The sack of Butler Spuds is named after the background artist. Gribbroek Corn Meal is derived by Bob Gribbroek, the layout man on this short. The “arren Hog aw” is probably a reference to Warren Foster, who had left Warners in mid-November 1957 to work for John Sutherland Productions. By the time this cartoon was released, he had begun writing on The Huckleberry Hound Show at Hanna-Barbera. Butler’s name is on screen in about 30 cartoons from 1957 to the closure of the studio, though he seems to have been there off and on the last several years. Most are for the McKimson unit. He replaced Bob Majors by August 1956.
Butler, by the way, had some of his work on display at a showing in Van Nuys in 1963 restricted to artists and muralists in the film industry. Among the other artists you may know are Corny Cole, Vic Haboush, Eyvind Earle, Tom O'Loughlin, Tony Rizzo, Bob McIntosh, Al Dempster and Basil Davidovich.
Tedd Pierce wrote this cartoon, which co-stars McKimson’s version of Yosemite Sam, Blacque Jacques Shellacque. Pierce slacks off a lot as the gags are reminiscent of those found in other Warners cartoons, including a variation of the card game Bugs played with Colonel Shuffle in Mississippi Hare, made by Chuck Jones and Mike Maltese ten years earlier. The whole Bugs/Yukon gold scenario is lifted from Friz Freleng and Warren Foster’s 14 Carrot Rabbit (1952). The “pull your cork” and “fake phone booth call/explosion” are familiar, too. And the “population sign” gag crops up at a number of studios.
Bob Bruce narrates the opening.
Speaking of being reminiscent of other LT cartoons, there's recycled animation from Drip-Along Daffy here too.
ReplyDeleteWet Hare is the better of the two Blacque Jacque Shellacque cartoons, though I do like the Blackjack and phone booth gags here. And beautiful Bill Butler backgrounds.
"Bob Bruce narrates the opening."
Notably, his last WB cartoon.