Animation Anecdotes #395
“Cats Don’t Dance was supervised by no less than eight executives in its lifetime, several of whom would have rather ironed Chris Farley’s underwear than make an animated movie.”
“The Picnic Panic” (1935)
“The Picnic Panic” raw scan, plus the old cartoon year that was and the old cartoon future, plus some end of the year ‘Rainbows’…
Robert McKimson’s “Hillbilly Hare” (1950)
Time to breakdown one of animation’s greatest hoedowns—Bob McKimson’s feudin’ an’ square-dancin’ cult classic, Hillbilly Hare!
UPA’s “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” on Records, Part One
The original soundtrack album for the first animated Christmas TV special–which boasts one of the finest musical scores ever—was released almost 50 years after it premiered.
Christmas Eve with The Kausler Collection
For Christmas Eve, I’ve asked Mark Kausler to pull some seasonal cartoons we might not have seen. Here are two from the Soviet Union and one from the Czech Republic.
“Puddy Tats here. . . Puddy Tats There!”
Helen Kane and Danny Kaye sing “I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat” – and Mel Blanc sings a sequel tune!
Jim Korkis’ Christmas Anecdotes 2018
Once again during this holiday season, I devote an entire Animation Anecdotes column to some animated Christmas tales.
Animation Anecdotes #394
“You do not write down for animation. As a matter of fact, the music needs to be as emotionally powerful as it can be, because music is casting a spell.”
“Japanese Lanterns” (1935)
Japanese Lanterns is a wonderful little short from near the beginning of the Rainbow Parade series. I think it’s one of the best of the series – and here is my latest transfer.
Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and Blu-ray compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. Beck is currently on the faculty of CalArts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [Click Here]
