Saturday Morning Cartoon: Let's Celebrake

Sorry for the lack of posts lately...   My New Year's resolution is to write more, and depend less on YouTube.   However, It's Saturday Morning Cartoon time, and what cartoon could be better to celebrate the New Year than "Let's Celebrake" a 1938 Popeye cartoon from the remarkable Fleischer brothers.  Those who regard Popeye as one dimensional character may be surprised by this cartoon, which shows the one-eyed sailor in a very warm, compassionate mode.   Popeye cartoons in the 1930's show a remarkable versatility that eventually got lost in the 1950's, when every cartoon became essentially the same plot in a different locale.  Amazingly, this is one of the few Popeye cartoons with no violence...   Unless you count the consumption of spinach, which usually produces a violent reaction in me.   Enjoy "Let's Celebrake" and Happy New Year!

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Goodwill to Men

In honor of Christmas, I've chosen a rarely seen cartoon:  Good Will to Men, released by MGM in 1955.  This cartoon is a Cinemascope remake of the 1939 cartoon "Peace on Earth."   Both cartoons were nominated for Academy Awards.   This cartoon was an unusual break for the directing team of Bill Hanna and Joe Barbara, who had spent the last 12 years making nothing but the violence-driven "Tom and Jerry" cartoons.  Merry Christmas!

Happy Hanukkah!

Sorry for the recent lack of posts, but the Holidays are upon me like a Louisiana hurricane, ready to sweep me away in glad tidings.   Here's a little ditty from Tom Lehrer for my Jewish friends...

Saturday Morning Cartoon: One Ham's Family

The Holidays are upon us like fleas on a dog, sucking the life's blood out of...  Okay, maybe that one is a bit much.  For the next few weeks I'll be posting a selection of Holiday-themed cartoons to help you celebrate the holiday season.   Here, from 1943, is "One Ham's Family" directed by the infamous Tex Avery.   The kid in this cartoon is based on Red Skelton's "mean wittle kid" or simply "Junior" that Red had introduced to radio audiences in 1941.  Enjoy!

Travels with Joe - Let's see Santa! Part 1

The holidays are upon us like a giant avalanche, ready to bury us completely with its tidings of comfort and joy.  I thought I would post a few Holiday themed "Travels with Joe."   We're going to start with a favorite roadside attraction that once existed in Carpinteria, CA:   Santa Claus Lane!   This attraction, and its giant statue of Santa Claus, beckoned to me for years from the side of the freeway whenever my family drove through the area.  I am proud to say that the constant pressuring of my dad finally rewarded me with a stop at this attraction many years ago.

Santa Claus Lane was started in 1948 by roadside entrepreneur Patrick McKeon, who was trying to attract people to his fruit stand.   He was new to the area, and was amused at all the "Santa" named towns in California (Santa Barbara, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, etc.).   He decided to name his roadside attractions "Santa Claus" and ended up building Santa Claus Lane in the process.   In its heyday, the Lane had a restaurant, candy store, fruit stand, various gift shops, and a miniature train ride that would go around and through the buildings.  Santa was perched high atop the Date Shop, while a statue of Frosty the Snowman watched over the restaurant.   There was even "Rudolph's Reindeer Lounge" for the adults to enjoy a quick refreshment while the kids checked out the tacky souvenirs.   The specialty of the date shop was the world-famous California Date Shake, which I have never been able to gag down past the first sip.

Santa Claus Lane fell on hard times in the 80's and 90's.   Frosty was removed from the roof as he was falling apart.   The train rarely ever ran (it was not open during my visit) and several smaller shops closed down.   The final indignity came when the giant Santa statue was deemed unsafe and would need to be removed.  However, a grassroots movement saved the statue, and it is now on display, fully restored and sporting a pair of California sunglasses, in Oxnard.  It's good to know that Santa finally had the last laugh - Ho, Ho, Ho!   Wait, didn't the Jolly Green Giant make that same comment at the end of his post?

Santa in his new home in Oxnard

Superman Mystery Explained

I saw this on Kerry Callen's blog and had to share, as it explains one of those Superman mysteries we have always wondered about.   Click each page to enlarge...