Release Date:

October 9, 1937

Main Character(s):

Porky Pig

Summary:

Porky Pig tries to teach his elderly dog, Rover, tricks, but Rover is constantly upstaged by a young pup, who not only does the tricks better, he has the nerve to insult him. When Porky has Rover fetch a stick, he accidentally brings back a stick of dynamite and the pup keeps returning the dynamite to Porky. After Rover looks up the word “dynamite” in the dictionary, it’s up to him to save Porky.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first cartoon to use the ever-famous “Porky bursts out of drum” ending. Every cartoon released as a “Looney Tunes” from here until May 1946 would use this ending (although two Bugs Bunny cartoons would have Bugs in the drum instead and saying “And that’s the end!”).

This is also the first cartoon to use “The Merry Go Round Broke Down” as the Looney Tunes theme and to use the 1937-1938 Looney Tunes intro.

The book Porky reads at the start of the cartoon, “New Tricks to Teach Your Dog” has its author named “Clawed Meatty”. This is a reference to a dog trainer named Clyde Beatty.

What I Like About This One:

Rover’s “Eh?” when Porky instructs him to “roll over”.

The pup blowing Rover when he tries to roll over (animated by Robert Cannon).

Porky asking Rover to jump through the hoop which has a paper middle. The pup does it instead and ripping through it in the process. When Porky looks at it annoyed, we see that he had it in front of a washtub. Rover makes his jump too late and hits the washtub.

When Porky has Rover try to catch a ball, the pup throws a pumpkin in the air and Rover ends up catching that instead (also animated by Cannon).

The pup imitating Porky is simply hilarious as he mimics his body posture, size, and stutter. (“G-g-gee, I’m sorry to hear th-th-that! Nyah!”)

The pup getting impatient at how long it takes for Rover to bring the stick back and speedily grabs it just before Rover can pick it up.

When Porky insists it’s Rover’s turn to get the stick, Rover accidentally leaves his dentures behind on the stick.

Porky grabbing the pup before he can get the stick before Rover a third time.

Rover having to go to the dictionary to know what dynamite is (animated by Chuck Jones).

Porky trying to throw the dynamite stick into the distance but the pup has another in his hand every time Porky does so. This soon escalates to where the pup is throwing multiple sticks back at him (animated by Jones).

“Happy birthday!” “T-t-t-take it away!”

Rover realizing what dynamite is and trying to help Porky get rid of it, and trying to stop the pup (“Let go, you crazy little fool! Do you want to get blown to smithereens?”).

The pup being caught by Rover’s dentures hanging on a tree branch.

The sign that originally read, “Danger We’re Gonna Blast” now reading “We’ve blasted!”

When Porky and the pup think Rover was killed by the explosion, the pup is finally humble and apologetic. Upon hearing what he said, Rover sits up and asks, “Do ya mean it?”, proving that he’s still alive.

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕