Release Date:

September 18, 1937

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A series of gags in a dog show, with a running gag involving a clumsy St. Bernard.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is sort of a precursor to Tex Avery’s “spot gag” cartoons, which were cartoons that had gags focusing on a specific theme.

This is the last cartoon to use the 1936-1937 blue rings, and the last to use the mid-1937 Merrie Melodies opening and closing themes (although the restored print has the incorrect end music).

The scene with the shy puppy reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb” is quite similar to Little Kitty struggling to recite that rhyme in “I Haven’t Got a Hat”.

William Powell (the Thin Man) is seen near the start of the cartoon with his dog, Asta (and we recently saw a reference in “Speaking of the Weather”).

What I Like About This One:

Edward G. Robinson’s bulldog having the same expression as him (as seen in the screenshot used).

A fat lady pushing five men out of their seats.

A “bird dog” tweeting like a bird and residing in a bird cage.

An Irish Setter hatching three puppies.

A “Spitz” spitting into a spittoon.

Russian wolf hounds doing a Russian kick dance to Brahms’ fifth Hungarian Dance. It’s also revealed that two black puppies were posing as their hats.

“Dog Eat Dog” shows a dog eating a hot dog.

Prairie dogs (which aren’t really dogs; not that anyone cares) singing a pleasing chorus of “My Little Buckaroo”.

When the St. Bernard tries to sing along, someone offscreen puts a muzzle on his mouth. While trying to get it off, he gets himself stuck in a trunk and comes out with roller skates on his feet (that he can’t remove).

When the pup is reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, she comments, “Oh, this is silly” and literally gets the book thrown at her.

The St. Bernard accidentally letting a flea circus loose, and the pup gets so distracted by a flea, that she mixes “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with “Hickory Dickory Dock”. She gets so fidgety once the flea finds its way into her fur, that she says other rhymes like “I Never Saw a Purple Cow” and “Little Bo Peep”.

Fleas having gotten drunk from the St. Bernard’s barrel of ale.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕