The Volunteer Worker
'The Volunteer Worker' is a short commercial in which Donald tries to collect for charity, to no avail.
View ArticleOf Fox and Hounds
'Of Fox and Hounds' introduces Willoughby, that dumb dog that was the first of many cartoon parodies on Lon Chaney jr.'s portrayal of Lennie Small in the movie 'Of Mice and Men' (1939).
View ArticleThe Bear’s Tale
‘The Bear’s Tale’ opens in Snow White-like fashion, but already the title card gets us ready for some nonsense, as we read that Papa is played by Papa Bear, Mama by Mama Bear, Baby by Baby Bear, and...
View ArticleA Gander at Mother Goose
'A Gander at Mother Goose' is one of Tex Avery's numerous spot gag cartoons. This time he sets his teeth in nursery rhymes, providing trite gags on e.g. Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, and Little Miss...
View ArticleTom Thumb in Trouble
Many of Chuck Jones's early cartoons of 1938-1941 have a Disney-like character, but 'Tom Thumb in Trouble' arguably tops them all in Disney overtones.
View ArticleGoofy’s Glider
In 'Goofy's Glider' our likable goof tries to reach the sky in a self-made glider plane. We watch several attempts, highlights of which are a failed shot with a catapult, in which Goofy manages to...
View ArticlePrehistoric Porky
In 'Prehistoric Porky' Porky Pig follows the footsteps of Daffy Duck, who had started a prehistoric cartoon in 'Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur'.
View ArticleBone Trouble
Pluto's solo career had a slow start: after his first own cartoon, 'Pluto's Quin-puplets' our favorite mutt had to wait three more years for a second cartoon. Compared to this first, cute cartoon,...
View ArticlePuss Gets the Boot
'Puss Gets the Boot' marks the first of three important debut cartoons of 1940 (the other ones being 'A Wild Hare' from July and 'Knock Nock' from November), making the year a turning point in American...
View ArticleKnock Knock
1940 was a watershed year: in this year the last remnants of the cute, childish and timid style of the late 1930s gave way to the brassier, faster and funnier style of the 1940s. In no film this change...
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