Pyroxene
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 221
- Location
- Central Texas
I just finished watching the Looney Tunes - The Golden Collection on DVD. It is amazing the talent, style, creativity and humor the artists had back in the 30's and 40's. The DVD chronicles the major Warner Brothers characters realization and origin and just how American they are.
One of the more interesting things I found was how Looney Tunes got started and their involvement in WWII.
In the early 30's, Hugh Harman & Rudolf Ising were hired by Leon Schlesinger to create cartoon shorts to show before each Warner Brothers Theatrical Release. The first to be created was Loony Tunes and those were character based.
Shortly after that, they created Spoony Melodies which was to replace the organist in the theater. However only 4 Spoony Melodies were ever created.
The then created Merrie Melodies that were animated shorts that were musical based. Lady Play Your Mandolin was the first Merrie Melody. It was created 2 yrs before the repeal of prohibition yet cartoon takes place in a saloon and features drinking. The infulence of the animator's former employer, Disney, can be seen in the star character, Foxy.
In the 1940's Warner Bros. was famous for its animated films. It had animators Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and Fritz Freleng drawing Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck and many others. While Mel Blanc did the voices and Carl Stalling was musical director.
When WWII broke out, Loony Tunes answered the call. Bugs and gang helped sell War Bonds.
Bugs Bunny was officially drafted in the United States Marine Corps.
Chuck Jones directed a series of animated shorts for the men in the military. One was called "Private SNAFU" (Situation Normal All "Fouled" Up). Private SNAFU would illustrate to soldiers on what not to do. For example, it was important to keep secrets because you never know if the enemy is listening. And, they could use that information to destroy you.
One interesting clip has Private SNAFU on a ship going to war. And, German subs are following him. The ship he is on looks somewhat slimilar to the Queen Mary.
Another short was called "The Return of Mr. Hook". The film was to prepare sailors for life after the war. Mr Hook has post war plans to get some new clothes, find a girl and marry her.
In the late 40's Warner Brothers won an Academy Award for the toon "Tweetie Pie". "So much for So Little" won an Academy Award a few years later. Its about contributing 3 cents a week to the Heath Dept. That way little babies have a chance to grow up and have babies of their own.
I find it interesting that the cartoons illustrate and address the concerns and problems of the time. Many of the same problems still exist today but the are handled in a much different way. Even though the cartoons were created for adults, I wonder if the Warner Brothers of today would let Bugs carry a rifle and support the war effort as much as he did back then? My guess is, probably not.
Pyroxene
One of the more interesting things I found was how Looney Tunes got started and their involvement in WWII.
In the early 30's, Hugh Harman & Rudolf Ising were hired by Leon Schlesinger to create cartoon shorts to show before each Warner Brothers Theatrical Release. The first to be created was Loony Tunes and those were character based.
Shortly after that, they created Spoony Melodies which was to replace the organist in the theater. However only 4 Spoony Melodies were ever created.
The then created Merrie Melodies that were animated shorts that were musical based. Lady Play Your Mandolin was the first Merrie Melody. It was created 2 yrs before the repeal of prohibition yet cartoon takes place in a saloon and features drinking. The infulence of the animator's former employer, Disney, can be seen in the star character, Foxy.
In the 1940's Warner Bros. was famous for its animated films. It had animators Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and Fritz Freleng drawing Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck and many others. While Mel Blanc did the voices and Carl Stalling was musical director.
When WWII broke out, Loony Tunes answered the call. Bugs and gang helped sell War Bonds.
Bugs Bunny was officially drafted in the United States Marine Corps.
Chuck Jones directed a series of animated shorts for the men in the military. One was called "Private SNAFU" (Situation Normal All "Fouled" Up). Private SNAFU would illustrate to soldiers on what not to do. For example, it was important to keep secrets because you never know if the enemy is listening. And, they could use that information to destroy you.
One interesting clip has Private SNAFU on a ship going to war. And, German subs are following him. The ship he is on looks somewhat slimilar to the Queen Mary.
Another short was called "The Return of Mr. Hook". The film was to prepare sailors for life after the war. Mr Hook has post war plans to get some new clothes, find a girl and marry her.
In the late 40's Warner Brothers won an Academy Award for the toon "Tweetie Pie". "So much for So Little" won an Academy Award a few years later. Its about contributing 3 cents a week to the Heath Dept. That way little babies have a chance to grow up and have babies of their own.
I find it interesting that the cartoons illustrate and address the concerns and problems of the time. Many of the same problems still exist today but the are handled in a much different way. Even though the cartoons were created for adults, I wonder if the Warner Brothers of today would let Bugs carry a rifle and support the war effort as much as he did back then? My guess is, probably not.
Pyroxene
