Release Date:

March 11, 1939

Main Character(s):

Egghead

Summary:

Spot gags on zoo animals with a running gag involving Egghead teasing a lion.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “Animal Fair” played over the opening credits. Additionally, the original title card exists, albeit in poor quality. The credits were:

Supervision: Fred Avery

Story: Melvin Millar

Animation: Rollin Hamilton

Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling

The cartoon is in the public domain.

The cartoon briefly appeared in the recent 2023 movie “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (specifically, the scene with the giraffe being fed).

Egghead frequently quotes Lou Costello’s catchphrase, “I’m a bad boy”.

What I Like About This One:

The opening gags which show a wolf in “his natural setting” (behind a door that is locked), a “pack” of camels smoking, a “North American greyhound” (a bus), 2 “bucks” (two deer) and 5 “scents” (5 skunks), and 2 “friendly elks” (two humans named “Bill” who greet each other).

Monkeys feeding the tourists.

A baboon requesting that a tourist that looks just like him switch places with him.

An old lady attempting to feed a monkey when the cage says to not feed them. The monkey is a stickler for the rules (“Hey, sister, can’t ya read!?”)

A skunk reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

The sight of the zookeeper having to climb up a tall ladder to feed a giraffe.

Three white rabbits “multiplying” by typing away at adding machines.

A literal “jail bird” saying he “didn’t do it” while a literal “stool pigeon” in the cage next to him says he did.

An elephant calling for his “trunk” to be delivered.

A cage full of “pink elephants” that were “left over from last New Year’s party”.

The lion tamer, “J. Wellington Buttonhook” being headless.

A wildcat explaining that the reason why he is so wild is because “they called my name out at Bank Night and I wasn’t there!”

In the end, the lion Egghead had teased is content and asleep. The narrator assumes Egghead has finally taken his advice and had stopped teasing the lion. The lion shakes his head, and opens his mouth to reveal that he swallowed Egghead whole!

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½