Release Date:

May 4, 1946

Main Character(s):

Sniffles

Summary:

At “Tuffy’s Tavern”, Edward G. Robincat is coming over for the tavern’s specialty, “Mouse Knuckles”. Since they are out of it, the owner of the place, a black cat named Art, tells his moronic friend, Filligan, to catch a mouse. Filligan makes the mistake of going after Sniffles, in his chatterbox mode.

That’s Not All, Folks:

Despite the production number being 13-14 (the 13th Merrie Melodie in the 14th release season), the cartoon was released as a Looney Tune.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. When it was restored for the Looney Tunes Mouse Chronicles The Chuck Jones Collection DVD set in 2012, the original titles were put back in.

This is a cartoon of two lasts: the last appearance of Sniffles, and the last ever cartoon to use the Porky drum ending. With this famous ending being retired after this cartoon, both Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies would now have “That’s all, folks!” written out on their end cards.

Edward G. Robincat is an obvious parody of Edward G. Robinson.

The cartoon is a parody on the radio program “Duffy’s Tavern”.

This is the last cartoon to use the 1945-1946 red rings with the black background.

A few names written on the wall of the tavern include “Eddie” and “Bob G.”, which are references to Eddie Selzer and Robert Gribbroek, respectively.

“Singing Down the Road” plays throughout the cartoon as Sniffles’ theme. This is also the only Sniffles cartoon to feature Raymond Scott music.

What I Like About This One:

The rendition of “Tippin’ In” (which basically sounds like a very jazzy version of “Time Waits for No One”) over the opening credits.

During his conversation with Tuffy on the phone, Art questions him about where the mouse knuckles are: “I ain’t seen hide nor seek of them”. Upon finding out Tuffy can’t get them, Art says “Uh-oh. Perish forbid” when Robincat enters the tavern, knowing that Robincat “ain’t hardly the type of guy to take ‘we ain’t got none’ for no answer” (animated by Ken Harris).

Twirling a yo-yo, Filligan is instructed by Art to catch a mouse to which Filligan agrees: “Duh, okay, Art. I’ll get ya a mouse or my name ain’t F-I-double L-I-G-A-N” and after mistakenly hitting himself in the jaw with the yo-yo, doesn’t know what he just spelled spells (animated by Lloyd Vaughan).

As Art goes out to greet Robincat, Robincat proves to be a very violent guy as he holds Art by the throat and demands: “Listen, you mug. Can the gab, see! Bring me them mouse knuckles, see! Yeah, see”. Art meekly answers, “I see” (animated by Basil Davidovich).

Meanwhile, Filligan waits at a mouse hole in the fence. Sniffles comes out of and starts questioning Filligan as to why he’s looking in that hole, which is silly because Sniffles was the only one in there and tells him it’s pointless to be looking in there for someone who isn’t in there anymore. After Filligan explains he’s going to catch a mouse, Sniffles asks him as to why cats always try to catch a mouse, because mice don’t try to catch a cat and also asks if he can tell the difference between a mouse and a cat. Filligan answers, “Duh, you bet I can! You can’t fool me because I’m too stupid!” Grabbing Sniffles, Filligan tells him he’s now his prisoner. Sniffles informs him that cats always play with mice before they kill them so Sniffles has him play “Blind Man’s Bluff” by tying a bandana around Filligan’s eyes and spinning him around (animated by Ben Washam).

Art tries to explain to an impatient Robincat who pounds the table into him: “Hey, you mug! Bring me them mouse knuckles, see! I’m gettin’ tired of waitin’, see! I’m liable to get mean, see!” (animated by Davidovich).

After Filligan stops spinning, he grabs hold of Sniffles again: “Duh, now I gotcha for mouse knuckles!” Sniffles then questions this as to why he would want tiny mouse knuckles like his and has Filligan shut his eyes as he brings him some great big mouse knuckles (animated by Washam). Once Filligan shuts his eyes (animated by Harris), Sniffles puts a paper bag over Filligan’s hand, making him believe he got the knuckles and happily runs back to the tavern (animated by Washam).

Meanwhile, Robincat is starting to beat up Art, punching him to the floor with each sentence: “Now listen, you mug! Cut out the stallin’, see! And get me them knuckles, see!” Hearing Filligan announce he’s got the knuckles, Art quickly has Robincat sit down at a table and pulls Filligan through the bag, since the knuckles were Filligan’s own (animated by Davidovich). Art tells him, “Filligan, here I am with my life in picardy, and yet you have the verve to come back empty-handed” (animated by Harris). Robincat walks up to them, wanting to know what the delay is. Demanding the knuckles, he picks up the bag, reaches through it and grabs his foot, resulting in Robincat taking a chomp out of his foot! Filligan asks him if the mouse knuckles are to his liking. Unamused, Robincat boots Filligan out of the tavern (animated by Davidovich).

Angry at being tricked, Filligan again goes after Sniffles, who has gone into a hole and has placed his hat on a bulldog’s bone. Filligan grabs the bone, with Sniffles’ hat landing on the bulldog, who wakes up upon realizing his bone was stolen. After the bulldog goes after Filligan (animated by Davidovich), Sniffles tells us that the situation that’s about to play out is going to be good and after explaining what he predicts, he wolf-whistles and ends with “Just you wait and see” (animated by Harris).

With Robincat presumably being given his long-desired mouse knuckles, the bulldog’s bone is served to him instead. Just before Robincat takes a bite, the bulldog appears in front of him with an angry stare. Robincat then gives a nervous grin as the bulldog changes the specialty menu from mouse knuckles to cat knuckles (animated by Davidovich). He then lets Robincat have it, with Art getting caught in the fight as well. The phone rings and Filligan answers it as Tuffy now has the mouse knuckles ready and asks if Robincat still wants them. Filligan tries to let Art know about this, but the fight freeze-frames before continuing. Filligan tells Tuffy, “I don’t think he needs the mouse knuckles, Tuffy, but he sure could use some BRASS knuckles!” (animated by Vaughan)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕