Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #235

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with one of the best of the many celebrity caricature cartoons of the 1930's, Disney's Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938). Without any of the sentimentality or pathos seen in other Silly Symphonies of this time, this is a pure comedy cartoon and a top notch one at that. While this film is best enjoyed by those who recognize all the movie stars that are being caricatured here, like the best of these celebrity caricature cartoons, this is still a lot of fun for those who don't know them. This short itself was a culmination of various ideas that had been pitched around the Disney studio starting in 1932. This included ideas for an abandoned Silly Symphonies short from the mid-1930's called The Hollywoods, which would have taken place in a forest full of birds and animals that closely resembled popular Hollywood stars. This also included an idea of a proposed Silly Symphony entitled Mother Goose Land, which would find the Mother Goose characters feeling like they were too old fashioned for modern audiences and deciding to jazz up their image with modern music. These two shorts that were abandoned, were revived and combined to create Mother Goose Goes Hollywood. As work commenced on this new film, there were so many ideas that it was even considered releasing this as a two-reeler (most cartoon shorts ran one-reel in length). Ultimately though the picture would be released as a one-reeler. Like all Disney films of this period the short benefits from a top-notch cast of animators. Izz Klein animated the opening with Mother Goose in the scroll and the scenes involving Laurel and Hardy. Bob Stokes animates the scenes with Kathrine Hepburn, Eddie Cantor and the blackbirds singing. Ward Kimball (one of Walt's famed Nine Old Men) animates the scenes involving Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, The Marx Brothers, Joe Penner (including the cameo by Donald Duck) and much of the big dance number. Grim Natwick (who was greatly responsible for the design of Betty Boop) animated scenes involving Charles Laughton, Spencer Tracey, Freddie Bartholomew, W.C. Feilds and Charlie McCarthy. Jack Campbell (a very underrated Disney animator who is best known for his work on the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio (1940)) animates scenes involving Greta Garbo, Edward G. Robinson and Wallace Beery. Don Patterson animated the orchestra on the shoe as well as caricatures of George Arliss and Clark Gable. It is worth noting that Laurel and Hardy are Simple Simon and the Pie Man here as the real Laurel and Hardy almost played the same Mother Goose characters in their feature film Babes in Toyland (1934). This short cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 11, 1958. 

Now we join Honey Halfwitch in Clean Sweep (1967). 

Next comes 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. 

Up next is the Terry Toons short, The Wolf's Pardon (1947). This movie, like today's first cartoon takes Mother Goose characters into the then current pop culture. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

In the 1930's the Fleischer Studio's Popeye cartoon had reached an incredible level of popularity even rivaling that of Mickey Mouse. These simple black and white seven-minute cartoons captured the hearts of moviegoers just as much as any feature film. Because of this both Paramount encouraged the cartoon studio to create something bigger with Popeye. The result was a series of three two-reel full color cartoons starring the cartoon sailor. These films were over twice the length of an average Popeye cartoon, and they felt bigger in every way possible. My personal favorite of the three is the second, Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (1937). This one has the same larger than usual and visual gorgeous look as the others, but in my opinion the humor in this short is probably the funniest. The cartoon was later edited down to a seven-minute short with some new animation featuring Popeye and his nephews for a cheater cartoon, Popeye Makes a Movie (1950). The following are some exhibitor reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (Color Special): Popeye the Sailor - A two-reel cartoon that means nothing more at the box office than a single. Does not compare with 'Sinbad the Sailor' in entertainment. Running time, 17 minutes. A. Goldson, Gold Coast Theatre, Chicago, Ill. Neighborhood Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Not nearly as funny as it ought to have been. Still most everyone enjoyed it. Popeye needs a change of diet anyway. One tires of too much spinach. - L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Ran it to bolster 'Rosalie' and really believe it drove in a few. Play it. They'll enjoy it. Running time, 20 minutes. - A.E. Eliassen, Rialto Theatre, Paynesville, Minn., Small Town and Rural Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Played this with 'College Holiday.' We put this in as a double attraction and which met with a great success. Played the Easter Sunday with very good business. Had a large matinee. Popeye sure pleases the children. -Edelstein Amusement Company, Homer Theatre, Hibbing, Minn. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Color Special - This is an extra price cartoon of two reels, which was just one reel too long. They can't sustain an audience's attention for the extra length, and it got boresome before it was halfway through. Don't buy it. Kids will like it of course but you don't pay off with them. - A.E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General Patronage."

Now for one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice's Circus Days (1927). Like all of the Alice Comedies, this film features a live action Alice entering an animated world. Playing Alice is Lois Hardwick, the fourth and last child actress to play the character. However, at this time the series was winding down and the filmmakers were focusing more on the animated characters then Alice herself. Animators on this movie include Ub Iwerks, Rollin "Ham" Hamilton, Hugh Harmon, Paul Smith and Rudolph Ising (who was also the live action cameraman). 

Next is a Fleischer Screen Song short, I've Got Rings on My Fingers (1929). So, get ready to sing along and follow the bouncing ball. 

Now for one in a series of 22 Short Films About Springfield (1996).

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

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

Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.

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


https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #132

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

Today's cartoon selection starts with the first Daffy Duck cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939). Today many cartoon fans associate Chuck with being one of the main people who changed Daffy from his early high energy crazy self into a more vain, jealous and greedy character. This film however features Daffy in his early crazy high energy mode. A review in The Motion Picture Herald even stated, "The gags and situations are appropriately matched to the zany personality of the duck." Another review in The Motion Picture Daily stated, "Leon Schlesinger delivers good color cartoon work in this "Merrie Melody," but the striving for whimsy hits only in spots." The following is an exhibitors' review also from The Motion Picture Herald, "Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur: Merrie Melodies—Very few laughs in this one. Not up to standard of most cartoons in this series. Running time seven minutes. - Don Bloxham, Place Theatre, Exira, Iowa, General and rural patronage."

Now we join our friend Honey Halfwitch in Throne for a Loss (1966). Honey starred in thirteen theatrical shorts from 1965 to 1967. This marks the eighth of these films and the second to be directed by Shamus Culhane. 

Next is Mighty Mouse in The Racket Buster (1949). This short film is directed by Mannie Davis, who directed over 200 cartoons (mostly Terry Toons and Aesop's Fables cartoons). His career stretched from the 1920's through the early 1960's. 

Now for Donald Duck in Spare the Rod (1954). This movie was released to theaters on January 15, 1954 and was the first Donald Duck short of that year. This cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled, Donald's Weekend (1958). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

The Old Mill (1937) is far from your typical Silly Symphony cartoon. This short film has no storyline to speak of nor has it any gags. This is instead a mood film, that is much more concerned with creating a sense of atmosphere than telling a story. As such it stands as one of the most powerful and unique short films Disney ever made. The basic idea for this movie had been on the minds of the Disney filmmakers for quite a while. In 1931 an idea for a film called The Old Mill Stream had been proposed. This story was elaborated further in 1934, though at that time the story was planned to be more comedic. This film introduced Disney's famed multiplane camera. This camera would create a three-dimensional effect by moving various pieces of artwork past each other at varying speeds. This would of course play a major role in Disney's later feature length animated films. To help the animators and layout artists Ferdinand Horvath would create a large model of the mill. This cartoon won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the studio received a special Oscar for the multiplane camera. More recently it received the 14th spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. It is interesting to note that such an unusual movie was the first Disney film that was distributed by RKO. 

Now for a silent short film from French director Émile Cohl, The Puppet's Nightmare (1908). Émile Cohl is best known for having directed Fantasmagorie (1908), which has often been credited as being the earliest animated film. 

Now for the Fleischer Screen Songs short, That Old Gang Of Mine (1931). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in Maggie's Brain (1987). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the family got its 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

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

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

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Donald%27s_Weekend

 

  

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #227

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

Since Easter is tomorrow, what better way to start this post than with an Easter cartoon. Today's first film is a Silly Symphony called Funny Little Bunnies (1934). This cartoon does not feature much of an actual story beyond the idea of bunnies getting ready for Easter. However, people at the time did not seem to mind this at all. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "This is a likely entry for the best short of 1934. While it may appear that its vogue would be more or less limited to the Easter season because its purely imaginative substance deals with the manufacture and decoration of Easter eggs and bunnies by a colorful rabbit crew, the splendor and variety of coloring and the highly diverting action lift it far above any seasonal appeal. Musical accompaniment is pleasing." The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Unusually clever, highly entertaining, especially for the youngsters but potentially equally enjoyable for adults, this number of the Walt Disney Silly Symphonies pictures in the inimitable Disney cartoon fashion the manner in which the bunnies, in their woodland workshop, carve out Easter statues of themselves, paint the Easter eggs, with various colors obtained from the end of the rainbow. In this spring season despite the fact that Easter has passed, the subject is highly appropriate and cannot fail to meet with the favor of the entire audience, anytime, anywhere." The cartoon also won the gold medal for "Best Animated Film" at the Venice film festival in 1934. Still as is always the case not everyone was impressed. An exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald was not very positive stating about Walt Disney, "He'll never make another 'Three Little Pigs.' In 1935 this movie was part of a four-week run of Disney cartoons. Here is The Film Daily talking about that, "Starting April 4, Walt Disney productions, released through United Artists, are being featured on the Trans-Lux Theater program for four consecutive weeks. Opening with 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' the next three programs feature the following Disney productions: 'Mickey's Man Friday,' 'Funny Little Bunnies,' and 'The Band Concert,' Disney's first Mickey Mouse subject in Technicolor." One thing I love about the color Symphonies is that they never take color for granted but instead always make sure it is used to full effect. That is definitely true of this cartoon. This movie was reissued to theaters on April 7, 1950.

Up next is a Columbia Color Rhapsody, Mother Hen's Holiday (1937). 

Now we join Mighty Mouse in The Champion of Justice (1944)

Next comes an animated short film with an emphasis on the short. This is a cartoon, whose title should tell you exactly what to expect. This is Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969). No one can say it doesn't live up to that title. What simply is a one joke film has made people laugh for decades and will continue to do so. Film student Marv Newland made this film when he couldn't get the right shot of a sunrise for a live action short, he was making. This film was made in only the last two weeks of his school semester, but it is better remembered than any other film made in that class. This film would receive the 38th spot in Jerry Beck's The 50 Greatest Cartoons.

Now for a commercial break. 

Now for one of the best post-Walt short films from Disney, It's Tough to be a Bird (1969). This short was the brainchild of Ward Kimball, one of the most brilliant and individualistic artists at the Disney studio. Some of the films he headed in his later years at the studio barely feel like Disney films at all. That is definitely true of this short, which rather than the typical Disney "illusion of life" embraces its own artifice, often employing various different art styles. Ward wanted the lead character to appear obviously hand drawn. Animator Burny Mattinson would remember Ward stating, "I don't want you guys cleaning this stuff up, just keep it rough. Just tie loose ends together and that's all but keep it very rough 'cause we're gonna Xerox it and I just want it as simple as possible." This film had an animal rights message to it and did not offer a very positive picture of humanity. Not everyone at the Disney studio was happy about this. Ward recalled that he felt "an unspoken air of resentment because you're attacking an institution, man, and his idealness and goodness. That's Disney. And you can't even in a subtle, subconscious way make fun of that." Ward did make one concession when it came to this though. He took out a sequence involving seagulls stuck in an oil spill (inspired by a real tragedy that happened near Santa Monica). Ward was told to take this out because the Gulf oil company was sponsoring the Disney TV show. However, when the film won an Academy Award, Ward stated in his acceptance speech, "I also want to extend my condolences to the unfortunate seagulls in Santa Barbara (when there had recently been the largest oil spill on record)" Though this short was originally intended as a segment on the Disney TV show, Card Walker (executive vice president of operations) liked the short so much that he decided to release it to movie theaters instead. It would first play with the live action Disney feature-length comedy, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969).  

From 1976 to 1982 Warner Brothers made a series of 16 TV specials featuring the Looney Tunes characters. Some of these specials were brand new half hour stories, others featured clips for or whole classic cartoon shorts and still others featured a set of brand-new cartoons. Daffy Duck's Easter Special (1980) featured three brand new cartoons with bridging sequences inspired by Duck Amuck (1953). Here is one of the new cartoons from that special, The Chocolate Chase (1980). This short is very much in the mold of the mid to late 1960's cartoons which pitted Daffy Duck against Speedy Gonzales. 

It is now silent movie time with Bobby Bumps Helps Out a Book Agent (1916). I apologize that the video pauses a few times. 

Now it is time for a few Quick Shticks. 

Let us close with a classic film from that cinema legend Señor Spielbergo. All I can say is boo-urns. 

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 Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation Todd James Pierce. 

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

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #218

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with our old friend Gandy Goose in The Chipper Chipmunk (1948). This short is a rare film in which Gandy never speaks. The cat with him resembles his regular partner Sourpuss but he is heavier, and his head is a different shape.  

Last week on this blog I shared the UPA cartoon, Christopher Crumpet (1953). That cartoon spawned a sequel film, and I have that cartoon for you this week. So up next is Christopher Crumpet's Playmate (1955). 

Now for a short that the Fleischer Studio made in cooperation with Olds Motor Works, In My Merry Oldsmobile (1931). This film is part of the Screen Songs series. These short films combine regular cartoon action with a follow the bouncing ball (a device that was originated at the studio) sing-along. So, get ready to sing-along and enjoy the cartoon.  

Next comes one of my favorite cartoons from director Norm McCabe, Daffy's Southern Exposure (1942). I absolutely love the way this film treats Daffy. He is very much in his early wild and crazy mode. But at the same time there is a bit more to him than just being crazy. He is also the type of duck who is always simply looking for a good time and will ignore the warnings of others if they try to get in the way of him having fun. Still even when getting his comeuppance, he never learns any sort of lesson and remains the same duck he was the beginning of the cartoon. This is a fun characterization for Daffy, especially as he is still fun of the pure energy that makes the early Daffy so popular. This is just as much of a fully formed character as the one we would see in the later Chuck Jones classics of the 1950's. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "DAFFY'S SOUTHERN EXPOSURE: Cartoon- Good black and white cartoon. Enjoyed by people that saw it. —Conrad H. Tapia, Chief Theatre, Casa Grande, Ariz."

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a silent Aesop's Film Fables short, The Man Who Laughed (1922). 

Before Pluto received his own cartoon series, he made a couple short films without Mickey that were released as Silly Symphonies. These were Just Dogs (1932) and Mother Pluto (1936). Up next is the first of these, Just Dogs. In this movie, the animation of Pluto is mostly split between two animators, Norm Ferguson and Tom Palmer. However, Les Clark animates a brief scene were Pluto and the little pup hide in a barrel and Dick Lundy animates them digging up the bone. The pup Pluto costars with did not appear in any other animated cartoons, but Floyd Gottfredson would use him in the Mickey Mouse newspaper comic strip. A song used early on in this movie is Guy Massey's The Prisoners' Song. This song was prominently used in the Mickey Mouse cartoon, The Chain Gang (1930), which many people believe is the first appearance of Pluto. A review in Motion Picture Reviews stated, "Amusing for Children but not up to the usual Disney standard." A review in The Film Daily disagreed stating, "Right up to the standard of the Walt Disney shops [sic]" The following are two exhibitor's reviews from The Motion Picture Herald, "JUST DOGS: Silly Symphony—This is a fairly good cartoon comedy but still no better than some of the others. United Artists should produce better cartoons or cut the price of these cartoons. Here's hoping to get better cartoons in the future from United Artists. Running time 9 minutes. -J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, N.C. General Patronage." " JUST DOGS: Silly Symphony—Didn't think that this was any too good. - Mayme P. Musselman, Princess Theatre, Lincoln, Kansas, Small Town Patronage." Working titles for this movie were The Dog Pound and The Dog Symphony. 

Next comes the Van Buren cartoon, Toonerville Picnic (1936). This is the third and final Van Bueren cartoon based off of Fontaine Fox's classic comic strip Toonerville Folks. Before these cartoons the strip had been the basis for a series of silent live-action comedy shorts featuring Mickey Rooney. 

Now 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

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

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

 

 

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 #194

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Walky Talky Hawky (1946). This short film was created as a starring vehicle for the character Henry Hawk, who had previously appeared in the Chuck Jones directed cartoon The Squawkin' Hawk (1942). However, this film is best known for introducing the world to Foghorn Leghorn. This cartoon was directed by Robert McKimson, who would go on to direct all the Foghorn Leghorn shorts. Appropriately this cartoon was featured in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Now for a classic Terry Toons short, The First Robin (1939). 

Now for a real classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, On Ice (1935). This cartoon stars not only Mickey but also Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy. Despite being a short film, this movie gives ample time to each of the main characters and gives them all their own little story (though Mickey and Minnie share their story). Some of the characters' little stories even intertwine at the end. Even in this silly slapstick cartoon, the Disney studio's great storytelling ability at this time period is shown perfectly through this and it is easy to understand, why for so many the Disney cartoons stood out during this time period. Goofy especially gets time to shine here and gets some of the best gags. He is heavily animated by Art Babbit here, who was one of the finest animators for this character at this time. Despite his little screentime Art Babbit's animation makes Goofy feel like a fully formed character. Here Goofy sings the song, The World Owes Me a Living. That song was introduced in the Disney short, The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934). There the song was sung by a grasshopper. That grasshopper was also voiced by Pinto Colvig, who used pretty much the same voice he used for Goofy. This song would go on to become Goofy's unofficial theme song. 

Next, we join Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in The Ginger Bread Boy (1934). Though most people today are probably most familiar with Oswald from his early cartoons by Walt Disney, I have a special fondness for these shorts produced by Walter Lantz. This is probably because they were my introduction to the character. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next is a delightful silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, The Dog and the Thief (1922). 

p next is the Silly Symphony, Moth and the Flame (1938). This film began creation in the summer of 1935. However, it was shelved and not picked up again until spring of 1937. In 1935, Dave Hand (supervising director for the Disney features, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942)) was set to direct. However, after Burt Gillett (who directed the most famous Silly Symphony, Three Little Pigs (1933)) returned to Disney from the Van Beuren Studio, Gillett was placed as director. However when Gillett left Disney again midway through production, Dick Huemer (who would work on such Disney feature films as Fantasia (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (fol1941), Dumbo (1941), Saludos Amigos (1943), Make Mine Music (1946) and Alice in Wonderland (1951), and had done great work at the Fleischer Studios during the silent era and worked on some of the Scrappy cartoons at Columbia in the early 1930's) would become the film's director. Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman's book on the Silly Symphonies credits Gustaf Tenggren with "Inspiration art." Tenggren played an important role in the Disney studio at this time and had designed backgrounds for the Disney features, Snow White and Pinocchio (1940). All the Disney films he worked on were pure visual delights and had a real sense of atmosphere that I find irresistible. Win Hoskins, who would work on both of the Fleischer Brothers' feature films, Gulliver's Travels (1939) and Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941), animated the opening of the film. Archie Robin animated the moths eating the costumes. Izzy Klein, who would later write many of the Popeye and Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons for Famous Studios, animated our heroes entering the shop. Milt Schaffer, who would go on to write some great cartoons for both Disney and Walter Lantz, animated the boy getting burned, the girl being caught in the web, the boy trying to trap the flame and the boy rescuing the girl. Ed Love, who would later animate for Tex Avery at MGM, animates the scenes with the girl and the flame as well as ending scene. Louie Schimdt animated the boy pouring water on the flame. Don Williams, who worked on many cartoons for Warner Brothers and DePatie-Freleng, animated the moths filling the bagpipes. This cartoon premiered at the Radio City Music Hall on September 22, 1938, with the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie, Carefree (1938). Its television debut was on October 22, 1956, on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club. The following are some exhibitors' reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney cartoons - This was particularly good - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada. General Patronage." Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney Cartoons - Still tops among cartoons or have you heard? - C. Fismer, Lyric Theatre, Hamiliton, Ohio. Family Patronage."  "Moth and the Flame, The: Walt Disney Cartoons - A real humdinger! Very clever. - L.A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." 

Now we join Donkey Kong in Greenhouse Gorilla (1983).  This cartoon comes from a TV Show called Saturday Supercade. Each episode of this show was made up of multiple cartoons based on popular video game characters. Other video game characters featured in this show included Frogger, Donkey Kong Jr., Q*bert, Space Ace, Kangaroo and Pitfall Harry. In this cartoon, Donkey Kong is voiced by Soupy Sales, a comedian best known for his TV work in the 1950's and 60's. Mario is voiced by Peter Cullen, best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in Transformers. 

Today's cartoon selection ends with Itchy and Scratchy in Cat Splat Fever. This cartoon comes from The Simpsons episode, Radio Bart (1992).  

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. 

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

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #249

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Betty Boop in A Hunting We Will Go (1932). This short film is among one of the last of the Talkartoons cartoons, before Betty Boop got her own series of short films. This cartoon is full of all the bizarre and surreal humor that makes me love the Fleischer films of this era. 

Next comes Woody Woodpecker in Spook-a-Nanny (1964). This is the only original cartoon made for TV's Woody Woodpecker Show. For the most part the cartoons on this show consisted of the theatrical short films from the Walter Lantz studio. However, this cartoon has become a Halloween tradition for many cartoon fans (including me). The title song is ridiculously catchy. 

The Skelton Dance (1929) was the first of Disney's Silly Symphonies and one of the best. The idea for the series came from musical director Carl Stalling (who would later work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). The Silly Symphonies were designed to revolve around music. Walt Disney loved the idea and felt that a second series would allow him to experiment more and not be tied down by the formula of a Mickey Mouse cartoon. The idea for the first film also is believed to have come from Stalling. Stalling would tell historian Michael Barrier about the genesis of the movie stating, "He thought I meant illustrated songs, but I didn’t have that in mind at all. The Skeleton Dance goes way back to my kid days. When I was eight or ten years old, I saw an ad in The American Boy magazine of a dancing skeleton, and I got my dad to give me a quarter so I could send for it. It turned out to be a pasteboard cut-out of a loose-jointed skeleton, slung over a six-foot cord under the arm pits. It would ‘dance’ when kids pulled and jerked at each end of the string. Ever since I was a kid, I had wanted to see real skeletons dancing and had always enjoyed seeing skeleton dancing acts in vaudeville.” Though Carl Stalling would use an excerpt from Edvard Grieg’s March of the Dwarfs, most of the music was an original by Stalling. The animation for the movie was completed in six weeks. The majority of the animation was done by Ub Iwerks, the Disney studio's main animator at the time. He animated some of the earliest Mickey films entirety by himself. On this film he was assisted by Wilfred Jackson and Les Clark. It is not known for sure what Les Clark animated as some sources state he animated the opening scene and others (including his own) state he animated one skeleton playing another's ribs as a xylophone. Wilfred Jackson most likely animated the scene where the rooster crowing (which was reused in The Cat's Nightmare (1931)). When Walt tried to sell this film, it did not go as smoothly as he excepted. Walt's daughter, Diane Disney Miller, would later speak about this, “Father wasn’t easily discouraged. He took The Skeleton Dance to a friend who ran the United Artists Theater in Los Angeles and asked him to look at it. ‘We’re looking at some other things this morning,’ the man said, ‘and I’ll have my assistant look at it. You go with him’. Father sat beside the assistant while the film was run. It was just before the first morning show; a few customers had drifted in and it was obvious they liked The Skeleton Dance but the assistant didn’t listen to them. ‘Can’t recommend it,’ he said. ‘Too gruesome’. Father got a hold of another friend and asked him if he could put him in touch with Fred Miller who managed the Carthy Circle, one of the biggest and most important theaters in town. Father’s friend sent him to a salesman on Film Row. ‘Maybe he can get him to look at your skeleton film’. Father found the salesman in a pool hall shooting a little Kelly (a game played on a standard pool table with sixteen pool balls where each player draws one of fifteen numbered markers called peas or pills at random from a shake bottle which assigns to them the correspondingly numbered pool ball, kept secret from their opponents, but which they must pocket in order to win the game). ‘Leave your picture here, Disney,’ the Kelly player said. ‘I’ll look at it. If I like it, I’ll get in touch with you’. It sounded like a stall but he actually did look at the film. When he looked he said, ‘I think Fred will like this. I’ll take it over to him myself’. As a result, Miller showed The Skeleton Dance with a feature picture he was running. It went over big. Father clipped the local press notices and mailed them to Powers with a note: ‘If you can get this to Roxy (the nickname of Broadway showman Samuel L. Rothafel who ran New York’s prestigious Roxy Theater), he’ll go for it the way Miller did. Powers got a print to Roxy and Roxy liked it. He ran it in his huge New York theater.” This movie premiered at the Carthy Circle on June 10, 1929 alongside F.W. Murnau's feature film, 4 Devils (1929). The Carthy Circle is where later Disney features like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Fantasia (1940) would make their Hollywood premiers. 

Next comes our old friend Gandy Goose in The Ghost Town (1944). 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Next comes the Coyote and Roadrunner in Fur of Flying (2010). This short film played in movie theaters before the feature film, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010). This is the 2nd of 6 Looney Tunes shorts directed by Matthew O'Callaghan. 

Next it is silent movie time with a classic Felix the Cat cartoon, Switches Witches (1927).

 

Now for our old friend Scrappy in Sandman Tales (1933). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror segment, The Raven (1990). This cartoon comes from the first of The Simpsons' many Halloween specials. This still though ranks as one of my favorite Treehouse of Horror segments. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for some 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

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

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney by Michael Barrier

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/the-spooky-story-of-the-skeleton-dance/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #233

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

Today’s cartoon selection starts with Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in The Ducksters (1950). This movie is a takeoff on old radio quiz shows, as such it is a more dialogue heavy short. Yet the dialogue is often excellent and despite this, the film has some nice visual slapstick that accompanies each auditory gag and this makes it just as fun to watch as any of the best Looney Tunes cartoons. 

Up next is a very fun Talkartoon cartoon from the Fleischer Brothers, Hide and Seek (1932). This movie is full of all the surreal gags and unlimited imagination that I love about the Fleischer films of this era.  

Next comes a delightful Terry Toons spoof of The Lone Ranger, Mysterious Cowboy (1952). This short film is a remake of the black and white Terry Toons cartoon, The Stranger Rides Again (1938). 

Toby Tortoise Returns (1936) is maybe my favorite Silly Symphony cartoon. Like many great comedy shorts the story for this cartoon is extremely simple. Max Hare and Toby Tortoise (returning from the earlier Symphony, Tortoise and the Hare (1935)) fight each other in a boxing match. This leads to some amazingly good slapstick. Again, those who think of Disney cartoons as cute and sweet while Warners cartoons were wacky and funny might be surprised to see this film. This cartoon in fact even resembles a Looney Tunes or Merrie Melody from this time period. The slapstick is fast and furious and there is a real wise guy tone to much of the humor. The idea itself came from Ward Kimball, an animator who had joined the studio a year earlier. Ward would soon become one of Walt’s favorite animators and a major asset for the studio’s animated films. Ward is hugely known by Disney buffs today as one of the studio’s most comedic animators, so it comes as no surprise that he would suggest the story for one of the studio’s funniest cartoons. As well as coming up with the story Ward also was one of the film’s animators. One of the scenes he animated was early in the film where the referee is introducing the fighters. There are no real jokes here, but the animation itself is quite funny. The character doesn’t look funny, but he moves funny. This is something that is much more important to animated comedies. This over the top and quite funny animation sets you up perfectly for the slapstick you are about to see. This cartoon is in fact full of fantastic slapstick comedy.  The part with the water was mostly animated by Bob Stokes. The fireworks section was animated by Dick Huemer with the exception of the tiny bit where Max blows out of the ring and into the ambulance, which was animated by Jack Hannah. What all three of these animators understood was using speed for comic effect. This kind of speed was fairly new to cartoons and while Tortoise and the Hare mastered animating speed, this film masters using this type of animation to its full comic potential. Another delight in this cartoon is the use of other characters from Silly Symphonies cartoons in the audience. Just as it is fun for movie buffs to spot all the stars in Mickey’s Gala Premiere (1933), it is fun for cartoon buffs to catch all the cartoon characters seen here. A review in The Film Daily stated, "Aside from the loud laughs, its beautifully done in Technicolor."

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for Betty Boop in When My Ship Comes In (1934). The following is an exhibitor's review (for Betty Boop cartoons as a whole) from the Motion Picture Herald. "Betty Boop Cartoons: I believe these cartoons are getting better all the time. My Patrons like them better than Mickey Mouse and I am running them both. The sound on these cartoons is wonderful and the cartoon is original and clever. Get the Betty Boop and Bimbo buttons and give them to the kids. The Bimbo and Betty Boop dolls are clever and worth the price for advertising. -S.H. Rich, Rich Theatre, Montpelier, Idaho. Town and rural Patronage." 

Broadcasting, 1958

Now for a silent movie starring Mutt and Jeff, The Outposts (1916). 

Moving Picture World, 1916

Now we join the Tijuana Toads in Croakus Pocus (1971). The Tijuana Toads was a series of 17 theatrically released animated short films from the DePatie-Freleng Studio (the same studio that produced the Pink Panther shorts). This movie features a cameo by Roland from the Roland and Ratfink cartoons (also made by the DePatie-Freleng studio). 

Today's cartoon selection ends with a 1967 Filmmation TV cartoon staring the DC Comics Superhero, The Atom. Yes this cartoon is incredibly corny, but it is just the kind of corny this superhero fan loves. 

Thank you 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 the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

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

https://lantern.mediahist.org/