Saturday Morning cartoon: Up and Atom

Here's a cartoon from argueably the most overlooked cartoon studio in Hollywood:  The Columbia Cartoon Studios.   Columbia operated its own cartoon studio for several years, turning out a mix of mediocre cartoons from 1929-1946.   The studio never was able to produce stars of the Bugs Bunny calibur; their main stars were Krazy Kay, Scrappy, and the Fox and the Crow.   In 1946, Columibia began releasing cartoons from the independent UPA studios, and let their own cartoon studio die.   With UPA, they had a starring character named Mr. Magoo, plus the prestige that the UPA studio brought with it.   However, it's a shame, as the Columbia Studios produced some weird yet wonderful cartoons throughout the years.   Here is one of the best ones:  "Up and Atom"released in 1947.   Robert Clampett, the former Warner Bros. director, wrote this cartoon after leaving Warners, and Sid marcus directed.   Enjoy!


Up n Atom by Andrea_Dodgers

Jonny Quest... in 3-D!

Here's someone who needs a hobby...  or, at least, now needs a new hobby.   This guy loved the old Hanna Barbara Jonny Quest TV show so much he re-made the opening credits in stop-motion animation.   He really did an incredible job, considering the backdrops and models he had to build for some scenes that last maybe 2 seconds on the screen.  You can check out his website and see some of the work involved by clicking here.  


Jonny Quest Opening Titles from Roger D. Evans on Vimeo.

In case you can't remember the original titles or are under 40...  or never watched Boomerang, here are the original titles.


Jonny Quest opening by Himura86

By way of a little history:   Jonny Quest premiered in prime-time on ABC in 1964.   It was successful, but due to the high cost of producing the show only 26 episodes were produced.   The show was re-run on Saturday mornings for several years and gained a following of devoted fans.   New episodes were produced for syndication in 1986.

It's Convention time...

Every two years (give or take a year) I help a friend of mine put together a convention.  It's a Soap Opera Convention, for two of the soap operas that are still on TV (you have a 50-50 chance of correctly guessing which two).  The announcement of Soap Opera Weekend signifies the start of my slow descent into the depths of despair.   It starts out innocently enough....  

• Can you help me pick a good weekend? 
• Sure. 
• Can you help write a flyer? 
• No problem.   
• Can you help me pick a Hotel?
• Well...   I'm not a good judge of Hotels, but OK...
• Can you create an Excel spreadsheet?    
• Not really, Excel isn't my specialty, but I guess I..
• Can you start stuffing folders full of pictures?
• Well, no, I have plans, so I really...
• Can you do them RIGHT NOW?
• ok...
• Can you re-do them?   You can't put (name of actor playing a butler) on the top.  The (name of actor playing the town harlot) will complain.
• Really?   No one will even notice -
• Can you do them RIGHT NOW?
• ok...
• Can you do another 200 folders?   We are selling more tickets than I thought.
• ok...
• Can you seal and stamp 1000 invitations?
• ok...
• Can you write the show? And make it funny...
• thlrp...  (can't move my tongue after sealing 1000 envelopes)

And so it goes, deeper and deeper until the actual event arrives.  By that time, I am a mere drone, a slave to the cause, one of the army of helpers that gives up a weekend to help the fans have that once-in-a lifetime experience, yes, wait for it...    Their seventh meeting with (excruciating good looking actor who just happens to be the harlot's lawyer / lover).  Yes, the same people come to this event EVERY YEAR to get the same autograph they got the last seven years, and get the same picture with the actor or actress they most admire.   The only difference is while the fans get older in each picture, year after year, the star looks the same.   They never change.   It's like posing with Dorian Gray. 

The big event is this weekend, so you may not hear from me for a few days.   But think of me whenever you hear a shriek of girlish delight.   That will be me, happy the weekend is over.

On the Road with Joe #1

I'm starting a new feature.   It needs a better name, but for now, I am calling it "On the Road with Joe."  It will feature pictures and stories from the various odd places I have visited throughout the United States.   Here's today's photo, taken with my trusty Olympiad camera:

This was at an amusement park in Panama City, Florida that is sadly no longer in existence.   Its name was Miracle Strip Amusement Park and was on Florida's Gold Coast, across the street from the Gulf.   While the park was quite popular throughout the years, the land become so valuable that the owners, in the midst of a post 9-11 slump in tourism, decided to sell.   I visited the park in 2003 and was very impressed by the whole place.   The Park had various buildings like this, with huge facades that had to be seen to be believed.   This one is was probably the oddest.   My personal opinion:   Don't walk under any snowman in that particular position.

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Blooper Bunny

Sorry for the recent sparseness of postings.  
In Los Angeles there are occassional screenings of classic cartoons.  I love going to those and try to get to them all. However, life sometimes interferes with my scheduling (couldn't someone else have donated blood to...  well, never mind) and I miss the occasional show.   Whenever this happens, I get the inevitable call from a certain friend of mine, asking me if I made it to the show.   When I say no, he immediately tells me what a shame it was that I missed it, because THAT NIGHT ONLY they showed the rarest Bugs Bunny cartoon that ever existed.   The pulled it out of the vaults for that one night, showed it, then set fire to the negative in front of the entire audience.  They then erased everyone's memory before they allowed them to leave the theater.
He may well have been talking about today's Saturday Morning Cartoon:  Blooper Bunny.   This cartoon was produced in 1991, then shelved for several years.   No one is quite sure why the cartoon was never released, but some speculate that Daffy's ranting about Warner Bros. executives at the beginning of the cartoon may have been a part of the problem.   It was also felt that the humor may have been a little too edgy and inside to appeal to regular audiences.   Either way, the cartoon sat in the vaults unknown and forgotten until 1997, when Cartoon Network spotted it sitting in the vault.   They aired it, and since then, it has gained a small cult following.  I had seen a small mention of it here and there throughout the years, but never saw it until the Internet made all things possible.   Here it is, one of the rarest Bugs Bunny cartoons of all time: Blooper Bunny.

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Dudley Do-Right

Dudley Do-right was created as a back-up feature for the Bullwinkle Show in 1961.  Jay Ward and is accomplished staff of writers and directers were always able to overcompensate for cheap animation with great writing and directing, and Dudley Do-Right was one of their crowning achievements.   I had the opportunity to watch the following episode recently in a crowded theater where it was a HUGE hit from start to finish.   Enjoy "The Sawmill."

Restaurant Review #4: Pie 'n' Burger

Guess what I had for lunch.

Hamburgers are one of those things that the restaurant community is always trying to re-invent.   Several gourmet or trendy restaurants have re-envisioned the burger, with odd variations that included goat cheese, Kobe beef, cranberries, olives, salmon, and - in the worst-case scenario - a fried egg.   A FRIED EGG.   Sorry, I had to repeat that in case you weren't sure you read it right the first time.   A FRIED EGG.   The Burger Bar in Las Vegas has a $60 burger on their menu that includes foie gras and shaved truffles.   This all may be your cup of tea, but I prefer a old-time classic burger.   One of the best places to get a classic burger is in a little diner in Pasadena called Pie 'n' Burger.

Like the Apple Pan, this little diner is often listed as serving one of the best burgers in Southern California.  It has been in the same location in Pasadena since 1963, when the place opened.   The current owner started working there in 1972 and has kept the same restaurant fixtures, recipes and personnel.   The head baker has been there since 1972, and one waitress has been there since the restaurant opened.  It's small and unassuming; a large lunch counter and about 5 tables make up the entire seating area.  Seat yourself at the counter and look up at the wall, because, like any good lunch couter, that is where you will find the menu.  Burgers, sandwiches and a few hot dishes make up the menu.  They also serve a plethora of fresh-baked desserts, which I will get to later in this review.   Patience, little one.

I ordered the burger.   Duh.   What else do you order in a place called Pie 'n' Burger?   Well, yeah, I guess you could order pie too, but as I said, have patience.   The burger is brought to you wrapped in paper on a plate.   The meat is obviously hand-formed, giving each burger its own unique shape.  Fries are optional; They are good but nothing spectacular.   But the burger....   aaahhh.   It's just as it should be.  A nice big piece of fresh, crunchy lettuce, Tillamook cheese, and a hand-made thousand-island sauce that mixes with the juice from the meat to create a messy yet tantalizing burger.    I'm sure the onions and pickles are good too, if you like that kind of thing.  I don't. 

What wasn't so good?   Well, I was surprised to find that the milkshakes were not as good as I had hoped.   For a great milkshake, head over to nearby Fosselman's in Arcadia.   I'll write a review about that place later.  

Now for the dessert.   I had berry pie.  The pie was very good.   Not the best I have had, but very good diner pie.   The big secret ended up being the dessert my dining partner ordered - strawberry cake.   It's made with real strawberries, both in the cake and in the frosting.   My dining partner swears by it.   During our last visit there, they were sold out, and she swore by it in an entirely different way.  I snuck out the back door.

 Pie 'n' Burger is a Pasadena institution that is well worth a visit if you are in the area.  The meal is a little pricey, especially if you order two burgers like I always seem to do, but well worth it.   Tell them Joe sent you and demand a good table.   It won't mean anything to them, but I like to embarrass you every chance I get.