Here’s a good cartoon break for today, and a less-seen one for sure. Back in July we talked a little about See How They Won, and I’ve been meaning to revisit Cartoon Films since. There will be more in the coming weeks, as well…
The Gran’ Pop Monkey cartoons were produced in 1939 by Cartoon Films, LTD. They were based on a series of illustrations (example below) by popular artist Lawson Wood, who had become quite well known for his his Gran’ Pop Monkey character. As you can see in the advertisement, It was announced that a series of 24 cartoons were in production, to be released in Technicolor, but it’s unclear as to why the series was cancelled. The actual films were all released in Cinecolor. All three films were shown theatrically in 1940 (released by Monogram Pictures), and later sold to Official Films and released in both black and white and color versions. It’s been suggested that Iwerks produced these cartoons in the UK; upon viewing them it’s clear they were made in the states with the staff that was also working on the various theatrical commercials and Columbia Color Rhapsodies.
There appears to have been only three cartoons made before they were discontinued: Beauty Shoppe, A Busy Day and Baby Checkers. Prints of the first two have shown up in color, but as of this writing Baby Checkers has not. I wonder if they didn’t test well; it’s likely the war may have been a factor in halting the collaborative production of these films.
Cartoon Films was the ‘new’ title for Animated Pictures, Inc. (Ub Iwerks studio) renamed in 1936 when Iwerks parted ways with producer Pat Powers and his Celebrity Productions. After the dissolution of the contract, Iwerk’s studio
continued by producing some of the Color Rhapsody cartoons for Columbia/ Mintz as well as a series of theatrical advertisements.
Apparently the GRANPOP cartoons were released theatrically “day-and-date” with the 16mm release. This poster has the Monogram Pictures logo affixed to it – note that the number of cartoons promised is now down to eight. Only these three were produced.
Columbia also released a handful of shorts that Cartoons Films Ltd. produced as well, including The Carpenters (1941) and the Oscar Nominated How War Came (1941). Animator Paul Fennell took over role as the main director of the studio by 1939, and despite what it says in the trade ad above likely directed all three of the Gran’ Pops. The studio survived until at least 1942, several years after Iwerks had left to return to Disney.
I’ve always found the three cartoons to be fun, but sort of odd. Some of the character animation is a bit awkward, while other scenes are well timed and drawn. Even with their limited palette, I think the color design is quite nice.
I first bought a print of this cartoon in black-and-white somewhere in the mid 1980s. Years later most of the film showed up in a fairly beat up color print. When putting together the Cultoons, Volume 3 DVD, I transferred this beat up color print and combined it with the Black and White version to make the version that appears on that DVD. I do hope that someday a full-color print shows up.
(Thanks, Mark Newgarden)
Steve Stanchfield is an animator, educator and film archivist. He runs Thunderbean Animation, an animation studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has compiled over a dozen archival animation DVD collections devoted to such subjects at Private Snafu, The Little King and the infamous Cubby Bear. Steve is also a professor at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.
According to The Film Daily of December 19, 1938, those three cartoons had been finished. The war wouldn’t have affected production at that point.
Berneice Hansell supplies a voice. I don’t know if that’s Danny Webb doing another voice.
It’s too bad that Paul Fennell is no longer around. He would have been glad to clear up the matter of who directed those shorts. Asifa knows where Fennell’s WWII films are. Some of those are quite well done and on very low budgets with very young crews.
I hadn’t seen the listing of them being finished in 38, but that makes sense. I do know they saw a release in 1940, but beyond that I’m not sure what happened with continuing the series.
I do hope at some point to have a hand in making those Fennell films available…
Purely conjecture on my part, but perhaps production on the cartoons was suspended when it became evident that the company was going to have trouble finding a distributor for them.
If Danny Webb was responsible for being the first voice of flustered Papa Panda in “LIFE BEGINS FOR ANDY PANDA”, then yes, he is part of this cartoon.
Yes, Danny Webb and Berneice are in the cartoon. Gran’pop himself is the voice of Bruce Payne, a pretty obscure British actor who did small parts on many radio shows, like LUX, etc.
I’ve always been intrigued by Ub Iwerks’ 1935-1938 cartoons, and it’s also interesting that Paul Fennel started directing in the 1930s.
After the cartoon, “Life With Feathers,” the Danny Webb trail turns cold. Whether he is living or dead, remains a mystery.
Danny Webb had died sometime ago. He was born over a century ago.
Danny Webb was born on May 24, 1906 (one source says May 28, 1906) and he went Home to be with the Lord on September of 1983. Well done, Danny.
Beside relesing the Gran Pop Monkeys did Monogram Pictures have any other involvment with animation?
I have Cultoons Volume 1 and 2 made by you on VHS. Tried to get them transferred onto disc, but found you had copywrited them. What do you suggest? You made these a long time ago when you were working at the movie theatre with my son Lee Demond.