Release Date:

November 8, 1941

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

Pony Express rider 44 and his horse have several escapades when trying to deliver the mail.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first cartoon to give an animation credit to Phil DeLara, who would animated on most of Jones’ early cartoons from 1941 to 1943. DeLara would later return to the studio in the late 1940’s where he would become of the best animators on Robert McKimson’s cartoons up until the mid-1950’s when he left being an animator and went into comic book art.

The horse resembles the one in “Porky’s Prize Pony”.

This is a notable transition cartoon in Jones’ career as he was starting to find his sense of humor before officially making it with “The Draft Horse”.

What I Like About This One:

The opening title card: “This picture is dedicated to the Pony Express Co., without whose whole-hearted co-operation this picture was made.”

When Rider 44 calls his boss, Baranca, via radio as to where he is, he doesn’t realize his hat has fallen in front of his eyes and reports “no visibility”. Baranca tells him, “Pull your hat off your eyes, you big jerk”.

As Rider 44 is about to arrive to deliver the mail, Baranca whistles to the horses who are seated on a bench like football players. The horse assigned for the job runs out like he’s running a race before slowing down and picking up Rider 44 from another horse as if he’s the baton in a relay.

Rider 44 and the horse getting distracted by a midget hitchhiker causing them to run off a cliff and land in the lake below. Rider 44 yells something to the horse underwater which of course only comes out as bubbles. The bubbles pop upon emerging from the lake revealing that Rider 44 had said, “GIDDY UP!”

Then, they manage to get out of the water but the horse was actually walking on an underwater cliff so they end up submerged again when the horse steps off.

Finally making it out of the water for good, Rider 44 and the horse again speed past the hitchhiker who is wearing a sign, “How about a lift, bud?”

The horse then skids to a stop before coming across another cliff, but Rider 44 flies off of him still in a sitting position and doesn’t realize he’s in mid-air until he looks down. Instead of falling, however, Rider 44 just simply turns around and acts like he’s riding an invisible horse all the way back to the cliff.

The hitchhiker is now standing next to a billboard asking, “How about a lift down to Fifth and Main?”

After an Indian sees Rider 44 and the horse pass his territory, he goes into his teepee which has a female dressing room where he powders “Wild Bill Coty” on his face.

The Indian being so small that he has to use a ladder to get on to his horse.

Rider 44 and the horse being stopped from running after the Indian by a sign labeled “Warpath Under Construction”. Rider 44 attempts to keep himself covered by squatting down behind the horse but the horse instead leaps behind Rider 44. Annoyed, Rider 44 silently demands the horse to get back to where he wants him by pointing at the ground. The horse shakes his head no. Rider 44 repeatedly points to the ground in rapid succession. The horse shakes his head no again. Then, Rider 44 then silently asks “Uh uh?” by shaking his head. The horse clarifies that is indeed what he meant, so Rider 44 slaps him down on to the ground to ensure that he stays down.

The frantic rendition of the William Tell Overture when the chase resumes.

Rider 44 and the horse making it safely into “Fort V-8”. The Indian’s horse skids so hard to avoid hitting the steel door that he ends up burrowing into the ground.

Tired but triumphant, Rider 44 presents the mail to headquarters, but to his shock, the sack contains the hitchhiker who walks across with a sign, “Thanks for the ride, bud”.

Where Can I Watch It?

At toontales.net!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½