The Old Log Gag

Tex Avery and Bob Clampett used the old hollow log/cliff routine. Hanna-Barbera borrowed it for the first TV cartoon starring Yowp (Foxy Hound-Dog with Yogi Bear, 1958). But Art Davis used it, too, in Nothing But the Tooth, as gag writer Dave Monahan extends it as far as he can.

The cartoon centres around a stupid Indian wanting to scalp bald Porky Pig. Porky runs through the hollow log and then chops a section off it.

We know what the gag is going to be; the Indian’s going to come through the log and drop. We just don’t know how Davis and Monahan are going to pull it off.



Nope. Doesn’t happen here. The Mohican sticks his head out of the log. “Thought I was going to a fall, didn’t you?” he says to the audience.



The Indian continues his journey. Surprise! Now we all discover Porky chopped out a second portion. Down goes the Mohican.



The satisfied Porky strolls off, only to meet up with his injured adversary, and zooms back through the log. Yes, you can guess what will happen.



Porky lifts himself out of the log and continues his stroll. Oh, oh. He forgot about the second cut.



In a lovely bit of timing, we hear Treg Brown’s drop-whistle sound for about three seconds, then a thunk. There’s a quick pan down to the gag topper. It turns out the log isn’t over a cliff like it is in other cartoons. Porky’s not impressed.



Some of the cartoons that Davis directed have an odd feel and pace to them but this one moves along like your average Warners cartoon.

Monahan did a handful of cartoons at Warners after he returned from the war. He also wrote for Columbia/Screen Gems. By the time this cartoon was released, Columbia had closed its cartoon department and the Davis unit had disbanded. Monahan went into live action, mainly doing commercials (including some for the Warners commercial television division) before moving to MGM-TV.

Bill Melendez, Don Williams, John Carey and Basil Davidovich receive the animation credits on this short.