Most of them are in the dialogue, but there’s one hidden in Johnny Johnsen’s backgrounds. Although the cartoon takes place in the Jingling Bros. Circus, the big top has the letters “L.S.” You can guess what they stand for.
Most of the characters we meet are named for Schlesinger employees: assistant animator Ace Gamer, story man Rich Hogan, executive assistant Henry Binder.
Then there’s the “sensational Captain Clampett.” This one isn’t only named for director Bob Clampett, it’s a caricature of him.
Jack Miller is the credited writer, combining with Avery on a few familiar gags (egs. the elephant repeating the bobcat routine and the sign-ignoring animal feeder, both from Cross Country Detours), Sid Sutherland gets the animation credit, and it would appear Bob McKimson and Virgil Ross also animated scenes.
This is one I remember turning up a lot -- and I mean A LOT -- on the local "Bugs Bunny and Friends" show. Why, I don't know. "Lights Fantastic" was another that I remember playing with "not this again" frequency.
ReplyDeleteI guess I've gotten used to seeing restored prints of these. You see frame grabs like these and it brings back memories of how bad these used to look. Not that I remember it bothering me that much back then..