Hi-De-Ho: Cab Calloway and Cartoons – Part 1
As most of us know, Cab Calloway did three shorts for Max Fleischer. They are familiar–old friends–to many of us animation buffs.
Tag Archives: Max Fleischer
Popeye Goes Latin – 1
Cartoons discovered the appeal of the Conga Dance, as demonstrated by its appearance in shorts from Warner Bros.. Terrytoons… and yes, Max Fleischer.
Four Brothers Named Mills
A number of artists appeared in the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoons. One act not only did three Screen Songs cartoons, but had good-natured fun with caricature. That act was the Mills Brothers.
Popeye in “It’s The Natual Thing To Do” (1939)
A fond memory of the days when running vintage black and white theatrical cartoons on children’s television was “the natural thing to do”!
“Organ Grinder’s Swing” (1937)
One wonders if Fleischer’s Organ Grinders Swing could be interpreted as a protest against Mayor La Guardia’s then-recent decree that organ grinders be outlawed in the City of New York.
Two Voices-No Credit: Billy Murray and Walter Scanlan At Fleischer
There were two singers who show up repeatedly in the “Screen Songs” cartoons. They never got any screen credit. But any record collector would recognize them immediately.
More Fleischer Needle Drop – and Terrytoon Notes
I am a little bit familiar with the career of Roy Halee. He was a rich-voiced tenor, and just the right voice for the singing of Mighty Mouse.
“Betty Boop’s Penthouse” (1933) – and “Frat”
Here’s a cartoon perfect for Halloween Eve – and, it turns out, there’s another “needle-drop” here taking up a good part of the cartoon’s soundtrack.
Max Fleischer and Novelty Records
One type of record that companies hoped would sell were called “novelty records”, for lack of a better term. Max Fleischer used three such “novelties” in some of his 1930’s cartoons.
Needle Drop Cuban Rhythms For Boop and Flip
Cuban rhythms really didn’t filter their way down to North American popular music – the kind that most folks would buy – until 1930. It’s an entertaining, if roundabout, story.
