Oswald Plays Dem Dry Bones
Universal and Their Lucky Rabbit Prosper in Hells Heels (1930)
Oswald was lucky for Universal, if not for
Disney, being a nice and ongoing revenue stream from the time Laemmle and
associates commissioned him in 1927 till the character's screen retirement in
1943. My impression, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that Universal wanted a
cartoon character and subcontracted Charles Mintz to develop one, which he did
by way of Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. Then Universal's publicity named the rabbit they came
up with. Oswald was inarguably the studio's property. It was only a matter
of hiring artists to draw him, and they'd prove interchangeable, from Disney at
first, to Mintz after he euchred Walt, then Walter Lantz once Universal got
done with Mintz. Lantz proved most durable of the lot where the Lucky Rabbit
was concerned. His cartoons with Oswald maintained a fair standard throughout
the thirties. I don't recall seeing them on TV growing up. Were they around
much? Maybe it was just our NC stations that skipped them.
By Hells Heels, Oswald was talking and risen
high among cartooned faces. Am I safe to say he was second only to Mickey Mouse
in 1930 polling? (for that matter, were there cartoon popularity polls in
1930?) Felix seemed finished, Fleischer had not (yet) star characters of
weight, and Bosko/Flip The Frog were just starting out of WB/MGM. Oswald was
established and an object of intense promotion, Universal making with trade ads
and merchandising that Disney surely envied, and would imitate, as he developed
Mickey. The Oswalds copied Walt on screen, but the rabbit's selling arm was
a strongest among cartoon contestants, which is why it mattered less if Hells
Heels and other Oswalds fell short of emerging Disney's quality. Universal had
well-tuned machinery, and the Rabbits were good enough to keep it greased. Oswald could more than get by for helping fill a Universal program and not
antagonizing his audience, as Flip The Frog risked doing at Iwerks/MGM when
that character proved so unappealing. Oswald pads six minutes of Hells Heels
with song/dance and gags looted from betters so recent as Disney's Skeleton
Dance. Lantz and his animator, Bill Nolan, seem infatuated with
skeletal matters. At one point, Oswald's surprise is expressed by his bones
leaping out of his body, which would be lots more disturbing had it not
happened so fast. Hells Heels is part of the Woody Woodpecker and Friends ---
Volume One DVD, along with other Oswalds and Lantz oddities.
More Oswald The Lucky Rabbit at Greenbriar Archive HERE.
Walter Lantz was laid off from Bray Studios. Mr. Bray saw no future with animated cartoons in the sound era. Talk about a visionary. He was a poor one.
ReplyDeleteLantz hung out in Hollywood. Carl Laemmle played cards a lot. Lantz hung out where his games were played
Laemmle mentioned he was not having luck with his animated cartoon division. Someone mentioned Lantz had made animated cartoons in New York.
Said Laemmle, "Well, when he is around I win. Lucky at cards, lucky at animation.'
That was how things were done in old Hollywood. Oh, for those days now.
The Lantz OSWALDS were purchased by Motion Pictures For Television in December 1954, but that company lost its way after its chief, Matty Fox, left to organize U.M.& M. TV. So it's not surprising that distribution was sparse. I don't know if those cartoons ever wound up on TV in New York City, especially when LOONEY TUNES became available the following February.
ReplyDeleteThe Oswalds most assuredly ran in the NYC market in the late 1950's-early 1960's, Michael J. That's where I saw 'em all as a kid (not sure which station had the package though). John, love your observation about the preponderance of skeleton gags in the 'black' Oswald cartoons. Watch five or six of these early ones in a row and you'll be blown away at how many times the characters' bones depart from their skins!
ReplyDeleteHELL'S HEELS is a very pointed parody of William Wyler's HELL HEROES, a then recent Western that, despite a sentimental finish, is pretty grim stuff. Incredibly, the cartoon is even darker with an awful lot of gruesome humor. Track down the Warner Archives copy of the feature, then play the short as an animated coda. Way cool!
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteI don't remember seeing Oswalds in NYC (doesn't mean they weren't on). My first memories of 50's cartoons on TV are Flip the Frog, Willie Whopper and those Pauk Terry's with the farmer and cat-killing mice.