Jack Benny On Fred Allen

Fred Allen’s sudden death on March 17, 1956 brought a pouring of sorrow.

Newspapers were filled with stories about three things: Allen’s cleverness with words, the Allen’s Alley portion of his radio show, and his feud with Jack Benny, which began in late 1936 and boiled up for almost the next 20 years.

After Allen died, the Globe in his home town of Boston induced Jack to put his memories in print. They were later sent across the country through the North American Newspaper Alliance.

Benny and Allen Were Great Pals
Their Radio Feud Was Just an Act
By JACK BENNY
NEW YORK (NANA) — The news of Fred Allen's death shocked me. I can't bring myself to realize it is true.
Fred and I were very dear friends for many years. We'd have to be in order to carry on that radio feud we engaged in over the years. We had a great deal of mutual admiration for each other and if anything good came my way, Fred was always the first to say I had ability and that I deserved it. And I'd say the same about him and his tremendous gift as a comedian.
The minute I heard about Fred's death, I telephoned his wife, Portland. She was standing up under the crushing news quite well, although I knew she was stunned.
"Only this (Saturday) morning Fred went to the doctor and was given an OK," said Portland.
"The doctor took a cardiograph, tested his blood pressure. He was in pretty good shape. When he left for his evening walk, he felt very well.
"This is the first time I didn't go along with him on these evening walks before bedtime. I feel so dreadful."
Fred's death is going to be an awful shock to Portland when she comes to the full realization of it. The pair were inseparable.
Fred had terrific wit, truly comparable to any of the great wits of the past. He could be compared to Will Rogers, had he taken on that kind of column. Although pretty serious-minded, when Fred said something funny, it was terribly funny.
When we made a picture years ago for Paramount called "Love Thy Neighbor," there were always countless tours visiting the movie lot. Of course, when Fred and I were together we were fairly serious. We would discuss various things—such as the news, or we might talk shop or arrange for a visit to my home, as Portland and I my wife Mary were devoted friends.
Well, all the tour groups would be in their element watching Fred and me on the set. They would hang around and hang around wondering when Fred and I were going to have them hilarious.
Everybody Waited
Between scenes, Fred always went to his dressing room and whacked out copy on his typewriter, while I would retire to my room and rehearse my scripts.
Meanwhile, every one would be standing around waiting for us to be funny. The feud Fred and I had, along with the gibes we fired at each other, were strictly for the public, of course. This was an act. Personally, we never engaged in hi-jinks or played practical jokes on each other. You never saw two comedians who were so serious.
Fred and I had the kind of friendship that didn't have to be proved every minute.
There are some people who take offense if you are in their vicinity and you don't call them up or go to visit them. They will remark what a cad you are to come to New York and not get in touch with them. Fred and I were never like that.
On my trips to New York from the coast, I'd almost always get in touch with Fred. Our wives always looked forward to these visits. And when Fred would come to Hollywood, he would get in touch with us. But not always did we do this.
If I didn't get in touch with Fred while in New York, there was no explanation necessary. Neither did Fred have to apologize if he didn't get in touch with me while on the coast. Our friendship was solid.
Fred was taking things a lot easier. His TV assignment on "What's My Line" was just the thing for him. There was nothing to rehearse, so this proved no hardship for Fred.
I have lost a great, great friend.

There were tributes on radio and TV, and Jack was asked to take part. Fittingly, one took place on radio during Jack’s former East Coast time-slot.

A WELL-DESERVED and moving tribute to the late Fred Allen, who was affiliated with NBC for most of his broadcasting career, was quickly prepared by the network Sunday for airing that night as part of "Monitor." It was unfortunate that many listeners who had been amused time and again by the New England humorist were unaware that such a tribute was scheduled by NBC and thus missed it altogether.
Especially touching were the sad voices of Jimmy Durante and Jack Benny, who mourned the loss of a good friend as well as a fellow comedian. The program reviewed Allen's career as an actor and original humorist, presented portion of recordings in which he astutely analyzed American humor and related many incidents and deeds that illustrated his kindness and basic goodness. There also was a portion of the last broadcast Allen ever made, taped the Friday before he died, as he discussed his early career in show business.
Dave Garroway, who narrated, told listeners that "I wouldn't be sitting here tonight if it weren't for Fred Allen." Back in his "Garroway-at-Large" TV days when he was a comparative unknown, Dave's biggest booster was Allen, who once flew out to Chicago to guest on the program at no fee. He later went back to New York and sold the show to a sponsor singlehandedly.
In appraising Fred Allen's contribution to American humor radio at the same time paid tribute to one of its greatest performers of all time.

Allen’s sudden death less than 48 hours before he was to appear on What’s My Line? meant a replacement had to be quickly found. Steve Allen was brought in. Steverino was now the host of the Tonight show from New York on NBC, and only hours after Fred’s funeral on March 20, there was a televised tribute.

The Knickerbocker News of Albany, New York, published a review. Again, Jack was there, though across the country in Los Angeles.

Tonight Tribute to Fred Allen Fine Farewell to Great Comedian
By WALTER HAWVER
Show business paid a fine tribute to one of its greatest performers yesterday when the Tonight program dropped its regular format, personnel and advertising to honor the late Fred Allen.
The show was necessarily thrown together in a few hours, but no spectacular [TV special] with weeks of rehearsal could have been more effective.
I watched the show “live” at the old Hudson Theater. I was in New York City for interviews with some NBC and CBS stars and heard about the program Monday afternoon while I was talking with Ernie Otto, NBC's press contact for out-of-town newspapermen.
The show was mainly serious but there were a few light moments, which was as it should be. Fred Allen was a humorist, one of the best, and he would not stand for gloom-and-doom stuff, even in death.
The most touching moment of the night came with Jack Benny's appearance from Hollywood. The tears welled in Jack's eyes. He bit his lip as he told of his radio “feud” with Allen.
"In order to carry on a feud for 20 years, you have to be the very best of friends, to have a great love for each other," Jack said.
"America has lost a great wit and a wonderful citizen. I know I've lost a very dear friend. Wherever his is tonight [sic], I feel sure Fred is making up some awful joke about me."
Jack recalled a New Year's Day telegram Fred sent him. He wouldn't send a wire and say 'Happy New Year' like anyone else." His wire read: "Today the world is starting a new year. When are you going to?'
Bob Hope compared Allen to the great American humorists. “I’m certain that Josh Billings, Mark Twain and Will Rogers were waiting for him at the gate a say; 'Welcome, Fred'."
The picture other friends painted of Fred was remarkably consistent.
Author Herman Wouk ("Caine Mutiny," "Marjorie Morningstar”) who broke in as a writer on the Allen radio show, "Town Hall Tonight," said he and other writers on the show were “always in competition" with their boss.
Wouk said Allen was "infinitely more brilliant, more to inventive than any of us. No matter how we tried we could never do more than a passable imitation of Fred's style. But in five years, he never once criticized my work. The only way I knew whether he liked it or not was how much of it he rewrote for the show."
Story-teller Peter Donald, the "Ajax aCssidy" [sic] of Allen's Alley on the radio show, said Fred was "ruthless" with his own material when it came to trimming a script to fit the time limits of a show.
Donald, who wrote much of the material for the Cassidy character, recalled that Allen would "cut all his own good lines to leave ours in."
Songwriter Howard Dietz "Dancing in the Dart" remembered that Allen hated rehearsals. During the preparation for one Broadway play, he said Allen fumed and fretted and after several hours exploded in exasperation: "When are we going to write the jokes?"
Allen's biggest disappointment was that he never made much of a mark in television, but he would have been pleased at Bennett Cerf's comment that he "supplied great dignity" to What's My Line and "made it a better show."
Cerf said Allen was "literally terrified" the night he turned up for his first What's My Line program 2 1/2 years ago. "He was afraid he wouldn't be good. He hadn't gone very well in television. At first he felt shy and out-of-place, but as we all knew would happen, he made it a better show."
If some one collected all of the Allen material reprised on television the past few days, they would have enough for two or three more volumes as thick as Fred's own best-seller “Treadmill to Oblivion."
The Tonight show was rich in Allen wit. Tonight for Steve Allen (no relation) revived some of Fred's views on humor.
"All humor should be treated and done in an atmosphere of relaxation. You need time to think humor, to enjoy humor."
“. . . the unexpected in any situation, the incongruous, that is the basis of humor."
Fred was one of TV's biggest critics.
“Television gets tiresome. It's too graphic. It offers everything for the eye, nothing for the mind. The next generation will have eyeballs as big as cantaloupes and no mind at all."
And television executives were foreover [forever] coming under his fire.
"If the United States can get along with one vicepresident, why does NBC need 26."
"NBC does not recognize Hell or the Columbia Broadcasting System. When a bad person dies, he goes to Heck. When a good person dies, he goes to the Rainbow Room."

The cross-fire between the two on radio, to me, got better as the years went back. One highlight may have been the “King For a Day” sketch on May 26, 1946 when, judging by the uncontrollable studio audience laughter, stagehands removed Jack’s pants. My favourite of the two on the Benny show was Allen’s last appearance on May 3, 1953 where they were now vaudeville partners, willing to undercut each other to make money on stage (in reality, they never appeared on a vaudeville bill together).

Even to the end of Jack’s life, he’d talk about Fred Allen, doing an impression of him on the Johnny Carson Tonight show. And when Jack died on December 26, 1974, newspapers were again filled with fond memories of The Feud.

My thanks to Warren Croom at the International Jack Benny Fan Club Facebook page for sparking this post.

Anniversary Squares

Today marks the 60th anniversary two new daytime shows “brought to you in living color” on NBC.

On October 17, 1966, occupying the first part of the 11 a.m. hour (10 Central and Pacific) was The Pat Boone Show. Plunked into the second half hour was a game show called Hollywood Squares.

It didn’t change a lot during its original life-span. Peter Marshall hosted, Kenny Williams elucidated the wonders of Turtle Wax and listed the stars, the same nine-square metal contraption dominated the set, and, periodically, someone modelled a fur from Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills.

The main changes were two of the five regulars, Morey Amsterdam and Abby Dalton, stopped appearing, while two others, Wally Cox and Charlie Weaver died. Added along the way—no, he was not there at the beginning—was Paul Lynde.

Mike Connolly of The Hollywood Reporter squibbed on Aug. 5, 1965 that Sandy Baron had flown in from New York to do a Squares pilot for CBS. The Reporter on Oct. 25 mentioned Rose Marie had taped a show, then reported on Dec. 27 that Jimmy Haskell had just composed and conducted the theme for it. Bert Parks tried out the mc's chair. You can find his pilot on-line; he chats away like he's still on radio and afraid of dead air. Producers Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley decided to get someone else.

There were a number of stories newspaper which looked suspiciously like company PR releases. But you want to hear from celebrities, don’t you? So here’s the Master of the Hollywood Squares in an unbylined piece from Nov. 12, 1965. It omits the fact he already had hosted a game show, Stimulus on KTLA.

Peter Marshall Has Great Hopes On Game Show
HOLLYWOOD — Peter Marshall just has been given something he has always wanted: a game show. "I’ve been trying to get a show for years," said the versatile performer. "I've starred all over, yet no one knows who I am. I saw what happened to people like Jan Murray and Bert Parks once they had a game show. Their popularity went up. So did their stock."
That — and the fun of the game show itself — is why Marshall is happy as host of "The Hollywood Squares," colorcast on NBC Mondays through Fridays.
His reason is not a rationalization.
"I really wanted a game show and not a TV series." said Marshall. "A series would tie me up to work every day of the week."
Marshall is a performer with a sense of direction.
"I love the stage," he said. "I'm aware that's where my talent is. If I were a bachelor, I'd do only stage work. It's the only thing from which I get great satisfaction."
But Marshall isn't a bachelor. He is married and the father of four children, ranging in age from eight to seventeen.
"If this show is successful," he said, "I can go into stock theatre."
The implication was that it would become a better paying proposition than it has been for him.
He would also like to spend more time writing.
"I was out of work for nine months four years ago and I began to write," he said. "Writing is the most frustrating thing in the world, but if you write something, and four days later it's still good, it's a thrilling feeling. I don't play golf. I write. It's my hobby. I've collaborated on a couple of film scripts already. I hope I might make a living at it some day."
He also hopes never to stop entertaining.
"I always wanted to be a performer," he said. "I started when I was eight."
In time, Marshall, a versatile comedian, actor and singer, became half of the successful Pete Marshall - Tommy Noonan comedy team. After achieving wide popularity on the night-club circuit, he played featured or starring roles in several films, including "Ensign Pulver."
Turning to the stage as a "single," Marshall headed the London company of "Bye Bye Birdie" and appeared in Las Vegas productions of a number of hit musicals. His television credits include guest stints on the Ed Sullivan and Perry Como shows.
He was praised by critics last season for his performance as Julie Harris' leading man in "Skyscraper," his first musical role on Broadway.
Marshall has great hopes riding on his new game show. Is it the big break?
Marshall smiled and recalled "a great quote" by actor Walter Matthau.
"He said," said Marshall, "That in show business all you need is 27 good breaks!"
Added Marshall for after-thought:
"The trick is to learn 27 different things to be ready for those 27 breaks!"

Squares had replaced Showdown hosted by noted pot-strirrer Joe Pyne. The guests on the first week were Agnes Moorehead (replaced on Wednesday by Pamela Mason), Ernie Borgnine, Sally Field and Nick Adams. Associated Press critic Cynthia Lowry wrote, the day after the premiere, the show was “a cut above some of the day-time truck masquerading as entertainment, but there must be some better way to use a half-hour.”

(About Boone’s show, she remarked the best thing was the appearance of Johnny Carson. Boone asked him to say something funny. Carson replied “Jack Benny,” walked off the stage and didn’t return).

Lynde’s first appearance was on October 24, 1966 (the other guests were the equally catty Eartha Kitt, Michael Landon and Gisele MacKenzie). He was on the following week (with Bewitched’s Moorehead), then two weeks later, then ... well, not every week for a couple of years.

Here’s a piece from the Wichita Eagle of July 28, 1970 where one of Lynde’s quips is quoted. Lynde, though everyone would like to think he did, didn’t usually come up with his gay-sensibility “ad-libs.” Lloyd Garver did (both Garver and Lynde were Northwestern grads). Producer Jay Redack lent an assist.

And Marshall was not born in Canada. Perhaps the writer was thinking of Monty Hall.

Peter Marshall Proud of ‘Hollywood Squares’
By BARRY PARIS
Eagle Staff Writer
A young Canadian-born actor whose real name is Pierre La Cock did a cereal commercial for Kelloggs' one day and ended up emceeing television's successful daytime quiz show.
Pierre La Cock, understandably enough, changed his name to Peter Marshall, the good-natured overseer of NBC's "Hollywood Squares."
Marshall, in Wichita this week for Kenley Star Theatre's adult comedy, "The Only Game in Town," which opens Tuesday night at 8:30, said of the game show—which involves nine entertainers sitting in a tic-tac-toe arrangement, trying to answer questions for contestants who receive X's and O's—"I love it. I'm very proud of it."
AT THE TIME he got the fateful phone call (resulting from a talent scout's viewing the cereal commercial), Marshall was in New York City, playing opposite Julie Harris in "Skyscraper." He was a little skeptical about quiz shows in general at the time, but when he saw "Squares" in action (in a trial run-through), he changed his mind.
"I thought to myself, 'It’s the best damn game show I've seen in my life,' " the actor said. "CBS had the option on it for a year, but they let it lapse. NBC picked it up, and we were expecting it to run for 13 weeks, or maybe 26."
Marshall was chosen to host the show over Miss America-minded Bert Parks (who did the pilot) and, finally, over comedian Dan Rowan (who hit it big with "Laugh-In" shortly afterward).
AND "HOLLYWOOD SQUARES" has been running strong for four years, knocking the Dick Van Dyke show off the rating charts in the process.
One of Marshall's more difficult functions on "Squares" is that of a verbal referee. His regular guest panelists include such wits as Wally Cox, Paul Lynde, Jan Murray, Rose Marie and Cliff Arquette (Charley Weaver). They — and whoever else is guesting — must answer questions on general topics or make up answers, hoping to fool the contestants, who must decide if the guest stars are telling the truth.
When Lynde was asked, in the course of a "Squares" bout, what Kim Novak's bra and panties brought at the big MGM auction, Lynde replied, "A standing ovation."
"Hollywood Squares" shooting schedule requires, actually, just a one-day work week — but it's a busy day. The half-hour segments are filmed with only 15-minute breaks in between, plus a little time for dinner after the second segment.
BUT WORKING TWO days a week (shooting 10 shows) or three (15 shows) allows Marshall to garner a backlog of "Squares" and take off for road show play and musical performances around the country.
The Wichita stint falls into that category. Marshall, who has never performed "The Only Game in Town" before, plays habitual gambler Joe opposite actress Leslie Eustace's fading dancer Fran.
The show recently was made into a less than spectacular film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Warren Beatty, but Marshall says the basic script is good.
Actor Marshall — who is also a singer and, incidentally, a chinchilla rancher — is not the only member of his family in the acting business.
Actress Joanne Dru, whose credits include the film "Pride of St. Louis" and many serious television play-house dramatic roles, is Peter Marshall's sister.

NBC president Fred Silverman “thought we’d had it,” Marshall told Lee Winfred of the Knight-Rideer News Service and cancelled the show in June 1980. It was replaced with The David Letterman Show. The census is Silverman had the right idea but the wrong time slot.

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that same month, Marshall took home a Daytime Emmy for “Outstanding Game Show Host” and Squares was the co-winner for “Outstanding Game Show.” Isn’t that how Hollywood works, True or False, Paul?

Squares went into night-time syndication in November, taped in the Versailles Room of the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Lynde, interviewed by Vernon Scott of UPI, returned after “really getting tired” and leaving the show on June 12, 1979. He wasn’t tired now. The interview was published June 9, 1980 and Lynde explained he hadn’t work since the previous August but was still spending like he was. (He told Scott “Sometimes I’m given some answers before the show, but I never use them. I mean they aren’t that funny”).

Most popular game shows get brought back for new go-rounds. Hollywood Squares was one. Sorry, Tom Bergeron, you’re a good host and all, but it really wasn’t the same.

Profiles in Animation, 1924

One and two-reel shorts filled theatres in the silent era in huge numbers. In 1924, Pathé was not only releasing Aesop Fables made by Paul Terry, the studio’s schedule included shorts by Stan Laurel, Will Rogers, Charlie Chase, Mack Sennett (Harry Langdon and Ben Turpin), the Spat Family, Our Gang, Snub Pollard, the Sportlight series, Dippy Doo Dad, Leatherstocking, and others.

Other studios were just as busy, even in animation.

The Aug. 16, 1924 issue of Exhibitors Trade Review published feature articles on three of them. Conspicuous by her absence is Margaret Winkler, who was handling the Felix the Cat cartoons and the Alice Comedies of Walt Disney.

Comedy Gets a New Character
JACQUES KOPFSTEIN
Gen'l Manager Bray Productions, Inc.
SCENE — Bray Studios.
Enter Colonel Heeza Liar (illustration of Colonel Heeza Liar)
"Gee ! I've been working around the Bray Studios for twelve years now, and am the oldest cartoon in existence. I wish Bray would give me a rest.
"Look what's happened to the other Bray characters. Bobby Bumps has grown up, and is a big boy now; Goodrich Dirt, the famous tramp, became a war profiteer and is living on Fifth Avenue. He's quit the movies too. Dud Perkins and his gang who made "US FELLOWS" famous are all going to college now, and even "Jerry" is not on the Job any longer.
"Of all the Bray cartoons I am the only one that is still working, I wish Bray would give me a vacation."
J. R. Bray heard Colonel Heeza Liar's complaints and told the COLONEL that he would not send him to the Old Soldier's Home, or put him on a pension, but would just give him a short vacation, and then came the thought of another character which would bring joy and smiles to the international audiences that enjoy the Bray Cartoons, ever since they were invented many years ago by Bray himself.
A new cartoon which will come from the Bray Studios during the coming season at monthly intervals will be known as DINKY DOODLE. Dinky Doodle is a rough and tumble boy, full of pep and life — sure to become a favorite of all. — His constant companion is a black and white dog, known as "Weakheart," who takes part in all Dinky Doodle's mischievous under takings.
The first of the Dinky Doodle series is entitled "Dinky Doodle and the Wonderful Lamp" — a burlesque on the Fairy Tale of "Aladdin and his Magic Lamp."
Dinky Doodle will work in this series in conjunction with the cartoonist himself. In other words, these series will not be straight cartoons but will be what are known as "combination" cartoons, where the actor appears in conjunction with the cartoon character — a process which was invented by J. R. Bray — which not only gives novelty to each individual subject, in addition to the entertainment, but is mystifying as well. Walter Lantz, the famous cartoonist who has achieved success in directing the COLONEL HEEZA LIAR SERIES will direct the new Dinky Doodle Series. Distribution will be through the Standard Cinema Corporation.

‘Out of the Inkwell’ Comedies
THE Red Seal Pictures Corp., a comparatively new entrant in the independent production and distribution field will have a program of novelties for next year meriting comparison with the best, according to Edwin Miles Fadman, president of the company.
The organization is confining its activities to the production and distribution of novelty releases alone. Of the total of 120 to 150 novelty reels, over 75 per cent of them will have the comedy element predominating.
Heading the list there will be 22 new single-reel Out-of-the-Inkwell novelties by Max Fleischer, released one every three weeks. Mr. Fleischer's product has enjoyed a popularity and a reputation of cleverness for a period of many years.
There will also be something brand new in the way of a fun novelty which will be released as 13 Song Cartoon reels composed of well known old time and modern songs done in funny cartoon form and adapted for audience singing where desired, perfectly timed, scored and synchronized ; and released one every four weeks.
The first of these reels went on for a pre-release run at the Rialto, New York, and was composed of the three old time Charles K. Harris songs, "Mother, mother, mother pin a rose on me," "Goodbye my Lady Love" and "Come take a trip in my Airship." The trade papers commented freely on the unusual success of this novelty. The New York Tribune said "these things are simply impossible to describe. You must go and see them for yourself."
Releases commence in September.
In addition to 13 Film Facts, (medley hodge-podge reel) humorously edited and titled bv Max Fleischer and released one very four weeks, there will be 9 Funny Face single reel comedies and 52 Animated Hair Cartoons. These Hair Cartoons are about 300 ft. in length and are composed of famous characters, actors and actresses done in animated form by Edwin Marcus, cartoonist for the New York Times. As an instance, he draws Charlie Chaplin on the screen and then changes the hair around so that it turns into Rudolph Valentino right before the eyes of the audience.
The Red Seal is the only organization in the independent field producing a complete program of novelties for the exclusive use of first run theatres and high class independent exchanges.
Among the many first run theatres throughout the country using this material for next year are such representative houses as : The Rivoli and Rialto, New York ; Stanley, Philadelphia ; Fenway, Boston; Eastman, Rochester; Missouri, St. Louis ; Rialto, Washington ; and Victory, Denver.

"Fables" and "Topics" are Popular
PATHE'S "Aesop's Film Fables" are fast becoming the most popuular one reel subject in the field today, is the consensus of opinion of exhibitors scattered throughout the country. This popularity extends to the theatre manager as well as to the public at large and is due to the fact that the "Fables" have proven themselves "sure fire" program units.
Much of this credit should go to Cartoonist Paul Terry, who conceived the idea and contributed much to their success through his insight into human nature and an over developed bump of humor, which can carefully draw a line between the grotesque and real laughs. To the manager that runs a combination house of vaudeville and pictures as well as to the manager of the regular run picture theatres these one reelers have proven a "lifesaver" in more than one instance. They can always be relied upon to fill a big gap in any program and are an absolute insurance against the show "flopping" for the want of comedy and laughs.
They are released weekly and are booked over every one of the larger circuits throughout the United States. The B. F. Keith Circuit in the East, the Orpheum, Pantages and Loew circuits in the West use the Aesop's cartoon reels as a regular part of the weekly program, and many times local newspaper reviewers credit the film over the rest of the show.
Pathe's "Topics of the Day" enters its sixth year of success as one of the most "business getters" in the short field.
As a snappy joy reel of wit it has no equal, and quite a number of theatres throughout the country have not missed a single weekly issue since its inception. Even radio services and broadcasting stations have adopted it as part of their regular program while the larger class vaudeville houses use it as an advertised feature. The leading high class vaudeville theatre of the world, B. F. Keiths' Palace Theatre in New York, has booked this one "reeler" on every issue since the first.
The Topics of the Day are produced by the Timely Films, Inc., and distributed by the Pathe Exchanges, Inc. It consists of some timely cartoon in animated form and excerpts of wit and humor culled from the leading publications of the world. Exhibitors scattered throughout the country are very strong in their praise of the subject.
As an example of its growing popularity a contest was run in connection with the release some time ago and as many as 18,000 answers per week were received, representing all sections of the country. At the time of the contest the film was running in over 3,000 theatres in the United States and this number has been multiplied by two since that date. Over 100,000 contestants were entered before the closing of the contest.

The animated cartoon landscape changed within a few years. By the dawn of the sound era in 1928-30:
● Harman-Ising, Ub Iwerks, Paul Terry/Frank Moser and Universal/Lantz had started their own studios. (Dare I mention Romer Grey or Scarfoot?)
● Silent stars like Felix and Ko-Ko the clown started fading away.
● Dinky Doodle and Colonel Heeza Liar were distant memories.
● Krazy Kat returned in silent shorts and lasted about a decade when sound came in.
● The Fables studio took its owner’s name and Amedee Van Beuren carried on producing cartoons for a few more years.
● The Fleischer brothers went with a newcomer named Bimbo.
Oh, yes.
● Disney came up with a musical mouse. Whatever happened to him?

What's In the Cave?

Fast chases, odd characters (two-headed camel, two-bodied giraffe) and Tex Avery seeing how far a cocoanut can journey are the highlights of Half-Pint Pygmy.

There's a darkness gag. George, Junior and the pygmy run into a cave. It's dark. George strikes a match.



A tiger! And a tiger take.



George, Junior and the pygmy rush out of the cave and hide behind a rock. The effects artist gets out the dry-brush.



Junior comes out of hiding behind the rock. George is under Junior. The pygmy is under George. And it turns out the tiger is under the pygmy.



Take. Exit.



Boxoffice magazine quoted from an MGM news release in its July 19, 1947 the cartoon was in “preparation.” Daily Variety reported on December 17 the cartoon was completed. It was released Aug. 7, 1948.

Said Boxoffice:

Half-Pint Pygmy
MGM (Technicolor Cartoon) 7 Mins.
Good. Two half-human creatures read an advertisement offering a reward for the smallest pygmy in the world and immediately make tracks for darkest Africa. There after super-human efforts that include encounters with lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes and other fauna, they finally capture a tiny pygmy—only to learn there is another still smaller.

Said the Motion Picture Herald:

HALF-PINT PYGMY (MGM)
Technicolor Cartoon (W-941)
Into darkest Africa where pygmies dwell goes cartoon director Tex Avery. He brings the sad story of a pygmy with an inferiority complex.

Said The Exhibitor:

HALF-PINT PYGMY. MGM—Cartoon. 7m. When a reward is posted for the capture of the world’s smallest pygmy, the two bears set sail for Africa to pint the prize. Spying what they think is the tiny treasure, they make many vain attempts to capture the pygmy, with ensuing chases causing the hunters much grief, they finally catch up with the small pygmy, the bears are then introduced to an even smaller pygmy, who scurries away into the distance. Thwarted, the hunters shoot themselves. FAIR. (W-941)

Perhaps Tex really did kill them off. He made no more cartoons with George and Junior.

Keith Scott has determined Avery played Junior while Wally Maher (the voice of Screwy Squirrel) was George.

Heck Allen was Avery’s gagman in this. The credited animators were Bill Shull, Louis Schmitt, Walt Clinton and Grant Simmons.

Well, I'll Be a Horse's...

A sigh accompanied a recent thumbing of a 1941 catalogue issued by J. Marvin Painter, Sr., whose company rented 16 millimetre reels of the entire Van Beuren sound cartoon catalogue.

There would have been good prints available. Today, people like Steve Stanchfield at Thunderbean have to search everywhere for decent remaining elements to restore these cartoons to the best condition they can.

One is Nursery Scandal, an Aesop Fable released August 27, 1932. The versions I’ve seen as of this posting are pretty low-resolution and edited; you can hear a cut in Gene Rodemich’s soundtrack after Mother Goose’s goose and a bird comment about the romance going on—and this is the horrendous scandal—between Mother Goose (who looks like a witch) and a scarecrow.

This short is Van Beuren pretending to be 1929 Walt Disney. There’s a lot of dancing, singing by a male quartet heard in other Aesop Fables, and, well, not much else.

An interesting bit of animation is when the marching horses turn around, with their tails becoming heads and vice versa. Even in these pixilated frames, you can see how the heads wither and change.



What would a Van Beuren cartoon be without happy dancing? You can find scenes like these in The Farmerette and Barnyard Bunk.



The cow jumps over the moon! I love the tongues. And I just noticed the cat is Puss in Boots.



Van Beuren churned out the cartoons in 1932. There were two or three releases every month. Is it any wonder the quality suffered? The same month Nursery Scandal was released, RKO put out Wild Goose Chase, Aug. 13 (Fables) and Jolly Fish, Aug. 19 (Tom and Jerry). Some of the animation (and character designs) in this came from the 1931 Fable Fairyland Follies. Harry Bailey and John Foster get the "by" credit.

The gnome quartet is singing "The Kings Horse's (and the King's Men") by Noel Gay and Harry Graham. Here's a nice little version of it.

I Hear Slurping

Purely as a plot device, Jerry laps up the cream Tom has stolen from a bottle on the porch in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse.

Tom finally shoves the dish into a safe and slams it shut. But like Droopy in Tex Avery’s Northwest Hounded Police, Jerry is always there. Tom hears slurping from inside the safe. Here’s the anticipation and the take.



Jerry scrambles in reaction. Here are some drawings.



Tom opens the safe and looks inside. Reaction drawings.



The best part of this cartoon is the wild transformation drawings when Jerry gains and loses his strength. Jerry pops from one odd shape to the next.

Thad Komorowski has mentioned this is one of a number of MGM cartoons where Ray Patterson and Pete Burness did not get screen credit. The credited animators here are Ken Muse, Ed Barge, Mike Lah and Al Grandmain, who generally handled effects. Someone reading may know who is responsible for the pose drawings.

The June 30, 1945 issue of Boxoffice magazine announced the cartoon was going into production. The short was released June 14, 1947.