Monday 24 February 2014

For the Tired Businessman

There’s something for everyone in Tex Avery’s “House of Tomorrow” (1949), including the mother-in-law. Avery and his story guys use the mother-in-law as a topper in some comparison gags, except one dealing with the TV set of tomorrow.



Narrator Frank Graham informs us it “features a screen for each member of the family.”



For the housewife. Scott Bradley plays “Shortenin’ Bread” in the background.



For the kiddies. Avery liked making fun of the ubiquity of westerns on TV and did it in a few other cartoons.



And for the tired businessman. The camera slowly pans up.

In case you’re wondering about the identity of the young lady, let us read Daily Variety from September 21, 1948:

Metro Cartoons Mixing Action and Animation
Metro is getting into the field of combination live action and animation cartoons. First two cartoons in the combined medium will he "Senor Droopy," with Lina Romay and "House of Tomorrow," with Joy Lansing. Tex Avery will direct both shorts for producer Fred Quimby.

I remember her from “The Beverly Hillbillies,” though I don’t think she appeared in very many episodes. She was only 44 when she died of cancer in 1972.
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4 comments:

  1. top_cat_james24 February 2014 at 08:10

    Joi (her stage name) Lansing has another animation credit. She appeared in a 15 minute public service short UPA produced for the American Cancer Society, "Inside Magoo" (1960).

    Yes, only 5 'Beverly Hillbillies" episodes as Lester Flatts' wife, Gladys.

    ReplyDelete
  2. J Lee24 February 2014 at 12:26

    Paul Henning loved to use Joi Lansing -- before "The Beverly Hillbillies", Joi showed up several times in the 1950s on "Love that Bob".

    She also appeared as a police detective posing as Superman's wife in one of the later episodes of the TV series. Looking at Joi, you could kind of see Superman saying "Lois who?"

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  3. bgrauman30 May 2019 at 18:19

    PATRONS ATTENTION!!

    DUE TO NUMEROUS REQUESTS FROM THE TIRED BUSINESS-MEN IN THE AUDIENCE,

    WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE GIRL AGAIN.

    THE MANAGEMENT.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Qwen24 February 2020 at 12:35

    This segment had always been my favorite part. Joi Lansing is a sexy classic.

    ReplyDelete