I know these newsletters may not be as exciting as we wish – but on the other hand, they show us the other side – the human side – of our favorite artists. They unveil a closer look at the Schlesinger personnel during a year (1940) that birth’s the biggest cartoon superstar of the 20th Century: Bugs Bunny.
April 1st, 1940
The Exposure Sheet’s co-editor Virginia Morgan left the studio and the search for a new co-editor begins. A new page of classified ads begins with employees selling off stuff they no longer need – Dick Bickenbach sells a golf club, Gil Turner has a camera, and Alex Ignatiev has some wolfhound puppies.
Released April 27th 1940, this cartoon – featuring Elmer – was typical of what the studio was making and releasing during the month these newsletters were released.
April 15th, 1940
A Bio of Carl Stalling – and humorous bio of painter Myrlin Johnson. And “Why is a certain rotund animator being called “Rollo”? We may never know…
Also released in April 1940 – “Porky’s Poor Fish” Directed by Bob Clampett.
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 [
I adore THE HARDSHIP OF MILES STANDISH, but you have to be pretty old these days to be familiar with Hugh Herbert and Edna May.
“Porky’s Poor Fish”- one of Carl Stalling’s GREAT scores!!!! Starts out with a lengthy arrangement of “The Girl with the Pigtails in Her Hair”…..