The Porky Pig Story

Porky Pig modestly started his life at the Leon Schlesinger studio as part of the cast I Haven’t Got a Hat (1935). Helped by the stuttering gimmick and a lack of personality in just about every other character at the studio, he was elevated to the lead in the Looney Tunes series.

Porky was a little limited, but far less than the insipid Buddy he replaced. He was the kind of character the theatre audience could empathise with. He overcame his vocal difficulties and his innocence with determination. Later, Bob Clampett used him as kind of a straight man playing off goofy characters.

Poor Porky kind of fell out of favour as more in-your-face characters gained in popularity in the 1940s. But he could still be found in comic books, and he still turned up in animated cartoons into the ‘60s. Various directors used him different ways; I particularly like Art Davis’ cartoons with Porky.

From what I’ve read from the great animation historians of our time, producer Leon Schlesinger loved Porky. Here’s Leon talking about his favourite character to Hollywood magazine in its issue of December 1936. By that time, Frank Tashlin had been hired to direct Porky, adding his own particular cinematic stamp to the character.

The article gives a nice roundup of how Porky was created and how Warners cartoons were made. It even talks about voice artists, though it doesn’t name Joe Dougherty or Berneice Hansell. (Mel Blanc’s first cartoon as Porky wasn’t released until April 1937).

(Sorry for the poor photos. The magazine was scanned at low resolution).



BEHIND THE SCENES
How Porky the Pig Became A Star!
Believe It Or Not, there's a new star in Hollywood who never signs a contract, never displays temperament, is always on time, and last, but not least, doesn't even expect a salary for the grand performances he gives on the screen.
This delightful personality has never been known to "highbrow" his less fortunate associates since he blossomed into stardom and left them struggling for recognition among the stock players at the studio in which he toils.
It all came about one day, when Leon Schlesinger, producer of Merrie Melodies and Looney Tune cartoons called in his staff and said, "Boys, the public is crying for new personalities and I'm going to do something about it. How about organizing a stock company? Perhaps we can find a new star."
A few weeks later this same group of men gathered in the projection room to see a cartoon just completed entitled I Haven't Got A Hat, in which the new stock company was to make its debut. Among such characters as Oliver Owl, Ham and Ex, mischievous little puppies, Kitty Kat, and Tommy Turtle, was a chubby, stuttering piggie named "Porky," and did he steal the show!
Porky Grabs the Spotlight
When they finished running the picture, Schlesinger, a large, good-natured man, fairly beamed with enthusiasm. "That's just the fellow I've been looking for. From now on he'll not only stutter, but he'll star in all our Looney Tunes."
And that's the new star we've been telling you about.
Like regular actors and actresses of the screen, these fantastic little characters must have likeable personalities and when they do, they receive fan mail just like famous stars.

Unlike Porky, Schlesinger once featured a little boy named Buddy in his films, who seemed to have possibilities as a comedian, but had to let him go when he failed to register on the screen.
With all his clever ways, Porky can't read, so when fan letters are sent to him his boss reads them and whenever possible, tries to fulfill the requests of the fans.
Porky's greatest appeal seems to be the fact that he's always a good little pig, and manages to dispose of the "villain" in his pictures.
Cartoons are so popular with children that Schlesinger has discovered he must never allow any evil or frightening character in his pictures. One wicked character appearing in a film was never shown again when parents wrote in saying it frightened their children.
Where Porky Got His Voice
There's an interesting story about the strange sounds emanating from these pen-and-ink people. Porky's voice, for instance, is that of an extra player who is a genius at stuttering. In fact, he can't say a word unless he does.
The child-like voice of Kitty, the Kitten, is created by a woman who is a dressmaker at the studios.
Because Schlesinger's cartoons are released through Warner Bros., he has access to their libraries and oftentimes your favorite star's voice speaks from an animated character. Joe E. Brown's amusing yell has been the roar of a hippopotamus. A record of such a famous voice as John Barrymore's has been played in reverse to furnish the jabber for a funny little animal.

Two famous stars of today used to double their voices for Schlesinger's cartoons when he first started producing them in 1930. One was Rochelle Hudson, the other, little Jane Withers.
Few people realize that it requires from 10,000 to 12,000 drawings for the average cartoon, which takes up approximately seven minutes running times on the screen.
Weeks are spent on story preparation for each picture, and strange sights are seen during this time. Don't be alarmed if it should be your fate to pass a story conference room in a cartoon studio and see a perfectly normal-looking person suddenly jump on one of his co-workers and choke him until he screams like a wild man. They are merely illustrating a proposed scene in a forthcoming picture. These gagmen, as they are called, will crow like roosters, walk on all fours, barking like a dog, etc., all for the love of their work.
Going Through the Mill
After the story has been okayed, the ideas of which are drawn, not written, the "scenario" is turned over to the director of animation. Here, as many as thirty animators will draw the key drawings, or "extremes" of each scene, leaving three or four drawings for the "in-betweeners."
From there it goes to the "inking" department, where each drawing is traced on celluloid. The painting department is the next stop, where "painters" fill in the various colors.
Backgrounds are then drawn which form the scenes or sets to match the action of the film.
After this every drawing on celluloid must be photographed.
The final step is the recording department, where the musical is added.
That's why it takes one-hundred-and-twenty-five people approximately three and a half months to bring Porky to life in one of his starring vehicles.
Modest Porky, who has always been so untouched by all this sudden fame will throw out his chest proudly when he sees this, his first magazine story.