Animation Anecdotes #375
Joseph Funaro, pastor of the Catholic church in Brooklyn Heights, got his start at Famous Studios. “I was the first, or one of the first to draw Casper for the cartoons,” said Funaro.
“The best drink in all the world: MILK!” – Out of Milk Bottle (1932)
This is one of my favorite ‘oddball’ educational shorts. It appears to have been originally produced as a silent short then revamped with new footage in the early 30s.
Disney’s “Frolicking Fish” (1930)
The premiere of Frolicking Fish occurred on July 19th, 1930 with prints of the cartoon printed on green stock to produce an effect appropriate for the setting.
Disney/Amblin’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” on Records
After 30 years of vinyl records, audio cassettes and CDs, the live-action/animated brainchild of Disney, Spielberg and Zemeckis is still making soundtrack news.
Warner Club News (1962) – Part 2
The studio is transitioning away from its regular schedule of theatrical shorts – and towards a new direction with commercials and The Incredible Mr. Limpet
Covering “Fun And Fancy Free”
“Fun and Fancy Free” did well at the box-office. But, from the standpoint of hit songs – frankly, “Fun and Fancy Free” was a flop!
Lil’ Eightball in “Silly Superstition” (1939)
Walter Lantz’s second “Lil’ Eightball” episode offers a more defined protagonist over the first entry, but there is little improvement beyond that.
Animation Anecdotes #374
“Doing both the strip (Life in Hell) and the series, I’m having a blast,” says Matt Groening. “I’m doing what the teachers used to rap me on the knuckles for.”
Tom & Jerry in “A Swiss Trick” (1931)
This print of A Swiss Trick is 35mm nitrate. We’ve left it tinted as the original print was. Note that the film is in ‘Movietone’ aspect ratio, where the picture is now taller to accommodate the soundtrack.
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]
