Truth be told this is not however the day he first appeared. Snoopy in fact first appeared in the third Peanuts comic, released to newspapers on October 4, 1950. This is instead considered his birthday because of a series of strips in 1968. In this series of this strips Linus leads Snoopy on a secret mission. In the last strip of this story Snoopy is lead to a surprise party for his birthday. This strip appeared on August 10th, making many fans consider this his birthday. This story only lasted three days, from August 8 to August 10. The first strip had Linus waking Snoopy up in the middle of the night asking if he would like to go on a secret mission. Snoopy feels honored since it is rare that Beagles are invited on such secret missions. In the second strip Linus tells Snoopy he doesn't have the right expression for a secret mission. Snoopy makes a serious face and Linus tells him "That's better." Snoopy blames this on "inexperience." The third strip can be seen above.

I love how in these strips Snoopy and Linus are pure white against a black night background. It is visually appealing and automatically draws one into the comic strip. If I were to open the newspaper to the comics section and this strip were to appear, my eyes would immediately be drawn to it. It also shows how talented of an artist, Charles Schultz really was.


Anyway happy birthday to our favorite Beagle.

-Michael J. Ruhland