Thursday, 20 April 2017

Is Leon a Dog?

Tex Avery and writer Dave Monahan weren’t just parodying film studios with “yes” men and jodhpur-wearing Germanic directors in Daffy Duck in Hollywood, they were taking a little shot at their own studio.

Producer I.M. Stupendous of Wonder Pictures is rotund with a carnation in his lapel and smokes cigarettes in a holder. Avery and Monaham knew a producer just like that. Someone named Leon Schlesinger.



Adding to the inside joke is a phone call that Stupendous makes. “Miss Morgan?” he addresses his secretary on the line. The Schlesinger studio receptionist was Ginger Morgan.

I like the gag where the camera pulls back to show Leon and his director on the phone—in the same office. It’s a completely different office than the one in the pan shot above.



Virgil Ross gets the animation screen credit.

2 comments:

  1. Only accoutrement missing is a tacky rug - no, not on the floor - on Leon's, uh, "I.M.'s" noggin.

    Note the spittoon graciously provided for guests. Classy!

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    Replies
    1. Holy crap, I've never notice the spittoon for years! Classic Avery..

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