Release Date:

August 22, 1942

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A moth and a honeybee plan to wed, but the moth gets distracted with eating people’s clothes in a bar. Realizing he’s late, the moth tries to evade the clutches of a man-hungry black widow spider.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The full title is “Eatin’ on the Cuff or The Moth Who Came to Dinner”.

The cartoon is narrated by live-action piano player Leo White, with his voice being dubbed by Mel Blanc.

This is Clampett’s last black and white cartoon.

Porky is featured in the intro despite not appearing.

The cartoon is in the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons book.

This and the next cartoon, “Fresh Hare”, were released on the same day as Tex Avery’s first MGM cartoon, “Blitz Wolf”.

The cartoon was originally titled “The Moth and His Flame”.

What I Like About This One:

The narrator mentioning that the moth “lived on a fabricated diet”.

The moth eating clothes and leaving behind buttons on a shirt, flowers on a dress, and turning a fox fur into a Hitler caricature (animated by Rev Chaney).

As the moth passes the bar, his singing to the tune of “Here Comes the Bride” is accompanied by a piano (animated by Chaney).

The moth tearing off a part of a man’s pants and upon eating it, comments, “Nice piece of material. And pre-war cuffs too!” (animated by Rod Scribner).

The people in the bar’s reactions to having their clothes eaten by the moth (animated by Chaney).

The moth pulling a zipper out of his mouth in disgust and stating, “Darn those zippers!” (animated by Scribner)

When the widow spider first notices the moth, she dresses up as Veronica Lake but she is unable to hide her bulbous nose (animated by Scribner).

The widow spider attempting to kiss the moth, only for him to be batted away by her nose (animated by Virgil Ross).

The moth then runs away so fast that he leaves his ghost behind who also says “Yipe!” and runs off to catch up to the moth (animated by Robert McKimson).

The widow spider chasing the moth across a man playing cards. She says, “Play your jack!” and puts the jack card down (animated by Chaney).

The widow spider then chases the moth across ice cubes floating in water. While hopping after him, she comments, “Something like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, ain’t it?” before realizing that there are no more ice cubes in the water, so she falls into said water (animated by Sid Sutherland). Her wig gets carried off by a bubble, and she is seen with an angry expression on her face and drumming her fingers (animated by Scribner).

Upon discovering the moth’s weakness via a book, the widow spider says, “I don’t want to set the world on fire, but it says a moth’s attracted by a flame!” (animated by Scribner)

The widow spider turning on a lighter next to the moth, where the flame taps the moth on the shoulder and gives a “come here” gesture. The moth initially ignores it, so the flame turns him around and hypnotizes him to walk into the widow spider’s arms (animated by McKimson).

Hearing the terrified moth’s cries for help, the tearful honeybee throws her bridal outfit on the ground and comes to his rescue (animated by McKimson). She and the widow spider battle with their stingers, with the honeybee winning (animated by Ross) and the widow spider commenting, “Confidentially, she stings!” (animated by Scribner)

The story ends with the moth and honeybee happily reunited but the narrator isn’t quite satisfied with the insects’ odd romance. “But, you know, folks? I never could understand what that cute little bee could see in that silly moth. What a dope!” The moth suddenly appears on the piano and responds “Oh, yeah?” (animated by Scribner) He then eats away at the narrator’s pants, forcing him to run around the studio in his underwear while crashing into things!

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕 ½