Animator Breakdown: “Many Tanks” (1942)

From the June 24th 1942 issue of Paramount Sales News (click to enlarge)

As the United States braced for its involvement in the Second World War, Popeye the Sailor took on a new role in The Mighty Navy, released in November 1941. This marked a significant shift in his character; the rough-and-tumble sailor of the thirties was now portrayed as a bumbling “sad sack” who struggled to conform to Navy regulations. Popeye was now seen in Navy whites—a uniform that would stick for the rest of his theatrical career, with rare exceptions. (1952’s Big Bad Sinbad, a “cheater” cartoon that lifts footage from Popeye Meets Sindbad the Sailor, has new footage showing Popeye in his original sailor outfit to match both films.)

A week after The Mighty Navy’s release, Dave Fleischer resigned on November 22, two days before his 26-week contract expiration. Under Paramount’s employ, the Fleischers’ contractual agreement stipulated that Max and Dave would have to surrender their assets, including the Fleischer Studios namesake. In the wake of Dave’s departure, Sam Buchwald, Izzy Sparber, and Max’s son-in-law, Seymour Kneitel, stepped in as production supervisors. A few weeks later, on January 6, 1942, Max Fleischer confirmed his resignation to Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures.

In Many Tanks, de facto directed by Tom Johnson, Private Bluto tries to avoid guard duty in the Tank Corps. Popeye the Sailor passes by on his way to a date with Olive Oyl. The sailor is tricked into switching uniforms with Bluto, who steps out in (ill-fitting) Navy whites. This leaves Popeye alone at the Army base as the Tank Corps executes training exercises with disastrous results.

Tom Johnson’s crew in Many Tanks includes his mainstays Frank Endres, George Germanetti, Ben Solomon, and Harold Walker. A fascinating discovery in the production materials reveals that Joe Oriolo animated a few scenes in the cartoon. (Oriolo shifted to Al Eugster’s crew for the next Popeye release, Baby Wants a Bottleship, released in July 1942.)

Another fascinating find in the documentation includes a production chart revealing the assistant animators on the film: for instance, Edith Vernick and Ben Levin assisted Frank Endres. Edith Vernick, a longtime Fleischer employee since 1920, headed the in-between department in the mid-‘30s while the studio was in New York. Edith then became the second female employee (the first being Lillian Friedman) to rise through the ranks of the animation department as an assistant. Ben Levin found work drawing funny animal comics for small publishers in the 1940s and 1950s. Ben Solomon assisted his own scenes; Joe Oriolo’s assistant is listed as “Gerke,” identified in his draft registration card as William Lanen Gerke (1911-1988).

The film’s production papers state that the footage totaled 565 feet (6 minutes, 16 seconds). Another minute of action, involving the Tank Corps chasing after Popeye towards the end of the picture, was needed to fill out the running time. It is not listed in the production chart or the director’s boards. (The animator breakdown video leaves the artist identifications in those scenes blank.)

Many Tanks was released to the general public on June 5, 1942. Two weeks earlier, on May 22, the Fleischer studio was officially renamed Famous Studios. Meanwhile, the Popeye cartoon was shown at New York’s Paramount Theater on July 25 and August 3, with Priorities on Parade as its main feature. The film was later booked at the Rialto for the week of September 28, accompanying the Columbia feature Counter-Espionage.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States government required all able-bodied men, ages 18-45, to register with their draft board to participate in military service; several animators were either enlisted or drafted. Assistant animator Bill Gerke enlisted in the Army on September 1, 1942, while director Tom Johnson was put into the Army on October 22. Frank Endres enlisted in the Navy on December 14. Edith Vernick signed up for the Women’s Army Corp that year and later ranked as Sergeant. George Germanetti was drafted into the Army; no records indicate precisely when, but he presumably went into the Army that same year.

Thanks to: Andy Chance for the production materials and to Michael Barrier, Mark Kausler, Mark Mayerson, Harvey Deneroff, and Bob Jaques for additional information.