Release Date:

March 27, 1943

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

Claude Hopper, a dopey but arrogant kangaroo who is very boastful about being the world’s champion hopper is heckled by two Scottish rabbits, Andy and Sandy, who decide to put him in his place.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is Pinto Colvig’s last role in a Warner cartoon as he is the voice of Claude.

The start of the cartoon uses an original tune by Carl Stalling called “Hippety Hop”.

The title is a pun for “stop and go”.

Modern day animator Mark Kausler named this as his favorite McCabe cartoon.

Porky and Daffy are featured in the intro, despite not appearing.

What I Like About This One:

The cartoon opening with the camera “hopping” up and down since we’re in Claude’s perspective.

Claude proving he’s “world champeen” by showing a badge labeled “Chicken Inspector” with a pair of sexy woman legs and also saying “O You Kid!”

Andy and Sandy zooming past Claude and making him dizzy (animated by Cal Dalton).

Setting up a boxing ring, Sandy trains with a jumping rope. Hearing Andy call Sandy “champ”, Claude tells them HE’s the champion hopper and has a certificate to prove it. Pulling it out of his pouch (despite the fact he is very clearly a male), the certificate reads, “This guy is a goof”.

Claiming he’s an athlete (“I’ve even got athlete’s feet!”), Claude jumps high into the air only for Andy to trip him up by extending one of the boxing ring’s ropes up as a trip wire, resulting in Claude getting tangled up in the ropes.

Claude next leaps up into the air and zooms a far distance, unaware that Andy and Sandy are riding his tail. When he lands, Andy and Sandy jump in front of him with Andy claiming that Sandy beat Claude by a few inches (animated by Dalton).

Claude running back and trying again (animated by Izzy Ellis), only to land in the same exact spot with Sandy STILL in front of him (animated by Dalton).

Annoyed, Claude empties his pouch of various stuff that was in there, but Andy chews some gum while he does this and sticks Claude’s tail on it, rendering him unable to jump and sending him flying back into his stuff he emptied out.

Claude’s next attempt involves him jumping off a branch but he ends up flying backwards onto a nest where a newly hatched bird mistakes Claude for his mother, much to Andy and Sandy’s amusement.

Deciding Claude needs some “coaching”, Andy and Sandy have him propelled in the air by having a boulder land on one end of a log while Claude stands on the other end like a teeter board. Andy also puts a box in Claude’s pouch, claiming it’s ballast.

As Claude is soaring through the air, several planes halt to let him zoom by, he bounces off a blimp, and hits the “Price Ceiling- Meat Prices Frozen At This Level”. We then see a frozen Claude with a sign, “Kangaroo Meat Too!”

Wondering where he is, Claude lights a match. It turns out he’s above a city having a blackout resulting in him nearly being shot down and having spotlights shown on him.

After yelling, “SORTA NOISY, AIN’T IT!?” over all the artillery being fired, Claude’s box comes out of his pouch revealing that Andy actually gave him a box of TNT! “DYNAMITE!?”, Claude yells in horror, before landing in Tokyo, destroying it into ruins. Unaware of the damage, Claude confidently says, “Well, folks. I guess we know who’s champeen now!” (the last scene was animated by Dalton)

Where Can I Watch It?

On YouTube!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½