Rock and the Villain

One of Tex Avery’s gags in Homesteader Droopy (released 1954) reminds me of something from a Roadrunner/Coyote cartoon, but Avery handles it much differently than Chuck Jones would have.

In one scene, the evil Dishonest Dan (yet another incarnation of an Avery wolf) tries to destroy the homesteaders’ house with a huge boulder on a cliff.



Cut to a longer shot. The boulder won't fall no matter what Dan does.



Finally, he comes up with the solution—just push away the cliff and the boulder will fall.



If this was a Jones cartoon, he would focus on various facial expressions (a la Wile E. Coyote). Avery doesn't bother with poses. He simply goes for the quick gag.

You’ll notice how the house moved from under the boulder to make the gag work. I doubt any theatre audience noticed as Avery’s cartoons boot along from one gag to the next.

Bob Bentley, Grant Simmons, Mike Lah and Walt Clinton are the credited animators. Backgrounds by Johnny Johnsen.