Max and Dave: Specials, Leading To Noveltoons
The Fleischers must have thought they could restore their relationship with Paramount by putting out occasional specials in Technicolor. They were wrong.
Animator Breakdown: “Trombone Trouble” (1944)
Here’s an animator breakdown I’ve wanted to present from the start: “Trombone Trouble” starring Donald Duck!
Jack Kirby at Ruby-Spears
Kirby’s time at Ruby-Spears provided him financial and medical security and allowed him to explore endless concepts including humor.
Old King Cole Display Company: Christmas Promotional Campaign (1935)
This particular film promotes their Disney-themed displays created for larger department stores.
We, Robots! (Part 13): More Monsters Make Mischief
Here’s another not-necessarily chronological look at some random leftovers from early television focusing on mechanized metal men.
The Gods Must be Crazy: Disney’s “Hercules”
“We call it an epic comedy,” said producer Alice Dewey in 1997. “So, that pretty much sums it up.”
Baby Huey in “Swab The Duck” (1956)
The story of how I got my hands on a brand new 35mm print, struck from Paramount’s original negatives.
Josie and the Pussy Cats
Because Filmation owned the rights to the Archie characters, the Hanna-Barbera Pussycats series had to be divorced from that Archie universe and its characters.
Famous Studios’ “Lulu at the Zoo” (1944)
While it isn’t the funniest of the series, it’s beautifully designed and animated with a great score – and Dutch subtitles!
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]
