The Conscious Kid Can’t Be Trusted

I am conducting a new study that will analyze fifty of Dr. Seuss’s Children’s books. Participation is encouraged.

The new study will address inaccurate and misleading data that is being widely spread among major media outlets. This information is sourced from an organization known as The Conscious Kid Library, more commonly known as The Conscious Kid. They have planted false reports in the media to create and support a negative public image of Dr. Seuss Enterprises. 

The Conscious Kid is assumed to be a credible source. These news outlets have reported that 98% percent of Dr. Seuss’s human characters are white. A quick internet search will provide the same information. 

The purpose of the new report is to provide honest and accurate research.

On May 22, 2017, Katie Ishizuka-Stephens, director of The Conscious Kid, wrote a report prepared for the Read Across America Advisory Committee. This report was titled “Rethinking Dr. Seuss for NEA’s Read Across America Day: Racism Within Dr. Seuss’s Children’s Books & The Case for Centering Diverse Books.” The report deceptively claims to seek an “understanding of the extent and manner in which any characters of color were represented.” Later that year, the National Education Association announced that they were ending their 20 year association with Dr. Seuss. SOURCE: FINALNEAReportDr.SeusssRacismandRAA.pdf (pragmaticmom.com)

Ishizuka-Stephens says that she “conducted a critical analysis of race in 50 of Dr. Seuss’s most popular children’s books.” This statement is misleading.

Dr. Seuss’s most popular book of all time The Cat is the Hat is mysteriously absent from her list, along with many other notable best sellers. 

This study was presented again in 2019 in a report titled The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss’s Children’s Books. This report is credited to Katie Ishizuka and Ramon Stephens. Two years later, no corrections were made to the study. The inaccuracies of both reports were never corrected or addressed. SOURCE: The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr. Seuss’s Children’s Books (stkate.edu)

On page 10, the report states, “This study assessed fifty of fifty-nine Dr. Seuss children’s books using a mixed methods research design.” They do not explain what their method was. Rather than providing vague terms, the new report will explain the methods that were used in its study such as how the books will be chosen. 

The report makes many inaccurate claims, perhaps intentionally. The report incorrectly states on page 10 that “One of the children’s books included in the study was published under Dr. Seuss’ pseudonym, Theo LeSieg.” In fact, the report included SIX books published under this pseudonym, plus a book published under the pseudonym Rosetta Stone. Inaccuracies such as this will be discussed in the new report. This will aid in demonstrating the frequency and extent to which The Conscious Kid provides inaccurate information.   

When it is decided how many Theo. Lesieg books will be analyzed, the new report will provide the correct number and explain why the books were chosen. 

The new report will demonstrate how The Conscious Kid uses its research methods to exaggerate data.  

For instance:

• The study states that there are 44 human characters in “The Cat in the Hat Comes Back,” when there are two human characters. Their method of frequency counts were used to inflate the number of human characters.

This study also uses additional methods to achieve a high number of white characters, along with this low percentage of characters of color. 

• Many characters in the study were defaulted to white, even though their race is unknown. 
• The report also neglects several books from Dr. Seuss’s library that featured men and women of color. Books that were previously excluded from their report will be included in this new report.

Page 25 of the report states that “White characters also dominate 100% of the speaking roles” The new report will illustrate that this is not true. 

In the 2019 report from The Conscious Kid, their study is presented in a tiny spreadsheet on the final page of the 2019  report. The small font is presented at low resolution, with many of the numbers barely legible. The new report will present the study and it’s information clearly to its reader.   

The spreadsheet states that the number of human characters is approximate. Instead of using approximations, every effort will be made to ensure no human character will be left behind. (I think that is what Ted Geisel would have wanted.) 

The new report will provide greater accuracy in its data and seek ways to be more informative by providing useful fact-based information. The books in the study were created between 1937-1990. The titles were listed in a completely random order. A chronological order will provide additional insight. 

Even though the new study will list the tiles in a logical order, it doesn’t matter what order we choose to read them in. The first on their list was There’s Wocket in my Pocket!, and that seems like an interesting book to start with, so I am going to read that one first. 

As you can see, this book features one character who appears multiple times. The study from The Conscious Kid lists 20 white characters for this book. This seems to establish a rule that we should not count characters whose faces do not appear. We also should not count the cover page. Since there is one character, we will put the number 1 in the box instead of 20. Now we are 1 book down with 49 to go. Actually 8.

This is the #TeachTheSneetch report so far. Many changes will be made to this list:

So far, our list is similar to the one in the Conscious Kid Library report. Here are the changes we have made:

• The titles have all been placed in chronological order. The titles have not yet been changed.
• A new column has been added for characters of unknown race.
• The numbers have been wiped clean. One book has been analyzed, There’s a Wocket in my Pocket! 7 books did not require immediate analyzation since there are no human characters in those books. (Note that the Conscious Kid’s report also lists My Many Colored Days and Dr. Seuss’s Sleep Book as books with no human characters, incorrectly. Why do you think the Conscious Kid did this?)

As data is compiled, it is important to spread the word about the progress of this study. Please share this information responsibly. I do not have the massive outreach that The Conscious Kid has. They have over two million followers on Instagram, but I finally reached 2,000 subscribers on YouTube. As far as I know, no one else appears to be conducting a new study. Please help me out by subscribing to my channel if you haven’t already. Be sure to add to the conversation by leaving comments below, and share this video with anyone who may be interested. https://youtu.be/7lElXJLqxws

Thank you for watching. Updates will be posted as soon as possible. See you soon. 

Teach the Sneetch

Anyone who has ever read a Dr. Seuss book understands how valuable his stories are to children. Many of his children’s books carried positive messages promoting equality and acceptance. 

I will be releasing a series of videos that will expose falsehoods currently surrounding Dr. Seuss. These fabrications were created by cleverly disguised charities that are manufacturing fear. We will see that this charity is deceiving its well-intentioned donors. We will discuss knowledge that will help you have an informed conversation about the current controversy regarding Dr. Seuss.

What most people currently know is that 6 titles were recently discontinued from Dr. Seuss’s Library due to racial controversy. These Books are And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, McElligot’s Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat’s Quizzer. Many people rightfully assume that this was a voluntary act on behalf of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, attempting to create a more inclusive environment for its readers.

Most people are not currently aware that Seuss Enterprises was forced to make this decision, pressured to compromise in response to attacks from the Conscious Kid Library, a paid subscription service, whose deceptive charity is using innocent children as bait. 

Another common belief is that only six books will be discontinued. This attack on Dr. Seuss’s literature is far from over. Many people do not realize that The Conscious Kid Library is condemning Dr. Seuss’s entire catalogue. You may be shocked to discover that the organization even targeted some of Dr. Suess’s non-human characters, including the Cat in the Hat. A falsified and exaggerated report from the Conscious Kids Library accuses the iconic character of promoting anti blackness to children. In future videos I will describe in detail what deceptive tactics that were employed. Even though their methods will be debunked, they are still regarded as a credible source. 

For those who would like to read this viciously fabricated propaganda, the title is  The Cat is Out of the Bag: Orientalism, Anti-Blackness, and White Supremacy in Dr Seuss’s Children’s Books. You will not find the report on the Conscious Kids Library official website, but it was published in a journal from St. Catherine University in Minnesota. After reading the report, I would like to invite you to ask yourself the following questions: Do you believe they have judged The Cat in the Hat fairly? Do you want to see a stigma placed on The Cat in the Hat? Do YOU believe black children would perceive racism in this book, as the report indicates? 

If you think this organization is no big deal, think again. The Conscious Kid Library pressured The National Education Association to disassociate with Dr. Seuss. They have removed Dr. Suess’s association from Read Across America. They have over 170,000 followers on Facebook and over 28,000 followers on Twitter, all of them unintentionally giving support to a morally bankrupt institution. The organization also has support from another immensely successful scam operation that earns millions of dollars annually, Learning for Justice. Learning for Justice is suggesting a lesson plan that teaches third grade students how Dr. Seuss’s books are a reinforcement of white supremacy. The Conscious Kid Library keeps their hands clean by partnering with Learning for Justice to do their dirty work. If you or your friends are followers of either of these fraudulent charities, I urge you to educate their followers. If we can expose these groups, we can take the power away from these villains and save Dr. Seuss’s legacy and the future of available literature before it is too late. It is my belief that the partnership of The Conscious Kid Library and Learning for Justice should be in violation of Federal Trade Commission laws. At the very least, they should be registered as a hate group.     

Alarmingly, the report from the Conscious Kid Library even explicitly targets books that teach acceptance: The Sneetches and Horton Hears A Who!, claiming that even these two books reinforce White Supremacy. Dr. Seuss empowers young readers of all skin colors. The Conscious Kid Library, along with Learning for Justice, are on a mission to destroy Dr. Seuss and the education of your children. If both of these groups are not exposed as quickly as possible, they will continue to have a tremendous impact. 

The broad terms described in this report would provide these corrupt organizations and similar groups the ability to coerce any publisher they wish to meet their demands, a profound threat to everyone’s freedom of speech and freedom to educate ourselves. This threat could also extend to publishing houses, libraries, and booksellers, interfering with their ability to provide these materials.  

We will examine 10 myths, allegations, and assumptions in regards to Dr. Seuss, in order to provide enlightenment for the adult nation to have a thoughtful conversation together. Which leads to me to myth #1:

The propaganda says: The only people who are currently defending Dr. Seuss are Republican conservatives. While that may appear to be true, there are many people who have admiration for Dr. Seuss with a variety of political views. Assumptions that all complainers of censorship are Republican, simply dismisses major issues. We need to stop associating supporters of Dr. Seuss with conservatives. Making associations like this take validity away with people who have concerns of freedom of speech, which is everyone’s best interest. Personally, I have never publicly advocated for the election of any political candidate, nor do I ever intend to. This matter is of utmost importance to everyone, regardless of political background. The propaganda spread by the Conscious Kid Library and Learning for Justice wants to convince you that white people celebrate Seuss because they are racist. I celebrate Dr. Seuss because he teaches children and adults to be courageous, act intelligently, and to be accepting of everyone regardless of gender, race or personal beliefs. Dr. Seuss was an advocate for change, however these deceptive charities have manipulated readers to believe that the only people complaining about censorship of his work are afraid of change, a cheap scare tactic. This explains why there has been such a witch hunt in the media, and media companies are caving in to self censorship of images that no one visibly called for the removal of. It is time for all of us to open our eyes to the evil scheme that is happening right in front of us.

What makes this scheme particularly devious is that they are manipulating people who want to be active in creating positive change. These two organizations and no doubt numerous others are using cancel culture as a device to gain momentum, by using tactics similar to other racist, homophobic and transphobic hate groups such as the American Family Association and the Fraternal Order of Police. You will see how the history of cancel culture has a direct connection with hate. Removing the availability of books, music and film is never a form of positive change. A person who shares posts from the organization’s social media outlets are under the false impression that they are supporting advocates for racial equality, but they are unknowingly adding fuel to a vicious hate machine. I will also detail how these organizations are in cooperation with groups like the American Family Association.

If you’ve never read The Sneetches, I suggest that you read this beautiful story of acceptance before it becomes prohibited by law. People, much like Sneetches, have a tendency to conform. We often do not question propaganda when it is tailored to align with our ideals. Propaganda is also not easy to spot. We must use critical thinking as we move forward. After reading The Sneetches, compare the description that is provided by the Conscious Kid Library. The evidence speaks for itself.

Groups of this exact caliber seem to be a new phenomenon. Do not be fooled. They do not have anyone’s best interest in mind. Exposing the Conscious Kid Library and Learning for Justice could offer protections for book publishers, which is in the best interest of the American people and the rest of the world. It is important to talk about this issue like adults so we stop this disease before it infects your children. 

As people have fought for years to have racial equality, these groups, and no doubt countless others, are in the business of keeping hate alive and well. Putting an end to these pressure groups that are dividing America could be a huge victory to racism. I will also prove that these organizations do not want racial equality, and these organizations are raking in massive donations with no regard for your children or the betterment of humankind. They have stated that children develop racism as early as 3 months old, insisting that anti-racism must be taught from birth. The propaganda magazine Teaching Tolerance, from Learning for Justice, consistently puts heavy emphasis on creating conflicts between black and white children. I encourage people of all colors to see for yourselves. Businesses and media outlets are powerless to take a stand because they will be accused of White Supremacy. Children’s book companies are particularly in danger. This extortion is deplorable beyond description. Why do they do this? Because hate pays.

Either through fear or lack of knowledge, no one that I am aware of has reported this. You are now equipped with knowledge that most people are completely unaware of. For those who need further proof, I have over thirty typed pages of material ready to go, and I will not stop until Dr. Seuss Enterprises is free from the pressure of these extortion groups. I will share the information as quickly as possible. In addition, I am inviting everyone to investigate these frauds to the best of their ability. We must make additional information about these organizations available and warn potential donors. We all need to join together to stop this poisonous attack of racism and cancel culture. These malicious extortion groups must be held responsible for their crimes. I invite you to join the #TeachTheSneetch Movement!

Mayor McBean says you can’t teach a Sneetch, but I believe we can. We shall use the term Sneetch to indicate everyone who is in the dark about this major concern. We must be patient with those who doubt our evidence. We must respect each other’s feelings while having this discussion. We must be patient with the Sneetches.

The goals of this operation are to:

• Give protection to publishers
• Preserve Dr. Seuss’s legacy
• Expose the fraudulent charities

I will be posting another video as soon as possible, but right now the clock is ticking. We must act as quickly as possible. I am asking for your help in sharing this information, as this link will likely be hidden in Internet searches. My video may become banned, and I could be blocked from social media. We must do all that we can to spread this message.

First and foremost, we need to give guidance and support to libraries who were impacted by the sudden attack on Dr. Seuss. Many of them are under pressure and may still be evaluating what should be done about their Dr. Seuss books. Many libraries are already pulling Dr. Seuss off of the shelves. Libraries should be given the liberty to challenge censorship, in order to fulfill their responsibility of providing information and enlightenment.

Here are some of the things we can do for now. It is imperative that we all educate each other about this matter. Write essays, make videos, and write letters, but please do so responsibly. I also encourage viewers with available resources to conduct your own research on the Conscious Kid Library and Learning for Justice, so we can cooperate together to make additional observations to implicate these two entities with as many charges as possible, so they will be held responsible for their crimes. 

Do not believe anyone who tells you I am doing this for my own personal gain. I am not making these videos because I want to, but because I must. I cannot do this on my own, in order for this movement to work, others will need to take the lead. We must all be brave together, as many people will be afraid to speak out. Although I will remain relentless, I do not wish to be in the spotlight for this. I may even get flagged by the company as a white supremacist. I will go on record now to say that I love humanity. Sometimes it can be easy to lose hope, but I have faith that love can conquer hate.  

For once in my life, I am actually fortunate that my lifetime endeavor as an undiscovered artist  has not brought me national acclaim, as it has given me the freedom to speak out against this dire situation without the fear of financial repercussions. I may become banned from YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter so keep a watchful eye on my various social media outlets. For now, you can follow the movement by following #TeachTheSneetch. If this is going to work, everyone will need to stand together through this. Maybe Dr. Seuss is the artist who can perhaps unite this weary nation. Now that the curtain is open, we all need to open up our eyes to what is happening in front of us. 

Please keep an eye out for my next video. We will uncover more of these distortions together and hopefully other researchers will come forth with additional information. We can ask each other questions, you can ask me questions; but most importantly, question everything you read right now. We must all take a stand against this injustice to Dr. Seuss. We must not allow his cherished library to become lost artworks.  

-Myron Smith (last edited: March 12, 20210
Remember, unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not. -Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Hippety Hopper’s 70th Anniversary

Hippety Hopper made his first appearance April 17^th, 1948 in the cartoon Hop, Look and Listen directed by Robert McKimson. This short establishes the formula for all future Hippety Hopper Cartoons: Hippety Hopper escapes from the zoo, and is mistaken for giant mouse by Sylvester. Sylvester tries to capture and eat his opponent, but the innocent kangaroo simply thinks Sylvester is trying to play rough.

Sometimes, Hippety Hopper switches places with an actual mouse, usually when it is most embarrassing for Sylvester. In 1950, McKimson added another character to play off of Hippety Hopper, Sylvester’s son. Sylvester Jr. made his debut in the cartoon Pop ‘Im Pop.

Fun Fact: Sylvester Jr.’s mother only has one appearance: Goldimouse and the Three Cats. This is only one of two cartoons in which Sylvester has a spouse.

Sylvester Jr. has deep admiration for his father, however when Sylvester does something embarrassing or humiliating, little Junior often displays his shame. Sometimes Sylvester Jr. even wears a bag over his head.

Over the years, there were several variations to the formula:

Hoppy go Lucky, for example is a parody of Mice and Men with a giant cat named Benny who wants a mouse to hug and pet. In Bell Hoppy, Sylvester has to hang a bell around Hippety Hopper’s neck in order to join the “Loyal Order of Alley Cats Mousing and Chowder Club.” In Hoppy Daze, Sylvester is being coached by a cat that sounds like Jimmy Durante. Even though there are several variations to this formula, the main theme is always the same: Sylvester’s failed attempts to catch what he believes to be a mouse.

Along with Sylvester, Hippety Hopper starred in over a dozen cartoons, all directed by Bob McKimson. McKimson is perhaps best known for creating characters like Foghorn Leghorn and the Tasmanian Devil. The Hippety Hopper/Sylvester cartoons ended in 1964 when the Warner Bros. studio closed its animation unit. Freudy Cat is the final appearance of Hippety Hopper and Sylvester Jr.

In addition to his starring roles, Hippety Hopper also made a cameo appearance with his mother Gracie in the Bugs Bunny cartoon Bushy Hare. This is the only cartoon to feature Hippety Hopper without Sylvester. This is also the only cartoon in which Hippety Hopper actually speaks.

Considering that Hippety Hopper doesn’t typically have a voice, it is a bit of an oddity that he is featured on albums like Bugs Bunny and his Friends and Bug Bunny Song Fest.

Hippety still make cameo appearances to this day. He has been featured in Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, Tweety’s High Flying Adventure, and even appears standing on the sidelines in The Looney Tunes Show opening.

You can find all 13 Hippety Hopper cartoons in chronological order on “Looney Tunes Super Stars Collection: Sylvester and Hippety Hopper – Marsupial Mayhem”. Warner Bros. did a great job on this set.

These characters may be cute and cuddly, but the DVD warns viewers that these cartoons are intended for the adult collector and may not be suitable for children. This may seem insulting to those of us who grew up watching these cartoons, but by adding this disclaimer, this gives Warner Bros. the ability to present these cartoons uncensored. These cartoons are restored and uncut as they were originally intended to be seen. For years, these cartoons have been locked away in a vault, and I am happy to see that these classics are being properly released.

For more information, be sure to watch the following video: 70 Years of Hippety Hopper

 

Tweety first appeared in the 1942 Bob Clampett cartoon, A Tale of Two Kitties. The cartoon stars two hungry cats named Babbit and Catstello, but it was the little unnamed bird who stole the show.

One of the most notable moments in this cartoon, is when Tweety plays “This Little Piggy” while removing Catsello’s claws from a clothesline. This same gag would be reused over 40 years later in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit?. 

In the next cartoon Birdy and the Beast, Tweety was given his name, and his blue eyes. A Gruesome Twosome is the third and final Tweety cartoon directed by Bob Clampett.

Instead of the caged canary most of us are familiar with, in these first three cartoons, Tweety is a wild baby bird in a nest. In Tweety’s early appearances, he is much more aggressive. He also doesn’t mind slapping around a few bees or shoving a dog’s head into the ground. (Watch the video above at 1:40)

Tweety’s next cartoon, Tweetie Pie was directed by Friz Freleng. Freleng toned Tweety down and gave him a cuter appearance. This is the first cartoon to pair Tweety with the cat that would later become known as Sylvester. In this cartoon, the cat is referred to as Thomas. This cartoon was so popular that it won the 1947 academy award for best animated short subject. This is the first Warner brothers cartoon to win an Oscar. Friz Freleng exclusively directed all Tweety cartoons from this point forward. Also, all subsequent Tweety cartoons featured Sylvester.

Sylvester however, would appear in cartoons alongside an array of characters, including Porky Pig, Sylvester Jr, Hippity Hopper, and Speedy Gonzales.

As Tweety’s character evolved, it became obvious that the key to Tweety’s humor is in his sweet and innocent nature.

Much like Wile E. Cayote, Sylvester uses elaborate schemes and devices to capture his prey. Sometimes Tweety outsmarts the bad ol’ putty tat, other times Sylvester’s traps would backfire on their own. Sometimes there would be intervention by Granny or Hector the Bulldog.

Sylvester is similar to Wile E. Coyote in his ongoing efforts to catch the roadrunner. Unlike Roadrunner cartoons, Sylvester and Tweety are not confined to one location such as the desert. Some cartoons feature Sylvester on a train, in the ocean, or on the beach.

Tweety and Sylvester won another Academy Award in 1957 with the cartoon Birds Anonymous. In this cartoon, Sylvester seeks help for his bird addiction.

Sylvester and Tweety proved to be one of the most notable pairings in animation history. In the 1990s, Tweety also starred in his own animated TV series The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. In 2000, Tweety starred in the direct to video feature-length animated film Tweety’s High Flying Adventure.

Without question, Tweety is one of Looney Tune’s most popular characters. It is easy to relate to both Tweety and Sylvester, because of our need to survive and our need to eat. I guess there is a little Sylvester and Tweety in all of us!

 

You may also enjoy the following articles:

75 Years of Conrad the Cat

Foghorn Leghorn’s 70th Anniversary

60th Anniversary of Michigan J. Frog

75 Years of Conrad the Cat

January 17, 2017 will be the anniversary of a mostly forgotten Looney Tunes character, Conrad the Cat.

 

 

Conrad the Cat made his first appearance in the color cartoon “The Bird Came C.O.D.” The title is a parody of a Warner Bros. Movie “The Bride Came C.O.D.” that was released in the previous year.

 

Conrad’s next appearance was in black in white. In this cartoon, he was a pancake chef at Porky’s Cafe. This cartoon was released Feb. 21^st.

 

In his third cartoon, Conrad the Sailor, he shares the screen with Daffy Duck. This is the only cartoon that mentions Conrad by name. This is also the only cartoon in which Conrad speaks. This cartoon was released on February 28^th. All three of these cartoons were released in 1942. Conrad’s voice was provided by Pinto Colvig an actor best known as the voice of Goofy. This is the final appearance of Conrad the Cat. All of the cartoons featuring Conrad were directed by Chuck Jones. Chuck Jones would later be known for creating some of Looney Toons most beloved characters such as Marvin the Martian, Pepe LePew, and Wile E. Coyote.

 

After the release of Conrad the Sailor, this cat fell into obscurity, never to be seen again.

 

If you’d like to watch Conrad the Sailor, it is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume 4. If you’d like to see  Porky’s Cafe, you can watch it right here- https://youtu.be/V7O_z8OYp7I

Foghorn Leghorn’s 70th Anniversary

The latest special edition of Animation Treasures is all about your favorite cartoon rooster!

Foghorn Leghorn made his first appearance in Henery Hawk’s third cartoon, Walky Talky Hawky. This cartoon is also the first appearance of Foghorn’s nemesis, Barnyard Dawg. Walky Talky Hawky made it’s debut on August 31, 1946.

In this cartoon, Henery earns from his Poppa that he is a chicken hawk. Henery goes on a search for chicken. At this point, we get to meet Barnyard Dawg and Foghorn Leghorn.

Many Foghorn Leghorn cartoons begin in a similar fashion. Foghorn, singing to himself, sneaks up on Barnyard Dawg while he is sleeping. Foghorn then pulls the Dawg up by his hindquarters and beats him with a fencepost. The dog, now understandably angry, chases after Foghorn but can only go as far as his rope will stretch.

Usually, Foghorn is the initial aggressor, often attacking the dog for no reason, but sometimes the dog has been known to be an instigator, as can be seen in his first appearance.

Even though Henery Hawk received top billing, it was obvious that Foghorn leghorn stole the show. Walky Talky Hawky was an Academy Award for Animated Short Film nominee.

Foghorn Leghorn was created by animation director Robert McKimson and writer Warren Foster.  His personality is based on a combination of two radio show characters: Senator Claghorn fromThe Fred Allen Show and The Sherriff from Blue Monday Jamboree.

The Sheriff was the original inspiration for Foghorn Leghorn. In Crowing Pains, Foghorn’s second appearance, he began adopting some of Senator Claghorn’s catch phrases.

Senator Claghorn was widely popular. He even starred in a theatrical film. It’s a Joke, Son! Was realeased in 1947.

At first this barnyard bigmouth had no name. Eventually, his name came from the title of his third cartoon, The Foghorn Leghorn in 1948.

Henery Hawk’s attempts to catch a chicken became a reoccurring theme. Other reoccurring characters include Miss. Prissy, her book worm son Egghead Jr., and Bill Weasel. Most of these cartoons also featured Barnyard Dawg. Occasionally the dog would make appearances outside of Foghorn Leghorn cartoons, appearing as a pet to Porky Pig or Elmer Fudd.

Foghorn Leghorn starred in 28 cartoons. All of the 28 cartoons were directed by Bob McKimson. Banty Raids, released in 1963, was Foghorn’s final cartoon. He would make a final brief appearance in “False Hare” in 1964. False Hare was the last production completed by the original Warner Bros. Cartoons studio.

75th Anniversary of Cecil Turtle

 

Cecil Turtle made his debut on March 15, 1941 in the cartoon Tortoise Beats Hare. Tortoise Beats Hare is directed by Tex Avery. *SPOILER ALERT!* The tortoise wins! Of course the title is a pretty big clue!

Cecil Turtle only appeared in three cartoons, but he is one of the very few Looney Tunes characters who have been able to outwit Bugs Bunny.

Tex Avery had been working for Warner Brothers since 1935. Less a month later after the premier of Tortoise Beats Hare, Tex Avery and producer Leon Schlesinger had a disagreement. The producer did not approve of the ending to Avery’s cartoon, The Heckling Hare. Avery demanded his 40 feet of cut footage remain in the film. When Avery walked out of the studio, he was slapped with a four-week, unpaid suspension.

Later that year in September, it was announced that Tex had signed a five year contract with MGM. The split between Tex Avery and Warner Brothers happened before Tex could produce any new cartoons featuring Cecil. However he created another slow-and-steady character for MGM that would prove to be a great success… Droopy Dog!

The second cartoon featuring Cecil Turtle was directed by Bob Clampett. Tortoise Wins By a Hare was released February 20^th, 1943. An interesting side note, Droopy made his debut one month later on March 20^th. Is this a coincidence or did Tex decide to make this cartoon in response to Warner Brothers making use of his character Cecil? Droopy takes several traits from his predecessor Cecil, from his cleverness to his calm demeanor. In the cartoon Northwest Hounded Police, Droopy has even used help from his relatives to outsmart a wolf.

The final match up was in the cartoon Rabbit Transit, directed by Friz Freleng in 1947. It is interesting to see how each of these three directors handled this classic Tortoise and Hare fable. If you haven’t seen these cartoons… go watch them right away! You can find them in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection. Tortoise Wins by a Hare can be found uncensored on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume One, Tortoise Beats hare and Rabbit Transit are available on volume two.

Cecil has made numerous cameos since the 40’s… In the 90’s he was seen briefly in the movie Space Jam. On Animaniacs and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, he is seen as a villain. He’s been featured on season two of The Looney Tunes Show, appearing in the episode Customer Service in 2012 and later appearing in The Shell Game in 2013.

Most recently, Cecil Turtle has appeared in Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run, a 2015 strait to DVD movie. I think it is safe to say Cecil hasn’t made his last appearance.

Cecil is the only Looney Tunes character to beat Bugs three times in a row. One mystery remains… Since Cecil is a tortoise, why is his name Cecil Turtle?

60th Anniversary of Michigan J. Frog

Michigan J. Frog made his debut on December 31^st, 1955 in the Merrie Melodies cartoon, “One Froggy Evening.” This unforgettable cartoon is directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. Chuck Jones is the man who created characters like Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner, Pepe Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, and many others.

While demolishing a building, a construction worker finds a frog that has been trapped in the cornerstone since 1892. To his excitement the frog can sing and dance. He has dreams of making big profits, but the frog performs only for him.

The man desperately tries to demonstrate the frog’s abilities to the outside world, first by trying to get a talent agent to accept him, then by renting out a theater for it to perform in, all with no success.

Eventually, the man is living on a park bench—after spending all his money to rent the theater. He is committed to a psychiatric hospital along with the frog. After being released the man puts the frog into the cornerstone of a new building. It turns out a man of the future will suffer the same fate.

This cartoon does a great job of capturing expressions without words. In fact, there is no spoken dialogue.

The story may have been inspired by the real-life tale of Ol’ Rip, a horned toad which was claimed to have survived 31 years sealed in the cornerstone of the Eastland, Texas courthouse.

The date on the cornerstone in which the Frog was sealed predates most of the songs he sings. Papers found in the box with him state that it was sealed in 1892, but “Hello! Ma Baby”, for instance, was not written until 1899.

“One Froggy Evening” has been listed No. 5 on a list of the 50 greatest cartoons of all time ranked according to a poll of 1,000 people working in the animation industry.

Check out the video here- https://youtu.be/QuHA3p1M_Ns

Porky Pig’s 80th Anniversary

Porky Pig deserves a special celebration for his 80th anniversary. After all, Porky is the oldest continuing Looney Tunes character… but he wasn’t the first. The first Looney Tunes star was Bosko, created by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Introduced in 1929, Bosko’s films were very popular. He starred in over 30 Looney Tunes shorts and in the early 30’s, and at that that time he rivaled Mickey Mouse in popularity. Harman and Ising broke off ties with Leon Schlesinger in 1933 over budget disputes. When the two animators left Schlesinger’s studio in 1933, they took Bosko with them.

In 1933, Buddy was sent in as Bosko’s replacement for the next two years; Buddy proved to not be quite as popular. The answer came with the cartoon I Haven’t Got a Hat. Several new characters, most notably Porky Pig, were introduced in the hope that some would catch on. This Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Friz Freleng, is presented in the style of a short from the Our Gang series (later known as the Little Rascals).

A few other lesser known characters were also introduced: Little Kitty, Ham and Ex, Oliver Owl, and Beans the Cat. Later that year, Buddy stepped aside to make way for these new characters. Porky’s future popularity was unknown at the time, so Beans the Cat starred in several cartoons. Porky and Beans appeared a lot together at first, but it was soon realized that Porky was getting the laughs, often stealing the show.

Porky Pig was originally voiced by Joe Dougherty. Like Porky Pig, he could not control his stutter. Production costs became too high, as his recording sessions took hours. As a result, Mel Blanc replaced Dougherty in 1937 and became the permanent voice of Porky until his death in 1989.

Porky’s Duck Hunt, directed by Tex Avery, was the first cartoon featuring Mel Blanc as the voice of Porky Pig. This cartoon is notable for the first appearance of Daffy Duck, who soon became the studio’s biggest star.

Much of Porky Pig’s early success is attributed to Bob Clampett. Porky in Wackyland  (1938) was unlike anything that had come before it. This cartoon was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. For those that don’t know, that’s like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for film- The National Film Preservation Foundation selects 25 films important films to showcase each year.

In the late 1930’s, Porky’s character was still evolving. As animators were figuring out his personality, his appearance, age, and personality all varied from picture to picture. Bob Clampett finally pinned Porky down, making him a permanent young adult:

For a short time in the 30’s, Porky Pig was Looney Tunes biggest star. He would later share the spotlight with Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny, often playing as a sidekick.

The animators were always looking for characters to create mischief. In 1937, the cartoon Porky and Gabby paired Porky with a goat. Two more cartoons starring Porky and Gabby were made later that year- Porky’s Badtime Story and Get Rich Quick Porky.

In the 40’s there were three cartoons featuring Charlie Dog, all directed by Chuck Jones.. Little Orphan Airedale was Charlie’s debut, with the cartoon Awful Orphan, and Often an Orphan following after.

There was also a trilogy of Porky and Sylvester cartoons. These cartoons which placed the two together in a spooky setting where only Sylvester was aware of the danger. Sylvester saves Porky from homicidal mice, space aliens, and other threats.

Porky always remained a favorite of the Warner directors. His mild-mannered nature and shy demeanor made him the perfect straight man to play off of screwball characters and situations.

Porky’s most common partner is Daffy Duck. Many of the Daffy and Porky shorts have become enduring classics. The cartoon Deduce, You Say! (1956), features Porky as Watkins, sidekick to Dorlock Homes. In Robin Hood Daffy (1958), Porky is featured as friar Tuck. The cartoon Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century (1953) is widely considered to be one of the greatest cartoons of all time.

Porky Pig appeared in over 150 cartoons during the Golden Age of American animation and is still a featured character today. Porky has stayed alive though multiple TV specials, cameo performances on shows like Tiny Toons and Animaniacs, and appearing on the big screen in live action movies such as Space Jam and Looney Tunes Back in Action. Porky Pig was also a regular character on The Looney Tunes Show, an animated sitcom that ran from 2011 through 2014 on Cartoon Network.

So what’s next for Porky Pig? It’s hard to say, one thing is for sure… Porky always gets the last word.

That’s All Folks!

Watch the video here- http://youtu.be/SAyudiHziGE

50 Years of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964 on NBC. The Rankin/Bass stop motion classic has been shown on TV every year since, making it the longest running Christmas TV special in history… This weekend will mark 50 years. It looks like Rudolph really has gone done in history!

Snuggle up to your favorite blanket and enjoy this special Christmas episode of Animation Treasures honoring 50 years of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer- http://youtu.be/ugNVYjQVGkw

To most of us, Rudolph has always been a part of Christmas but in fact, Rudolph wasn’t spotted until the 20^th century. In 1939, when Robert L. May wrote Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer for the retailer Montgomery Ward to give away for it’s annual Christmas shopping promotion. The original story is about a reindeer that is outcast because of his bright shiny red nose. On a foggy Christmas Eve Santa is nearly running out time, and after visiting the home of Rudolph, has the idea of asking this misfit deer to guide his sleigh. After writing a note for his parents, Rudolph helps Santa and saves Christmas, becoming the envy of all the other Reindeer. In its first year of publication, over two million copies of Rudolph’s story were distributed.

Robert May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, adapted the story of Rudolph into a song. Gene Autry’s recording of the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart the week of Christmas 1949. There were many other notable recordings of the song recorded in 50’s and 60’s, including renditions by Bing Crosby, Spike Jones and his City Slickers and even multiple versions by Alvin and the Chipmunks. For more about the history of Rudolph- http://youtu.be/uHKpQ94NFKo

After the success of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Johnny Marks continued to write popular Christmas songs that are still known today. In 1958, he wrote Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree  (a hit for Brenda Lee) and Run Rudolph Run (performed by Chuck Berry). He even wrote the music and lyrics for the classic stop-animation film. The story is narrated by Sam the Snowman, played by Burl Ives, who sings Holly Jolly Christmas, Silver and Gold and of course Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

 

The first broadcast of the TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was sponsored by General Electric. The cartoon was produced by Videocraft international, later known as Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. The company was founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass on September 14, 1960. They would become known for its seasonal television specials, particularly their work in stop-motion animation.

Inspired by George Pal’s Puppetoons, Arthur Rankin wanted to find a way to bring stop motion animation to an international audience. The majority of Rankin/Bass’ work, including all of their stop-motion productions, were filmed in Japan. Throughout the 1960’s, these productions were supervised by stop-motion animator Tadahito Mochinaga.

The script was written by Romeo Muller adapted by the original story by Robert May.