A Musical Up-Roar 1943-44

If there is one thing notable about MGM cartoons from this period, it is that they seem to get away with a little more than they would have a few years before or a few years afterwards. There was some controversy regarding the Wolf’s first reaction at seeing Red, referenced in last time’s article. But apparently the soldiers wanted something more spicy than the Hays office would permit under normal circumstances. Once the war ended, the guardians of public morals were ready to spring into action once again. Tex Avery had settled into place, the Tom and Jerry’s were rounding out nicely, and Barney Bar continued to provide gentler laughs. MGM’s cartoon division was starting to get nominations, and would score a “V” for Victory with Tom and Jerry’s The Yankee Doodle Mouse.

The Lonesome Mouse (5/22/43) – Tom and Jerry are in their usual chase mode through the house. Jerry knocks a vase off of the mantelpiece and breaks it, for which Mammy Two Shoes blames Tom, who is immediately ejected. Jerry is elated at first at having the house all to himself, but soon becomes dejected, realizing he actually misses the chase. Jerry’s conscience suggests he find some way to get Tom admitted back into the house. Tom and Jerry form one of their rare allegiances to fool Mammy into believing she needs Tom once again, and the two put on an elaborate act in which Tom is made to look like a great mouser. Mammy welcomes Tom with open arms when she believes Tom has done in Jerry, and presents him with a special pie for dessert. Jerry tries to get his share for his part in saving Tom’s happy home, but Tom rudely snubs him. Jerry ends the film with retaliation, dropping Tom’s face into the pie, and grumbles at the ungrateful cat as he disappears into his mousehole. Songs: “I Cried For You”, a 1923 pop song, which became a standard. The Collegians performed an early recording for Victor. Arthur Hall issued a Regal version. Bing Crosby performed a vocal on Decca, while Glen Gray got a band version on the same label. Teddy Wilson and Billie Holiday jazzed it on Brunswick. The Benny Goodman Quintet did likewise on Victor. Bunny Berigan got a Victor. Harry James gave backing to a Helen Forrest version on Columbia. Van Alexander performed it on Bluebird. Jimmy Dorsey got a Decca version in an extended 12′ release. Jerry Colonna gave it his unique vibrato for a comedy rendition on Capitol, which was also released on V-Disc. A Crystallette version was sung by Kay Starr. Johnny Moore’s Three Blazes, a club group headed by Oscar Moore’s brother, recorded it on Exclusive. Sarah Vaughan also waxed it for a later Columbia. Tony Martin revived it for RCA. Willie Gibson and the Boys performed a 1950’s version on Benida.

Baby Puss (12/25/43) – A little girl, who must have learned parenting at the same school that taught Elmyra Duff, has dressed Tom In baby attire, and is trying to make him “behave”. Tom is only slightly willing to comply, but Jerry finds the whole situation to be highly amusing. The little girl finds Tom out of his bed, and threatens to pour castor oil down his throat – something that will taste “bad – and that ain’t good”. Tom, however, finds something more tp his tastes – the baby bottle of milk. He starts sucking it up with a will when the little girl leaves the room, and Jerry whistles for the neighborhood alley cats to get a gander at Tom’s behavior. Tom is caught in the act, and endures a harrowing humiliation at the hands of the other cats, who change his diapers, them put him through a musical production number. The little girl returns, finding Tom misbehaving once again, and the room a total mess. She proceeds to dose him up with the promised castor oil, thanks to Jerry forcing Tom to open his mouth by clamping a pair of pliers onto Tom’s tail. Tom races to the window to lean over the rail for an unseen hurl. Jerry doubles up with laughter, but receives a mouthful of drippings from the castor oil spoon. He then joins Tom at the window, for the iris out. Songs: “Baby Face”, a 1926 pop song, recorded for Victor by Jan Garber with vocal by Benny Davis (the lyricist). Also available on the same label as a vocal record by Jack Smith, the whispering baritone. Columbia had a dance version by the Ipana Troubadours. Guy Lombardo slipped it into his “Golden Medleys” album for Decca. Revived in the late 1950’s by Little Richard for Specialty. “Mama Eu Quero” the hit of the 1936 Carnival season in Rio De Janeiro, was recorded at the tine by Jararaca on Brazilian Odeon. Carmen Miranda brought the song up with her when she appeared in the revue “Streets of Paris” in 1939. By the end of the year, she recorded the song for Decca. In the 1940’s Maurice Chevalier recorded it with a French text, as “La Choupette” for French HMV. In the early 1950’s, Liberace did it as a piano specialty for Columbia. The song’s title is sometimes translated as “I Want My Mama”, but more literally translates as “Mama, I Want”. Also, a special lyric for the old favorite, “Rock a Bye Baby”, and a return appearance for “Fountain in the Park”.

The Zoot Cat (2/26/44) – Tom is getting ready to call on his sweetie. But Tom’s idea of being up to date is like 1920. His girl tells him off: “Boy, are you corny. You come on like a broken arm.” Tom hears a commercial for Smilin’ Sam, the zoot suit man, which gives detailed description of the measurements of the suits they sell – allowing Tom to create his own from the fabric of his girl’s porch hammock. Tom calls on the girl in the new threads, and she does a mild Tex Avery-style reaction. Jerry is wildly amused by the whole shebang, and decides to cut in on a dancing frenzy with the girl. Tom begins his usual chase to put a stop to Jerry’s interference with his romance, but ends up well dunked in a goldfish bowl, causing the suit to shrink – and how – down rto Jerry’s size. Jerry walks off strutting in the new custom threads, tipping his hat to the camera for the iris out. Songs: “You’ve Got To See Mamma Every Night (Or You Can’t See Mamma at All)”. Sophie Tucker recorded it for Okeh, as did Mamie Smith, and Margaret Young (the aunt of Margaret Whiting) for Brunswick. Dolly Kay covered it for Columbia. Gene Fosdick’s Hoosiers performed a dance version on red Vocalion. Aileen Stanley and Billy Murray duetted it on Victor. A dance version appeared on the same label by the Tennessee Ten, who also recorded it for Gennett Cameo issued a dance version by the Southern Serenaders. Kay Starr revived it for Capitol. Ann Jones did an even later revival for Capitol. Peggy Lee revived it on Decca.

Also appearing in the cartoon is “I’m a Ding Dong Daddy (from Dumas)” (Dumas is a small town in Texas). Jay C. Flippen perhaps had the earliest version with full lyric on Brunswick. Louis Armstrong had a popular version on Okeh (though he admits as he sings that he “done forgot the words”). Johnny Johnson and his Orchestra performed it for Victor in 1930, and for Vocalion in 1934. Ben Pollack got it for Perfect et al. The Benny Goodman Quartet performed it for Victor. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys performed a country version for Vocalion. The Light Crust Doughboys also countered with their own version on the same label. Phil Harris did a 1947 version for RCA (below). Eddie “Piano” Miller performed it on Rainbow. A Sidney Bechet version turned up on Blue Note. Jim Atkins and the Pinetoppers issued a Coral version. Brother Bones and his Shadows borrowed it for a Tempo release. Arthur Godfrey made a Columbia side. The Buffalo Bills included it on their RCA album, “Shut the Doors, They’re Comin’ Through the Windows”.

A further number included in the cartoon was the popular “Jersey Bounce”, recorded by Benny Goodman on Okeh, Jan Savitt on Victor, Shep Fields on Bluebird, Earl Hines on Bluebird, a vocal version by the Four King Sisters on Bluebird, Jimmy Dorsey on Decca, the Milt Herth Trio on Decca, Glenn Miller (uncertain if on Bluebird or Victor). and revived by Hank Penny on King. “Deep Purple” also makes a return appearance.

Screwball Squirrel (4/1/44) – Primarily a chase cartoon, and something of a subversion of the cutesie style that had prevailed in MGM cartoons of the 1930’s. An overly cute squirrel names Sammy, drawn realistically, meets another toony-looking squirrel wirth ths sniffles (Screwy), and explains that this cartoon is to be all about Sammy and his furry friends if the forest, including Wallace Woodchuck, Barney Bear, and Dorothy Duck. This elicits a quite negative reaction from our true star: “Oh brother, not that!” Screwy takes Sammy behind a tree and beats him up, explaining to the audience, “You wouldn’t have liked the picture anyway.” Screwy explains that the fun will begin when the phone rings, and a convenient nearby booth provides the desired sound cue. A dog named Meathead is on the other end of the line. Screwy asks if the dog chases squirrels, but Meathead says he only chases birds. Screwy calls him yellow, then delivers an unheard but seen raspberry to the dog while the phone booth door is closed. Meathead zooms into the scene inside of about three frames, furious. “I knew that’d get him”, says Screwy. The chase is on, leading to more clunks on the noggin than any dog can stand. By the end of the cartoon, we are informed that Screwy was actually twins, but so is the dog. Sammy reappears, declaring that his cartoon would have been cuter. Both sets of twins again declare “Oh brother, not that!”, and gang up on Sammy for a closing fight cloud. Songs: “Mendelssohn’s Spring Song”, “Here We Go Gathering Nuts in May”, and finally, “Goofus”, a 1930 song first recorded by Wayne King for Victor. Also recorded in 1932 by Red Nichols and Guy Lombardo, both for Brunswick. It was nicely revived in 1950 by Phil Harris (below) for RCA, as the flip side of his most popular recording, “The Thing”.

Batty Baseball (4/22/44) – Baseball cartoons are pretty thick on the ground, and this one has many visual puns that you would expect – but also some darker gags which are well-known Avery stock-in-trade. The Draft Dodgers are playing the Yankee Doodlers at W.C. Field. One can only wonder what the exhibitors must have thought of the opening of this cartoon, which begins with a blink-and-you-missed-it title card, and straight into the action, hot and heavy, until one of the characters stops, inquiring where’s the MGM lion, and who made this cartoon. Did MGM have to put a special label on the can to let projectionists In on the gag in advance, as they later did with Avery’s “Magical Maestro”? Among the darker gags is a “Kill the umpire” yell taken literally, and a running gag of a catcher continually darting out ahead of the batter to take each catch, until one swing of the bat makes contact. The catcher apparently dies of blunt force trauma, as an announcer tells to observe one moment of silence, while the angel soul of the catcher floats to heaven, carrying a sign, “Sad ending, isn’t it?” Songs: “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, and “Thanks a Million”, the title song of a Fox musical from 1935 with Dick Powell and Fred Allen. Dick would issue a vocal on Decca (below). Louis Amstrong recorded a hazz version for Decca, while the band audience got a version by Guy Lombardo on the same label. Johnny Hamp had a rare session for Conqueror and the dime store ARC labels. Paul Pendarva had a band version simultaneously issued in royal blue Columbia and on Brunswick. Lanny Ross with Russ Morgan’s Orchestra issued a vocal on Brunswick. The Casini Club Orchestra directed by Charlie Kunz issues a version on British Rex, with vocal by Vera Lynn.

The Million Dollar Cat (5/6/44) – Here’s a cartoon based on the age-old trope of a cat who inherits a fortune from an eccentric old lady. However, there is a proviso in the will, that cramps Tom’s style – he’ll lose the fortune if he brings harm to any living creature – even a mouse. The chase is still on, however, as Jerry horns in on Tom’s penthouse Park Avenue apartment to take full advantage of the will clause. Tom is pushed to the limit of frustration, until he literally blows his top. As he finally takes his vengeance upon the startled mouse, Tom addresses the audience in a rare vocal line – “Gee, I’m throwin’ away a million dollars. BUT I’M HAPPY!” Songs: “Broadway Rhythm”, one of the big songs from “Broadway Melody of 1936″, which would also see renewed life in “Singin’ In the Rain”, and become one of Scott Bradley’s reusable cues. Recordings concurrent with the original feature release: Guy Lombardo on Decca, and Richard Himber on Victor, Anson Weeks on Brunswick, Carroll Gibbons on British Columbia, Harry Roy on Parlophone, and Larry Adler in a Medley of songs from the picture on Rex. It appeared in medley form within the “Broadway Ballet” segment of the soundtrack album of “Singin’ in the Ran” by Gene Kelly on MGM.

“Sleepy Time Gal” was a 1925 pop song that became an evergreen. In its day, it was recorded by Art Landry’s orchestra on Victor, which label also had a vocal release by Gene Austin. Columbia had a dance record by Ross Gorman and his Earl Carroll’s Orchestra (the pit band of the “Earl Carroll’s Vanities”). Brunswick would have a dance version by Ben Bernie and his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra. Fletcher Henderson got it for Banner, Regal, Oriole, etc. Jesse Crawford performed an organ solo on Victor. Nick Lucas got a vocal on Brunswick. Harmony had a vocal record crediting Billy West and Bob Thomas (actually Billy Jones and Ernest Hare). Vocalion issued a band version by Ben Selvin, and another by Norman Clark with Eddie Lang on guitar. Nathan Glantz got a release on Puritan. Josephine Baker issued a version for French Odeon (getting a bit tripped up by the tempo). In later years, there was a version on Melotone, Perfect, et al by Chick Bullock and his Levee Loungers (one of the first records to go for a retro 1920’s sound, even though it was recorded in 1935). Jimmie Lunceford had a version on Decca. Glenn Miller likewise had one on Brunswick. The Sonora Swing Stompers issued a Swedish version on Sonora. Vernon Geyer had a Hammond organ solo on Bluebird. Sleepy Hall and his electric banjo appropriately got it on Variety. Glen Gray issued an extended version on the 12″ Decca set, “Five Feet of Swing”. Harry James had a version on Columbia. Freddy Martin got it for Bluebird. A V-Disc was issued by Sgt. Jack Leonard and his V-Disc friends, Buddy Cole performed a 40’s version on Capitol. Claude Thornehill did it for Columbia. A harmonica version by The Philharmonica Trio also appeared on Capitol. Tony Martin revived it for RCA. Clyde Hunnicutt performed a Ken Griffin-like Organ solo on Smart. The Three Suns also performed it for RCA.

The Bodyguard (7/22/44) – A local bulldog (Spike) is in the dog catcher’s wagon. Jerry frees him from captivity, and has a friend for life. All Jerry has to do is whistle, and Spike will pound Tom to pieces. In point of fact, Spike becomes so conditioned, that even Tom’s wolf whistle at a shapely white female cat triggers a pummeling. Tom makes the connection between the whistles and the attacks, so arranges it so Jerry cannot whistle, with a mouth full of bubble gum. Jerry finally blows a huge bubble, which pops to emit the whistle to end all whistles. But Spike never arrives – back under lock and key in the dog catcher’s paddy wagon, with Jerry in pursuit far behind, and Tom back on Jerry’s tail in the rear. Songs: “You’re a Sweetheart”, from a rare loan-out of Alice Faye to Universal for a feature of the same name, recorded by Victor in two versions – a dance version by Tommy Dorsey and his Clambake Seven, and a vocal version by Kate Smith. Vocalion gave it to Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol. Decca had a version by the Adrian Rollini Quintet. Decca also had Dick Robertson and his Orchestra, and a vocal version by Ethel Waters Brunswick had a vocal by Belle Baker – one of her last recordings. Harry James would issue a later version on Columbia. Les Brown would also revive it on Coral. Carmen Cavallero performed a solo on Decca. Faye herself would finally get to record it for a comeback LP on Reprise. “Spreadin’ Rhythm Around”, another tune introduced by Alice Faye and Fats Waller in the Fox feature, “King of Burlesque”, also appears. It was recorded by Alice Faye for Melotone, Perfect, et al, and by Fats Waller on Victor. Brunswick gave it to Teddy Wilson with Billie Holiday. Bob Howard’s combo recorded it for Decca. The Krakajax, a hotter studio group, recorded a British version on Odeon. Also included in the cartoon is a comeback for “The Darktown Strutters’ Ball.

Big Heel-Watha (10/21/44) – In the red corner, Tex Avery, and in the blue corner, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Tex and his crew take on Hiawatha. Bill Thompson is along for the ride as the cartoon’s title character, a 4-F blubbery “brave” who has to slide his bulb nose out of the way to speak. He becomes involved in a contest with the tribe to bring back the best food catch of the day, in return for a kiss from princess Minnie-Hotcha (alias Red). Heel-Watha’s prey? Screwy Squirrel – who himself claims the kiss by the end of the picture. Songs: a return for “By the Waters of Minnetonka”, and a first appearance for “Singin’ in the Rain’, introduced by Cliff Edwards in “The Hollywood Revue of 1929″, and recorded by Cliff for Columbia. Columbia also had a dance version by Fred Rich and his Orchestra. Brunswick gave it to Earl Burtnett and his Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra. Victor had a vocal by Johnny Marvin, and a pipe organ rendition by Jesse Crawford. Okeh had a vocal version be Seger Ellis (below). A version by Duke Ellington featuring extended Johnny Hodges sax solo was issued on Columbia in 1949. In the ‘50’s, Gene Kelly’s soundtrack version from the picture of the same name issued on MGM records. Tex Beneke would issue a swing version concurrently on MGM. Ben Light also performed it on Tempo.

NEXT TIME: More 1940’s from Metro.