Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning, welcome back for another round of classic cartoons.
Today's collection begins with a gem of a Silly Symphony, Grasshopper and the Ants (1934). This cartoon was one of the shorts that started my love for classic Disney cartoons and it still completely charms me each time I watch it. The grasshopper in this film should sound familiar to all Disney fans. It is that of Pinto Colvig, giving the same voice he provided Goofy with. Goofy himself was a rather new character at this time and this voice had not become synonymous with the character. The voice is not the only Goofy connection the grasshopper has. He preforms an original song here called The World Owes Me a Living. An instrumental version of this song would become a theme song for Goofy, being played often whenever the Goof appeared on screen. In 1942 Disney story-men Joe Grant and Dick Huemer would propose a remake of this short revolving around home life during World War 2 (with the ants working in an aircraft factory and the grasshopper being a jitterbug). That cartoon would never be made. A 1940 article in Silver Screen Magazine would refer to the grasshopper in this cartoon as Gerald Grasshopper and referred to him as Jiminy Cricket's uncle (the same article claimed that the grasshopper from Goofy and Wilbur (1939) was Jiminy' s cousin).
Next we join our old friend Gandy Goose with G-Man Jitters (1939). I find this to be a fun cartoon, but not everyone agreed with that assessment as evidenced by the following exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "GANDY THE GOOSE IN G-MAN JITTERS: Terry-Toons—Just another cartoon. Why don't some film company make a few good comedies. These animated affairs are a waste of time and money. Running time, seven minutes. Guy G. Black, Plaza Theatre Inc. Lyons, Neb. Small Town Patronage." According to a 1939 issue of The Motion Picture Herald, this cartoon played with the feature film, The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939) at the Roxy on the "Week of April, 15th."
Following is one of the Simpsons' Tracey Ullman shorts.
With this being the last Saturday morning cartoon post of the year, it is only appropriate to end it with a New Years cartoon. So here is Columbia's The Little Match Girl (1937).
Thank you for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. -Michael J. Ruhland
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