The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: 1939



Soup to Mutts

"Soup to Mutts"

Release Date: 1/9/39
Direction: Les Kline
Story: Victor McLeod
Animation: George Nicholas and Dick Marion
Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

Notes:
  • Production Number: 959

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    I'm Just a Jitterbug

    "I'm Just a Jitterbug"

    Release Date: 1/23/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod
    Animation: Merle Gilson and Hicks Lokey
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 968
  • Hidden Gag: Look for a sketch of Baby-Face Mouse in the background of this cartoon.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    The Magic Beans

    "The Magic Beans"

    Release Date: 2/13/39
    Direction: Les Kline
    Story: Victor McLeod
    Animation: Fred Kopietz and George Dane
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 966
  • The first "Nertsery Rhyme" cartoon
  • We only have the original opening and closing titles of this cartoon. If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):

    [NOT AVAILABLE]



    The Birth of a Toothpick

    "The Birth of a Toothpick"

    Release Date: 2/27/39
    Direction: Burt Gillett
    Story: Victor McLeod
    Animation: Ed Benedict and Laverne Harding
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Burt Gillett's directorial debut at Lantz
  • We only have the original opening and closing titles of this cartoon. If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):

    [NOT AVAILABLE]



    Little Tough Mice

    "Little Tough Mice"

    Release Date: 3/13/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod
    Animation: Dick Marion and Ralph Somerville
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 965
  • Featuring Baby-Face Mouse
  • Working title: "Dead End Mice"
  • Reissued as "Crime Buster" by Castle Films
  • We only have the original opening and closing titles of this cartoon. If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):

    [NOT AVAILABLE]



    The One-Armed Bandit

    "The One-Armed Bandit"

    Release Date: 3/27/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele
    Animation: George Grandpre and Hicks Lokey
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 964

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Crackpot Cruise

    "Crackpot Cruise"

    Release Date: 4/10/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Cal Howard
    Animation: George Grandpre and Frank Tipper
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 963
  • We only have the opening and closing titles of this cartoon. The images below came from a 16mm print (not owned by us). If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Charlie Cuckoo

    "Charlie Cuckoo"

    Release Date: 4/24/39
    Direction: Elmer Perkins
    Story: Elviry Perkins
    Animators: Hank Perkins and Si Perkins
    Musical Direction: Zeke Perkins

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 970
  • Obviously, all the credits listed (with the exception of the director) are gag credits

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Nellie of the Circus

    "Nellie of the Circus"

    Release Date: 6/19/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele
    Animation: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 971
  • The first "Mello-Drama" cartoon
  • Working title: "Under the Big Top"
  • We only have the original opening and closing titles of this cartoon. If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):

    [NOT AVAILABLE]



    Bolo-Mola Land

    "Bolo-Mola Land"

    Release Date: 5/28/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele
    Animation: Frank Tipper and Dick Marion
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 973
  • The first "Crackpot Cruise" cartoon
  • We only have the original opening and closing titles of this cartoon. If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):

    [NOT AVAILABLE]



    The Bird on Nellie's Hat

    "The Bird on Nellie's Hat"

    Release Date: 6/19/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele
    Animation: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 975
  • The final "Mello-Drama" cartoon
  • Reissued as "The Runaway Choo-Choo" by Castle Films
  • Working Title: "The Bird on Nellie's Cap"
  • We only have the opening and closing titles of this cartoon. The images below came from a 16mm print (not owned by us). If you have a complete print, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    The Stubborn Mule

    "The Stubborn Mule"

    Release Date: 7/3/39
    Direction: Burt Gillett (uncredited)
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales (uncredited)

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 979
  • The first "Lil' Eightball" cartoon

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Arabs with Dirty Fezzes

    "Arabs with Dirty Fezzes"

    Release Date: 7/31/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele
    Animation: Uncredited
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 977
  • The final appearance of Baby-Face Mouse
  • Reissued as "The Arabs with Dirty Fezzes" by Guild/Firelight
  • The title of this cartoon is a satire of the Warner Bros. feature, "Angels with Dirty Faces" (1938).
  • Our only copy of this cartoon is a Guild/Firelight reissue. If you have a print with original opening and closing titles, please contact us.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Snuffy's Party

    "Snuffy's Party"

    Release Date: 8/7/39
    Direction: Elmer Perkins
    Story: Victor McLeod and Hicks Lokey
    Animation: Frank Tipper and Al Coe
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 972
  • Working title: "Snuffy Skunk's Party"
  • Reissued as "The Snuffy Skunk's Party" by Guild/Firelight
  • Many sources incorrectly list "Snuffy Skunk's Party" as the real title of this cartoon.
  • The second appearance of Snuffy Skunk (his first being the Oswald cartoon, "Yokel Boy Makes Good"). Snuffy would appear one last time in "Life Begins for Andy Panda" and then he would make a cameo appearance in "$21 a Day (Once a Month)" (1941).
  • The first appearance of Mr. Whippletree [see "Andy Panda Goes Fishing" (1940) for more details].

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Slaphappy Valley

    "Slaphappy Valley"

    Release Date: 8/21/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Victor McLeod
    Animation: George Dane and Laverne Harding
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 980
  • The first appearance of Punchy
  • The final "Crackpot Cruise" cartoon

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Silly Superstition

    "Silly Superstition"

    Release Date: 8/28/39
    Direction: Burt Gillett (uncredited)
    Musical Direction: Frank Marsales (uncredited)

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 981
  • A "Lil' Eightball" cartoon
  • The last Walter Lantz cartoon filmed in black and white

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    A-Haunting We Will Go

    "A-Haunting We Will Go"

    Release Date: 9/4/39
    Direction: Burt Gillett
    Story: Kin Platt and Gil Burton
    Animation: Lester Kline and Fred Kopietz
    Music: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 969
  • Thanks to Richard Jebe for providing us with better images from this cartoon.
  • The first Walter Lantz cartoon made in three-strip Technicolor.
  • From this point onward, all of the Walter Lantz cartoons would be produced in color.
  • The final "Lil' Eightball" cartoon

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Life Begins for Andy Panda

    "Life Begins for Andy Panda"

    Release Date: 9/9/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy (uncredited)
    Music: Frank Marsales (uncredited)

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 974
  • The first appearance of Andy Panda
  • Includes reused animation from "Snuffy's Party"
  • Many sources (including Joe Adamson) erroneously state that the title of this cartoon was inspired by the Mickey Rooney feature, "Life Begins for Andy Hardy". This is impossible because the Rooney feature premiered in 1941, two years after the release of the Lantz cartoon. The title of this short is actually a direct reference to the birth of Andy Panda.

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    Scrambled Eggs

    "Scrambled Eggs"

    Release Date: 11/20/39
    Direction: Alex Lovy
    Story: Elaine Pogany
    Animation: Frank Tipper and Hicks Lokey
    Music: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 984

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):




    The Sleeping Princess

    "The Sleeping Princess"

    Release Date: 12/4/39
    Direction: Burt Gillett
    Story: Kin Platt and Gil Burton
    Animation: Lester Kline and Fred Kopietz
    Music: Frank Marsales

    Notes:
  • Production Number: 976
  • The final "Nertsery Rhyme" cartoon

  • Screen Shots (click to enlarge):



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