Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today’s cartoon selection begins with a true classic, Woody Woodpecker in Barber of Seville (1944). Though Walter Lantz’s cartoon studio is not as highly regarded by many classic cartoon fans as Disney or Warner Brothers, when the studio was at its best it showed that it could truly hold its own. The best Lantz cartoons are true classics and this is one of the best. This cartoon is directed by the wonderful Shamus Culhane, who delivers a masterpiece of comedic timing here. This movie appears as #43 in Jerry Beck’s book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons and is the only Walter Lantz film in that book.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) is one of the wild and craziest feature films of the Pink Panther franchise. To suddenly go this over the top would be a jumping the shark moment for most franchises but this movie is too darn funny to be anything but wonderful. The animated opening credits sequence is also wonderful. It is especially a delight to movie buffs parodying many classic films that movie fans will instantly recognize. This sequence (like in the previous feature film) was made by Richard Williams studio (instead of DePatie-Freleng) and follows the format set by the last feature where an animated Inspector Cl chases the Pink Panther.
Moby Duck (1965) is one of the many cartoons pairing Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales in the 1960’s. The idea of a mouse tormenting a major character by having a can opener while that character only has food in cans was done before in Canned Feud (1951) with Sylvester and ab unnamed mouse. The idea of Daffy and Speedy being stranded on a deserted island together would later be done in the feature length, Daffy Duck’s Movie: Fantastic Island (1983).
Now it is time for a silent movie with The Artist’s Dream (1913). This short film was the first cartoon John Randolph Bray (who would soon head one of the biggest animation studios of the silent era (it would be named after him)) made. In an interview with Harvey Deneroff, Bray talked about his first thoughts after being introduced to animation stating, "I thought there was something new and original that would go over big." Though he would also say, "I thought there was good money in it." When Bray showed this showed this movie to distributor Charles Pathe, Pathe was quite impressed and asked Bray to make more cartoons. Time for a commercial break.
Now we take a trip to Mexico with our good friend Popeye the Sailor in Blow Me Down (1933).
Now for the delightful Silly Symphonies cartoon, The Cat’s Nightmare (1931). You may notice the video below titles the cartoon, The Cat's Out. J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's excellent book on the Silly Symphonies explains this, "Modern sources have sometimes identified this film as The Cat's Out. This was the working title and survives today in an original vault print. However the finished film was copyrighted and released as The Cat's Nightmare." Interestingly this movie played on The Mickey Mouse Club under both names (The Cat's Out on January 23, 1956 and The Cat's Nightmare on February 27, 1956). Whatever the name this is a darn good cartoon. It contains all of the atmosphere that enhances so many of the early Symphonies (especially the ones with a spooky theme). It may not quite be The Skelton Dance (1929), but it is a good film in its own right. Speaking of The Skelton Dance the animation of a rooster crowing (by Wilfred Jackson) is reused from that more famous Symphony. A review in The Film Daily states, "Right up to the high standard of this popular animated cartoon series." The following is a review from the Motion Picture Herald, "A clever piece of cartoon work, typical Silly Symphony number. The theme is as the titles suggests, and the animators have taken full advantage of its laugh making possibilities." However a review in Motion Picture Reviews warns us, "A Halloween spooky atmosphere is so well done that it might frighten a sensitive child."
Up next comes a really fun Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, Fairyland Follies (1931). This movie gives a wonderful example of what cartoon studios that weren’t Disney or the Fleischer Brothers were doing in the early 1930’s.
Today’s cartoon selection ends with Misterjaw in The CodFather (1976). Created for TV's The Pink Panther's Laugh and a Half Hour and a Half Show (isn't that a mouthful to say) in 1976, Misterjaw was an affectionate parody of much more deadly shark in Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975). For this series he appeared in 34 made for TV cartoons, all made in 1976. His voice was provided by comedian Arte Johnson, best known to TV fans for his work on Laugh-In. His sidekick, Catfish is voiced by Arnold Stang, best remembered by cartoon fans as the voice of Hanna-Barbera's Top Cat.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Pink Panther: The Ultimate Guide to the Coolest Cat in Town by Jerry Beck
The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
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
Hello my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester in Peck Up Your Troubles (1945). This short film is certainly a forerunner to the later Tweety and Sylvester cartoons, the first of which would be released in 1947. However instead of Tweety there is a little woodpecker and dialogue is kept to a minimum. This movie was in fact only Sylvester's second cartoon, the first of which was Life With Feathers (1945). Peck Up Your Troubles was directed by Friz Freleng who would later direct nearly all of the Sylvester and Tweety shorts. Friz would later say about Sylvester, "I designed Sylvester to look subtly like a clown. I gave him a big red nose and a very low crotch which was supposed to look like he was wearing baggy pants. But gradually he changed because the construction restricted his animation."
Up next comes Goofy in The Big Wash (1948). Rather than being directed by Jack Kinney, this short film was directed by Clyde Geronimi, who by this time was mostly working on Disney's feature films. This often causes his work as a director of shorts to get overlooked. Yet his work in shorts was often incredibly delightful and this movie is no exception. This may not be as wild as the Goofy cartoons, Jack Kinney directed, but in its own way it is just as fun. This movie relies heavily on character-based humor and it has really been done better. In this cartoon Goofy washes an elephant named Dolres. This elephant would later appear in the Donald Duck cartoon, Working for Peanuts (1953) and in that film Donald would sing the same song as Goofy does here.
Next we join Mutt and Jeff in Westward Whoa (1926). This movie was directed by Charles Bowers who also had an unjustly forgotten career staring in live action silent comedy shorts.
The Betty Boop cartoons from the early 1930's were some of the most risqué cartoons from the golden age of American animation. Anyone who thinks of old cartoons as sweet, innocent and squeaky clean may be surprised to see scenes in these cartoons. One of the most risqué images from one of these cartoons comes from Red Hot Mama (1934), where we are given a look through Betty's dress. Though admittedly the rest of this cartoon is not exactly innocent either. The setting for this film is Hell, where Betty's sexiness excites the various demons. Not everyone back then was fine with what happens in this film as the following exhibitor's review from Motion Picture Herald shows. "Red Hot Mama: Betty Boop - I can remember several years ago after sound had been established that a great cry arose within the industry that the youngsters of that day ( and the show patron of tomorrow) were unable to find any entertainment in the movie palaces because the biz had gone high hat and no entertainment for them. I screened 'Red Hot Mama,' a cartoon yesterday on my Sunday matinee hence this letter. I have always felt that in booking these cartoons the youngsters were getting a treat. I enjoy their hearty laughs and suppressed excitement when their favorite cartoon is on the screen. However 'Red Hot Mama' must have been drawn when the guy was drunk. Betty Boop starts out sweetly, is suddenly transported to Hell and pursued and tortured by all sorts of fire devils, imps and what have you. One variety, the ability to bound in the air and come down on a spear studded tail stabbed in the floor. A grand subject for your juvenile trade? Naturally my Sunday matinee was without a cartoon. The only recommendation I have for this is that the one responsible for it be compelled to sit through a screening every time he has a pink elephant fantasy. Some exhibitor's have said they hesitate to report on products through the Herald for fear of getting in bad with the local exchange. My opinion is that the people who are sincere in this business welcome constructive criticism. Report fairly on pictures with merit and likewise that class of product which is detrimental to our investments. I'm not a crank but it is cartoons such as the Symphonies and 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and 'Little Red Hen' that are in demand and not such a thing as 'Red Hot Mama'. -E.A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small Town and Country Patronage." With the praise of the Silly Symphonies, I am wondering what this exhibitor would have to say about the Silly Symphony, Hell's Bells (1929). The following is a much more positive exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Red Hot Mama: Betty Boop - This is a great cartoon comedy that will please everyone. It is full of good clean entertainment and much better than the average comedy. More time should be given to shorts in order to fill in a poor feature and everything would be better. Running Time eight minutes. -J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, N.C. General patronage."
Now for a commercial break.
Motion Picture News, 1913
Next we join Popeye in I Don't Scare (1956). This was towards the end of Popeye's career in theatrical cartoon shorts. The last of these shorts was released only a year later in 1957.
Now for Colonel Heeza Lair in Knighthood (1924). The Colonel's cartoon career began in 1913. After 1917 he briefly vanished from movie screens. Yet in 1922 the series returned. New cartoons with the character would be made through 1924. This cartoon coms from the later run of films. These later shorts would combine live action and animation (something the earlier shorts did not do) in way that resembled the Fleischer Brothers' Out of the Inkwell shorts.
Film Daily, 1924
Up next is the Pixar short film, For the Birds (2000). This cartoon premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in 2000, but most movie lovers first saw it play before the Pixar feature film, Monsters Inc. (2001).
Now to end with a song.
Resources Used
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.
Hello my friends. Happy Saturday morning and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Hop, Look and Listen (1948). This is the first cartoon to pair Sylvester and Hippety Hopper (it is also his debut appearance). After this cartoon the two worked together in 12 more short films. Each of those cartoons followed the formula set by this film, where Sylvester mistakes Hippety for a giant mouse instead of a baby kangaroo. This cartoon was reissued to theaters in 1955.
Casper the Friendly Ghost was created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo. The character was created with the intention of staring him in a 1939 children's book. However there was little interest in this idea. During World War 2, Oriolo sold the rights to the book to Famous Studios, the animation studio which was making the Popeye cartoons at this time. The studio originally viewed this as a one shot cartoon, but Sam Buchwald liked the idea and by 1950, Casper cartoons would officially become a series. Animator Myron Waldman worked on the majority of the Casper films would later state, "The boys at the studio used to kid me when we were doing the Caspers; they'd call them the 'ooh-ahh' pictures, but I always felt those pictures would last much longer than a picture that was just based on gags, because nobody can remember the gags. When they go to see it again, or talk about it, I think they like a story - kids especially." Up next is the first Casper cartoon and one that was also an adaption of the book. So enjoy The Friendly Ghost (1945).
Broadcasting, 1957
The cartoons continue with The Grocery Boy (1932) starring Mickey Mouse. This is a sweet simple little cartoon of the type that the Disney studio excelled at. The movie is helped by some truly excellent character animation and a great cast of animators. David Hand (who would be the supervising director for Snow White (1937) and Bambi (1942)) animates the film's opening. Tom Palmer animates Mickey and Minnie on the phone, a long sequence that begins with Mickey and Pluto entering the house and ends with Minnie kissing a bump on Mickey's head and the closing moment. Ben Sharpsteen (who would be the supervising director for Pinocchio (1940) and Fantasia (1940)) animates Pluto pulling at the table as well as the statue falling on Mickey. Rudy Zamora animates Mickey and Pluto running to Minnie's house. Future Donald Duck director, Jack King animates Minnie stirring and Mickey shelling the peas. Les Clark (one of Walt's Nine Old Men and one of the studio's top Mickey animators) animates Mickey getting the stuffing out of the turkey. A review in Variety stated, "Nothing outstanding in this one, but a good example of the Disney product." The climatic ending of this cartoon would later be adapted for the Mickey Mouse newspaper comic strip.
Now for a delightful early Terrytoon, Spring is Here (1932).
Now for a commercial break.
Now comes a delightful short film from Pixar, Lifted (2006). This cartoon premiered at the 42nd Chicago International Film Festival. However most moviegoers first saw it play alongside the Pixar feature Ratatouille (2007) in movie theaters.
Have you every wondered "What makes the moon shine." Well after watching Felix Finds Out (1924), you won't have to wonder anymore.
Let us close with a song.
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 American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
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, Toy Tinkers (1949). This movie features Donald once again going up against Chip and Dale. This film is directed by Jack Hannah, who at this time was directing the majority of the Donald Duck cartoons. When Chip and Dale had their very short-lived series of shorts, Jack Hannah directed all three cartoons in that series. This cartoon is laugh out loud funny. The slapstick is spot on and timed perfectly. Every joke works and they are all very funny. The humor is also displayed perfectly through the great character animation one should expect form a Disney cartoon. While Disney cartoons are often called sweet and cute in contrast to the hilarious antics at studios like Warner Brothers and MGM, the Disney studio could make slapstick cartoons as great as the rest of them (this is not an insult to Warner Brothers and MGM as I love there cartoons a lot as well). This stands as one of Disney's funniest shorts (a joke involving a telephone never fails to make me laugh out loud).
Next comes a wonderful Color Rhapsody Christmas cartoon, Gifts from the Air (1937). This movie was reissued to theaters in 1955.
The Philadelphia Exhibitor, 1935
Next up comes Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on The Dognapper (1934). According to Animation Historian Mike Barrier, Dick Lundy (who had previously animated Donald's famous tantrum in Orphan's Benefit (1934)) was specifically sought to animate one scene in this movie. That scene is when Donald runs after Mickey's motorcycle. Other animators on this cartoon include Marvin Woodward (who animates our heroes listening to the radio at the start), Hardie Gramatky (who animates most of the car chase as well as the saw chasing Pete up the ladder), Johnny Cannon (who animates the boys entering the sawmill as well as our heroes dodging Pete's bullets), Gerry Geronimi (who animates Pete chasing Fifi as well as Pete shooting at our heroes), Bob Wickersham (who animates the closing scenes of the picture) and Bill Roberts (who animates everything from Pete grabbing the cannon to Pete jumping up on a log to avoid the saw). The following is from an issue of The Film Daily (dated November 9, 1934), "'The Dognapper,' latest Walt Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon, will have its premiere at the Rivoli tomorrow in conjunction with Eddie Cantor's 'Kid Millions,' both released through United Artists."
Screenland, 1935
Next is one of the last black and white Looney Tunes and Daffy Duck's last appearance in black and white. This is a fantastic Daffy Duck World War 2 themed short. This film is directed by Frank Tashlin. While directing these cartoons Frank had his mind on wanting to direct live action features (which he later did). Because of this his cartoons are the most cinematic of all the Looney Tunes. This is definitely shown here in a montage that is as well done as anything you would see in a serious war picture. This film is also filled with not only great slapstick but some of the sharpest satire of any of the World War 2 Looney Tunes. This cartoon appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. So, enjoy, Scrap Happy Daffy (1943).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes the 11th Dogfather film, Rockhounds (1975).
Up next is Farmer Al Falfa in Plane Goofy (1940). Farmer Al Falfa is a cartoon character who dated back to 1915. Though he had once been the star of the Terry-Toons, by this time he was appearing rather infrequently and often in supporting roles. This is one of his semi-rare starring roles of this period. The following is an Exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Plane Goofy: Terry-Toons - This is a fairly good color cartoon that gets away from the beaten path to some extent. - W. Varrick, Nevins III, Alfred Co-op Theatre, Alfred, N.Y. Small town and rural patronage."
Up next is Felix the Cat in All Puzzled (1924).
Today's cartoon selection ends with the TV Special, A Garfield Christmas Special (1987).
Thanks for joining me. Comeback next week for another selection of classic cartoons. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck
Hello my friends and welcome back for another round of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a black and white Looney Tune, Porky's Midnight Matinee (1941). This is an early effort from Chuck Jones and is typical of his output at the time. The pace is slower moving than any of Warner Brother's other cartoon directors. Though Chuck Jones would later be known for fast paced slapstick like the coyote and roadrunner cartoons at this point his timing was often deliberately slow. Chuck also tended to rely on pantomime around this time and it was common for him to use characters that didn't talk. The ant here does not speak at all and Porky even receives very little dialogue. The ant also is typical of the smaller size characters (Sniffles, Joe Glow the Firefly, Tom Thumb, The Book Worm) that Chuck seemed to favor at this time. The following is an Exhibitor's Review from the Motion Picture Herald.
Next we join Popeye in Greek Mirthology (1954).
Next comes a real classic, Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953). Though this is a Disney cartoon, it does not visual resmeble what one excepts from a Disney film. The short has a stylized look that was clearly inspired by what the UPA (Mr. Magoo, Gerald McBoing Boing) was doing at the time. This movie was very much legendary Disney animator (and one of the infamous Nine Old Men), Ward Kimball. Though C. August Nichols receives a co-director, he soon had little to do with this movie leaving all the creative decisions to Ward. Ward later remarked, "I was the one who did that picture all the way." As well as the high stylized look this short also uses limited animation. This is not limited animation used for budgetary reasons (like so many Saturday Morning Cartoons) but an artistic choice. Ward later commented on this decision stating, "you have to hold drawings. Watch and you'll see that sometimes the mouth just moves or an eye blinks. That is the difference between full animation and limited animation." Some at the Disney studio did not approve of the look or movement in this cartoon, with Ward even stating that for some it was "regarded as sacrilegious for Disney at the time." Iwao Takamoto for instance would state, "I believe that Ward in a sense took advantage of Walt's growing interest in live action during the early 1950's and that Walt was away from the studio more than he had been previous. This is how [Ward] was able to produce things that Walt would have never been in favor of, such as 'Toot Whistle, Plunk and Boom' which … was drawn in that stark, modern UPA style that Walt tended to disparage." However some were inspired by the short. Director Jack Hannah would even use similarly flat stylized designs in a few of his future cartoons. As this movie was almost finished. Walt Disney got a call from Darryl Zanuck (head of 20th Century Fox) who asked if they had any cartoons to go with his Cinemascope features. Walt said, "Well, I'll look around." Walt approached Ward Kimball about releasing this film in Cinemascope to which Ward replied, "We're almost finished with it but ok I'll go back and redesign some of the gags for the bigger screen." It turned out to be a much more complex and daunting task than this though. Kimball would state about these changes that they "would have to change the size of the celluloid sheet on which we make our drawings and paintings - from 12 1/2 by 15 1/2 inches to 12 1/2 by 31 inches." He also learned the difference between making a cartoon for Cinemascope. He would later state, "In Cinemascope cartoon characters move not the backgrounds. Because there is more space, the characters could move about without getting outside the visual angle … characters could no longer perform in one spot against a moving background but are moved through the scenes." Still Ward was able to meet the deadline. The movie was a huge success winning the Acedmy Award for Best Animated Short Subject. However since a live action Disney nature documentary short was also nominated for an award that night, Walt came up and accidentally thanked the "Naturalist photographers who have played such a great part in making the nature films." This short receives the number 29 spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Now it is time for a Garfield Quickie.
Next comes a delightful Pink Panther short, Pink Punch (1966). This movie was directed by Hawley Pratt, who had been a layout artist for producer (and co-creator of the panther) Friz Freleng, when Friz was directing Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons.
Next comes a classic one shot Merrie Melodies cartoon, Have You Got Any Castles? (1938). This movie is part of a series of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts that revolved around objects coming to life in a book store over night. These cartoons began with Three's a Crowd (1933) and ended with Book Revue (1946). Have You Got Any Castles? is one of the finest of these films. This movie is directed by Frank Tashlin (who also directed another variant on this theme the same year, You're An Education (1938)), who deserves a place among the finest cartoon director of the 1930's and 40's (he would later direct live action features starring the likes of Bob Hope, Jayne Mansfield and Jerry Lewis). There is little in the way of story here, but plenty of gags, music and fun. The Swing For Sale musical number features reused animation from a Friz Freleng directed Merrie Melody Clean Pastures (1937). The following is a couple of exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. "HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES: Merrie Melodies —A swell little cartoon in color. Another smash hit, very clever and it impressed me as it did the older people. Kiddish enough for the kiddies. Yet to understand it, it would get a real laugh from the older folks. Running time, seven minutes.—Pearce Parkhurst, State Theatre, Torrington, Conn. General patronage." "Have You Got Any Castles: Merrie Melodies - To sit down and watch these cartoons is like watching something happen in the line of a miracle. You can't beat them. This is a knockout. Running time, eight minutes. - George Khattar, Casino Theatre, Whitney Pier, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. General Patronage."
Next is a silent Mutt and Jeff cartoon, When Hell Freezes Over (1926).
Now let us close with a song.
Resources Used
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons by Jerry Beck Will Friedwald.
The 50 Greatest Cartoons Edited by Jerry Beck
The Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation by Todd James Pierce.
The following is an article from a 1928 issue of Amateur Movie Makers magazine. If you have trouble reading the following pages click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. If that still doesn't work click here.
Hello my friends and Happy Saturday morning. I am glad to have you back for another selection of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Porky Pig in Confusions of a Nutzy Spy (1943). This short was directed by Norman McCabe, who while never achieving the fame or recognition of Chuck Jones, Tex Avery or Bob Clampett, is a director whose cartoons I have always had a special fondness for. Much of the reason that McCabe is not as familiar to cartoon fans today is that his work rarely shows on TV. There are three major reasons for this. One is that his output is in black and white, another is that much of it is very topical of the WW2 era and yet another is that most of these films feature racial stereotypes. McCabe's Looney Tunes association did not end with the golden age. He would work as a timing director on the TV series, Tiny Toon Adventures, Taz Mania and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. Confusions of a Nutzy Spy was an increasingly rare case of Porky being the star of a cartoon around this time. Though Porky not long ago had been the star of nearly every Looney Tune, this had been changing. Porky's roles would get smaller to the point where though he still appeared in every Looney Tune, he became strictly a supporting player (even in cartoons that featured his name in the title). Just a couple of years before this cartoon, the first Looney Tune in years not to feature Porky was released, The Haunted Mouse (1941). After this there were quite a few more Looney Tunes not featuring Porky as well as ones in which he only had brief cameos. The following are a couple of exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. "CONFUSIONS OF A NUTZY SPY: Looney Tunes Cartoons—Routine stuff. Always goes over big with the kids. Ran Friday, Saturday to good audience of kids and the house shook.—Wilson T. Cottrell, Caro- lina Theatre, Oxford, N. C." "CONFUSIONS OF A NUTZY SPY: Looney Tunes Cartoon—This is only a fairish sort of a black and white cartoon.—W. V. Nevins, III, Alfred Co-Op Theatre, Alfred, N. Y."
Sponsor, 1957
Next comes a great early Mickey Mouse cartoon, Barnyard Battle (1929). This cartoon takes place back when Mickey was a simple country mouse. One thing I love about the early Mickey cartoons is these barnyard settings. They provide the films with a good sense of atmosphere and are full of gags that come from the setting. Like the Our Gang kids these cartoon characters make all sorts of inventions out of simple barnyard objects. This gives the films a charm and creativity that the later Mickey's never fully captured. This was also before Walt came up with the idea to do away with some of the more cartoony gags where characters bodies could do impossible things. While I love many of the Disney studios short of the 1940's and 50's I wish these gags didn't fade away because they are a lot of fun. This cartoon features Mickey going to war with a bunch of cats (that all look like Pete) and in many ways feels like a follow-up to such previous Disney war cartoons as Oswald's Great Guns (1927) and the Alice Comedy, Alice's Little Parade (1926). In fact many of these gags would have felt right at home in those pre-Mickey cartoons. This film would be banned in Germany due to the cat's helmets resembling German army helmets.
Exhibitor's Herald World, 1929
Next we have a Famous Studios cartoon starring the short lived Blackie the Lamb, Lamb in a Jam (1945). Though Blackie only starred in four cartoons (the other three being No Mutton Fer Nuttin' (1943), Sheep Shape (1946) and Much Ado About Mutton (1947)), I personally feel his series had potential and I would not have minded seeing more.
Now for a very funny cartoon from the National Film Board of Canada, The Cat Came Back (1988). Director, writer and animator Cordell Baker pitched the idea of a short film about an old man and a cat, and the NFBC suggested that the he base the short around the folk song, The Cat Came Back. He spent an incredible amount of time working on this short film. He spent eight hours a day (as well as weekends) for over three years making this cartoon (which he has sole animator credit). The work paid off as the film was extremely well receiving numerous awards. This short ranks at #32 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Farmer Al Falfa was typical of early Terrytoons characters. He is pleasant and fun to watch but he is hardly a character who will leave much of a lasting impression. It is appropriate then that not he is not only the earliest star of the Terrytoons but that he had already been a major part of Paul Terry's work before Terrytoons. Paul Terry had been making films with the old gray farmer since 1915, and Terry used the character in cartoons for such studios as the Bray Studios, Paromount, Aesop's Fables and Van Bueren. Here is an early film with the character at Bray Studios, Farmer Al Falfa sees New York (1916) directed by Paul Terry.
Next comes a classic Fleischer-era Popeye cartoon, The Paneless Window Washer (1937). The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "PANELESS WINDOW WASHER, THE: Popeye the Sailor—An above average Popeye cartoon that pleased everybody; a good addition to any program. Popeye cartoons always seem to please. Running time, seven minutes.—Theodore J. Freidman, Strand Theatre, Suffern, N.Y. General patronage."
Today's cartoon selection ends with a Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales pairing, Moby Duck (1965). As strange of a pair as they seem, in the mid to late 1960's, the team was paired up in quite a few shorts. Many cartoon fans look at these as some of Warner Brothers' weakest cartoon shorts, but I admit there are some of them I quite like and this is one of them. The pair would later be reteamed for the feature film, Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island (1983). The premise itself is quite good and some gags do make me chuckle.
Thank you for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Hello my friends and welcome back to another selection of classic cartoons.
If you asked me to pick a cartoon that perfectly shows what the style of the Fleischer Studio was, I would pick, Bimbo's Initiation (1931). This cartoon has everything that makes the Fleischer Studio one of the most unique animation studios of all time. The film has a lot of surreal humor, a very detailed look, a dark and dangerous atmosphere, and was definitely intended more for adults than kids. One thing the Fleischers strived for was to put a gag in every moment of the film and this cartoon has that in abundance. Bimbo was a star character at this time, but his star was soon to be eclipsed by another character in this film, Betty Boop. Betty had made her debut a year earlier with Dizzy Dishes (1930). It wouldn't be long until Bimbo would be playing supporting roles in Betty Boop cartoons. Eventually Betty's films would drop Bimbo. Betty would also later own a dog making her one of the few cartoon characters to both own and date a dog (and even be a dog in her earliest appearances. This cartoon was placed at 37 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Next we join Sylvester the cat in A Mouse Divided (1953). Though best known for his cartoons with Tweety and Speedy Gonzales, the cat has shown many times that he is more than capable of making a great cartoon without any famous co-stars. This is one of those. The story of Sylvester wanting to eat a small animal until it considers him its parent and then protecting it would be repeated much later in Father of the Bird (1997). A Mouse Divided was directed by Friz Freleng, who directed the Tweety and Sylvester cartoons.
Next comes one of the most famous and important of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, Flowers and Trees (1932). This film was the first Silly Symphony in color and it is obvious that even from this first attempt the Disney cartoons had a mastery of color in a way few film would ever reach. Walt knew that color was not just a novelty or a way to make films look pretty but could be a vital part of storytelling. The colors in these cartoons often added to mood of the scene in a way an audience can feel. Walt was alone in believing Technicolor would help boost the quality of his cartoons and many tried to talk him out of it but as was always true of Walt, he stuck with his instinct and it paid off. The short received much praise (including an academy award) and it still remains a great cartoon to this day. Walt signed a contract with Technicolor for three years, giving them exclusive right to the process in the field of animation. This is why some of the other studios would soon use less famous and less effective color processes for their cartoons of this period. The cartoon itself was directed by Burt Gillett, who would soon direct the most famous Silly Symphony, The Three Little Pigs (1933). J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series states, "David Hand animated most of the film, partly by himself and partly with apprentices." David Hand would later be supervising director on the Disney features, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942). The following is a short article from The Film Daily (dated Sept. 17, 1932), "As a result of the tremendous reception at the Grauman's Chinese in Los Angles and the Roxy in New York of the first Silly Symphony, in natural color, Walt Disney, its creator says all the Symphonies released this year by United Artists will be done in Technicolor and that later the Mickey Mouse may also be photographed in natural color. The first Silly Symphony in Technicolor 'Flowers and Trees,' was in the nature of a feeler. It was made to touch [sic] out the public reaction to color in an animated short feature. After the first showing in Hollywood, in conjunction with MGM's 'Strange Interlude,' Disney had decided that he hit upon one of his most popular moves. Sid Grauman also was highly enthusiastic about 'Flowers and Trees.' The same thing happened at the Roxy. And now the second Silly, 'King Neptune' will have its premiere at the opening of 'Mr. Robinson Crusoe,' Douglas Fairbanks new feature, at the Rivoli next Wednesday."
The Film Daily, 1937
Next we go way back and watch Colonel Heeza Lair On The Jump (1917). Though forgotten by many cartoon fans today the Colonel was quite popular during the silent era and was one of the earliest characters to have a whole series based around him. He made his film debut in 1913 but after 1917 he would retire from the screen only to be brought back in 1922. The character himself was created by J. R. Bray and is said to be based off former president Theodore Roosevelt.
Next comes one of Hanna-Barbera and Larry Harmon's Laurel and Hardy TV cartoons, Love Me Love My Puppy (1966). While most of these cartoon feature the boys in storylines that more reflect Hanna-Barbera than Laurel and Hardy. This episode is an exception as it is a remake of the classic Laurel and Hardy film, Laughing Gravy (1930). The idea for this show did not originate with the Hanna-Barbera studio, but rather with Larry Harmon. He had this idea set in motion years before the show actually aired as evidenced by the following article from Box Office (dated May 29, 1961).
“New York- Although Oliver Hardy is dead, the team of Laurel and Hardy will be revived in the form of animated cartoon characters to be produced by Larry Harmon, who created the character of Bozo the Clown. Harmon, who owns more than half of the California studios in Hollywood, acquired the rights to produce the Laurel and Hardy cartoons from the Hardy estate and from Stan Laurel. Harmon said in New York last week that he planned a series of two-reelers and then would switch to full length features. Initially, however, he will make a series of half-hour Laurel and Hardy programs for television starting in the fall. 'The team of Laurel and Hardy is famous throughout the world’, Harmon said, citing statistics to prove that the pair has played to more people than any other motion picture characters on Earth. When the news first came out that he had acquired the rights to the team for animated cartoons, he received phone calls from every country, asking for distribution and exhibition rights. As an example of their popularity, he said, ‘a maharaja in India has figures of famous persons carved in stone. Laurel and Hardy are among them.’ Harmon said he had no set distribution deal for the theatrical release of the pictures but that Jayark Films Corp. would handle the television sales. The theatrical stories will be new and written especially for the medium. They will not be remakes of their past successes. All of them will be in Eastman color.” The theatrical animated shorts and features never happened. However much later Harmon would co-direct and co-producer on the live action feature, The All New Adventures of Laurel & Hardy in For Love or Mummy (1999).
Next we join Willie Whopper in Reducing Creme (1934). Willie Whopper was a little boy who often told exaggerated stories that come from his vast imagination. The character was created by Ub Iwerks (who co-created Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney) after his Flip the Frog cartoons never caught on the way he wanted.
Today's cartoon selection ends with Popeye in Ancient Fistory (1953).
Thanks for joining me come back next week for another round of animated classics. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a later Famous Studios, Popeye cartoon and one of my favorites from that era. The film is Spree Lunch (1957). Instead of fight over the affections of Olive Oyl, here Popeye and Bluto are restaurant proprietors fighting over Wimpy as a customer (something I believe to be pointless because I doubt he really pays for a hamburger on Tuesday). The story recalls an earlier Fleischer Popeye Customers Wanted (1939) in which they similarly fight over Bluto as a customer (though owning penny arcades instead of restaurants). While Wimpy had played a role in quite a few Fleischer Popeyes, in the Famous Studios era he was rarely used at all and most of time when he was it was in reused clips from Fleischer cartoons. This makes it rather refreshing to see him not only in this cartoon, but playing a prominent role. Sadly since the theatrical Popeye cartoons were coming to an end around this time, this film marked the last appearance of both Wimpy and Pluto in a theatrical Popeye short.
Broadcasting, 1961
Next comes an extremely funny, silly, crazy and somehow still kind of sweet animated short film from The National Film Board of Canada, The Big Snit (1985). This short was placed at 25 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Next comes a black and white Looney Tunes short that I have always had a real fondness for, Porky's Bear Facts (1941). This cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng and while it is not as completely crazy as the black and white Looney Tunes directed by Tex Avery, Bob Clampett or Frank Tashlin it does certainly have moments that show what was quickly becoming the studio's signature sense of humor. Characters break the fourth wall and silly visual gags certainly find their way in at times. Yet at the same time the film feels more grounded and story driven than some of the studio's other efforts at this time. The story itself is somewhat of a takeoff on The Grasshopper and the Ants (which Disney had made a Silly Symphony based around in 1934). In typical Warner style the ending here goes completely against the moral of the story. Like many Porky cartoons of this era, Porky's role is very minimized. The truth was most of the directors were getting tired of working with the pig and this made him become a supporting character in his own cartoons for a while. A reviewer in The Film Daily was not that impressed with this cartoon stating "Rate it just as fair." A reviewer in the Motion Picture Daily found the true main character of the film quite likable stating, "An engaging character that shiftless bear." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "PORKY'S BEAR FACTS: Looney Tunes — Fine. Vitaphone is our best bet for good cartoon fare. Running time, nine minutes.—Fred C. Allen, Princess Theatre, Piedmont, Ala. Small town patronage."
Ub Iwerks is a legend of animation if their ever was one. His work with Walt Disney (the two co-created Mickey Mouse) in the 1920's remain some of the highlights of Disney history and it is hard to imagine where Disney would be without Ub. However thoughts on the cartoons he himself heading after leaving Walt prove not to be as popular with cartoon fans. While I do agree that none of this work reaches the height of the best of his Disney work, I personally feel there is a lot to enjoy about these cartoons and that includes his Flip the Frog cartoons. Up next is one of those, The Cuckoo Murder Case (1930). The following is a review from Motion Picture News, "Fifteen or more series of animated cartoons on the market at one time make the going tough for this type of short. That is unless they are turned out with the cleverness of 'Cuckoo Murder Case,' one of the Flip the Frog subjects produced by Ub Iwerks. Here the cartoonist takes the usual mystery slant but sends it over with loads to spare. The answer is in the treatment. Iwerks has Flip go through the most amazing contortions. This shows real thought."
Charles Nichols' Pluto cartoons are not the most popular among cartoon fans. They often get get criticized for being too cute, tame and safe. That is why it is great to see a Pluto cartoon directed by him that is as wild crazy and surreal as what Jack Hannah was doing with Donald Duck and Jack Kinney was doing with Goofy. Plutopia (1951) remains one of my favorite Pluto cartoons because it is just so cartoony. I love this short so much and I hope you do as well.
Next comes one of the great silent Out of the Inkwell shorts, Cartoon Factory (1924).
Last but not least is Tweety and Sylvester in Tweet and Lovely (1959).
Thanks for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Since tomorrow is Valentines Day, this week's cartoons will have a romantic theme.
Today's cartoon selection begins with the world's greatest lover himself, Pepe Le Pew in Scent-imental Over You (1947). While still following the typical Pepe formula, this cartoon differs in a couple of ways. The main difference is that instead of falling for Penelope Pussycat, Pepe falls for a little dog he mistakes for a skunk. I have always loved the ending of this cartoon. Reviews in movie magazines misspelled the name of this cartoon as the more traditional "Sentimental Over You." Remember love stinks.
Next comes an extremely charming Mickey Mouse cartoon, Puppy Love (1933). Though this is more cutesy than the earlier Mickey shorts, there is a lot to enjoy here. The Rivoli Theatre in New York went out of their way to advertise this cartoon when it played there. This is evidenced by the following article from The Film Daily, "Several effective merchandise tie-ups were made for the showing of the new Mickey Mouse feature, 'Puppy Love' at the Rivoli theater, New York. Saks department store devoted a prominent widow to dog accessories and an enlargement of a still from 'Puppy Love.' Brentano's book store gave a window to ' Puppy Love Bookx for Young and Old' using a large paiper [sic] mache Mickey Mouse figure as a centerpiece, around which has built a display of dog books. The fact that these stores seldom give window space to films shows the immense respect and popularity attained by by the Walt Disney short subjects." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "PUPPY LOVE: Mickey Mouse—One of the best Mickey Mouse reels we have ever run.—W. A. Col- lins, Regal Theatre, Elvins, Mo. Small town patronage." This cartoon introduced Pluto's girlfriend Fifi to movie audiences though she had appeared in the Mickey Mouse comics (under the name Flapper) earlier. In their must have book Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History, J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein wrote, "In particular, this film marked a turning point for Fred Moore, establishing him as one of the very top tier of Mouse artists."
Note: I originally had a link to the original black and white version of this cartoon. However that video was removed from YouTube, so I replaced it with this colorized version.
Next we join another one of the greatest screen lovers in Krazy Kat Goes A-Wooing (1916).
Next the long time couple, Popeye and Olive Oyl consider marriage in Nearlyweds (1957). You may be surprised to know that things don't quite work out as planned. This short also shows us how much deep thought Olive Oyl puts into something like marriage. Which means not much thought at all. Marriage is an institution and sometimes I think Popeye and Bluto belong in one for putting up with Olive's fickleness.
Now we join our good friend Gandy Goose in Gandy's Dream Girl (1944). This cartoon follows a formula often seen in this series where Gandy and his good friend (and this time romantic rival) Sourpuss find themselves a fantasy world of Gandy's imagination. This is an my opinion an above average use of this formula as this film gives us quite a few good gags that make me smile whenever I watch it. Not everyone was so impressed with this cartoon though as evidenced by the following exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, " GANDY'S DREAM GIRL: Terrytoons—Just another cartoon. Laughs few and far between. Skip this and you won't miss a thing.—Elmer Bohlig, Lake Theatre, Big Lake, Minn."
Now we join those literal love birds, Donald and Daisy Duck in Donald's Double Trouble (1946). As Jack Hannah and Jack Kinney are often praised by cartoon fans for directing much of the studio's funniest short subjects, Jack King often gets overlooked. Jack King's Donald Duck cartoons are consistently very good. A typically great Donald cartoon from Jack King is Donald's Double Trouble (1946), which is a fast moving and quite funny cartoon. The following is an excerpt from an issue of Showman's Trade Review (dated August 23, 1947), "John Arnold of the Yale Theatre, Houston, Texas billed the Walt Disney Donald Duck short, 'Donald's Double Trouble,' equally with the feature on the marque. The short meant more than the feature he said." This cartoon played with Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) at the Radio City Music Hall the weeks of September 23rd, September 30th and October 7th. The following is an exhibitor's review of the cartoon from the Motion Picture Herald, "DONALD'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: Walt Disney Cartoons—Pretty good. This had the usual quota of laughs and the crowd seemed to appreciate it.—Fred J. Hutchins, Community Theatre, Sask., Can."
Today's cartoon selection continues with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Pete as romantic rivals in the silent, Rival Romeos (1928). One gag involving a goat will be very familiar to Disney fans as Walt would use the same gag a little later with Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie (1928).
Let us end with a song.
Thank you for joining me come back next week for another selection of classic cartoons. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning, once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Mickey Mouse film, Mickey's Rival (1936). The titular character is a mouse named Mortimer. Those of you who know your Disney history will know, that Mortimer was a name that was considered for Mickey. This was Mortimer's first appearance though he bared more than a little resemblance to Mr. Slicker a character that appeared in the Micky Mouse comic strip. Though Mickey's Rival was his only appearance in a theatrically released short film, it was not his only appearance in animation. He became a reoccurring character in the television shows, Mickey Mouse Works (1999-2000) and House of Mouse (2001-2003). He also has a role in the direct to video movie, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) and has appeared briefly in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006-2016) and Mickey and the Roadster Races (2017-present). Outside of animation he has been used very often in the Disney comic strips and began to appear in them around the same time he made his debut in movie theaters. Mortimer's design is said to be based off of Walt Disney and those who have seen pictures of a young Walt, will find this easy to believe. The ending to Mickey's Rival has Mickey and Minnie simply shaking hands. However it was originally planned for Mickey to have a buzzer on his hand to play a Mortimer type prank on Minnie. Though this would have been out of character for Mickey at this time it would have fit perfectly in with the Mickey Mouse of the late 1920's. A review in The Motion Picture Herald stated "The subject is less complex than many of the recent Disney fabrications but wholly entertaining." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse - We find that the bad characters often frighten our small children and they go out into the foyer until it is passed over. - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada, General Patronage." The following is another exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse—Played this the second time as it is one of the best of the Mickeys.— C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa. General patronage." A review in The Motion Picture Daily stated, "Clever animation and fast-moving, but there have been better Mickey's. For instance 'Alpine Climbers.'" The following is from a 1936 issue of The Film Daily, "United Artists' latest Walt Disney release, 'Mickey's Rival', introducing Mortimer Mouse, will open at the Radio City Music Hall with 'Swing Time' on Thursday, and at the Rivoii Theater with 'The Last oi the Mohicans.'"
The following is from a 1930 issue of Close Up.
Up next is another classic Disney cartoon from 1936, this one being a Silly Symphony, Three Little Wolves (1936). When talking about Disney sequels many quote Walt as saying "You can't top pigs with pigs." This quote refers to the sequels that the Disney studio made to Three Little Pigs (1933). Yet for sheer entertainment value, I personally love these sequels and my favorite of the bunch is Three Little Wolves. Humor-wise this is probably the best of the cartoons staring the three pigs and their wolf nemesis. The working titles of this movie were Wolf in Sheep's Clothing and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The latter of those working titles should give you an idea of the basic story here. Like how The Big Bad Wolf (1934) put the characters into the story of Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Riding Hood was a working title for that film), Three Little Wolves places them in the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This cartoon was very popular upon its release. It was the first Disney film to be held over for multiple showings at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. It first played with The King Steps Out (1936) from May 28 - June 10th, 1936. Then it played with Private Number (1936) from June 11-17, 1936. Its world premiere was at the Majestic in Dallas Texas with Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936) (how much I would have loved to see these two great films together in a theatre) from April 18-24, 1936. It was also held over there and played again with Captain January (1936) from April 25- May 1. A review in the Motion Picture Herald stated, "The subject is a sheer triumph for Disney, who must have known the hazard involved in returning the Three Little Pigs in a manner to circumvent the almost inevitable anti-climax expectable in view of their original success. 'The Three Little Wolves' is the eminently qualified result. It is immensely satisfying, manifestly advertisable, altogether excellent." A review in The Film Daily stated "In anticipation of the natural and provocative question: 'Is it as good as The Three Little Pigs?' - the answer is emphatically 'Yes!' Although 'Pigs' has the edge because it is the original, for all commercial purposes the sequel should be better. Benefitting from the well publicized reception given its predecessor, 'Wolves' is the only cartoon subject that can command as much fan interest as the return appearance of a feature production star." Some of Frank Churchill's music for this cartoon was reused in the wartime training film, Stop That Tank (1942).
Motion Picture Herald, 1936
The Film Daily, 1936
The Film Daily, 1936
Next is a classic silent Out of the Inkwell film, Koko Backtracks (1927). Like most of these shorts this movie cleverly combines animation and live action, as Koko the clown once again battles with his live action creator and often times rival, Max Fleischer (played by himself). Of course one of the joys of these movies for animation buffs is that they can actually see Max interacting with his characters. The joke of Koko making the outside live action world move backwards looks forward to a later Betty Boop film, More Pep (1936). In that short Betty also interacts with a live action Max and the world around him and accidently makes the live action world outside speed up to ridiculous speeds. The idea idea of Koko wreaking havoc on the outside world was a common theme in the Out of the Inkwell films.
Today's selection continues with a later Popeye from Famous Studios, Insect to Injury (1956). Though Famous Studios at this time most stuck to the formula of Popeye fighting Bluto over Olive, this was an exception. It is also one of the best Popeye's of this late era.
Today's cartoon selection ends with a delightfully strange Columbia Krazy Kat cartoon, Cinder Alley (1934).
Thank you for joining me, come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then peace, love and cartoons.
