{"id":85638,"date":"2024-06-05T00:01:25","date_gmt":"2024-06-05T07:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/?p=85638"},"modified":"2024-06-02T19:43:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T02:43:26","slug":"in-the-center-ring-part-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/in-the-center-ring-part-21\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Center Ring (Part 21)"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"\n

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By the time periods covered by this article, Hanna-Barbera\u2019s fixation with circus cartoons was beginning to wane slightly. Some entire series were able to escape without a circus episode (For example, The Jetsons (although a circus would figure into a later episode in its comeback period), Breezly Bruin and Sneezly Seal, and Yippee, Yappee, and Yahooey.) However, there were still series where circus episodes would pile up – evidenced today by a run of circus visits to hillbilly territory to drop in new guest characters out of the blue, accounting for five of this week\u2019s entries. Rounding out today\u2019s offerings are visits with Touche Turtle, Magilla Gorilla, and even the old west setting of Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long. <\/p>\n

\"\"Zero Hero<\/strong> (Touche Turtle and Dum Dum<\/em>, 9\/10\/62) – The circus is in town, and Dum Dum arouses Touche Turtle from nightcap slumber inside his shell to inform him of the big news, and suggest a little R&R from the hero business. Touche disapproves, reminding Dum Dum that hero duty always comes first. But Touche\u2019s hero schedule isn\u2019t exactly cluttered with work. Today\u2019s agenda only includes an appointment to help a little old lady across the street, and tomorrow\u2019s a date to help her back again. A phone call from inside Touche\u2019s shell makes things more interesting, as the circus owner informs Touche that a giant gorilla, King Size Bong, has escaped. The gorilla is not so much the ferocious type, but is needed back for tonight\u2019s performance. Touche asks Dum Dum for a description of their suspect, and Dum Dum points to a poster on a fence, depicting Bong as dwarfing telephone poles. \u201cMy, he\u2019s a big one\u201d, remarks Touche in typical underplay. <\/p>\n

\"\"Bong, who in essence is the studio\u2019s Wee Willie in giant form, shows up on the scene. He curiously picks up Touche, who ducks inside his shell, then sticks out one swashbuckling arm to jab Bong n the nose with the point of a sword. Bong drops Touche and runs, while Touche pursues, calling, \u201cOh, come on now. Give up. Make it easy on yourself.\u201d Bong scales the tallest building in town, hanging by one arm from the rooftop\u2019s center spire. Touche and Dum Dum resort to aerial tactics, performing a fly-by the ape with a helicopter. As they pass the tower, Dum Dum aims a toss of a lariat, snagging Bong by the neck. Touche prepares to tug Bong off the tower with the rope, and lower him gently to the ground. Instead, Bong gives a tug on the rope from the opposite end, yanking the helicopter out from under our heroes. CRASH! Next, Touche saddles up upon the side of a king-size skyrocket, aimed by ramp at the tower top. Dum Dum lights the fuse, and Touche, sword in hand, yells, \u201cCharge!\u201d The rocket is dead-on target. However, Bong playfully reaches out his paws, clapping them together as if he were smacking flies, flattening Touche and the rocket with the sound effect of a crashing cymbal. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t know hs own strength\u201d, moans Touche, as he slides off Bong\u2019s hand, crashing again to the ground. The time for the \u201cbig shoo\u201d is rapidly approaching, and the only way Touche can see to rescue the evening\u2019s performance is ro call the circus owner, and propose a \u201cbig odea\u201d. The owner agrees, and we dissolve to a few hours later. A platform has been set up around the rooftop of the tower, and the circus tent pitched right over the flagpole on which Bong still clings – bringing the show to him. As a special added attraction, Touche now appears nightly, repeating verbatim his rocket charge at Bong, only to get flattened between Bong\u2019s mighty palms once again. \u201cThe show must go on, you know. Oh, brother!\u201d, moans Touche, as he falls from Bong\u2019s palm for the fade out. <\/p>\n