By 1948, cartoon shorts were not beloved by theatre owners, who made no extra money by running them with features. So they weren’t beloved by the trade press. Therefore, there just aren’t a lot of stories about them. And studios were moving away from them. Disney had been emphasizing cartoon features and then moved more and more into live action. John Sutherland tried live action, too. He made one non-animated feature for Eagle-Lion then scuttled plans for another titled “Confessions of an American Communist” because of a lack of interest. Instead, he stuck with animated commercials and corporate propaganda films, some of which were released theatrically by MGM. George Pal planned features. Warners used animated inserts in a couple of features. UPA had acquired a theatrical release from Columbia but was animating commercials, too. One contract was for Southern Select Beer to air on a TV station in Texas. Impossible Pictures’ cheap-o “Daffy Ditties” series lasted four cartoons. There was no clamour for them.
Television was exploding in late 1948 and looking at animation, too. But it could never afford full, theatrical-style cartoons, so it tried short-cuts. One example can be found below in Variety. As it turned out, TV was the future home of animation, first with releases of old theatricals, and then the stripped-down kind made especially for the medium, led by the attractively designed cartoon shows created by Hanna-Barbera in the late ‘50s. But ten years earlier, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera were at MGM, coming up with new characters to freshen the Tom and Jerry series. Which characters? At the time, Metro’s publicity machine wasn’t all that concerned with veracity, just that the studio’s name made the trades, so its P.R. people invented characters and cartoons. Was Tex Avery really working on a mystery cartoon, like the studio told Variety? Perhaps. Perhaps not. We’ll never know unless someone ploughs through what has been preserved of the studio archives.
The Walter Lantz studio’s situation is confusing if you go by Variety. A story said it had completed two seasons of 12 cartoons for United Artists but that wasn’t true. It delivered only a dozen shorts and that turned out to be it. A Variety report at the end of January 1949 gave the correct numbers (one season, 12 cartoons) and said that Lantz and his writers already finished working scripts on seven others. A week later, he was off on a junket that took him to Hawaii, Europe and South America, then to New York, where he signed a deal with Universal to re-release another 13 of his shorts, before moving on to Canada in the fall. Evidently his studio was closed the whole time. Lantz eventually gave up on U-A and re-signed with Universal releasing (perhaps not coincidentally) seven cartoons in 1951.
So with that introduction, let’s look at some stories and reviews. Stories are from Film Daily unless otherwise noted.
July 1, 1948
Daily Variety
Lollypop Lane Television Productions, Inc., headed by Marsha Drake and Jacquelyn Ross will film a 13 week series of children's video reels. Series will be a combined animation-live action.
30 CARTOONS GOING SET METRO RECORD
Daily Variety
With 30 cartoons in work, Metro cartoon department currently is at the highest production level in five years. Ten of the animateds are in the Tom and Jerry series in Technicolor. Others include five in the Droopy series and 15 novelties. Fred Quimby, studio cartoon head, reported the last previous high was in 1943 when 22 cartoons—including four under government contract—were in work.
July 6, 1948
48 Metro Short Subjects Scheduled for 1948-49
... Program includes ... the following one-reel-ers: 16 Technicolor Cartoons (including the Tom and Jerry Series); four Gold Medal Reprint Cartoons in Technicolor ...
July 8, 1948
Disney Works At All-Time High
PICTURES GOING WONT BE FINISHED UNTIL 1950
Daily Variety
Walt Disney's studio has reached an all-time high in both personnel and pictures with enough films already underway to keep that lot operating at full blast well into 1950 if no more pictures are started. All of Disney's pre-war executive staff has been returned to the payroll with new employes being added. Currently in production at the plant are three full-length features with three additional features undergoing pre-production work. Approximately 20 short cartoons featuring Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pluto and Goofey are in works. In addition, Disney has six 30-minute color subjects working under the title of True Adventure series.
MY HEART SCORING
"So Dear to My Heart," full-lengther featuring Burl Ives, Beulah Bondi, Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patton, is on the scoring stage. Negative will be turned over to Technicolor on August 28 in anticipation of a release before the holidays. Pic features six new tunes by eight top song writers and four old folk songs. Second picture on slate is "Fabulous Characters" feature, starring the four Crosby kiddies with Bing himself narrating and singing. Crosby boys will be only live actors in the film. Scenes featuring the children will be shot following their current vacation. Negative goes to Technicolor by April 1 of next year.
MYSTERY FILM
Third feature in production, which is more or less of a mystery in that only those high up in the "know" are familiar with what the story is about, has been inked for 14 months. This feature has been in animation for 60 days and has a minimum budget of $2,000,000. Three features in pre-production stages include "Three Wishes," "Alice in Wonderland" and "Hiawatha." "Three Wishes" feature, being made with cartoon and live action, is already in final detail stages.
July 9, 1948
Daily Variety
Frank Nelson will gab "Bungle in the Jungle," cartoon now being made by Impossible Pictures for Republic.
July 15, 1948
Daily Variety
Shamus and Maxine Culhane signed by Bonded Television to do all studio's animation work.
METRO CARTOONERY CLOSES FOR VACASH
Daily Variety
Metro cartoon department shutters tomorrow night as employes trek off for annual vacation. Idea launched by producer Fred C. Quimby ten years ago, permits department to function at peak economy since vital teamwork needed for the shorts would be impaired by staggered vacation sked. Vacation period this year comes at a time when the cartoon studio is at its highest production peak in five years with 30 pix in various stages of filming.
July 22, 1948
That Song Boosts Bookings of Woody
West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY
Exhibitors, Lantz said, have made an increased demand for the Woodys, reporting that the requests for the films have hit an all-time high. They, incidentally, have been playing the Woody Woodpecker song during intermissions, giving the cartoon character an added boost.
As a result of the tremendous popularity of the song, which was first played on the air by Kay Kayser [sic] on May 27, to become an overnight hit, Lantz claims that he has been deluged with Woody Woodpecker business. Requests for new licensee tieups have been numerous, with one new item—the Woody Woodpecker balloon ready to go on the market this week—and several dozen others in various stages of completion.
Woody's scope is widening even more, for now Chicagoan Don McNeill, originator of the Breakfast Club on radio, has chosen the Woodpecker as his official mascot in his "McNeill for President' campaign, which is slated for a big buildup over ABC stations. One million Woody Woodpecker stickers and buttons are being sent out by McNeill to 267 ABC stations, and Woody gets daily mention on the program. Lantz has been invited to make a guest appearance on the show, and plans to do so if at all possible.
Song has been recorded by Columbia, Capitol, Decca, Mercury, M-G-M, and Varsity. Sheet music sales are over 5,000 per month—tops in novelty type songs.
July 27, 1948
New Tele Outfit Will Do Reels a la Carte
Daily Variety
New video firm, "Television Clearing House," has been formed by Dave Fleischer, Lou Notarius and Walter Bowman. Firm will make animated telepix, the first of which will be "This Amazing World." Fleischer asserted that company will make TV reels on order only.
August 2, 1948
Cartoons as Title Cards for 'Happy'
Daily Variety
William Dozier has set Walter Lantz to produce a special animated cartoon strip to be used for main title cards for "You Gotta Stay Happy." Cartoon will feature a jet propelled plane and will be in keeping with the mood of the Joan Fontaine-James Stewart comedy.
August 3, 1948
Hold Powers Rites Today in Buffalo
Buffalo—Private funeral rites will be held here today for Patrick A. Powers, pioneer film producer and executive, who died Friday in New York following a brief illness. Services will be conducted from St. Mary's Cathedral in Buffalo with interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, Limestone, N. Y. Powers died in Doctors Hospital, N. Y. He was 78.
Born in Ireland, P. A. Powers started his business career in Buffalo as representative of the Edison Phonograph Co. and Victor Talking Machine Co. He was credited with promoting the "His Master's Voice" slogan.
In 1912, Powers organized Universal Pictures Corp. which comprised eight independent production units. Later he started Film Booking Offices of America which eventually merged with RKO. He introduced "Mickey Mouse" and "Silly Symphony" cartoons and developed the Powers Cinephone recording systems. He produced two series of cartoons for M-G-M release and another known as Powers Comi-Color, which were released via Celebrity. He headed Celebrity since 1930. He was connected with the latter company until a year ago.
In recent years his interest was taken up with the operation of the Long Shore Beach and Country Club in Westport. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Roscoe N. George; a sister, Mary E. Powers, a nephew and three nieces.
August 16, 1948
LANTZ IS EYEING CARTOON FEATURE
Daily Variety
Walter Lantz, who has deal with United Artists to turn out 12 cartoons annually, is looking into possibilities of cartoon feature production. Producer already has scanned folklore for subject matter, and has made extensive study of costs. He now is exploring for original story idea on which to build his first feature, on theory that any cartoon feature which carries a good story will be acceptable to market.
August 19, 1948
Pal to Gird Globe
Daily Variety
George Pal yesterday announced that "The Adventures of Tom Thumb," will get full global treatment in a saturation servicing in both 16m and standard prints. Live action-animation fantasy will be issued in 14 languages.
August 25, 1948
Cox Ankles Disney's, Joins Sutherland
Daily Variety
Rex Cox has ankled his post as story man in Walt Disney's commercial setup to assume vee-pee job with John Sutherland Productions. He'll take charge of Sutherland's animated and live action commercial and tele-pix.
September 7, 1948
"Three Little Pigs" To Replay Music Hall
Marking the first time the big house has booked a reissue, Radio City Music Hall will replay Walt Disney's "Three Little Pigs" during the run of Leo McCarey's "Good Sam." RKO also has set 250 day and date openings for the cartoon classic, for which some 20,000 bookings in the U. S, and Canada are anticipated.
September 16, 1948
SUTHERLAND SHORTS WILL BE FUSED INTO MEX FEATURE
Daily Variety
John Sutherland returned yesterday from Mexico City confab with number of Mexican industry uppers on a musical comedy to be filmed there in Spanish. Project would combine four cartoons which Sutherland previously filmed out for United Artists with live-action. Cartoons, in Technicolor, never released in Latin America, run 10 minutes, to which will he added 50 minutes of live-action. UA already has granted Sutherland rights to Latin American distribution of cartoons which include "The Cross-Eyed Bull," "The Lady Said No," "Choo Choo Amigo" "Perito Serenade."
Shorts were screened for Mexicans by producer, and were favorably received, Sutherland declared, by both producers, writers and musicians. Sutherland will submit story pattern and act as associate producer, but otherwise entire enterprise will be Mexican.
Sutherland will return to Mexico City in about two weeks for further negotiations with group.
September 21, 1948
Daily Variety
Metro is getting into the field of combination live action and animation cartoons. First two cartoons in the combined medium will be "Senor Droopy," with Lina Romay and "House of Tomorrow," with Joy Lansing. Tex Avery will direct both shorts for producer Fred Quimby.
September 22, 1948
Pals Puppets Sought For Sherman's Oater
Daily Variety
George Pal and Harry Sherman are talking a deal under which Pal would revive Jasper and other puppet characters from his Puppetoons for a special animation sequence of 1500 feet in Sherman's projected production, "Carmen of the West." Joel McCrea and Peter Thompson have been set for top roles in Sherman's sagebrush version of the opera.
October 5, 1948
Daily Variety
LEO THE LION may find someone growling back at him any day. Now Metro's famous trademark is leaving himself wide open—he's stepping down from his perch to act. He'll debut with cartoon stars Tom and Jerry in "Jerry and the Lion" which William Hanna and Joseph Barbera co-direct for producer Fred Quimby. If the film works out well, Leo will be starred in his own cartoon series. If not—well, what film critic is going to take a poke at a lion?
October 6, 1948
BURKE MORRISON
Daily Variety
Burke Morrison, 35, cartoon cameraman at Walt Disney Studio, died Oct. 3 after a three-month illness of encephalitis. Morrison, a member of Studio Cameramen's Local 659, was a veteran of World War II, having served extensively with the Navy.
Dick Haymes Gets 'Tom Thumb' Offer
Daily Variety
Negotiations are underway on a deal between George Pal and Dick Haymes whereby latter will play the romantic lead in Pal's forth coming live action-animation Technicolor feature for UA, "The Adventures of Tom Thumb."
October 6, 1948
'Pickwick' Cartoon
Daily Variety
Elsa Manchester [sic] yesterday closed deal with United Productions for animated cartoon version of "Pickwick Papers," which she adapted from the Dickens' classic and will narrate.
October 11, 1948
Daily Variety
WALT DISNEY has hired vet song-plugger, Dave Kent, to do nothing but get disc jockey spins and radio and band renditions of title tune from upcoming "So Dear To My Heart" film. Although other songs are sifted into pic, Kent concentrates only on the title tune. Thus Disney is off on something of a new tangent in touting a film. He hopes repetition of the title, dinned musically into public's cars, will reap a big response when the combination cartoon-live action film is released in December.
October 13, 1948
Now Has a Mouse Playmate
Daily Variety
Preview reaction to Metro's Tom and Jerry cartoon, "The Little Orphan," resulted in the birth of a new star—Nibbles, the mouse with the ravenous appetite. As a result, there'll be a new series at Metro—the Nibbles series with William Hanna and Joseph Barbara co-directing.
October 15, 1948
CARTOON SEQUENCES EMERGING INTO MAJOR FEATURES
Daily Variety
Majors are happening to go in for cartoon sequences in their features. Wave started recently with Warners' "Two Guys From Texas" and William Dozier [garble] animation for main title and credits in his "You Gotta Stay Happy" for Universal-International release. Latter was done by Walter Lantz. Lantz currently is doing cartoon sequences for pair of other films, which are slated to be surprise incorporations in these productions. Several other majors, too, have been talking deals with cartoon producer for similar sequences.
Daily Variety
Right on the heels of the features, Fred Quimby is preparing a series of "Tom and Jerry" cartoons for Metro featuring foreign locales. They are "Cheese Heaven," located in Holland; "Mouse in Mexico" and "Cat in Calcutta."
October 25, 1948
Fairy Tale for Pal
Daily Variety
George Pal has set machinery in motion for development of a live action-animation version of "Rumpelstiltskin." Latter yarn about the famous fairy tale tailor probably will follow "Tom Thumb."
October 26, 1948
MGM 'Question Mark" Proves Apt Title
Daily Variety
Mystery shrouds Fred Quimby's cartoon "Operation Question Mark" at Metro. Production gets under way today and Quimby has decreed no visitors within department until production is finished. Shorts department topper reports only that the cartoon, directed by Tex Avery, is a completely different animated production.
October 27, 1948
Brushoff to Documentary Pix, Army Censorship Scored by Lorentz
Daily Variety
Documentary films have been given such a complete triple brushoff by the Government, private industry and Hollywood since the war's end ... according to Pare Lorentz, producer of "The River"...
In an address Saturday before the N. Y. Herald Tribune forum ... Lorentz charged U. S. Army officials with suppressing the United Automobile Workers' one-reel tolerance cartoon, "Brotherhood of Man," in Germany out of fear of rubbing some Southern congressmen the wrong way.
October 28, 1948
RKO TO RELEASE 85 SHORTS; 24 BY DISNEY
Daily Variety
New York, Oct. 27.-Eighteen Disney Technicolor cartoons and six Disney reissues will [garble] the 1948-49 shorts program announced here for RKO.
October 29, 1948
Meet 'Droopy,' 'Spike'
Daily Variety
Metro yesterday put the finishing touches on "Wags to Riches," cartoon featuring two new characters, "Droopy" and "Spike." Canines were dreamed up by Fred Quimby and his assistants. They'll be used in a series of the shorts.
December 2, 1948
Daily Variety
Warners yesterday laid off 28 members of its cartoon department. Group included assistants and in-between artists.
December 3, 1948
3 Tom and Jerry Cartoons Crayoned
Daily Variety
Trio of Tom and Jerry cartoons have just come off drawing boards at Metro. Subjects are "Hatch Up Your Troubles," "The Little Orphan," and "Heavenly Puss." William Hanna and Joseph Barbera co-direct the cartoons, which Fred Quimby produces.
December 13, 1948
ABC DEVELOPS CHEAPER FORM OF TELE ANIMATION
Daily Variety
ABC will unveil something new in television next Friday via a NY press preview of animatic, combo live action-film gimmick. The "something new" is actually a revival of a childhood toy via which animation was achieved by flicking cards. Figures appeared to move by changing their position on succeeding pasteboards. The animatic effects animation, and also cuts costs, via only two frames of film, changing at the rate of 200ths of a second. First of the films, with which local announcers and studio audiences appear on tele-receivers, are "Guess Again," quiz show; "Artist In Crime," cartoon mystery, and "Pot Luck," cartoon cookery item. Scripts for presentation of the shows by local station emcees accompany the films. Carroll Dunning of Dunning-color invented the machine. Harry McMahan of Five Star Productions supervised filming of features used on it.
December 21, 1948
Lantz Winds Program Of 12 Shorts for UA
Daily Variety
Walter Lantz yesterday completed his second annual program of 12 cartoons for United Artists release, with one year still to go on three-year pact. Producer in past has included four Woody Woodpeckers on his annual schedule, but due to popularity of "Woodpecker" number, has boosted this figure to nine of current year's schedule.
December 23, 1948
DISNEY WILL MAKE 3 FEATURES FOR RKO NEXT YEAR
Daily Variety
Walt Disney's feature output will be upped 50 percent next year. RKO's releasing schedule calls for three from the producer, compared with two this year. "So Dear to My Heart" goes into national release first of the [garble] following its Jan. 19 premiere [garble] Indianapolis with 150-day-and-date midwest bookings. "Two Fabulous Characters," now on its way through the camera department, will go out in August. "Cinderella" will have a Christmas release. Disney's cartoon short program will remain the same but a new series of half-hour "short features" titled "True Life Adventures" will be added. Latter also be available for television. First is "Seal Island," in Technicolor, short in Alaska's Probilof islands. Second in the series is "Adventure With Nature," now shooting in Idaho. Producer also has close to 400 cartoon shorts that may be dug up out of the vaults and made available for tele.
December 28, 1948
Daily Variety
"Fine Feathered Friend," revival of MGM cartoon yesterday, was announced for release next month. Fred Quimby produced the animated.
REVIEWS
July 7, 1948
M-G-M (Technicolor) 8 Mins. Tops
Concerns Mr. Skunk's unfortunate plight as a social outcast in an endeavour to be a lover, with, alas, a happy ending when he meets up with one of the weaker sex of his own breed. Adults as well as kiddies will go for this one.
"Hounding the Hares"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Diversion
The hunter, his dog and a zany crew of rabbits run a wild gamut of animated resourcefulness in this Terry cartoon which finally results in the utter demoralization of the man with the gun. It is amusing stuff for the most part.
"The Bear and the Hare"
M-G-M (Technicolor) 7 Mins. Very Good
A hare gets under Barney's skin when the latter goes a rabbit-hunting. His attempts are frustrated when the whimsical rabbit refuses to be caught.
July 14, 1948
Warners (Technicolor) 7 Mins. Tops
When it comes to a challenge Bugs Bunny is right there to accept it. Rip-roaring Yosemite Sam tries to put Bugs to shame. Our hero, in his typical style, beats the arrogant bad man in suffering defeat.
"Mighty Mouse and the Magician"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Okay
With a couple of original touches in the animation department, this Paul Terry job in Technicolor soon becomes the standard cat and mouse diversion in which the felines come out behind the well known black sphere marked eight.
July 15, 1948
"Bone Sweet Bone" (Cinecolor Cartoon)
Warners 7 Mins. Will Do
After an exhaustive endeavor to retrieve the sole bone missing from the dinosaur's skeleton and blamed for the disappearance, Shep, the professor's dog, finally brings it back only to find out his master had it all the time.
September 16, 1948
"Rebel Rabbit"
WB. 7 Minutes One of the Best
Chagrined at the picayune bounty offered for rabbits, Bugs Bunny goes on a rampage to prove that rabbits can be as annoying as foxes and bears. Hilarious sequence of the U. S. Army pursuing Bugs marks this short as one of the best about the WB rabbit.
M-G-M 7 minutes Okay
Tom, the cat, and Jerry, the mouse, have been at each other long enough. So this time they decide to call off their usual roughhouse antics and bury the hatchet. They don't bury it too deep, however, and after finding the olive branch too heavy and troublesome to maintain, they are at it again. In Technicolor.
"The Shell-Shocked Egg"
WB 7 Mins. Mild
Adventures of a partly hatched turtle are told with mild humor. As the turtle wanders blindly from one hazard into another, one is reminded of the old hair-breadth experiences of Harold Lloyd in the 20's.
"Up-Standing Sitter"
WB 7 Mins. Fairly Amusing
Daffy Duck gets daffier as he tries to mind Mrs. Hen's latest offspring. Tiny chick enlists the aid of a ferocious bulldog to thwart Daffy's solicitude. Slapstick sequences are mildly diverting.
"Hen House Henery"
WB 7 Minutes Topnotch
This Merrie Melody Cartoon is a sure candidate for the Academy Award. The antics of Henery Hawk and a rooster ten times his size will keep audiences laughing from opening shot to the last sequence. The little chicken hawk after several false starts finally tricks the rooster.
September 23, 1948
"Gandy Goose and the Chipper Chipmunk"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Kid Stuff
Gandy Goose and his pal, the Cat, are making like a picnic but soon a voracious chipmunk starts after their food and via one turn of events and another all the vittles finally wind up underground. It is rather primitively handled.
RKO-Disney 7 Mins. Good
Pluto, sent to the butcher for a salami, thinks it's for him but learns, after a trying session with Butch, the bulldog, that it was intended as a birthday present by Mickey for—you guessed it—Butch. It shapes up effectively.
"The Witch's Cat"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Fair
The mice world is celebrating Halloween when a witch and her cat come into the scene for some dirty business. They try to join in the festivities but are discovered. A chase ensues. Many rodents are captured some, however, escape and signal Mighty Mouse. He comes. Enuff said.
"Magpie Madness"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Fair
Heckle and Jeckle have a session with a stupid dog. They swipe his bone and lead him a merry, screwball chase all for the hell of it. Actually, they are all palsy walsy but it was a dull day and they had to do something to liven things up. They did.
"A Sleepless Night"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Average
The Talking Magpies en route South are stranded when their transportation disintegrates. They invade the domicile of a hibernating bear, and in short order give him another version of their well known "works." Their shenannigans backfire at the conclusion.
"Love's Labor Won"
20th-Fox 7 Mins. Fair
Mighty Mouse applies himself to one of those treatments wherein the villain pursued her and she was rescued by the undaunted hero. The animated action takes place on a train, mostly, and generates the sort of wild spectacle that grips juvenile imagination, no doubt.
"The Pest That Came to Dinner"
Warners 7 Mins. Good
Porky Pig has a French termite on his premises that is eating everything made of wood, but voraciously. Finally he engages an exterminator whose advice results disastrously. Pig finally turns the tables and in cahoots with Pierre gives the exterminator what for, sets up an antique furniture biz. Lot of good fun. Technicolor.
Warners 7 Mins. Plenty Laffs
Louie, the parrot, on learning that Heathcliff, the cat, stands to inherit a million bucks, promptly embark on a program of murderous mayhem which will make him the next beneficiary. It's rip snortin' stuff ingeniously developed. Heathcliff sounds like "Lennie" in "Of Mice and Men." Cinecolor.
September 24, 1948
"You Were Never Duckier"
Warners 7 Mins. Very Good
Daffy Duck is attracted by a $5,000 prize for the best rooster at a poultry show and dons a couple of props that almost disguise him as a barnyard sultan. He tangles with young Henery Hawk, chickenhawk, that is, and who wins ? Papa Hawk takes the five gees, Henery the duck prize. Daffy gets nothing. Well developed humor in this one. Technicolor.
September 28, 1948
RKO-Disney 6 Mins. Fair
After a hectic night out Pluto comes home to be tormented at an ungodly hour in the morning by a cat that wants to play frisky. It's torment upon torment with Pluto having a hard time of it as a sandman keeps appearing and tossing the sleep stuff into his eyes. Doings conclude with both animals given quietus.
"Hot Cross Bunny"
Warners 7 Mins. Top Fun
Plucked from the lap of luxury, Bugs Bunny, medical researchers think, will be the subject of an experiment wherein he takes on the characteristics of a chicken. Nothin' doin' doc! After a high old runaround session the doc winds up making with the cackles and Bugs is his wacky old self. "Foul play, doc," he says at the fadeout.
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