Our Cartoonorama continues with our introduction to the MGM studio! Ryan Roe joins this discussion about the debut of one of our favorite characters: Droopy! We talk about Tex Avery’s talent for over-the-top gags and how this cartoon fits into (and doesn’t fit into) the genre of chase cartoons.
Host/Producer: J.D. Hansel
Guest: Ryan Roe
Content Warning for Animated Short: attempted suicide (sort of?); guns.
Content Warning for Episode: mentions of above.
Selected Availability: Tex Avery’s Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection; Tex Avery Screwball Classics: Volume 1.
References:
The voice cast credits can be found in this article: “‘Hello All You Happy Taxpayers’: Tex Avery’s Voice Stock Company” by Keith Scott
The MGM chapter of Of Mice and Magic by Leonard Maltin was used for general information on the MGM studio and Tex Avery’s time there.
I heard/saw the interview with Tex Avery in which he talks about his approach to cartoons in relation to Disney’s in a Behind the Tunes featurette called “A Conversation with Tex Avery”. That version had music under it, so the audio I used is from this upload of the footage on the YouTube channel Historic Films Stock Footage Archive.
I can’t remember if one or both of them got cut, but the script includes quotes from animators Eric Goldberg and John R. Dilworth. These come from the documentary King-Size Comedy: Tex Avery and the Looney Tunes Revolution.
The John Canemaker quote is from the documentary featurette Droopy and Friends: A Laugh Back.
I mentioned that Chuck Jones said Tex Avery felt that something had gone wrong with Bugs in Avery’s Tortoise Beats Hare. I heard this in the audio commentary track for that cartoon that is made up of archival clips from Chuck Jones interviews.