What caricatures do we get?
Jan Paderewski. I’d love to see more of that “Learn to Animate” ad to the right. (Note: Devon Baxter says “Brophy” was a nickname of animator and later NBC TV executive Norm Blackburn).
David Rubinoff, who was part of Eddie Cantor's radio show. In this cartoon, Cantor is talking into the camera to “Jimmy,” referring to their announcer, Jimmy Wallington.
Will Rogers.
The “Vexico Big Cheef,” Ed Wynn, letting out with his “Soooooo” he used to say to his announcer, Graham McNamee.
George Arliss in the upper left corner.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Edward G. Robinson, star of the 1931 Warner Bros. feature Little Caeser. Oh, and Greta Garbo is Greta “Grabo.” Now that’s comedy!
The cartoon studio would be caricaturing Benito Mussolini a little different 10 years later.
“Ping Pong!” It’s a play on “King Kong!” Get it? (The “Texaco” pun is worse, but this one is pretty obvious).
Frank Marsales treats us to the title song in several different tempos.
Friz Freleng and Larry Martin get the animation credits in this cartoon.
I'd also like to know if Brophy was an actual animation teacher.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be posting more frequently now, Yowp. If the sabbatical is over, welcome back.
A handful of other observations: the stereotypical congressman (standing in front of Congressional Magazine) is waving a stein of beer, alluding to the first stage of Repeal, the Cullen-Harrison Act (passed in March, 1933) which legalized beer; King Kong premiered in March, 1933 and was fully released in April, 1933; "Whiz Bang," forgotten today, was a Fawcett publication that specialized in racy humour, hence the scantily clad lady; note the date on the Wall Street Magazine Rogers looks at, sardonically; there are a lot of references to real magazines -- I am slightly surprised Time is fuzzed up a bit -- at this point, Time was rounding into its first major period of influence.
ReplyDelete"Whiz Bang" is mentioned in the nostalgic 1957 musical "The Music Man". Fast-talking salesman Harold Hill is admonishing the mothers of River City to "watch for the tell-tale signs of corruption" in their sons, asking, among other things, "Is he starting to memorise jokes from Captain Billy's Whiz Bang?" Thanks, I never understood that reference until now.
DeleteI recall that, though it was somewhat anachronistic - "The Music Man" takes place around 1912, and Captain Billy's Whiz Bang began during World War I.
DeleteI recall seeing this under the title "Magazine Rack."
ReplyDelete