Le Poste du Pew

Bob Gribbroek and Phil De Guard got together for these backgrounds in “Little Beau Pepé,” a 1952 Warner Bros. release from the Chuck Jones unit. It’s set in a French Foreign Legion camp in the Sahara.



Pepé cartoons are known for their phoney French, and not only in dialogue. Here’s some in the background paintings for gag purposes. Why Pepé would be interested in a cologne called “Man Trap,” is up to you to figure out. Maybe it does get lonely on those French Foreign Legion posts.



The cartoon reveals Pepé not to be romantic or even interested in sex, but a control freak. Sure he wants the woman—until the woman wants him. Then he’s not in control any more and instantly wants out of the situation. It’s a concept Jones and writer Mike Maltese revisited in other Pepé cartoons.