Standard Avery Gag No. 153

“Interesting to behold is the evolution of the tropical butterfly,” narrator Robert C. Bruce tells us in Aviation Vacation (1941). “Let’s watch this curious transformation, as from this lowly, insignificant little cocoon emerges a full-grown butterfly, vividly marked with all the gorgeous colours of the rainbow.”

Well, there would be gorgeous colours if this cartoon had been restored. Instead, we get lots of green and faded hues. Regardless, that doesn’t affect the gag, which is one of Tex Avery’s standards.

First butterfly.



Second butterfly.



Third butterfly. Well, sort of.





Cut to a close shot of the shaking, bloodshot-eyed insect. “Say! What in the world happened to you?” asks the narrator. Avery fans can shout the answer at the screen: “Well, I’ve been sick.”

This cartoon leaves you with the feeling that Avery had some gags left over from some of his other travelogue parodies and shoved them in here. There isn’t a lot to do with aviation in this one.

Dave Monahan got credit for the gags, Sid Sutherland for animation (Virgil Ross and Bob McKimson are here, too) and Johnny Johnsen supplied the greenery.