January 1954
1954 begins – and producer Eddie Selzer welcomes back to the staff to resume full production. The Christmas party on Dec. 20th (1953) at Selzer’s home is just around the corner – and you will see pictures from that event in the next issue (scroll down)… “Fritz” Freleng, Warren Foster and Chuck Jones went to New York (via train) to talk “big deals” (I wonder if these “big deals” concerned the Freleng Sloan Foundation cartoons, and the Jones’ Military recruitment films?)…
February 1954
The studio gets a crate of Bugs Bunny carrots (a “by-product” – that’s what they used to call ‘merchandising’ back then), Selzer gives a bunch to Mel Blanc (who was allergic to them). Highlights from the party – Selzer and Mel Blanc perform a skit spoofing Mel’s voice audition… and a ton of photos!
Here’s the photos close up. Who can you identify?
BELOW: I can spot Warren Foster and Mel Blanc…
BELOW: I see Steve Millman… and that looks like Selzer and Blanc doing their skit.
March 1954
Satan’s Waitin’ is apparently previewed (it won’t be released publicly till August); Linda Jones has appendicitis; the studio celebrates its status as the public’s number one short subjects series producer.
April 1954
Much about the average daily doings of the staff, at the office and at home. Chuck Jones has a harrowing plane flight, Carl Stalling survives a storm; and Ben Washam tries to flirt.
NEXT WEEK: 1954 – part 2
Thanks to Ned Comstock at USC for providing these columns from Warner Club News
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 Cal Arts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [
That sketch of Carl Stalling in the April issue looks like one of the Gremlins from the Kremlin. Time to dig out GC vol. 6 and listen to Mark Kausler’s commentary to see if I’m right.