Category: Cartoons from the 50’s

The 1950’s contain some of the most revered shorts Warner Bros. ever produced! Many of which now are considered some of animation’s greatest triumphs.

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Claws for Alarm

“Tell me Sylvester; I-is there in-insanity in your family?”

Directed by Chuck Jones

Porky and pet, (Sylvester) come to a run down ghost town. Most people would call the place “creepy” or “unsettling” but not Porky. He calls it “Peaceful.” He decides they’ll spend the night at an inn. Whilst entering, there are evil eyes watching them. Sylvester is spooked by these and the shadow of a spider. (Porky doesn’t notice the eyes, but he makes me love him even more for saying arachnophobia is silly. I LIKE spiders!) Inside, there appears to be no one awake. Porky just decides to sign in himself. He fails to notice the moose with the noose above him. Sylvester shoves him out of harm’s way. Porky, not having noticed the danger, scolds him.

He leaves to go upstairs unaware that the noose moose has upgraded to a gun moose and takes aim. Sylvester saves him yet again by stealing the gun that fired. Porky assumes Sylvester is still to blame. While trying to sleep Porky doesn’t notice the Wile E. Coyote-esque mouse who tries to kill him. Sylvester does, and keeps saving his owner’s hide, despite the anger the oblivious Porky shoots at him. Sylvester eventually gets ahold of a gun the mice were using and guards Porky all night. Come morning, Porky declares that he feels so rested, they’ll stay at least a week more. Sylvester knocks him out, carries him to the car, and drives off. Not noticing the killer eyes behind the dashboard. (What is those mice’s problem?)

Personal Rating: 3

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Robin Hood Daffy

“Ho! Ha Ha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!”

Before we begin, I’m reminding you of the fact that this site’s birthday is this Saturday and it will be 3 years old. Every year I try to make an improvement to my posts. (Such as adding pics. and videos) This time I’ll also start to note who directed the short. Now then…

The credits are attached to arrows that hit their targets with impeccable grace. No wonder. The archer (Daffy) was firing from 2 ft. away. He sings about being Robin Hood before tripping into a pond. A friar (played by Porky) laughs at his misfortune. Daffy aims to silence him with his quarter staff. (Actually, its a buck and a quarter-quarter staff, but he’s not telling him that.) The first time he smacks himself in the bill and the second time, he is bested by Porky who sends him into the drink.

Porky finally gets a grip on himself and asks the “clown” he just met if he knows Robin Hood’s whereabouts. He wishes to join him. Daffy happily tells him his quest is over, but Porky refuses to believe someone this hilarious could be the legend of Sherwood Forest. Daffy claims he will prove his story by robbing a good candidate for the ugliest cartoon character ever, and giving it to some poor undeserving slob. (I love his standards.)

He aims an arrow but only fires himself. In a bit of a legendary gag, he swings from a tree to hit many more trees. Angered he chops them down, and smacks into a boulder. Eventually he launches a huge arrow at the rich pers-… thing, but it sails under him and makes a path to the castle he was headed to. Porky is still not convinced but that’s okay. Daffy has given up trying to prove anything and becomes a friar himself. (I hope Porky isn’t too sad, when he never finds Robin Hood.)

Personal Rating: 4

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An egg Scramble

“Th-Th-There’s nothing embarrassing about a hen laying an egg!”

This short takes place on the same farm Porky had in “Swooner Crooner.” He goes to his hens to gather eggs. (He abandoned the conveyor belts for more natural means) One hen named Prissy, (making her debut here) doesn’t lay eggs out of embarrassment. (If people laid eggs, would that be considered private? And what’s wrong with me asking that?) Porky tells her that it’s an egg, or her head. The other hens laugh as they believe she is too old to accomplish such a feat. This makes Prissy determined and she gets to work.

The others decide to play a trick and put one of their eggs in her nest. Prissy falls for it and happily hands out cigars and shows Porky the fruits of her labor. When Porky asks for the egg, she refuses. Porky takes it anyway and give it to a truck bound for the grocery store. Prissy follows. In the store, she is thrown out for throwing the eggs out of the… bins? That’s not American.  Refrigeration was around!

Anyways, Prissy does find it in the home of a relatively hot blonde. Despite clearly seeing the name on the egg, she attempts to boil it. Prissy keeps turning the stove off until the woman catches her, forcing the hen to flee. Meanwhile, Porky goes to the police to see if they can help find his bird. They’re too busy for that though. They are extremely close to catching this short’s criminal, Pretty Boy Bagel. Prissy find herself in his hideout and alerts him to the cops. He hurls bricks at them. (Prissy believes he’s defending her.)

The cops finally get both of them out with a tear gas bomb. Porky has Prissy back and at home, threatens her for the egg once more. Prissy refuses until the other hens reveal that she never laid the egg. Depressed, Prissy drops the egg and turns around just in time to miss it hatch. Into a mini-her. Awwwwww

Personal Rating: 3

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The Mouse that Jack Built

“I always feel better if I count my cheese before I go out for the evening.”

Our short begins with Jack Benny-mouse practicing his violin. He must be pretty bad as the cat waiting outside his mouse hole is wearing earmuffs. He decides to quit for the time being as he is taking Mary Livingston-mouse out for her birthday. After getting his suit back from Rochester-mouse, he has a bit of time on his paws to go count his cheese. Mary arrives soon afterwards. When asked where she wants to go, she suggests the “mousecumbo”. (Laugh. It’s a pun.) That’s too expensive for our “cheese-p-stake” Benny. (Don’t laugh. That was lower than a pun.)

The cat gets an idea and sends them a flyer advertising “The Kit-Kat Club.” It claims that entertainers are admitted free. That’s enough for Benny so he gets in his Mel Blanc car with Mary, and has Rochester follow the arrows that lead to their destination. Upon arrival, Jack is impressed that it looks just like a cat. It even rolls out the red carpet for them. Somehow the cat even got miniature tables, chairs, and exit signs in its mouth. Mary is disturbed but Benny only “cat-ches” on when the mouth closes. Cut to live action Jack Benny waking up. It was all a dream. He then sees two very familiar mice climbing out of the mouth of his sleeping cat…

Personal Rating: 3. It’s pretty cool that the actual cast of “The Jack Benny” show played their fursonas. (Err, poor choice of words.) However, if you don’t know anything about Mr. Benny (shaaaame) you’ll be confused.

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The Honey-Mousers

“Whats wrong with mustard ice cream and kumquats?”

In our spoof of “The Honeymooners”, we find Ralph Kramden mouse surprising his wife, (Alice Kramden mouse) with their supper: a hunk of stale cheese. Alice, (who is probably a good contender for the hottest mouse ever award. It exists.) complains to Ralph how they need more food. Ralph would like to comply, but no one has moved into the place. (People = pestilence.)

Perfect timing. Ed Norton mouse comes in to tell that their prayers have been answered. So happy is everyone, that no one notices a cat has been brought as well. No one notices until Ralph and Ed both get mauled. Ralph’s can disguise is useless, so they set to work constructing a Trojan dog that Ed, Ralph and Ralph’s chameleon sweater will take to the fridge. They exit via a missing grate in the wall, (Good thing the cat was gone at the time.) and set to work loading up with goodies. Unbeknowest to them, the cat reappears and enters the dog. They notice once inside and in the ensuing chase, they lose all the food.

Alice suggests that they just get rid of the cat. Ralph tells her to put her money where he mouth is and do it. Alice tears off a whisker and yells at the cat who leaves. Angry with how lucky she was, Ralph assures her he still loves her.

Personal Rating: 3

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Wideo Wabbit

“About time television discovered my talents.”

Bugs is having a relaxing day when he sees an interesting ad in the paper. A TV studio is looking for a rabbit and luckily for Bugs, he is just what they were looking for. They sit him on a stepladder (that unbeknownst to Bugs has a 10,000 volt charge in it,) telling him that unlike the others in showbiz, he starts out on top.

Secretly, a hole is opened above him. We see that the show Bugs is on is “The Sportsman Hour!” With our special host, Mr. Elmer Fudd! YAAAAAAAY! He tells us that he is going to demonstrate how to catch a wabbit. He gives the signal and the volts shock Bugs up on stage. Angry about being shot at, Bugs runs with Elmer in hot pursuit. Elmer chases him into another studio where Groucho (Bugs) is the host of our favorite game show: “You Beat Your Wife.” He asks Elmer whether or not he has stopped beating his wife. Trapped, Elmer muddles it over while Marx makes his exit. Noticing the tail, he gives chase once again.

The next hiding spot is in Studio T, “Liverace.” Bugs is playing Hungarian Rhapsody 2 and notices Elmer. He identifies him as his brother George, and asks him to take a candelabra to their mother. Elmer realizes they’re fire crackers pretty quickly, but can’t stop the inevitable. Eventually Bugs, (in another disguise) tells Elmer they’ve been waiting for him. He forces him to put a costume on and to sit atop a stepladder. Bugs now playing the hunter, gives the signal to shock Fudd into jumping up. Now wearing a rabbit suit, and receiving bullets rather than applause.

Personal Rating: 3

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Duck! Rabbit, Duck!

“I’m a wed hot spowtsman aftew wild game.”

The final in the hunting trilogy and it does not fail to disappoint.

The first one took place in summer, then autumn, so logically it’s winter now. Daffy is burning all the duck season signs and sends Elmer off to get some wabbits. Bugs tells Elmer that he can’t be shot unless Elmer has a fricasseeing wabbit license. Daffy writes up the document. He just needs a little help spelling fricasseeing. Bugs helps. “F-r-i-c-a-s-s-e-e-i-n-g-d-u-c-k.” Daffy gets shot and reads the document and admits to being the goat. Elmer shoots him upon reading Bug’s goat season sign.

Daffy calls Bugs a dirty dog. Bugs declares him a dirty skunk and Elmer shoots him upon seeing the dirty skunk sign. Daffy can’t believe what a pigeon he’s being and Elmer shoots him upon sight of the corresponding sign. Daffy takes Elmer away to talk some sense in him and Bugs uses the time to build a snow rabbit. Realizing he should shoot wabbits, Elmer rushes out and obliterates the sculpture. Bugs appears in an angel outfit to complete the illusion. Daffy claims that if Bug’s is dead then he is a mongoose.

Another shot later, he tells Elmer to listen to him and not anymore signs. Bugs puts on a bill and Daffy tells Elmer to shoot the duck. *BANG* Daffy breaks down and Bugs disguises himself as a game warden. He tells Elmer it is really baseball season and sends him off after a baseball. Alone, he asks Daffy what season it REALLY is. Daffy tells him it is obviously duck season and gets shot by many hunters.

Personal Rating: 4

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Hillbilly Hare

“Ya’ll care to practice with me for th’ square dancin’ tomorrow?”

When you as many enemies as Bugs Bunny, you feel the need to take a vacation every once in a while. Bug’s is relaxing in the Ozarks where he angers a hillbilly known as Curt Martin. His family is in a feud with another called the Coys. So he declares war when Bugs notes that he is very coy. His gun takes to long to fire however, giving Bug’s an easy chance to tie a knot in his gun. Curt unties it just for it to fire in his face. This act was spied by his brother, Pumpkinhead who also decides to kill Bugs. He doesn’t fare much better as Bugs switches the gun around to face back at its owner.

The main gag of this short starts with Bugs disguising himself as a woman and asks the smitten men to practice square dancing with “her.” While dancing, Bugs switches places with the caller and directs the boys into hurting each other pretty bad. They are obviously aware of whats going on, (as evidenced by their faces) and yet they continue to obey. Is that one of the hillbilly commandments? (“Thou shall not wear shoes”, “Thou shall always hate some other family”,” Thou shall never disobey a square dance”?) Bugs makes them walk into a hay baler, a pig pen, and finally off a cliff.

Personal Rating: 4

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Homeless Hare

“Well toodles, do I get my home back or do I have to get tough?”

Sorry for lack of updates last week. It was my birthday and I did not feel doing my mediocre, tiny blog posts that I call “working”. But now I’m back, and ready with a new short!

At a construction site, Bug’s house is accidentally dug up. Despite asking very politely to put his home back, the worker dumps ‘im into a pile. The worker (who Bugs dubs Hercules) laughs until Bugs drops a brick on his face with a note that declares war. Hercules hops in an elevator and tries to reach Bugs who is controlling the elevator and he ultimately sends Herc into a vat of wet cement.

Bugs dresses as a foreman and demands that Herc build a huge tower. At the top Hercules is balancing on a thin board balanced by a pile of bricks. Bugs takes great delight in removing them one by one. (Best scene of the picture, right there.) Herc gets his revenge by swinging an I beam into Bugs’ face, which sends him on a dazed walk where in the classic cartoon way, he is saved by various machinery before falling into a rain barrel.

Bugs devises a clever plan, and drops a red-hot rivet which travels along a complex path before landing on a rope, burning said rope, and dropping a huge piece of machinery on Hercules. He concedes defeat and agrees to give his home back. The building gets built still, but now it’s built around Bugs rabbit hole.

Personal Rating: 4

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What’s Opera, Doc?

“Oh mighty warrior of great fighting stoooock! Might I inquire to ask, ‘Ehh, What’s up Doooc?!'”

This is the greatest cartoon ever. (Or so says “The 50 Greatest Cartoons” I’d trust it.) While I don’t personally agree, I can agree this is some fine work.(In my opinion, it’s “Porky In Wackyland” which is also on the list.) This whole cartoon is an opera, and Elmer (as Siegfreid) sings that he is hunting wabbits. Bugs appears and Fudd tells him he will use his spear and magic helmet. (Which can control weather) Bugs runs away just as Elmer gets wise.

Bugs renters the picture in disguise as Brunhilde. (Riding the world’s fattest horse, I might add.) They dance and sing and proclaim their love just as Bug’s disguise falls off. In his fury, Elmer conjures up many forces of weather to kill da wabbit. (Blanc yells Elmer’s line of “SMOOOOOOG!” The man is a good yeller.) After this, Elmer sees Bugs is dead (Yes, really.) He feels remorse and carries Bugs into the sunset. As the cartoon ends, Bugs asks us if we honestly expected a happy ending.

Personal Rating: 5