213. A Lad-in-Bagdad (1938)

Warner cartoon no. 212.
Release date: August 27, 1938.
Series: Merrie Melodies.
Supervision: Cal Dalton & Cal Howard.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Danny Webb (Egghead), Mel Blanc (Sultan / Villain / Slap-Happy Boys / Beggar) and Berneice Hansell (Princess).
Story: Dave Monohan.
Animation: Volney White.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: Egghead as 'Aladdin' is determined to marry the princess with help of the Genie.


The last cartoon where Cal Howard works with Cal Dalton aka 'The Two Cals'. Dalton would then work with Ben Hardaway and they were co-directors until 1940. Egghead, however, is displayed as he was in the original version unlike (the other version where he is referred as Egghead's brother). Sorry for the really poor quality of the copy that I own folks.

The cartoon begins in the town of Baghdad. We can hear the sounds of Arab music played in the background and we find our character, Egghead walking down the street who appears to be a rather homeless character that walks around carrying his belongings in a bindle stick. There also appears to be a homeless man sitting down at the street asking for any change from those with money.

Egghead continues to walk down the street until he then finds a local fully clothed in Arab uniform and it appears to be that he is struggling to catch a prize in a prize box. Of course; the Arabian stories of Aladdin were set thousands of years ago and yet they add a prize machine in the streets to show some modernised humour which was popular back in the 1930s. Egghead then looks over to see the prize he is aiming after. It turns out that he is after the prize of a Genie's lamp. Although, the big problem is...why would a Genie's lamp end up there? It seems as though any guy could be lucky enough to have the lamp and I thought the Genie's lamp was located in a very rare area? That little scene where the hand just snaps his fingers with a 'Darn it' expression which shows some character. Afterwards - we then discover that the hand then starts to grab some candy and he throws it out which turns out to be the man's prize. The man then cracks as he shouts, "Candy beans I get" he tosses it to the floor and ends up wailing to himself leaning to a wall. When you look at it - they definitely don't look like candy beans.

Egghead then arrives at the scene and he sees the man's misfortune of losing in the prize machine. Egghead quietly creeps over to the prize digger machine and he has a shot himself. Egghead then gives it a shot by using the machine. He places the join in first and the hand then picks up the magic lamp. Egghead is also signalling the hand to drop the lamp at the chute where Egghead wins his prize of receiving the magic lamp.

Egghead then claps to himself with glee, 'Oh boy, I'm lucky. What a pretty sugarbowl' - and of course - Danny Webb is still impersonating Egghead as Joe Penner. Egghead then looks at the lamp to try and find some directions. He looks at the bottom of the lamp that give him the directions. It reads "Rub lamp three times" and he also reads that out. That is pretty cool to have directions at the bottom so some unfortunate guy wouldn't have a clue and just ends up throwing it away missing his luck. Egghead then rubs the lamp three times with curiosity. After he rubs the lamp - there is a puff smoke effect that pops and there it is Egghead's first encounter of the Genie. Although the look of the Genie being shown here is unfortunately a Negro stereotype - but is rather huge and muscular with cuffs around his arms. Mmm, I wonder why they chose to stereotype the Genie - because I don't know how it is supposed to represent charm or humour.

Egghead then makes a scared take that his turban ends up untwisting itself into some type of funny hat take as it appears to be. Egghead then runs away mistaking the Genie to be a monster. The Genie then grabs Egghead's turban and brings him over to the spot at their first meeting. As he grabs him, (with Egghead still squirming) he remarks, "I ain't gonna hurt ya".

He then comments in a stereotype voice:

Genie: Youse is the master of the magic lamp.
Egghead: Who, me?
Genie: Yeah. Here take the lamp and if ya ever need anything. Just give us a rub.

The genie then flies back into the Genie transforming back into dust and flies back into the spout of the lamp. Hang on a minute, the Genie forgot about the conditions of being the master of the magic lamp. Isn't he supposed to only have up to three wishes so he can chooses his wishes wisely. Afterwards; Egghead then thinks of his first wish as he wishes to be wearing "nice, new clothes" - he rubs the lamp in order to have his own wish to be granted. His wish is granted and the Genie gives him new clothes to wear which amazes Egghead as he likes the new outfit on him.

After his wish is granted - he then thanks the Genie for granting his wish. The Genie then accepts his thanks and he replies back by pinching Egghead's nose which gives an amusing effect as the tassle on his few stretches upwards and there is a funny Treg Brown horn effect played. The tassle stretching was a rather funny bit of animation and it looks like to me that Howard and Dalton liked to use a little bit of exaggeration with hat takes (like the turban unwinding and the hassle stretching).

The man who we saw weeping earlier then sees that Egghead has received his luck. In this close up shot - he looks towards Egghead and breaks the forth wall, "That should be my lamp. And I shall get it!" and vows to steal it away from Egghead which we shall call him the villain of this picture. Instead of coming up with more wishes, Egghead just looks at the lamp just thinking about how wonderful the lamp and how he "can't get over it". He also hums to himself whilst looking at the lamp with admiration. Suddenly there is a crowd of folks dashing in the scene as there is some news going in this Arabian town. Egghead looks over around the crowd to see the commotion and he joins the crowd to hear the news.

There is a whole crowd at the scene as there is a bulletin displayed on a notice wall for the whole locals to take a look at. Egghead joins the crowd to see what's on display as it could be a chance for his wishes. Egghead, however struggles to look at the notice as the crowd are blocking his view. The villain then looks over towards where Egghead is as he still tries to plan to take the magic lamp off him.

The notice on the wall reads: I WANT YOU! TO THE CLEVEREST ENTERTAINER. I WILL GIVE MY DAUGHTER'S HAND IN MARRIAGE. The Sultan. ROYAL PALACE TODAY. There is a little Uncle Sam reference there as the Sultan is pouting towards the people in the poster who was famous for propaganda posters in the US during the First World War. Egghead realises the poster and the lamp is both an advantage. He states, "With my wonderful lamp, I will win the beautiful princess". Egghead, who has a love for the princess then decides to give it a shot and to marry the princess. He then rubs the lamp wishing for a magic carpet. His wish for the magic carpet then comes true and the magic carpet has an engine at the back to help modernise the carpet. The villain then looks behind the wall as he tries to find the plan to take his magic lamp away from Egghead - but Egghead ends up flying away in his magic carpet and it becomes too late for the villain.

Egghead then flies around the magic carpet and even though the palace (and ironically - that background is the background painting for the title card of this cartoon). Egghead is flying on his magic carpet but he then lands at around the entrance area of the palace (in this long shot scene) which is where the Sultan and the princess live and also where the contest is taking place as well.

It seems quite a long stop and even a clumsy stop for Egghead (mostly because the magic carpet requires to have an engine at the back) as well as he is rather weary from that trip. He then finds the entrance to the palace and he enters inside. Egghead enters the entrance of the royal palace and he finds that the contestants are queued up - and Egghead has to run towards the back of the queue along with the other contestants which would mean it would require a whole lot of rejects until Egghead could be able to get the part. There appears to be an interesting part of personality where Egghead looks at the size of the queue and is rather amazed of the length of it.

Inside the palace - the contest is taking place. The princess is seen sitting at the background as she is crying to herself. She would be crying because she is forced to being married to any of the locals and feels she has no freedom of living in the palace because of the Sultan's endorsement of opening up a contest for entertainers. There appears to be a slave that then holds up a sign that reads, "Ali-Baabe Breen - 'Boy Wonder'" who is the entertainer that is going to be presented. I don't know if the name is a reference or not.

We find that there are two guards grabbing the chains that are attached to a rather huge grizzly human that has chains around him and is redeemed as dangerous. It turns out that his grizzly and aggressive self was all a gag. On the other hand, he is just a retarded, silly giant who ends up giggling like a child and recites the poem to Mary Had a Little Lamb. The laugh isn't very infectious and that scene is just plain silly - although if Tex Avery provided his infectious laugh then this sequence would've probably been better. But anyway - for the greater good - the contestant then ends up falling down the trap door as he is did not entertain the Sultan. Well - that is the last we are seeing of this contestant.

Meanwhile - Egghead is standing in the queue as he will be appearing very soon to attempt to entertain the Sultan. Meanwhile - the villain is hiding behind a plant pot and it is his chance to finally steal the magic lamp away from Egghead. The villain then steals the magic lamp away from Egghead and he replaces it with a kettle and runs off with the magic lamp.

Meanwhile the next contestant to attempt to entertain the Sultan is the 'Slap-Happy Boys'. They are in fact references to the 'Happiness Boys' known as Bill Jones and Ernie Hare. They walk to the centre as they carry a piano with them to sing along to. They are going to be singing the song - On the Rule de la Paix but the substitute lyrics are How Do You Do and How Are You? That little sequence here was already used before in 'The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos'. Of course - they are a very annoying group as they sing out loud at the same time - and it angers the Sultan (as well as annoys him) he ends up pulling the trap door where the Slap-Happy Boys fall down the trap door.

After they fall down the trap door - it turns out that they are still singing that annoying song which annoys the Sultan even more. He then walks over to the trap door and he grabs out a pistol. He then shoots the Slap-Happy Boys, after shooting one - one of the two is still singing. The Sultan shoots the other member as they are both dead. Now that was just an incredibly dark gag - even for a cartoon where it may be funny elsewhere.

The next act to be performing is in fact 'Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp' as Egghead is the next contestant to entertain the Sultan. Egghead then talks over as he chuckles a little - but realises that he is standing next to the Sultan and even has to sing a little entertaining song to him. The good news is that as soon as Egghead and the princess gaze at each other - it is love at first sight for both of them. I like how that there are just a bunch of cartoony love hearts popping out from the princess to demonstrate the mood. Afterwards - Egghead then starts to go into song as he sings the song to 'Bei mir Bist du Schon' which is a German song. Of course - he could've just sung 'My Green Fedora' which was sung by Joe Penner but instead he is just copying Joe Penner's comedy walk and sings a different song. The singing from Egghead amuses and even entertains the princess so much that she expresses her love towards him. However - it is all down to the Sultan who judges whether or not his performance was entertaining or not as the princess appears to have no right to choose - that's....awful.

The Sultan continues to watch his act and he is however, not so amused of his performance of his song performance as well as the Joe Penner walk. This would be an immediate disadvantage of the princess as her love one is about to fall down the trap door. After his performance, Egghead notices that he is about to fall down the trap door - and he halts the Sultan, "Wait a minute, wait a minute; don't even do that. I got ma magic lamp".

He then grabs out his Magic Lamp and he is about to wish to the Genie but however, he forgets that he is carrying a kettle and his magic lamp was stolen without his knowledge. Egghead just demonstrates as he rubs the kettle mistaking it for a lamp. He then makes a take as he realises that he was been robbed and his magic lamp is gone. He rubs again the second time but he still has no luck. He then shouts out and quotes Joe Penner, "This thing's craaaaazy!" He still continues to keep on rubbing the lamp but his luck runs out and he falls down the trap door which ends the love of Egghead and the Princess - or is it? After falling down the trap door - Egghead's body then ends up being squashed and his fez is caught down to his legs as he just hops around which is a rather amusing little cartoony gag.

Egghead then walks over and starts to climb up these urns to try and look for his magic lamp as he finally realises that it has been stolen. Meanwhile inside the palace - the villain ends up with the magic lamp. He rubs the magic lamp and then gold is shown. The Sultan is amazed and ends up acting like Jerry Colonna, "Marvellous, stupendous, let the wedding begin!" Mmm, looks like the earliest Jerry Colonna impression I've found in a Warner Bros. cartoon so far - by memory.

Wait a minute; I thought that the Sultan was looking for the best entertainer but what did the villain contribute to - nothing! It was just a rushed way to get the Sultan entertained and it was nothing even representing entertainment and it makes absolutely no sense. The Sultan then points towards his squire as he declares, "Sound the trumpets!" The slave then sounds the trumpet announcing the wedding to take place - but Egghead arrives at the scene slamming the door open and halts the spontaneous ceremony. "Stop, I've been swindled (?)" - whatever he is trying to saying and it certainly isn't very clear at all.

Egghead immediately arrives at the scene and he halts the events happening. He arrives at the villain as he beats him up and he ends up wining the lamp back. He immediately runs off with the princess as they escape outside the palace with the magic carpet as the princess has already been given the sense of freedom.

The magic carpet then flies out of the scene as the Sultan and the guards arrive at the entrance trying to halt their actions. They then fly down towards the guards and the sultan but they manage to dodge the carpet. They then go on a long flight around Baghdad and I have to say the fast-pacing backgrounds are rather impressive here as it shows some good use of speed. They even end up flying above the clouds and away from Baghdad (probably to another palace). Mmm, I wonder if that 'Whole New World' sequence from the 'Aladdin' led to inspiration - probably not. Afterwards; we then discover that Egghead and the princess are already living a happy married life (probably in another palace since they managed to escape the Sultan). The princess then picks up the magic lamp as she then rubs it to try her wish. The Genie then pops up but then turns into a hunky figure as the princess would rather go for the Genie instead of the prince. Egghead is rather stunned as he opens up the lamp but gets pinched in the nose.

Overall comments: This is a cartoon that I am rather ambivalent about. I see that this cartoon involves Howard and Dalton are trying to probably use some influence of Avery's humour and I can see that they are close of using that style - and Cal Dalton would pair up with Bugs Hardaway making these versions where they try to copy Tex. However, I find that this cartoon at least had some clever parts like the magic carpet having an engine at the end which helps modernise the humour - but then again the story for this cartoon feels like a rough draft and most of the gags are rather weak in this cartoon - or even dark. Some reused ideas (to probably length the cartoon) like the Happiness Boys sing with that very, very dark gag where the Sultan shoots them. They even had to reuse the Joe Penner dance routine - even though there is a different song included there.

It still interests me about the whole Egghead debate. This design there has been identified as Egghead (even in Tex's cartoons like 'Egghead Rides Again' and 'Daffy Duck and Egghead'). The other design is known as Egghead's brother - but still I'd rather just use Egghead since Egghead's brother was just a merchandising name - and I don't know any document as to whether it really identifies him as his brother other than being an Elmer Fudd prototype. I noticed that there was some interesting timing used in a comic form which is rather unique but interesting (I don't know who provided the timing between Dalton and Howard). The hat takes in this cartoon was what I thought was interesting to look at with the tassle stretching as well as the turban gag. I noticed some good use of airbrush speed lines being used here (as it looks like) since the speed lines used in other cartoons (like in Clampett's or early Jones cartoons) look really underdeveloped. I also find that this was a rather dark cartoon since the princess suffers from misery (and I'm surprised about WB cartoons actually presenting drama rather than mocking it).

204. Katnip Kollege (1938)

Warner cartoon no. 203.
Release date: June 11, 1938.
Series: Merrie Melodies.
Supervision: Cal Howard and Cal Dalton.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Johnnie Davis (Johnny Cat), Mabel Todd (Kitty Bright), George MacFarland, Mel Blanc (Cuckoo) and Poley McClintock (vocal groups).
Story: Dave Monahan.
Animation: Joe D'Igalo.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: Cats at Katnip Kollege learn to swing - but Johnnie doesn't get the hand of it.

This is the first cartoon where story man Dave Monahan gets story credit. Monahan - who made a couple of funny cartoons in that era. Around the time the cartoon was released, Monahan was only 20 years old (born March 1918) but when working on this cartoon - he was only 19! Keith Scott told to me that there is a theory the cast chosen for this cartoon were performers from a WB musical feature starring Fred Waring and his troupe Varsity Show. Both Johnnie Davis and Mabel Todd were in the film, as well as MacFarland and McClintock. Another interesting story is that Johnnie Davis was in another picture Over the Wall where he sings As Easy as Rolling Off a Log which is sung by him in this cartoon which makes sense to cast him.

The original title exists in Jerry Beck's Original Titles page although the image is very small but I'm afraid that's the largest I'll enlarge this image because it gets rather pixilated when I enlarge it.

The cartoon then starts of as we find the campus as it is built from a barrel; and the columns at the front are made from old tins. A rather odd-looking campus for cats to be residing in. A small box that is standing next door to it is in fact the college's gymnasium but its all made from litter. The cats then start to enter the college after stepping out of their motorcar. If those objects are really small - are those cats really as tall as mice as it looks like it's being shown here? After they sep out of the car; the last cat to look at the fate of the car as we hear the sound of it crashing off-screen. He covers his ears before entering inside.

Inside the college - we find that there is a picture frame of the professor. We then start to PAN through the doors in which it names all various types of objects but that end with the word "-ology". The doors that we pan through identify each class that is going on. The doors that go past read the manes of the classes like physiology, sociology, biology, swingology, zoology -- swingology??? Mmm, looks like another new idea for a subject. Comparing the design of 'Katnip Kollege' from outside in the background - it looks very small but yet inside the hallway they have a lot of rooms - so there must have been a mistake measuring this. As we pan to the Swingology door - the door then starts to beat in rhythm in which it starts moving because of the music going on inside. The door movement is a pretty cool way to be displayed by Cal Dalton/Howard since it shows that the other doors would have other folks studying and not a word would be sound - which would sound boring. The fact that there is a lot of noise going on in the classroom is because of the excitement that is expressing and we know the class is the most interesting in the college - and it eaters the audience to watch.

Inside the classroom we then find a class full of cat students that are clapping in rhythm to the swing that is heard in the background. The only student in that class who isn't getting the hang of it is Johnny who is standing in the middle of the classroom is the only person not getting the hand of joining in the beat as he is standing up not having a clue. I do like that cat who has his tongue sticking out as it makes him kinda dopey and even another cat that wears a beanie hat and has a golden tooth.

As the cats continue to clap at the beginning of their class; we find that the professor is making his way to the classroom. The desk appears to be ascending to the top of the classroom as there appears to be some sort of extending machine at the top in which the professor makes this dance routine with his head that is called "pecking". Notice in the chalkboard behind him there are some swing notes that are written down like "La De Ah" in which there is a rather interesting doodle of the professor. As soon as he arrives at the top - the trumpet playing heard in the background then ends as he hear 'Shave and a Haircut' in the background but then the professor taps the bell at the last two notes. The class then go into song as they greet him good morning;   Good morning to you, dear teacher. They then scat in which the professor also dances - and even the chalkboard doodle dances in rhythm which is pretty cool. They continue in song Good morning to you / We really mean it. Good morning to you / don't mean your sister. A cuckoo then steps out of the cuckoo also going into swing singing a line I mean you're really in the groove before a book then whacks the cuckoo which was a funny scene. It is probably the only line that Mel Blanc records in this cartoon.

The professor then starts to begin his lesson - he is waving his own stick as he then starts to call for one of students to see if they have done their homework - as they are singing a History session - singing it in swing. "Okay, Mr. Jones, you may recite your History for today". Mr. Jones the cat (sung by George MacFarland) then steps up as he goes into song: Oh, Columbus was the discoverer of America / And he sailed the seas in 1492. There is a rather amusing shot of some of the students pretending to be sailors rowing oars but a cat is on the lookout at sea but still "pecking".

The song then continues as he focus on a scene where there is a bully seated behind a student swinging to the sing. The song continues: But the good Queen Isabella / found a more attractive fella. After reciting that bit of history; the bully cat then starts to pick up a trash bin and stuffs it inside the student's head. He then sings the last part but it is Poley McClintock who sings the last part in a froggy voice - and Columbus wound up in the jugeroo. The voice is pretty funny from the way I hear it. The professor then starts to play percussion using a fountain pen and a ruler as drumsticks and he bangs on items that have silver substances on it like the lid of a trash bin, funnel, sieve, etc. After he bangs on the drums he comments - 'That's a killer, son. That's a killer'. He then moves to the next student to recite the History lesson. "Come now, Miss Kitty Bright, let's see if you did your homework right". The voice of the professor is pretty unknown but admittedly - I'm not very fond of the voice actor for the professor as it sounds very unprofessional and sometimes it's hard to even hear what is coming out from him. The dialect doesn't sound very much like voice acting other than someone in the recording booth mumbling.

The professor then starts to begin the beat in which he starts to play on the drums before Kitty Bright who looks like a typical college girl with a yellow jersey with the letter 'K' and also beanie hat. She then begins her History recital as she also dances: Oh Napoleon was the fighting-est man you ever saw / Everybody that he fought with he subdued. But the King-a and the Queen-a / Sent him off to St. Helena. Just because they didn't like his attitude.


As she is singing the last part of her homework (but substitute lyrics to Let That Be a Lesson to You) - the professor is still standing to the music still satisfied. There is a student's arm that arrives at the spot pulling a rotten trick at the professor as he places a pin on his chair in which the Professor then yells in pain. The character animation there is pretty weak with the professor - but so much of it is weak in the cartoon as well. The class then start to join in the rest of the theme to the song Kitty Bright was singing: Let that me a lesson to you / Everybody meets his Waterloo. There is a timid student who appears to be looking rather unconfident of joining into the rhythm in which he puts his hand up to be excused. The professor then looks at his timid features but gives him that look of encouragement in which the kitten then starts to get the hang of it and skiddles around his desk. That would've required some good character animation but the shot of the professor staring at him is pretty weak. The rest of the lyrics sing: He wasn't too big to end up behind the Azores / And remember, buddy, there's still a lot of room for you. I believe that would've been the class trying to get the nervous student to get the hang of it in which he finally joins in and gets the hang of it.

After the song then concludes to Kitty Bright's poem - it turns out that the least confident of the class and even the most incompetent: Johnny. It is his turn to recite some homework from the professor. The professor then asks him: "Now Johnny, let's hear your sonnets and make 'em sound like Kostelanetz". This is referencing to Andre Kostelanetz who was a popular music conductor at the time, and even one of the pioneers to easy listening music. The shock spark effects popping out of Johnny is a nice way to sum up that take. In the background you hear the song You're an Education.

Johnny then steps up in front of the class as he is terribly not confident and has probably not even done his homework - or even succeeded in doing his homework well. He steps out from his seat in which he then starts to try and sing his sonnets but he completely fails. He starts off with him attempting to scat but continues onwards, "Charleston - razzmatazz and a boo-boo-da-boo" which is slyly referencing to Betty Boop. I quite like that character animation there as he goes through sweat and a lot of scared emotions when standing up to his class in which he ends up improvising his sonnets but then a lot of crap comes out of his mouth in his attempt. And NO, that didn't sound like Kostalenetz. The professor is standing at the front of his class tapping his feet and is certainly not impressed at Johnny's effort. He breaks the forth wall asking the audience, "Boy, is that corny?" He then starts to growl at Johnny and shouts "Come up here!" - see, even that shout doesn't sound very convincing and it doesn't even sound like a shout. Johnny then steps in front of the class but the professor growls at him to sit at the corner.

Johnny then starts to go at the corner in which he then starts to sit at a seat. He pushes the button in which the seat then starts to ascend upwards. Afterwards - there is a dunce hat that then places it from a machine on top of Johnny as he is sitting there humiliated by Johnny. There is a slight ink and painting error where the letters are not coloured but in the next frame - it is coloured black.

The professor is very disappointed at Johnny's attempt and results - even disappointed for having him in his class. As this is the climax for Johnny for which he receives that humiliation - the professor then taps his bell and shouts "Class dismiss" because of Johnny's performance. Poor Johnny. The class then end up walking out of the class walking near him ashamed of him. They then comment to each other - which can he heard: "He swing like a rusty gate", "You ain't got rhythm", "Gee, is that awful?", "What form", etc. After they walk out mocking his performance - at least one person in his class shows some sympathy to Johnny. Kitty Bright is walking out of the class and she passes over to Johnny a fraternity ring. "Here's your old frat pin", she adds - "You can look me up when you learn how to swing". She then concludes to Johnny by singing the lyrics Why it's easy - as rolling off a log which is the main song that we hear later called As Easy as Rolling Off a Log. I really am not too sure what the use of a fraternity ring is for when she hands it over to him - I guess maybe it means that if she gave him the frat ring - he'll be able to get back properly once he knows how to swing.

After that sad scene of Johnny's humiliation; we then fade to night fall where there are a couple of cats by a backyard fence about to sing. There is a description as part of the story that reads That Night - in which the moon then starts to bounce up and shines. The cats then start to beat it as they are playing their swing music and are also with their girlfriends.

As they then start to go into song they start off the lyrics with the three cat vocalists with the microphone sing - It was on the college campus that the kitties had a session / All the cats were there / 'Twas a swinging congregation. Some had took to talking' / While the cats had beat out a rhythm. They are standing by a log in a field in which they are with their girlfriends and they enjoy their swing. Then there is another shot with the cats then pecking in which the lyrics sing: And others picked out some pecking / 'Cause the rhythm bug had bit em. More shots of the cats dancing continues with the vocalists in which one of the cats then tap their feet whilst dancing. They never had a lesson in their lives - the lyrics went. In the next  shot - we find the vocal cats again but they are holding the microphone and the shortest guy is just standing their with his back turned back them scowling at them - the expression is amusing enough. The lyrics continue: But rhythm swaped their teasing / But when it comes to swinging their thing / It's as natural to them as sleeping or eating.

There is a background PAN In which the cats are swinging with their own instruments or with their girlfriends pecking. As they continue to PAN through the scene - there is a statue of a professor but the statue is carved as reading "Prof. Dalton - 1908". Of course - the statue of the professor is referencing the director of the cartoon: Cal Dalton. As for the year carved - I wonder if that was the year he was born? I tried finding it on California Death Records but couldn't find results. Funny how one of the students is wrapped around it pecking at it.

The lyrics then continue to sing the rest of the song: There's a rumpus on the campus / They are really in the groove. Each and every paw has a natural urge to move. The thing this horn is known as horn / They wish someone could stop it / They only use the horn when you pop it. As the lyrics were being sung there was a pan through the field as they were just standing outside not far from the headquarters of Katnip Kollege. Inside - Katnip Kollege; we find the same classroom where Johnny is still wearing the dummy and is very isolated. After staying in there for hours - all we can hear is the sound of the clock ticking. Suddenly, Johnny can properly feel some rhythm for the first time ever - by following the sounds of a tick tock. Even those simple sounds produce some rhythm to influence Johnny.

Johnny then starts to realise that he finally has learnt how to swing as he then becomes engaged to pecking, "I got it. I got it. The rhythm bug bit me. La de ah". Johnny then steps out of his own seat and even not wearing the dunce hat. He then starts to put is usual hat on as he is his nerd self but with the rhythm. As the pendulum continues to swing - Johnny then starts to make an exit out of the classroom.

Johnny then makes his exit through the college and even zips through the fields and then reaches to his peers. The timing of him zipping along is pretty reasonable timing of the 1930s. Johnny then skids in which he approaches the log where all his other peers from class are. He finally has the confidence - and Kitty Bright is standing beside him in that log. He steps on top of the log and he begins the song which is the whole finale of this cartoon - and a great finale. He sings his version of As Easy As Rolling Off a Log sung by Johnnie Davis who is singing it again as he sung it before. He begins his lyrics: As easy as rolling off a log / I found it easy, baby - to fall in love with you. All of his other peers are completely surprised as they look at each other with these shock sparks coming out as they have the impression on their face "My goodness, he really knows how to swing!" as though they never would've expected that. Even a couple then step out as they open up the leaves of a tree (presumably making out) as they watch him swing and continue the lyrics (more cats watch): As easy as rolling cigarettes / If that ain't easy, maybe / There's simpler things to do.

Johnny is walking up and down his log in which he starts to show some actions from his arms pretending as though he is hugging - he sings ("For instance let's cuddle. I love to cuddle") - Kitty Bright is looking at him with amazement in which she is awed as she would've never expected that. Even it is very believable to the audience as we feel sympathy for Johnny and glad he got the bang of it.

Even all of the other cats then start to join in to the song hugging their girlfriends as they are impressed with his swinging, too. Johnny's singing continues: Get in a huddle / It's easy with you. As easy as rolling off the log / I'm really tumbled, baby / But what else could I do? It's so easy to fall in love with you). Johnny then picks up Kitty Bright as they both then perform a singing duel together for song in which she sings her part of the song. In my opinion, this is probably the most notorious part of the cartoon. That sequence really brings up a lot of atmosphere and I find it memorable. She sings: I know that it is as easy - as rolling off a log / It's awful easy, baby / You lie the way you do. We then find a close-up of Kitty Bright continuing to engage into the song: It's as easy, baby / as rolling off a log.

The ironic part of the sequence is that whilst singing the song - they are in fact standing on top of a log. She continues her singing: It's awful easy, baby - to make me think if... At that point she then is about to fall off the log repeatedly singing "You make me" three times because of her about to slip before she then stays back on. She continues to sing: ...to think that it's you. 'Cos I've heard a few say the things that you say.

The song appears to be engaging with singing but also flirting at the same time as Kitty Bright believes that Johnny is just one of the guys that are trying to fall in love with her. Johnny sings to it; But if I do say "I love you" I do / So help me its true. Kitty Bright thens starts to sing her part: This love stuff has got me in a fog / The boys all say they love me / I wonder why they do. There is then a fog effect that appears by her which is as decent effect that is shown her as well as a type of visual gag, too. Although the lyrics aren't really heard very well - but some might think that the fog just turned out of nowhere but thank god for subtitles so I can understand it pretty well. Johnny then explains again as he sings: It's so easy to fall in love with you.

Johnny then grabs out a trumpet in which he then starts so play. As he plays the trumpet - he is standing right by the moonlight as he plays it. I'm not sure what he is playing exactly to the song but it sure attracts the crowd. I like the part where that Johnny is playing the trumpet rather wildly that his glasses then start to flip which I think is a pretty fun animated part but it could've timed better. In that shot; Kitty Bright sure looks rather ugly.

As he continues to play the trumpet - the band also play to the music as well as dancers, too. In the final shot where it features Johnny, Kitty Bright and the rest of the group. Johnny sings the final part of the song - as well as the supposed conclusion. "Now what else could I do...It's so easy to fall in love with you". As soon as he finishes singing the last part of the song - he and Kitty Bright end up slipping from the log in which they then end up slipping and falling to the ground. Johnny is unconscious from that fall - but Kitty Bright is turned on with his swinging in which Johnny ends up winning the girl at the end of the cartoon and is the hero at the end. Kitty Bright then ends up smooching his face off with kisses as he has kiss marks all over his face. The ending scene where Kitty Bright then kisses his face is a very cute way to end the cartoon.

Overall comments: This cartoon is what sort of reminds me of those Fleischer cartoons that was made in the 1930s. The animation in that cartoon is really substandard - it's really below the quality when everyone else at least showed their quality to be fairly decent. The characters voice actors were really not a very good pairing - especially on the professor who sounded awful. However; I think that you got to give credit that the directors and story guys (like Monahan) have created a really appealing formula of this cartoon - even in the 1930s. Swing was really big back then - so it makes sense to include it in this cartoon to show its popularity. This cartoon may not be a very favourable cartoon in the Warners catalogue - fans might dub this cartoon as "average at best". The music that is shown here is just terribly catchy and very appealing. I think that this is one of the fewest WB cartoons of the 1930s where they have successfully combined popular songs into cartoons.

It really does feel unusual for a Warner Bros. cartoon being made in the 1930s for a reason: well, around this time the evolution of the Warner's humour was still increasing featuring more improvements but this cartoon really shies away from the humour Tex Avery wanted and the other directors following his steps. Cal Dalton and Cal Howard have really approached something different in which they featured a clever idea to feature a college but adding cats for no reason, but I guess it makes it slightly more interesting - and yet combining swing into it. One of the nits I find in this cartoon is that if they're including cats into the cast then why is there basically no gags that relate to cats? They may as well be humans if you ask me and much of the scenes don't even show the cats having tails. Truth is, I particularly don't care for the WB musical cartoons made in the 1930s as they are just tedious, and usually the same but this cartoon is just one of the fewest in that era that I can actually watch more than once (inc. I Love to Singa) but I actually really enjoy the music and even the story of it as well. Despite the weak character animation, and a weak plot - I find that the characters were appealing to me, too. Johnny is obviously the most interesting character but I like how he begins off as a loser but ends up being the man of the hour at the end, no question.

195. Porky's Phoney Express (1938)

Title card courtesy of Dave Mackey.

Warner cartoon no. 194.
Release date: March 19, 1938.
Series: Looney Tunes.
Supervision: Cal Dalton & Cal Howard.
Producer: Leon Schlesinger.
Starring: Mel Blanc (Porky Pig) and Billy Bletcher (Porky's Boss).
Story: Melvin Millar.
Animation: Herman Cohen.
Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling.
Sound: Treg Brown (uncredited).
Synopsis: Porky is set on a task to ride the mail but struggles to get past the Indians.

This is the first cartoon to which WB animator Cal Dalton gets supervision credit, but for some reason he always had to have a co-director with him. To start off he had Cal Howard and then Ben Hardaway. This cartoon must've been made after Freleng left for MGM but released early as Friz's last cartoon was A Star Is Hatched. When Friz left, Frank Tashlin inherited his animators but Cal Dalton took over his unit.

The cartoon then begins as we find that the location is the middle of the American dessert. In the middle features a phoney express depot. Inside there is a call that goes on and there are a couple of animals as civilians entering the depot as they place their letters inside the mailbox. As there are several others placing their letters inside the mailbox the guy holding onto the bell then shouts out about the phoney express business, I guess. With the name of the service called 'phoney express' is a reference to 'pony express' which is a main service where you deliver letters via horses which is a pun that is referenced to the cartoon's title and even the depot that Porky works on.

As soon as all of the letters at the pony express depot have been delivered. After all of the mail and letters have been delivered into the mailbox; the guy holding onto the bell then pulls the rope as the mail delivery guy runs off riding a horse and as soon as he leaves there appears to be an in-joke as the postal clerk then shouts out, 'There they gooooooooooo!!!!' which is what you would hear at the start of horse racing as it is referenced here in the pony express.

After the sequence with the introduction of the mails depositing. We then find that there is an elderly person who is sorting out the mail in which he then flies them inside a pigeon hole as each of the pigeon holes are labelled for each direction it would need to travel to: North, South, West and East. I like that little electric guitar sound effect that we hear when he throws the mail over.

The gag is that when he flies them over to the pigeonhole, it's all unorganised again in which there appears to be another postal officer who hoovers up all the letters in which the sack is full of letters as the sack reads, 'MAIL'. The officer then dumps all of the letters inside a mail chute. A mail clerk then receives the heavy mail bag that lands on the back part of the horse. The rider then starts to ring the phone in which he dials the number, as he picks up the phone he responds back to it by replying, 'You all set, partner?' in which he then starts to hang up on the phone and ride on. I wonder if that was referencing anything because I don't see a gag there. The next scene then focuses on a sheriff that appears to walk like a cowboy with the curved legs then walks out of the depot -- with a door that is curved on the leg area so he would walk out fine. That background type gag was seen back in Tex Avery's Egghead Rides Again. He walks over carrying a bag of mail in which he then places it on top of the horse. The horse's back legs appear to be cycling on some strange machine that makes it move. As soon as the sheriff lets it go he then struggles to get on the horse as he tries to jump back on it but then eventually does go. Okay, I suppose that it was quite a funny gag as he struggles to jump on the horse.

We then find the boss of inside the depot is seen placing letters inside envelope and before it gets licked he then shouts out for Porky to come over. I do find the shout for Porky's name very effective. We find that Porky Pig is in fact in the depot as he is sweeping the floors with his broomstick as he is sort of humming whilst singing. He is then shouted over again in which Porky then follows towards him.

Porky then walks over to his boss as his boss uses Porky for a job in which he has to take his tongue out and lick the sticky part of the envelope so that it would stick and that sure must be a horrible job to do; as it's very disgusting and he could even cut his own tongue. After Porky licks the envelope - the boss then folds it. Porky then asks excitedly:

Porky Pig: How about me riding the mail sometime. Huh, boss?
Boss: You?! Riding the mail?

The boss then starts to laugh in a Tex Avery laugh, and of course that is Tex himself making that laugh. After he then laughs imagining Porky trying to ride the mail he then gives Porky an answer which is a loud 'NO!'. Of course Billy Bletcher's voice is so typical in the villains but I feel that he is doing a fine job here as it doesn't sound too typical and I find it very effective to listen to.

After Porky Pig gets a reject from the boss himself; Porky just keeps at his work still sweeping the floor. Porky then starts to do an impression of the boss' face in which he looks rather moody and his lower lip sticking out. The boss turns out for any suspicions in which Porky just pretends as though he's just moving his lips up and down with his finger in a goofy way which is quite amusing. The boss then suddenly gives him the letter as Porky starts to pretend as though he is going to ride the mail and it will be his chance. Porky then starts to pretend he's using his broom to ride a horse as he's pretending to ride the mail but it angers the boss as he shouts, 'Don't do that!'

Meanwhile near the depot where Porky works (and it turns out to be a different one than the one we saw earlier on) as he stops his horse at the depot and he is carrying a bag of mail. After the horse stops galloping to the depot, the horse then starts to lose its breath and starts panting continuously. The mail rider then arrives at the spot delivering the mail in which it turns out that there are three arrows caught stuck in his rear end. He pulls them off one at a time and chucks them in a rubbish bin. He then comments on about the troubles when travelling, 'It's no use, boss, I can't get through. There's too many Injuns'.

The manager then responds to that as he bangs on the table, 'It has to get through! It's important mail for the red gulch. They haven't had mail in weeks'. He then starts to walk around until he then finds a box of horseshoes which gives him an idea. "I got it! Get an empty mail sack". He then picks up the box of horseshoes in which he continues to walk about his idea..."Porky is always talking about riding the mail. We'll send him out first. The Injuns will chase him and you can go through". Basically this means that they'll leave Porky to be carrying the mail which is full of horseshoes and use him like a fool to distract the indians.

As they laugh mischievously, the boss then shouts out 'PORKY!' Porky has finally had enough as he feels he is expected to lick the envelope again in which he throws his pan and broom to the ground and walks over frustratedly. I do find that the boss so far in this picture to be a very bad boss to Porky as he plans on using Porky to feel like an idiot when riding the mail as he is used as a sucker to deliver horseshoes (to whack the indians) so that the other mail guy can deliver the real mail from the sack of letters. I do think that the boss in this cartoon is pretty cool as he has a funny shouting voice and that he knows how to treat a character like a sucker which makes him a broad villain type which is pretty cool.

Porky then walks over as he sticks his tongue out to his boss. The boss encourages for that to not happen as he goes on, 'No. I'm going to let you ride the mail'. Porky then starts to jump about as he finds that his assignment has finally come true - only to let Porky end up being savagedbyby Indians which is one of the boss' setups - and make Porky feel like a loser...who will lick his envelopes?? That MUST be very important to him.

Porky then starts to jump about very excited about riding the mail and delivering messages as it is his passion. The boss then starts to look at the mail clerk in a smirky look towards Porky so that they are going to let him suffer. Poor Porky. Porky then starts to grab a mail sack but it turns out that the mail is rather heavy (and he is carrying the wrong mail sack as it turns out that it is heavier which means Porky could be in greater danger). Porky then says to his boss, 'You will not regret this day'. The boss then ends up chuckling in one of Avery's famous chuckles. He then responds to that sarcastically, 'I know that, Porky'. Afterwards as Porky has left the scene the boss and the mail guy then start to burst out into laughter as the boss bangs on the table as they are both killing themselves with laughter.


Porky Pig then steps out of the 'phoney' express depot in which he already has a horse for him to ride all the way to deliver some letters in which he places the sack on top of the U.S. mail box that is attached to the horse's back. The boss and the mail guy then laugh at Porky in which he picks up the bag (which would supposedly meant to be filled with letters) but instead a pile of horseshoes then fall out. Both of them come to a state of shock as they realise that they have made a bad mistake; now Porky is likely to be killed - not only that but looks like the boss would need to hire someone to lick envelopes.

After the iris out of the horrible discovery from the boss and the mail clerk --- we then iris in as we find that Porky is riding on his horse. Since the boss' scheme didn't go down too tell - this means that he is actually in fact riding the mail as he has the sack full of letters with him. Everything seems to be going rather fine for Porky safety-wise but then it comes to an Indian watching from the mountain. A couple of Indians are on the lookout for anybody that would be trespassing on their bit of property. One Indian looking up from the top of the mountain even starts to slide down and slither like a snake which I think is rather funny.

Also on the lookout then features an Indian and it looks like that he is using his hand to rest by his forehead to look out for any trespassers - at least it looks like that in the close-up view. The camera then trucks back as we find that the Indian is in fact using a back scratcher for the lookout and he scratches his own back whilst watching. Now that is a very clever idea for that gag; use a backscratcher to rest on your forehead.

The indian then discovers that Porky is riding on his horse as he is riding the mail and along the path and we can see that in a long-shot. The Indian then starts to whistle to those on the lookout. The funny and clever idea then pops up as there is an Indian riding a horse but there is a carriage where it is labelled 'Taxi'. That is a pretty clever idea and I like it. The Indian then steps into the carriage in which he directs to the Indian cab driver, 'Follow that horse!' which is of course a funny reference by maybe saying something like 'Follow that cab!'. The Indian then steps inside the carriage in which the carriage then zips along out of the scene, and I have to say that it is some pretty neat timing of the carriage leaving in a zip with just dust left at the scene to make speed more appropriate and suitable looking. As Porky is still riding at the scene, he then notices that there are certain arrows that come shooting straight past in which they cut off a part of his hat. Porky and the horse turn over to check but to their horror (and they go completely pale and I love the colour effect) the Indians are on the roll.

Porky Pig then starts to go into a fright as he discovers he's being chased by Indians, and shouts out 'INDIANS!' Porky then attempts to get his own horse moving in which Porky he uses the reins. It turns out that the horse has got hoofs that look like the shape of a toilet plunger and that's what traps him to the ground. He tries to get his horse to keep moving but he fails to do that as he turns around and the Indians are getting closer. I'm surprised that the Indians have missed their arrow shots on Porky and the horse.

Porky then starts to try and get his horse to move but then an arrow then arrives at the spot and shoots it straight at the horse's rear end which causes the horse to pull himself off the soil and gallop away from the Indians. Porky Pig then starts to grab out his pistol in which he starts to fire back towards the Indians. The firing shots of Porky shooting straight to the Indian then cause him to jerk back so far that he stretches back forward and then backward. Ahhhhh, a repeated gag that even Freleng used a couple of times and what he came up with. There is an Indian on the run that is just shooting arrows at Porky (and keeps on missing the horse) in which Porky then continues to shoot back but stretch forwards on his reins before coming back in which the chase then continues on with the Indians.

As the Indian is still shooting arrows straight at Porky and the horse, the bullet from Porky's gun (off-screen) then shoots the horse and the horse doesn't die but instead we find that the characters then stop dead from motion for a couple of seconds. It's a pretty cool technique that Dalton and Howard have used - even from the start but after they freeze they then collapse to the ground and are presumed dead. Pretty grim.

The other Indians that are after Porky then involve a dopey-looking Indian in which he is shooting with his bow and arrow but instead shoots it at the horses' head by mistake but the horses' head is so thick that it just bounces off since it's also thick which makes the gag funny. The next Indian that is seen is in fact riding a bicycle. As he is riding his bike, he appears to be sharpening his axe as the wheel is supposedly meant to appear to look like an axe sharpener. The Indian then tosses the axe out of the way but it as it misses Porky and the horse with their skin saved; it then starts to tear up the bag open in which all of the letters then start to fly out. Porky realises that the letters are flying out as he makes a complete turn from the horse to go and collect it. Of course and we realise that if Porky had taken the horseshoes inside the other mailbox back in the depot (which was supposedly the plan) then the axe would've probably cut the mail open and whack the indians with horse shoes.

As Porky has made a complete turn, he then starts to grab out a fishing net so he can collect all the letters again. Porky has already managed to collect much of the letters (when it only looks like a few of them). As he runs towards the Indian he makes a complete stop realising that he's making the wrong turn. The Indians are charging straight at him but then Porky makes a turn around in which he runs off.

More of the dopey Indian then returns as he accidentally shoots the horse on the head with an arrow but it bounces off with a 'DONG' sound which is amusing. As another Indian is still on the way shooting arrows, there is a squaw's back in which a child pops up to give him some arrows for him to shoot straight towards him. It appears to look like an in-joke there where the Indian inside the squaw's back and he makes a mark on there but I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean. As the dopey Indian is still shooting arrows at the horse -- the horse can't take it any longer as it causes him to throw the Indian from him and tosses him straight to the ground. The horse then starts to show some attitude and shows off the muscles in his arms. Now that is one of them recurring gags in the cartoons that keep on happening until there is a fun conclusion to that - and I do like that in cartoons where it appears.

As Porky is still riding and riding away from the Indians; he then appears to notice something in the distance in which he causes his own horse to halt and skid. The Indians are still riding after him but they then make a stop in which they skid and look in complete surprise. It turns out that Porky has in fact passed the border where he has reached the Red Gulch area in which it is an Indian-free zone.

The Indians then step off their own horses as they stand on the line and act with annoyance of their fiasco. The crowd then cheer on Porky as he has made it into the Red Gulch Pony Express Depot. I like how that Porky hits his head when carried into the depot.

After the success of Porky for delivering the mail (hang on a minute, if he's back to the depot then how did he surpass those Indians?) -- we then discover that he is in fact in charge of the depot now. He stutters and shouts to his former boss, 'BOY?!' the old boss of his then walks over who is now doing Porky's old job by sweeping the floor and licking the envelope. Now that is just good justice for him as he has what he deserved. The boss is now a threat to Porky as he has ended up a wuss, the cartoon iris out as Porky winks to us audience breaking the forth wall.

Overall comments: Since that this is Cal Dalton's first cartoon where he was the director (though he had Cal Howard and also his first directed cartoon); it always appears to be that around fans of Warner Bros. cartoons - he has a reputation for making some very crappy and low-quality cartoons that are just copying the style of Tex Avery. I can see why people may think that, although I never particularly thought of them as bad directors. I think that Dalton's first attempt of directing in this cartoon in fact was a good effort. Personally I do find that the story part of the boss discussing the plans for Porky to carry the horseshoes was staged poorly because I thought for a minute that he was going to deliver the mail and the mail clerk was going to carry horseshoes to protect himself but again it makes sense since the boss was demanding about the mail being carried and uses Porky to make a fool which makes sense when it's shown in a coherent way.

I do like the boss of this cartoon as I find that he is a funny character and I like it when he yells at Porky every-time which is rather amusing. I do ask though that I wonder why Cal Dalton started off co-directing with Cal Howard for only a few cartoons but then Ben Hardaway joins in? I guess that maybe Howard left the staff. Although when I watch those cartoons with the screen credits - I do like to dub them as 'The 2 Cals'. I'm not sure how they both work but my guess is that Howard or Hardaway worked on gag ideas (since Hardaway was a gag man and ideas man) and Dalton maybe did the timing? Just a consideration. It appears to be that Dalton has inherited new animators after Freleng has left and I think they might have been assistants but promoted to animators when for some reason the Freleng animators went over to Tashlin.