Doggone Explosion

The scenes in Doggone Tired (1949) alternate between light and dark, so director Tex Avery has to employ a subtle use of colour.

At the end of the cartoon, Avery reprises a gag—an explosion when Speedy the dog blows out a candle (the first time, it was actually a stick of dynamite. This time, it’s an actual candle).



It’s tough to tell looking at stills, but in these five consecutive frames, Avery goes back to a night-time blue. You can see it if you look at the dog’s hands. (On the screen, five frames whip by in less than a third of a second).



Bobe Cannon, Walt Clinton, Grant Simmons and Mike Lah are the credited animators, while Louis Schmitt designed the character. Rich Hogan and Jack Cosgriff sat in on gag sessions with Avery.