All Out for Terry

Cartoon studios didn’t sit idly by as the horror of Hitler and the tentacles of Tojo hovered over the Allied World. They were used in the war effort, with contributions significant enough that a documentary called “Cartoons Go To War” was made about the subject a number of years ago.

The studios made both propaganda shorts for the home front and training films for the military. Leon Schlesinger’s animators had Bugs Bunny “nipping the Nips” for theatres and Private Snafu showing soldiers what not to do. The Schlesinger studio wasn’t the only one.

Over on the East Coast, Paul Terry got into the wartainment business as well as assisting the allied effort in more tangible ways. His hometown paper in Larchmont, New York, published a front-page article on July 30, 1942. Unfortunately, the picture of Terry available from it on the internet is low resolution, so we have added screen shots of All Out For “V” to this transcription. That cartoon was nominated for an Oscar (it didn’t win) and is brimming with American patriotism (in song) and Disney-esque forest creatures, along with naked sheep, Carlo Vinci animation, a caterpillar tractor made from caterpillars and evil Japanese beetles who surrender after a Terry Splash™ into the water. It had neither the humour or energy you would find even in Disney propaganda cartoons of the day.

PAUL TERRY PUTS $50,000 IN WAR SAVINGS BONDS
Resident Here Also Enlists His Cartoons In Effort To Help Win War
Another mighty Army tank for Uncle Sam's farflung fighting forces was made possible when Paul Terry, president of Terrytoons, Inc., who lives at 40 Ocean Avenue, Larchmont, purchased $50,000 worth of War Savings Bonds at the New Rochelle Trust Company.
The purchase, one of the largest made in New Rochelle by any corporation or individual, helped the city War Bond and Stamp sales campaign a step nearer the $633,000 goal for July. It also raised the bond sales of the New Rochelle Trust Company over the 2 1/2 million dollar mark in the drive begun May 1, 1941. The contribution is not the first to be made by Mr. Terry and Terrytoons, Inc. to the war effort.
Daily, some 100 employes of the Terry organizations bend their efforts to promoting Uncle Sam’s cause. With pen, pencil and paint brush, the workers laboriously fashion the humorous and lovable animated cartoon figures which cavort on the screens of theatres throughout the country and in many foreign lands. The animated cartoon "enlisted" some time ago in the war effort.
The business of the cartoon long has been to entertain and provide relaxation, a role that is considered very important in the morale of servicemen and civilians alike. Themes designed to promote or teach war lessons have been adopted for all of the 26 "shorts” turned out yearly at the New Rochelle building.

The artists have completed the latest Terrytoon, “All Out For V” in which the familiar animal characters dig in to help in the war effort. A special showing of this cartoon, emphasizing cooperation and the importance of each individual’s work, has been arranged for a 2 A. M, “break” in the toil of the “swing shift” at an RCA defense manufacturing plant in New Jersey, Later, it will reach the theatre screens, the USO show-houses and reduced to 16 mm. film, it will be shipped to the fighting fronts of Ireland, Australia, Alaska and other points on the globe where soldiers, sailors and marines will see It free with the best wishes of Mr. Terry and his staff.
Mr. Terry, a pioneer in the animated cartoon field, believes his art provides a forceful means of teaching a moral, in that he takes a leaf from the teachings of Aesop, the ancient philosopher and motto-maker. But then, Mr. Terry's screen versions of the Aesop Fables more than a decade ago added to the Greek’s glory. Terrytoons are endeavoring to teach salient facts regarding the importance of salvage campaigns, the USO and soon to go into production is a short on the new WAAC’s.
The message is designed not only for the entertainment and education of adults, but also for youngsters who Mr. Terry considers a special responsibility of cartoonists and animators.
"We command the attention of millions of children," he points out, “and in war time, we owe them a debt. It is our privilege, but a weighty responsibility, to help them formulate their conceptions of what this war effort is all about.
"Through our animated animals and comics characters we try to explain facts to the children and point out ways in which they, too, may serve in these times. We try to build morale, a spirit of cooperation and fire the will to win,” the master cartoonist asserted.
To further those aims, his staff of 100 turns out the voluminous quota of 4,000 to 5,000 drawings a week. Completed pictures requiring 8,000 to 10,000 drawings are finished every two weeks under rigid production schedules.
The plant occupies two floors of the Pershing Square building, and all of the work of the production, with the exception of sound recording, is done on the premises. The recording is done at New York.
Mr. Terry has resided at 40 Ocean Avenue, Larchmont for 18 years.
Back when World War No. 1 was under way but still far and unrelated to American thoughts, Mr. Terry gave up newspaper cartooning which had been his livlihood for more than 10 years to try his hand and fortune at a new trade in which he envisaged great opportunities.
Fired with ambition, he turned out unassisted his first animated cartoon, featuring "Little Herman," a popular comic figure of the day.
To induce motion picture people to accept the film proved a sizable task, but at length, he was successful. The once source of encouragement and acceptance was the Tannehauser Studios, then New Rochelle’s thriving motion picture industry.
"Had I been unable to gain acceptance for that film, I doubt that I would be in business today," Mr. Terry asserted.

But the picture was accepted, and it led to others. The first World War interrupted and he served two years as a lieutenant in the Surgeon General’s office recording a pictorial medical history of the Army physicians accomplishments.
After the war, he returned to animated cartooning, producing on his own or working with the large film companies. During the late 20’s he hit upon the popular idea of producing the Aesop Fables in a series of animated cartoons.
Terrytoons were originated in 1929 and were turned out at New York studios until 1934 when the plant was transferred to New Rochelle. Now, the production of pictures on the exploits of “Gandy Goose” and “Sergeant Cat” who have been making celluloid life miserable for the Japs in the Pacific. Nancy and other characters continue on the two-week schedules.
So far, the organization has escaped the bugaboo of priorities. Over a year ago, it became difficult to obtain the sheets of celluloid upon which the drawings are made. However, the problem was overcome by reclaiming turfed “cells” as the trade terms them.
Another item, obtaining English pen points used extensively in the work, proved more difficult. However, a survey of the points discarded soon revealed that two-thirds of the points were still serviceable when the artists tossed them aside. Now, the nibs are used to the fullest before being replaced.
Like all fields of endeavor, the young men from the staff have been going into Army service. At present, 18 of the Terrytooners are in the Armed Forces, ranging from the Royal Canadian Air Force down. The Signal Corps has drawn eight of the fellows.
Girls are replacing the men as the Army calls more and more artists from their boards. When the company first located in New Rochelle, William Weiss, vice-president, recalled, there was one girl in the organization. Today, the number has risen to 29, and it is going higher.
There is work to be done—teaching and bolstering morale—that is the job the Terrytoons are doing throughout the country and across the seas—all from the studios at North Avenue and Huguenot Street, New Rochelle.