Tonight...
We're counting down some of the greatest cartoons
of the Golden Era, including
Popeye the Sailor Man
Superman
Woody Woodpecker
Felix the Cat
And more, stay tuned!
Hi, I'm Charles Dewandeler,
and today we're taking a look
at some of the greatest cartoons from the Golden Era.
And what better way to start than with one
of the most popular cartoon characters, Bugs Bunny.
Bugs Bunny starred in over 160 short films
for Warner Brothers.
Some of these cartoons were called "Looney Tunes,"
and some of these cartoons were called "Merrie Melodies,"
but they were always great.
This cartoon entitled, "A Corny Concerto,"
is a parody of Walt Disney's "Fantasia,"
which came out just a couple of years before.
It stars Bugs Bunny with his nemesis, Elmer Fudd,
as well as Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.
Enjoy it.
Greetings, music wuvers.
First, we will hear a waltz, written by Johan Strauss.
And as we hear the rhythmic strains
of the haunting refrain, listen to the rippling
rhythm of the woodwinds as it rolls around and around,
and it comes out here.
Wasn't that wuvwey?
And now we will present the beautiful "Blue Danube."
♪ Quack, quack, quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack, quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack, quack ♪
♪ Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack ♪
Oh, hey there.
I was just reading this Superman comic book.
Did you know Superman first appeared in comic books in 1938?
He was the world's first superhero,
and he quickly became their most popular character.
He was selling one million comic books every month.
Soon, everybody tried copying him.
There were hundreds, if not thousands,
of superheroes created for comic books since then.
Now, imagine you're a kid in 1941, and the only way you
could enjoy Superman for the past three years was
in two dimensional comic books, until one day,
a new movie hits movie theaters near you.
Now, for the first time, you can see Superman fly
across the sky and use his superpowers
to fight bad guys and monsters.
Back then, this couldn't be done with CGI.
Computers didn't even exist.
The only way movie studios could do this
in 1941 was with animation.
That's where animator Max Fleischer comes in.
Back in their day, Max and his brother Dave,
were producing some of the greatest cartoons
in the whole world.
In this cartoon, Superman battles a giant lizard.
Okay, let's just call it what it is.
It's basically Superman versus Godzilla, except they
just couldn't call it Godzilla due to copyrights.
So here now is Superman versus Godz-
Oh, I mean, Superman versus "The Arctic Giant."
Faster than a speeding bullet,
more powerful
than a locomotive,
able to leap tall buildings at a single bound.
This amazing stranger from the planet Krypton,
the Man of Steel,
Superman!
Possessing remarkable physical strength,
Superman fights a never ending battle
for truth and justice, disguised
as a mild mannered newspaper reporter, Clark Kent.
Penetrating deep into the frozen waste
of the great Arctic plains,
an archeological expedition searching
for prehistoric fossils makes an amazing discovery,
a huge monster as lifelike in appearance
as when it roamed the earth millions
of years ago in the Mesozoic age, is found frozen
in the ice in a state of perfect preservation.
Constantly handicapped by the hazardous sub-zero elements,
the scientists and their band of tireless workers succeed
in removing the mammoth creature from the frozen pit.
The ice encased monster is loaded
into the hold of a huge freighter, equipped
with a special refrigeration plan
and brought to this country.
Here in a specially constructed wing
of the Museum of Natural Science,
this awe-inspiring creature is displayed
to the public for the first time.
And you mean to say that if the ice were permitted
to thaw, there's a possibility
the monster might still be alive?!
Thank you, professor.
Yes, Chief?
Lois, there's a new angle
on that frozen monster story.
Get over to the museum and see what's doing.
They've got him in a special refrigerator.
Okay, chief.
Oh, Lois? Want me to go over there with you?
No thanks.
You'd probably faint if you saw the monster.
You scare so easily.
Maybe she's right, but Superman hasn't fainted yet
And produces
the necessary refrigeration.
The control board is downstairs.
I'll show it to you.
The entire plant is operated from this board.
The thermometer must be watched constantly,
as any rise in temperature might prove dangerous.
Cut those switches!
Boy, what a story!
Outside, everybody. Step lively, please.
Use the nearest exit.
Please, folks. Keep moving.
We have to clear this room at once.
That's what he thinks.
Police headquarters.
Hello, Chief? Send the riot squad.
We're in trouble.
Hello, Planet?
Gimme the city desk. Hurry!
Look out! It's alive!
No, I'm not crazy. Rush some men down here.
Attention. All cars proceed to 5th and Main at once.
Chief! Lois is in the museum.
Better get over there, Kent.
Right!
This looks like a job for Superman.
Lois?
Superman!
You'd better get back
to your office where you'll be safe.
I've got some work to do.
Yes sir.
And miss the best story in years? Small chance.
Lois!
Now this time, stay put.
Yes, m'lord, and thanks.
You showed plenty of courage getting
that monster story, Lois.
Thanks, but where were you?
Me? Oh, I must have fainted.
Woody Woodpecker is a popular cartoon character
who debuted in 1940.
He was created by Walter Lantz.
As legend has it,
an annoying woodpecker was pecking holes
into the roof of Walter Lantz's cabin.
Walter wanted to shoot the woodpecker,
but his wife insisted he create a cartoon about him instead.
One of the actors he cast to play the voice
of Woody Woodpecker is
the legendary "Man of a Thousand Voices," Mel Blanc.
Mel Blanc also voiced such popular characters
as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Barney Rubble,
and countless others.
In this cartoon, Woody decides not to fly South
for the winter and ends up running out of things to eat.
I think that the scenes between Woody
and this cat may have been inspiration
for "The Simpsons" "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoons,
which came out decades later.
Check it out and see if you agree with me.
The weather man's right. We better go South right away.
You said it!
Winter's coming! Winter's coming!
Boy, oh boy! What a day for a swim.
Hey, pop. Where's everybody going?
We're all going South.
Groundhog says a terrible blizzard's coming.
Ah, go on.
That guy don't know his shadow from a hole in the ground.
You'll f-f-freeze to death if you stay here.
And you won't have any food, either.
Don't worry about me.
I got plenty of food, and right now, I'm gonna swimming.
Hmm. Must be hard water in his lake.
Blow your head off.
See if I care.
It's nice and warm here, and I get plenty of food.
Go on and blow.
Hey! Come back here with my food!
I'm that hungry little kitty cat you just read about.
I'm so hungry, I could eat a...
A woodpecker. Yeah, that's it.
Pardon me, buddy.
That's probably the grocery man.
Come in. You're just in time for dinner.
Yeah? What are you going to have for dinner?
I'm gonna have cat... fish.
Yeah?
Let me take your scarf.
You know, I think that pigeon tried to choke me.
You must be pretty cold, buddy.
Nah, I ain't cold.
Oh, yes, you are.
Step over by the fire and get warm for dinner.
Oh boy! Feline fricassee!
You missed me!
Now, my fine pigeon, I'm going to pick you dry.
- Meese! - Mice!
- Moose! - Meese!
That was pretty good,
but you know, I'm still hungry.
Yeah, so am I.
It seems early cartoons almost always starred
a talking animal who would inevitably get into trouble.
One of the most popular silent era cartoon characters was
Felix the Cat.
Now, Felix's popularity declined
a bit once cartoons switched over to sound.
But this cartoon is not only in sound, it's also in color,
which is a real treat for Felix the Cat fans back in 1936.
What I enjoy most about this cartoon is when Felix
encounters an underwater civilization, which reminds me
of the Disney cartoon, "The Little Mermaid."
However, this Felix cartoon came out 50 years before.
Let's take a look.
Good morning!
What's the matter, Annabelle? Don't you feel well?
Aren't you happy?
I know what's wrong with you. You're lonesome.
I'll get ya a little playmate.
Nevermind. I'll get you a little playmate yet!
Did you see any goldfish come this way?
No. I didn't see any goldfish come this way,
but I saw some go this way,
and that way.
And this way.
Did you see
any goldfish come this way?
No!
Help! Help!
Help!
Help, police! Kidnapping!
Help, police! Help, fire!
Calling all cars. Calling all cars.
He tried to kidnap me. He was gonna cook me and eat me.
So, you were going to cook him and eat him, huh?
- But I don't- - Silence!
Silence!
How would you like to be put in a hot frying pan
and cooked until you were nice and brown
on both sides?
How would you like to be somebody's dinner?
How would you like to be my dinner?
But I don't eat fish.
Then what were you going to do with him?
I wanted to give him a nice home with my pet goldfish.
But I got a home.
A good idea! Come along with me.
Bye! Don't forget to write.
So long. Have a good time!
Goodbye! Bye!
Bless you, my children.
Good luck, and goodbye.
Now are you happy, Annabelle?
And how
What do Daffy Duck, dinosaurs, and cavemen
all have in common?
They all existed in the same time period.
Okay, in most cartoons they don't,
but in this one, they did, which is why
this Daffy Duck cartoon is so unique.
Directed by legendary animator Chuck Jones
and starring the voice of,
that's right, Mel Blanc,
here is "Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur."
Gee, am I hungry.
I could eat a saber tooth tiger.
Well, anyway, half a one.
Well, this isn't getting me breakfast.
Here, Fido.
Well, thanks.
Now, come on! I'm famished.
Well, I'll bet you're cranky before breakfast too.
Be quiet!
Hm. Yum, yummy.
My favorite vegetable, duck.
Gosh, that duck acts like he's crazy.
That is correct. Absolutely, 100% correct!
So that's the way it is, eh? All right then.
Fine thing, no swimming.
Other cavemen get to go swimming,
but I never get to do anything.
Well, what are you looking at?
Don't just stand there! Do something!
Now, go get 'im.
The big lummox.
Well, now isn't that clever?
The hunter's helper.
Now, come on!
Not bad for a guy that never took a lesson
in his life.
Wait here.
Here ya are, girly.
Gee, thanks a lot.
Well, just what I wanted, a duck breakfast.
Gee, I can hardly wait.
Come on, Fido.
Gee, we're almost there.
Golly.
You know, maybe that wasn't such a hot idea after all.
Goodnight, folks.
During the golden age of cinema,
sometimes animation companies
like Disney or Warner Brothers or Max Fleischer
would lend their services to the US government
or corporations to produce
what we would call "public relations videos."
For example, this next cartoon called
"A Coach for Cinderella," was actually paid for by,
you guessed it, the Chevrolet car company.
Now, why would Chevrolet produce a cartoon about Cinderella?
That's an excellent question, and I'm glad that you asked.
It's because this cartoon was a commercial.
It taught viewers a little something
about how assembly lines worked, and it taught Cinderella
that what she really wanted in life wasn't a coach made
from a pumpkin, but instead a modern day Chevrolet.
Chevrolet did not pay us to include this cartoon
in our anthology, but we included it anyway
for free because we believe what the animators did
here was really clever, and we know that you'll enjoy it.
Cinderella! Cinderella?
Cinderella!
Cinderella? Cinderella!
Cinderella! Cinderella!
Cinderella.
Take that,
and that, and that.
To the ball, James.
Okay, toots.
Whoa!
To work, my men. To work, to work!
When our countryside made deep in snow,
and the angry wind would howl and blow,
and the food in our pantry was running low,
who helped us stand?
Who eased our woe?
Cinderella. We should know.
Now listen men, she needs us now.
The prince has asked her to his ball,
but she can't make a courtly bow,
because she has no coach at all.
No coach at all?
No coach at all.
To make her happiness complete, we'll make a gown
of silvery strand with crystal slippers for her feet,
and the finest coach in all the land.
- Are you with me men? - Yeah!
No! Yes!
Be off, my men.
Right!
I suppose you've heard about that hussy Mrs. Web Spider.
No, but I'm listening.
Well, far be it from me to gossip,
but it seems that only last night,
Mr. Web Spider...
No!
Yes!
What's the matter? You lazy?
Get the work.
Who's next?
Stop, Tony. You're tickling.
♪ One big blow and the seeds fly in ♪
♪ To catch the air that lies within ♪
♪ The coach for Cinderella ♪
Heads up, down there.
How many?
♪ The bluebirds fly in circles why ♪
♪ Weaving their way from side to side ♪
♪ Forming the drapes that now provide the gown ♪
♪ For Cinderella ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
Okay.
Go! Get out, go, go!
647, how am I doin'?
♪ Borrowed from another day ♪
♪ Now we present in full array ♪
♪ The coach for Cinderella ♪
When I was a kid,
one of my favorite cartoon characters
was Popeye the Sailor Man.
He was just an ordinary guy smoking a pipe,
until he'd eat some spinach
and gained some super strength.
Now we all know spinach doesn't really do that to people,
but as a kid, I wanted to try spinach anyway,
just to see what it tasted like.
I convinced my mom to buy me some.
I tasted it, and I hated it. It was disgusting.
So, I never ate spinach again.
But I still enjoyed the Popeye cartoons.
Just like many of the greatest golden era cartoons,
Popeye was produced by Max Fleischer,
and this cartoon may be his best adventure.
"Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp" is a retelling
of the famous "Aladdin" story,
but with Popeye and his girlfriend Olive Oyl
as the main characters.
Keep in mind, this cartoon came out in 1939, over 50 years
before Disney's cartoon "Aladdin."
I wonder at what point in this cartoon Popeye is going
to eat some spinach and then just punch
a bad guy right in his face.
Let's watch it together and find out.
Gosh, but this story of mine should be great.
I really don't how the people can wait.
Mm. I have to decide who the actors'll be.
I think I'll make the heroine me.
Mm. The hero, Aladdin, is handsome and smart.
Why, Popeye the Sailor is great for the part!
Oughta open up a chain store.
Make way for the princess.
Whoa! I better unratchet meself here.
Oh, a pretzel vendor, huh?
Hmm.
Thy reign will soon be over when my secret I unhide.
Then I shall be the ruler,
and you shall be my bride.
Nyah!
Let me see. Where was I, where was I?
Ah!
A rub on this lamp will bring riches and fame.
This lamp is well guarded by torrents and flame.
But one dare secure it. Aladdin's his name.
He liveth on the corner of Chow and Main.
Aladdin shall help me this lamp to obtain,
then Aladdin shall never be seen again.
Yes, yes, Aladdin.
The princess has chosen you to procure
for her the magic lamp.
Well, she made a good choice.
Why only you alone are worthy
of such a precarious mission.
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
Say, you oughta breathe.
Maybe you better lay down for a couple years.
Beneath that rock is a dangerous passageway.
Is that so?
Beyond which you will find a golden lamp.
Bring that lamp back to me.
Oh, bring that lamp back to you, huh?
Anything for the princess!
I go, for the princess.
Yes, yes, Aladdin. Go on, go on.
Yes! I go, I go.
Blow me down. It's poifect!
Oh lamp, the lamp.
That must be made outta sapphires, I guess, huh?
Oh boy. I made good, I made good.
Ah, the suspense is terrible.
I wish Aladdin would hurry with that lamp.
Oh, man.
Hey, mister. Mister, I got the lamp!
All for the princess.
The lamp!
For the princess.
Yep. That's right.
For the princess. Whoa!
The princess!
That was only a trick, my fool.
Only you and I know of this magic lamp.
And soon you will forget.
Ow.
It's mine. I have it.
It's mine.
Ow! Oh, my lamp!
The lamp!
The lamp, the lamp.
I want the lamp.
Ow!
Whoa. Hey, what happened?
Where am I, and how do I get out of this place.
That's what I want to know.
This place looks kinda spooky to me. Ow, oh.
Oh, I wish I was light headed so I could see what I'm doing.
Well, use me last match.
I hope I strike it lucky, that's all.
Oh!
Come on, put up your dukes.
Oh, for goodness sake.
Hey! Who are you?
Where'd you come from?
Are you the janitor or something?
I'm the slave of the lamb. I come from the nowhere.
I go to the no place, and here I am.
You make a wish, and I give it.
You want something?
Did you say a wish? A wish, wish.
I could have a wish, huh?
Well, I wish I was outta here.
Can you show me the entrance to the exit?
Oh, certainly.
Well, let's get outta here.
You said it.
Hey, take it easy.
Quit your shoving. Quit your pushing.
I hope I know what you're doing.
Wow.
Oh, boy!
Oh, an escalavator!
Women and ladies bargain basement on the top floor.
Main entrance, all out.
Boy, I'm glad to get outta that hole, all right.
Now if I could on find the-
Ah, ooh.
If U don't C what U want rub 4 it.
Hm, that's a very good idea.
I think I'll try.
Hey, you.
Oh, for goodness sake.
You want something?
Yeah. What's all this magical stuff about?
Well, I told you I could fulfill up any wish or desire.
There's something funny about this boy.
I gotta test them out. I think I'll give him a tough one.
Okay. I wished I was a wealthy prince.
You said it.
Hey, what's goin' on?
Oh, boy!
♪ What can I do for you ♪
♪ I'd do most anything you ask me to ♪
♪ I'd go and get that pot of gold from the rainbow ♪
♪ And bring it where you are ♪
♪ And then I'd hitch your wagon to a star ♪
♪ What can I do for you ♪
♪ Say, how'd you like to have your dreams come true ♪
♪ I'd like to make you happy through and through ♪
♪ Indeed I do ♪
♪ So what can I do for you ♪
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Get up, Dog Biscuit!
It's Aladdin! He's alive!
He has the magic lamp, but he shan't have it long.
Well, I hope the princess is home.
Well, I get the lamp here.
Oh, rub-a-rub-a-rub-a-rub-a.
Hey!
Oh!
At your service.
Bring me a chest full of precious pearls and diamonds
and stuff, and take it to the princess.
To her? You said it!
Hocus pocus.
Take that to the princess
with my complications, that's right.
Oh, entrer.
Presents from Aladdin for the princess.
Salami, salami, bologna.
Oh!
Oh, oh.
Oh!
Oh, they're superfluous!
Oh.
That must be Prince Aladdin!
Oh, be still my fluttering heart.
Yoo hoo!
Oh, boy! The princess!
To the rescue.
In reverse.
Alley-up.
I think you dropped something.
Oh, thank you, big, tall, and handsome.
Well, I'm not so tall, but...
I better get rid of the stick,
or she'll think I'm a little cut up or something, huh.
Curses!
Oh, fair one.
Will thou, that is...
- Wilst you- - Yes, yes?
Oh, yes, yes.
I am embarrassed. I don't know what to say.
I never made love in technicolor before. I don't know.
Princess, would it please thee
or wouldst it please thou...
What are you, a thee or a thou?
Fairest one, I was about to say is-
Yes, I'll marry you.
Oh, you will?! Oh, she's gonna marry me.
Oh, it's wonderful!
I think she's making a big mistake, but I don't know.
Oh!
I go, bring me friends to the wedding,
but I shall return.
Oh, don't forget to come back.
Heidi ho, Silver!
Away!
Oh!
Oh, dear. What was that?
Who left that junk laying around here?
The lamp!
I have a plan.
Oh, attendants. Attend me.
New lamps for old.
Oh, see if you can help that poor man,
then send him away.
New lamps for old.
Oh!
It's mine.
Mm hm, mm hm, mm hm.
Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin,
Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin,
Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin, Aladdin.
Yoo hoo! Princey!
Yoo hoo!
Oh, you came back.
The man who came back, that's me. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Ah, no one here. Now's my chance.
The princess will soon be mine.
Oh!
You want something?
Go. I command you.
Carry this castle off to a far and distant land.
You're crazy!
I'm crazy, huh? Well, you'll do as I say.
I'll whip you within an inch of your life.
I never said I wouldn't.
Then go!
Get up! Oh!
Hey, where's the castle?
Where's the princess?
Where's me clothes?
Aladdin's a fake!
Down with Aladdin!
Whoa!
Unrelease me!
Oh, Popeye, I mean, Aladdin! Save me!
Oh!
Curses!
Oh! Let me go!
Guards to destroy Aladdin!
Oh, yeah? Spinach to fix the guards.
Hello, you two.
Take that!
Now, for a vulture!
Oh, yeah? Spinach to cook the vulture's goose.
And the dragon!
Oh, Grandma. What big teeth you got!
You're not so hot, young fellow.
Oh!
Where is that guy?
Let me get me hands on him.
Oh, yeah?
Hey, where is that fella. He was here just a minute ago.
I saw it with my own eyes.
There's like a brick wall
here or something here, huh?
Must be a magician.
The tables are turned. Oh, yeah?
Take that!
Oh yeah?
- Yowza! - You missed!
Ow!
Help, I'm a fish!
Come here, Olive.
There we are!
So long, sport.
So long.
So long, toots.
Oh, goodbye.
I said it.
- Oh! - Now, where was I?
Let me think a minute now. Oh, yes.
I remember.
Letter for ya, Olive.
Oh, at last, the picture's finished!
Oh!
There you have it.
That's our collection of just some
of the greatest cartoons of the golden era.
It's incredible to look back at these classic cartoons
and realize that movies today are very similar
to and inspired by those cartoons that came 50
or even a hundred years before.
Sure, today we have much better technology.
We have computers and CGI and all this other stuff,
but the creativity was always there.
Most of the stories today are the same
as the stories back then, and most
of the characters are the same
because the characters they created back then were timeless.
Thank you for watching, and I hope to see you again soon.