Release Date:

April 20, 1946

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

The dogs of Hollywood stars (who are caricatures of their owners) set up their own nightclub with music, dancing, and references galore.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 11-14, the 11th Merrie Melodie in the 14th release season.

Caricatures in this cartoon include Edward G. Robinson, Jimmy Durante, Hugh Herbert, Eddie Cantor, Ed Wynn, Monty Woolley, Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, Carmen Miranda, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Penny Singleton (as Blondie Bumstead), Arthur Lake (as Dagwood here called “Dogwood”), Joan Leslie, Leopold Stokowski (as Leopold Bowowksi), Joe Besser, Dorothy Lamour, Frank Sinatra, Kay Kyser, Merwyn Bogue (Ish Kabibble as “Ish Kyoodle”), Harry James (as “Hairy James”), Tommy Dorsey (as “Tommy Dorgy”), Lionel Hampton (as “Lionel Hambone”), and Benny Goodman (as “Boney Goodman”).

This is one of only three pre-1965 McKimson cartoons where the animator draft is currently not known to exist anywhere. The other two are “The Mouse-Merized Cat” (1946) and “Hobo Bobo” (1947).

This is one of the last Hollywood caricature cartoons.

As this cartoon was made by the time soldiers were coming home after the end of the war, there is a running gag about a dog soldier wanting to call home, with this cartoon being featured on the second disc of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 6 DVD set, which contains mostly wartime and patriotic cartoons.

What I Like About This One:

As the Robinson dog announces, “Now, listen, you mugs. We’ve been letting our buddies down” (animated by Arthur Davis), the Durante dog answers, “Them’s the conditions that prevail!” (animated by Cal Dalton)

The Canine Canteen is somehow in a small doghouse even though it’s a large event (animated by Anatolle Kirsanoff).

The Crosby dog is seen welcoming the “WAGS” (parody of the “WACS”) as they come in. A seemingly large soldier removes his fur coat, revealing he’s actually a thin dog (animated by Don Williams).

The Hope and Colonna dogs then go into an act where they say these lines respectively: “Professor, you get under my skin”. “Ah, no. You get under mine. More room” (animated by Davis).

During the scene with the Abbott and Costello dogs, the latter laments, “I’m a bad bow-wow!” (animated by Davis)

Blondie and Dogwood serve bone sandwiches (animated by Davis).

The Laurel and Hardy dogs, who are washing dishes, are unknowingly cleaning the same plate over and over again before the Hardy dog gets wise and shoves the Laurel dog in annoyance (animated by Davis).

A sailor dog whose hair covers his eyes is seen groping around, but is able to see a girl dog walking by as his pupils are briefly seen when he wolf whistles. After that, he continues groping (animated by Williams).

During an orchestra of “Hungarian Dance No. 5” conducted by Leopold Bowowsky (animated by Davis), two dogs, one big and one little, share playing the clarinet when their cue comes in (animated by Kirsanoff).

A bulldog violinist constantly has to replace his instrument during the violin part of the piece (animated by Kirsanoff).

Another dog plays the drum by beating his wagging tail against it while another is having him reach for a bone at the same time (animated by Davis).

It then takes a while for the piece to continue due to the tuba player, the Joe Besser dog taking his time getting a drink from the water cooler. He then goes nonchalantly on the way back before telling the conductor, “Oh, I HATE you!” and slaps another orchestra member to “Stop lookin’!” When the piece continues, the Besser dog blows into his tuba too hard and then has to come all the way down with his sheet music for the conductor to see if he’s playing right. After the Besser dog says, “Ooh, ya crazy!”, the conductor has finally had enough of the Besser dog’s attitude and slaps him around (animated by Davis).

A Crosby dog serenades a Dorothy Lamour dog with “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” before the Sinatra dog suddenly appears and lauches into “Trade Winds”. The Crosby dog is initially annoyed at the Sinatra dog’s intrusion but he too swoons to the Sinatra dog’s singing (animated by Richard Bickenbach)

“Kaynine Kyser” then introduces (animated by Williams) “Ish Kyoodle” who recites a poem in a very flat voice: “Roses are red. Violets are blue. If skunks had a college, they’d call it ‘PU’” (animated by Dalton).

During a jam session with everyone dancing, a fat lady dog with a Southern accent asks her dancing partner (a soldier) as to why he’s crying. It’s because she’s unknowingly standing on his feet (animated by Davis).

A bobbysoxer dog then attempts to get a shy sailor dog to dance with her by means of pouring fleas on him. He ends up throwing her wildly into the air, causing him to realize, “I lose more darn partners that way!” (animated by Dalton)

The Durante dog ends the cartoon at the piano, confiding, “That’s my boy who said that!” as he plays honking-like noises as the last three notes ending the cartoon (animated by Dalton).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕