The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: 1938

The Lamp Lighter Release Date: 1/10/38 Direction: Walter Lantz Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Ray Fahringer and Ted Dubois Musical Direction: Nathaniel Shilkre Notes: Production Number: 834 An Oswald Rabbit cartoon

Man Hunt Release Date: 2/7/38 Direction: Walter Lantz Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Lester Kline and Ralph Somerville Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 840 An Oswald Rabbit cartoon Copyrighted as The Manhunt The first Lantz cartoon to feature voice characterizations by Mel Blanc. First musical score by Frank Marsales for Lantz. For now, Lantz would experiment between Marsales and Frank Churchill.

Yokel Boy Makes Good Release Date: 2/21/38 Direction: Walter Lantz Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: Ray Fahringer and Laverne Harding Musical Direction: Nathaniel Shilkre Notes: Production Number: 841 An Oswald Rabbit cartoon The first appearance of Snuffy Skunk The final appearance of the Dumb Cluck Snuffy attempts to disguise himself as Joe Penner and Martha Raye in order to get into the theatre.

Trade Mice Release Date: 2/28/38 Direction: Walter Lantz Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: Rudy Zamora and Frank Amon Musical Direction: Nathaniel Shilkre Notes: Production Number: 838 An Oswald Rabbit cartoon Copyrighted as The Trade Mice

Feed the Kitty Release Date: 3/14/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Lester Kline and George Nicholas Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 844 Alex Lovy's directorial debut The final cartoon in the Oswald series. Oswald himself would still appear in two more films, Happy Scouts (1938) and The Egg-Cracker Suite (1943). Our only copy of this film is a Guild/Firelight reissue print. If you have a print with original opening and closing titles, please contact us.

Nellie the Sewing Machine Girl (or Honest Hearts & Willing Hands) Release Date: 4/11/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 842 The first New Universal Cartoon. The name of this series did not derive from the fact that the shorts were new Walter Lantz productions, but rather because Universal, under the immediate post-Carl Laemmle management, attempted to refashion itself as the "New Universal" in order to distance itself from the "Old Universal" (i.e., that of Laemmle and his family). The name "New Universal" was applied to most of Universal's output from 1936 into 1940. The first of many 1890's melodrama lampoons produced by the Lantz studio during 1938 and 1939.

Tail End Release Date: 4/25/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: Fred Kopietz and Ralph Somerville Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 845 A New Universal Cartoon, featuring Elmer the Great Dane and Doxie Dachshund. Lester Kline's directorial debut

Problem Child Release Date: 5/16/38 Direction: Rudy Zamora Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Merle Gilson and Frank Tipper Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 837 A New Universal Cartoon, featuring Elmer the Great Dane. Working title: Wildcat Willie Reissued as Brat Cat by Castle Films Rudy Zamora's directorial debut First onscreen credit for George Merle Gilson at Lantz since 1934 Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

Movie Phoney News Release Date: 5/30/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: La Verne Harding and George Dane Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 950 A New Universal Cartoon This "cheater" cartoon features no new animated segments and, with the exception of the soundtrack and the newsreel-esque intertitles, is comprised entirely of footage from the following Lantz releases: The Hillbilly (1935), Monkey Wretches (1935), Soft Ball Game (1936), Alaska Sweepstakes (1936), The Barnyard Five (1936), Music Hath Charms (1936), House of Magic (1937), and The Big Race (1937). Because of this, screen shots from this particular short will not be featured on our filmography.

Nellie the Indian Chief's Daughter Release Date: 6/6/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: La Verne Harding and George Dane Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 849 A New Universal Cartoon Reissued as Nellie, Indian Chief's Daughter by Guild/Firelight

Happy Scouts Release Date: 6/20/38 Direction: Fred Kopietz Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Merle Gilson and Dick Marion Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 848 A New Universal Cartoon featuring Oswald Rabbit Fred Kopietz's directorial debut This cartoon features a new design of Oswald. His fur is now colored and his pants are held up by a single suspender (click here to see the Oswald model sheet used for this cartoon, courtesy of Kevin Langley). This design was also used for the character in his cameo appearance in Snuffy's Party (1939) and in his final cartoon, The Egg-Cracker Suite (1943).

Cheese-Nappers Release Date: 7/4/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 843 A New Universal Cartoon The first appearance of Baby-Face Mouse

Voodoo in Harlem Release Date: 7/18/38 Direction: Rudy Zamora Story: Victor McLeod and Win Smith Animators: Frank Tipper and Merle Gilson Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 951 A New Universal Cartoon Working title: Black Magic

Silly Seals Release Date: 7/25/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: George Nicholas and Ralph Sommerville Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 953 Copyrighted as The Silly Seals A New Universal Cartoon

Barnyard Romeo Release Date: 8/1/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: La Verne Harding and George Dane Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 846 A New Universal Cartoon Working title: Fine Feathers Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

Queen's Kittens Release Date: 8/8/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: George Nicholas and Fred Kopietz Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 955 A New Universal Cartoon Reissued as The Queens Kittens by Guild/Firelight Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

The Big Cat and the Little Mousie Release Date: 8/15/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Frank Tipper and George Grandpre Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 847 A New Universal Cartoon featuring Baby-Face Mouse Reissued as The Big Cat and the Little Mouse by Guild/Firelight

Ghost Town Frolics Release Date: 9/5/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod Animators: Dick Marion and Ralph Somerville Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 954 A New Universal Cartoon Working title: Ghost Town The first appearances of Jock and Jill, the Simple Simeons. Jock would appear alone in two more shorts: The Rabbit Hunt (1938) and Soup to Mutts (1939). "Simians" is really misspelled as it pertains to the characters' names. Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic Video availability: Universal Matinees: The Ivory-Handled Gun (VHS; Universal/MCA)

Pixie Land Release Date: 9/12/38 Direction: Elmer Perkins Story: Victor McLeod Animators: Ray Fahringer and Merle Gilson Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 952 A New Universal Cartoon Working title: The Busy Body Elmer Perkins' directorial debut Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

The Cat and the Bell Release Date: 10/3/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and Hicks Lokey Animators: Jay Fahringer and La Verne Harding Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 957 A New Universal Cartoon featuring Baby-Face Mouse

Hollywood Bowl Release Date: 10/5/38 Direction: Elmer Perkins Story: Victor McLeod and Alex Lovy Animators: Frank Tipper and Merle Gilson Musical Direction: Frank Churchill Notes: Production Number: 839 Final New Universal Cartoon The final musical score by Frank Churchill The final New Universal Cartoon Among the stars seen in this cartoon are Leopold Stokowski, Hugh Herbert, Greta Garbo, Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby (and his horses), Charlie McCharthy, W.C. Fields, Joe Penner (who is given the cold shoulder by Edna Mae Oliver), Ned Sparks, Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, Joe E. Brown, Katherine Hepburn, Ben Bernie, Fats Waller, Rudy Vallee, Martha Raye, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Fred Astaire, and Jack Benny. Video availability: Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 1 (DVD; Universal/MCA) Universal Matinees: Law for Tombstone (VHS; Universal/MCA)

The Rabbit Hunt Release Date: 10/10/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animators: Fred Kopietz and George Nicholas Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 956 The first Cartune Comedy, featuring Jock. Incorrectly listed as an Oswald cartoon in Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

Sailor Mouse Release Date: 11/7/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod Animators: George Grandpre and Frank Tipper Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 958 A Cartune Comedy featuring Baby-Face Mouse Reissued as Sailor Boy by Castle Films Our only copy of this film is a Castle Films reissue print. If you have a print with original opening and closing titles, please contact us.

The Disobedient Mouse Release Date: 11/28/38 Direction: Lester Kline Story: Victor McLeod Animators: George Dane and Ralph Somerville Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 960 The final Cartune Comedy, featuring Baby-Face Mouse Reissued as Baby Face Battler by Castle Films

Baby Kittens Release Date: 12/19/38 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod Animators: Hicks Lokey and Merle Gilson Musical Direction: Scott Bradley Notes: Production Number: 962 The first Cartune short

Little Blue Blackbird Release Date: 12/26/38 Direction: Patrick Lenihan Story: Victor McLeod Animators: Merle Gilson and Verne Harding Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 961 A Cartune short Patrick Lenihan's directorial debut Some sources incorrectly list this cartoon as Little Blue Blackbirds Frank Marsales would now become Lantz's permanent musical director until 1941 when Darrell Calker would take over.