Running From Egypt

Gypped in Egypt has all the hallmarks of an early Van Beuren cartoon—inconsistent drawing, skeletons doing all kinds of stuff, a piano, wood block sounds for footsteps. This is one of those East Coast nightmare cartoons where doors (trap and other kinds), stairs and windows appear out of nowhere and one scene segues into the next.

The cartoon ends with Don and Waffles running toward the horizon. But something’s coming at them. Waffles is always afraid and shakes. Nothing bothers Don.



Off they run into the distance to the strains of Gene Rodemich’s Middle Eastern-evoking music.



What is that thing chasing them anyway? Oh, who cares. It’s a Van Beuren cartoon! Its eyes have a great psychedelic effect on a cycle of five frames. Here’s a loop of it. (Sorry for the jumpy frames).



Manny Davis and John Foster get the screen credits for overseeing this 1930 cartoon.