“I don’t like limburger!”
Since the second Woody Woodpecker set is due out tomorrow, here’s a cartoon that’s not included on it: Mouse Trappers (1941), directed by Walter Lantz himself. I believe it was Frank Tipper who animated those great poses of Pop Panda trying to shoot the mouse.
It’s interesting to note that Andy Panda was never really the star of his own cartoons at any point in his character’s history. We know that Shamus Culhane and Dick Lundy devoted most of their Andy cartoons to other animals, but at the beginning, the center of attraction is Andy’s bumbling dad, who at this point is talking like W.C. Fields (Keith Scott tells me it’s Dick Nelson doing the voice here). Sara Berner is voicing Andy and his mom, and the inimitable Mel Blanc is the mouse. This cartoon is also the first Lantz short scored by the very talented Darrell Calker.
The black-and-white portions of this cartoon were edited for television broadcast. No drinking and no drafting!
Speaking of Keith Scott, you should really take a look at his article on Foghorn Leghorn’s origins, which were fabricated by many Warner veterans, except, for a change, Bob Clampett!
Great short!
As you know, I suggeste its inclusion in a possible third Lantv volume…and I really hope it’ll be in it.
I tough a volume 3 is possible if volume 2 have good sales… I hope!
Anyway, Andy’s pop is sometimes much funny than Andy himself in the later cartoons. Two great examples is “Andy Panda’s Pop” and “Under the Blacksmith Shop” how the short is centered to the Pop.
Judging from the gags, I’ll go out on a limb and make a wild guess… Hardaway wrote this, didn’t he?
Yup, it’s Mr. Hardaway’s storywork. Go easy on him though. ;)
That was a treat. Timing was a little stilted, but otherwise it was kind of fun. I like the bit with the cat the best. And the whole kind of casual, jazzy vibe to it.