That's No Worm

A Lou Costello worm (Kent Rogers) tries to escape from a bird (Frank Graham) by jumping in a lake in Tex Avery’s The Early Bird Dood It! (MGM, 1942)



The early bird skids to a stop.



A familiar gag. I don't know when it was first used in cartoons.



There’s no worm there. The bird follows with a head-swirling take.



The bird turns and races in mid-air out of the scene. There's plenty more dry-brush here.



Irv Spence, Preston Blair, Ray Abrams and Ed Love receive screen credit for animation in this cartoon, the first put into production by the Avery unit (and the second one released).