The Ten Worst Cartoon Characters of all Time - Number 7

Sorry for the delay, it's been a busy week.  I had to go out to the mailbox twice this week.  And those darn girl scouts keep ringing my door asking if I want cookies.  One day I may have to turn them down.  We're back to giving you our ratings for the worst cartoon characters of all time.   Competition is getting fierce, but I think when the final list is unveiled you will agree with at least 30% of the choices.   If you agree with less than that, I'll be happy to post your list in a subsequent column.  But let's move on to number 7, as we move up the list to number one...

10.  Baby Huey
9.  Squiddly Diddly
8.  Buzzy the Crow
7.  Hippity Hopper

Okay, let's get one thing straight right now.   THIS is a baby kangaroo:

...And THIS is a giant mouse, better known as a Capybara, native to South America.

See any resemblance?   Sure, I guess they are both brown and furry, but then again so is a brown bear.   And yet Ranger Smith never mistook Yogi for a giant mouse.  A bear from outer space, yes, but never a giant mouse.

However, this mistaken identity is the basis for every Hippity Hopper film released by Warners Brothers from 1948 until 1964.  In case you're not familiar with the premise, the cartoon usually begins with a baby kangaroo escaping from a zoo, a circus, an Outback restaurant, or any other place you're likely to find a baby kangaroo.   He inevitably ends up in the neighborhood of Sylvester the Cat, who mistakes the baby kangaroo for a giant mouse and spends the rest of the cartoon trying to subdue the creature, and getting beaten to a pulp in the process.  Every cartoon in the series was directed by Robert McKimson.

The first couple of cartoons were interesting and fun, but soon after that the cartoons fell into the same repeated formula that would curse such cartoon stars as Pepe Le Pew, Casper, and any Famous Studios cartoon star. 

Hippity Hopper, the name of the baby kangaroo, has almost no personality and really doesn't do much in his own films.   He is the star of these cartoons much like the Roadrunner stars in a Roadrunner cartoon.   Let's be honest, the real star of the Roadrunner cartoons is the Coyote, and in the Hippity Hopper films it is Sylvester that really carries the film.  However, the Warner Bros. cartoon department seemed to think that Hippity Hopper had the star power, as you can see from these title cards:



Pop 'im Pop, 1950, Hippity Hopper's third film.   At least Sylvester is still getting second billing.

Lighthouse Mouse, 1955



Too Hop to handle, 1956.  At least Sylvester made it onto the title card.

Hippity Hopper went on to appear in comic books, some merchandise, and the occasional resurrection of the Warner Bros. characters in TV and movies such as Space Jam.   Below I've posted a Hippity Hopper cartoon that has a plot somewhat different than all the others (but not very), Bell Hoppy from 1954.   The nice thing about this one is Sylvester gets top billing...


Sylvester The Cat - (Ep. 42) - Bell Hoppy by cartoonNetworks

A rare piece of Hippity Hopper merchandise, a ceramic decanter

Saturday Morning Cartoon: A Fractured Leghorn

Foghorn Leghorn is one of those cartoon characters that some people love, and some people hate.  I fall in the middle.  Some of his early cartoons are among the best cartoons Warner Bros ever made...   in fact his first one was nominated for an academy award.  On the other end of the spectrum, some of his later cartoons are among the worst ever made.   Check out Mother was a Rooster, The Slick Chick or Strangled Eggs to see the worst.  Look for Walky Talky Hawky or The Leghorn Blows at Midnight to see the best.   You'll notice I didn't create links for the worst; you'll have to find them yourselves.  I won't take blame for that.

A little history about Foghorn Leghorn might be appropriate here.  He started out as a supporting character to Henery Hawk, a character who had already debuted in a cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.   Foghorn debuted in Walky Talky Hawky and literally stole the show from Henery.   The cartoon earned an Academy Award nomination for director Robert McKimson, and a new cartoon series was born.  Twenty eight Foghorn cartoons were made, all directed by McKimson.

Most people think that Foghorn Leghorn was patterned after Senator Claghorn, a character that lived on Allen's Alley on the Fred Allen radio show.  In fact, in his early days he was patterned after a sheriff character that appeared on a 1930's radio show called Blue Monday Jamboree.   However, as the character developed, he began to sound more like Senator Claghorn, picking up many of his catchphrases ("That's a joke, son!" is among the most obvious)

The interesting thing about Foghorn is that, although it may seem like his cartoons are all the same, the writers and directors actually tried to create some variety in the series.  They created several characters to inhabit the Foghorn universe, and each cartoon may differ depending on the supporting cast.  Henery Hawk, the weasel, Miss Prissy, Little Egghead, and Barnyard Dog were among the regulars.  Sylvester and Daffy Duck also made appearances in the series.   This is in contrast to Pepe Le Pew, Hippity Hopper or the Roadrunner, in which every cartoon had the same basic plotline.

The cartoon I'm posting below is Foghorn's fifth cartoon, A Fractured Leghorn, from 1950..   It's a bit different than most of the others, and was rarely seen on television.  No Barnyard Dog, no Henery Hawk in this one.  Enjoy!

Saturday Morning Cartoon - Gift Wrapped

Okay, I know I'm a bit behind in postings.   I haven't posted a cartoon in a while, so to celebrate the holidays, I'm posting a 1952 Christmas-themed cartoon:   Gift Wrapped, starring Sylvester and Tweety.   In keeping with the true spirit of the season, there are , explosions, gunplay, dynamite, and the chance to watch Sylvester swallow Tweety (and be swallowed, for that matter) at least three times.  Enjoy!