Tuesday 17 March 2015

The S.S. Leon

Frank Tashlin and his unknown writer pull off an inside reference that turns out to close to the truth in “Porky’s Railroad” (1937). Porky and his train head over the bow of the S.S. Leon and come away with one of the ship’s life preservers.



“Leon,” of course, refers to studio head Leon Schlesinger, who was a recreational boatsman. Daily Variety of May 28, 1937 reveals “The Leon Schlesingers pull out today for Coronado.” And the trade paper flashed on April 13, 1939 “Now it's Skipper Leon Schlesinger. Cartoon producer has bought Richard Arlen's yacht, Dijo, and rechristened it The Merrie Melody.”
Posted by at 07:35
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1 comment:

  1. J Lee17 March 2015 at 19:35

    Tash definitely had a love-hate relationship with his boss, going through three separate stints under Schlesinger (and he'd also use the boss in a gag seven years later in "Booby Hatched", where mama names her ducklings after world leaders like Franklin, Eleanor, Winston and Leon).

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