MeTV Toon In with Me/Saturday Morning Cartoons 2023

[Charles Knox]

Originally Posted by cd637299

As to showing the Porky Pig Show theme, meh!

The problem was that Hal Seeger Studios did that animation, and not Warner Bros. Off-model-city! And the kids looked like the ones in the Beany & Cecil opening!

It should be noted that Barbara Cameron wrote the theme, as she also did for the more popular Road Runner Show theme.

cd

I was thinking more for a nostalgic purpose.

[cd637299]

Originally Posted by Charles Knox

I was thinking more for a nostalgic purpose.

Fully understood, Charles. They could put it in between regular cartoons.

As to the Larriva 11, Steve, yeah I hear ya. Funny thing…when I was a kid, I looked forward to any “newer” toons, because back then, they had less wear and tear. I didn’t even know that it was an inferior studio crew working on them.

McKimson’s two Roadrunner toons tried hard to stay true to Jones and Maltese.

I do kinda like the Larriva gag in “Tired and Feathered” where the phone rang, despite the Coyote cutting the cables. And, at least in “The Solid Tin Coyote,” Wile E was a genuine threat to that smug bird!

Two things I have wondered:

(1) What was the deal during the mid sixties DFE WB cartoons about not having the rights to re-create any Bugs Bunny (or Tweety for that matter) cartoons? Anyone know about character licensing during that time?

(2) Did Chuck Jones or Michael Maltese have any opinion-made-public about the Larriva 11 and the McKimson Two RR cartoons? Both were around at the time.

cd

[stevea]

Hare We Go (Bugs - 1951 - McKimson)

The Prize Pest (Porky, Daffy - 1951 - McKimson) - cartoon appears to not have been restored, based on the 1998 copyright closing caption. Looney Tunes Wiki Fandom reports the original Looney Tunes rings exist, but the linked Dailymotion opener appears to be a recreation.

Tweet Zoo (Tweety, Sylvester - 1957 - Freleng)

Bonanza Bunny (Bugs - 1959 - McKimson) - Bugs' foe in this one is Blackque Jacques Shellacque. McKimson used him one other time, in the 1962 short, Wet Hare.

Who Scent You? (Pepé Le Pew - 1960 - Jones) - this cartoon was commonly shown in local TV syndication, and was not part of the CBS Saturday morning package. Michael Maltese's last Pepé short.

Cat Feud (1958 - Jones) - a note on IMDb says the opening scene omits the bag with the kitten (Pussyfoot) being thrown from a passing car. I see a spot in the cartoon where this could have been edited out--but I think the cartoon they are thinking about is Mouse-Placed Kitten.

The Windblown Hare (Bugs - 1949 - McKimson)

[stevea]

Originally Posted by cd637299

Fully understood, Charles. They could put it in between regular cartoons.

As to the Larriva 11, Steve, yeah I hear ya. Funny thing…when I was a kid, I looked forward to any “newer” toons, because back then, they had less wear and tear. I didn’t even know that it was an inferior studio crew working on them.

McKimson’s two Roadrunner toons tried hard to stay true to Jones and Maltese.

I do kinda like the Larriva gag in “Tired and Feathered” where the phone rang, despite the Coyote cutting the cables. And, at least in “The Solid Tin Coyote,” Wile E was a genuine threat to that smug bird!

Two things I have wondered:

(1) What was the deal during the mid sixties DFE WB cartoons about not having the rights to re-create any Bugs Bunny (or Tweety for that matter) cartoons? Anyone know about character licensing during that time?

(2) Did Chuck Jones or Michael Maltese have any opinion-made-public about the Larriva 11 and the McKimson Two RR cartoons? Both were around at the time.

cd

You can really tell a difference, with Rushing Roulette and Sugar and Spies, vs. the Larriva 11 from Format Films--so, yes, I agree, McKimson tried.

Jones was able to maintain the Road Runner "rules" after Maltese departed, and in the early 60s still put out several memorable shorts by doing his own story boards.

I read or heard somewhere (I think I heard in a David DePatie interview) that the contract with DFE specified the characters as Daffy, Speedy, Porky, and Road Runner/Wile E. (plus some minor ones). Specifically omitted were Bugs, Sylvester and Tweety, probably Foghorn Leghorn. Early on Freleng and Pratt directed a few Sylvester and Speedy cartoons, but at some point it was made known (I guess) that the pairing was to be Daffy and Speedy--so exit Sylvester.

I wrote a fan letter to Chuck Jones in 1983, and in it I must have complained about the later Road Runners, possibly citing two that were really his. (unfortunately I don't have my letter, just his answer.) In the sentence I'm about to quote, he denies involvement in two cartoons he actually did do--but it makes sense he did not recognize the titles, since they were part of half-hour specials. He's really talking about the 11 Format Films Road Runners:

"If you noticed a difference in 'Freeze Frame' and 'Soup or Sonic' it was because our unit had nothing to do with them--several pictures were farmed out to other directors at greatly reduced budgets."

At the bottom of his letter is a cool caricature he drew of Daffy.

As far as public comments, he or Maltese may have made some, but if so, I don't know about them.

[stevea]

"Harding Har Har"

(a rap battle between Presidents of the past)

Dumb Patrol (Bugs, Yosemite Sam - 1964 - Chiniquy)

Hawks and Doves (Roland and Rattfink - 1968 - Pratt)

Dixieland Droopy (1954 - Avery)

Ant Pasted (Elmer - 1953 - Freleng) - an ant steals one of Bugs Bunny's phrases. Elmer blowing up into the water cooler was reused in "Pests for Guests"

Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur (1939 - Jones)

[stevea]

"In Your Dreams"

(The cartoon theme is dreams, and Bill and Toony end up in the same sleep study dream, courtesy of Dr. Abramowicz)

The Great Piggy Bank Robbery (Daffy - 1946 - Clampett) - Clampett in top form, close to the end of his run at Warners

A Dream Walking (Popeye - 1934 - Fleischer)

The Aristo-cat (1943 - Jones) - debut of minor Jones characters, Hubie and Bertie, in prototype form. Watch for the book Behavior of Cats by F E Line. Here's how the titles and credits might have looked (and maybe did, since a 35mm print was to have existed as of 2008), but who knows what music was used? -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pg02HAh66E

A Waggily Tale (1958 - Freleng) - according to Looney Tunes Wiki Fandom, this cartoon was played with the also-dream-related Ralph Phillips cartoons, on Toonheads. The wash cycle scene was censored on The WB.

Purr-Chance to Dream (Tom and Jerry - 1967 - Washam) - last golden-age T&J cartoon

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"Wacky Neighbors"

(originally aired Tue. Mar. 1, 2022)

COMpressed Hare (Bugs - 1861 - Jones)

Duel Personality (Tom & Jerry - 1966 - Jones [co-director Maurice Noble])

Naughty Neighbors (Porky - 1939 - Clampett)

Crow De Guerre (The Inspector - 1967 - Chiniquy)

Crowing Pains (Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk, Sylvester - 1947 - McKimson) - very early Foggy with an also-early prototype Sylvester (unnamed); available for many years only as a Blue Ribbon reissue, this was totally restored for the Looney Tunes Golden Collection 6 DVD.

[Mr. Grynch]

[QUOTE=stevea;6134658]"In Your Dreams"

Wow! Such power. With one click of your button I receive quadruple the initial

email. Impressive.

[stevea]

"The One Timer Club"

Raw! Raw! Rooster! (Foghorn Leghorn - 1956 - McKimson) - Rhode Island Red voiced by Daws Butler

Bye, Bye Bluebeard (Porky - 1949 - Davis) - the guillotine and fake popovers/medicine cabinet scenes have been censored in the past

Pecos Pest (Tom and Jerry - 1955 - Hanna, Barbera)

Mouse-Placed Kitten (1959 - McKimson)

One Froggy Evening (1955 - Jones) - execution, timing, story--you name it, Maltese and Jones were at the top of their game for this one. Almost unanimous accolades for the finest short in animation history.

Hare-less Wolf (1958 - Freleng)

[stevea]

"Fantastic Friday #67"

(Nostalgiaferatoo hams it up today)

The Bashful Buzzard (1945 - Clampett)

Hic-cup Pup (Tom and Jerry - 1954 - Hanna, Barbera)

Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24-1/2th Century (Daffy, Porky - 1980 - Jones) - this is the reformatted, edited version (6:40), explained here --

https://looneytunes.fandom.com/wiki/...matted_Version

The original 9:26 version is on Daffy Duck's Thanks-for-giving Special (NBC, 11/24/1981) and The Essential Daffy Duck DVD (2011)

Popeye the Sailor (Betty Boop/Popeye - 1933 - Fleischer) - Toon In With Me debut

Transylvania 6-5000 (Bugs - 1963 - Jones [co-director Maurice Noble])

[stevea]

On Saturday, March 11 Bugs and Friends, there is the MeTV debut of Robin Hood Makes Good from 1939. Also there is the second time around for a cartoon which had a censored ending in March 2022, An Itch In Time. If I recall correctly, the MeTV copy is sourced from the Turner print, thus the cat shooting himself at the end is edited due to source; in other words, not a MeTV edit.

[stevea]

Forward March Hare (Bugs - 1953 - Jones)

Zipping Along (Road Runner - 1953 - Jones) - rifles with pullstrings bit has been censored in the past

Cross Country Detours (1940 - Avery) - frog croaking bit is partially censored (history - it isn't - it is - it isn't - it is)

Tortoise Beats Hare (Bugs - 1941 - Avery) - clever opening title and credits--Bugs strolls in and reads the credits, expresses shock when he reads the title, and tears the card up. Two more directors take a stab at this fairy tale during the 1940s.

Past Perfumance (Pepé Le Pew - 1955 - Jones) - "Uncle Tom's Chalet" Sette sign near end still uncensored

Wabbit Twouble (Bugs - 1941 - Cwampett [Clampett]) - with Fat Elmer--this caricature was in a few early 40s shorts

[stevea]

"The Toony Zone"

(originally aired Thu. Mar. 3, 2022)

Bugsy and Mugsy (Bugs - 1957 - Freleng)

Hospitaliky (Popeye - 1937 - Fleischer)

Pink Panzer (Pink Panther - 1965 - Pratt)

Bats in the Belfry (1942 - Ising, Brewer)

Jerry and the Goldfish (Tom & Jerry - 1951 - Hanna, Barbera)

[Charles Knox]

Today would mark Tex Avery's 115th birthday. With April Fools Day falling on a Saturday this year, it would be neat if METV would do a 3hr tribute showcasing his best stuff during the regular Saturday Morning Block. They might could even temporarily acquire the rights to show the 4 cartoons he directed for Walter Lantz's studio in the 50's.

Back in the late 90's and early 2000's when Cartoon Network was still watchable, they would do a Tex Avery animation marathon or stunt on April 1st .

[stevea]

"Bill Needs His Eyes Checked"

Feather Dusted (Foghorn Leghorn - 1955 - McKimson) - Daniel Boone/Indian gag uncut. EDIT: Cartoon is slightly edited -- see next post.

Is There A Doctor in the Mouse? (Tom and Jerry - 1964 - Jones [co-director Maurice Noble])

Rabbit Romeo (Bugs - 1957 - McKimson) - Cartoon is uncensored.

The Chump Champ (Droopy - 1950 -Avery)

Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1938 - Avery)

(all of today's cartoons are infrequently seen on Toon In With Me; some may be first-timers)