“Dames are poison to you.”
Directed by Richard Donnor Animation/written by Friz Freleng.
This was a dropped TV pilot. Sad, really. I think it had potential. The premise was a cartoonist’s character coming to life and interacting with the rest of the world. I have no clue why it didn’t go anywhere, but the pilot did get shown in theaters at least once. So let’s begin.
Philbert’s creator, Griff, is stuck for a gag. (See that Model sheet? It’s the real thing.) He’d work on it more, but his lady friend, Angela, is coming over to cook dinner. Philbert objects to this but Griff (played by William Shanner) tells him to not get noticed. (Ladies tend to freak out when their perception of reality gets challenged.) Philbert takes a dip in an aquarium and then attempts to tan in a lamp’s light. Griff’s dog, Hap (played by some random dog) gives chase. Griff finds his creation at the top of the curtains, refusing to come down. Griff promises to catch him just as Anglea arrives. Griff turns just as Philbert jumps.
Griff lets her in and apologizes for only being half shaved. Angela is a pretty nice lady. She even likes Hap. (Short for Happy.) I like a woman who likes animals, so I approve. Even Philbert can’t help staring at her butt and wondering if she has a sister. Griff leaves to empty the rest of the groceries out of her car. While he’s gone, Angela shows her true colors. She hates Hap, she hates the curtains, and Griff’s dead Polar Bear rug. (To be fair, I’d be against that too.) Philbert is especially worried as she plans to marry Griff, and make him get a real job. No more cartooning. (Witch!) Griff comes back, and Angela switches back to “charming” mode. Griff offers to put Hap out. With his main obstacle gone, Philbert now has the chance to remove Angela from the premises.
He draws a mustache on her picture she brought for Griff, and then turns on the radio so she will come see it. She goes to confront him, (the mustache curls slightly) but instead of getting upset, tells him she’s glad that he feels comfortable enough to make jokes about her. It is time for dinner. I think she made shrimp, but I can’t be sure, as she never outright states it, and I’m not a gourmand. Seeing his chance, Philbert empties most of the tobasco sauce into her dipping sauce. This is too spicy for the both of them, but luckily Anglea (played by Joanna Barnes) doesn’t blame Griff. (Although he is sure he knows who it is.) He suggests they dance.
While doing this, Philbert keeps turning up the frequency causing them to dance faster and faster. They give up relatively quickly. So it’s time for champagne. Philbert tosses some “Instant Snooze” in his creator’s glass and they live up to your name. Believe it or not Griff’s yawning is enough to get Anglea to storm out, angrily telling him of how she had plans to make something out of him. (She also takes the picture back too. It is pretty funny.) Later, Philbert and Griff chat and Philbert is glad that Griff is not one to hold grudges. Griff responds by pouring his champagne on Phil’s head.
Personal Rating: 3
