Helpful Animator

Animators can be helpful, even in their own cartoons. Witness this example from “The Lion Hunt,” a Terrytoon released at the start of 1938.

A group of chanting Africans chasing a lion are chanting around a palm tree. “Hey, stop!” yells an off-camera voice. The Africans stop and so does the background music.



“You’re barking up the wrong tree. Not that tree. This tree.”

A finger in live action appears and indicates the tree next to where they’re standing.



The finger, having done its job, moves off camera, the lions jumps down from the tree and the chase (and music) resume.



An imaginative gag from John Foster’s story department.