Christmas Morning Cartoon: Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Merry Christmas, one and all!   This year we're celebrating the Holidays with a Max Fleischer Color Classic from 1936:   Christmas Comes But Once a Year.   This cartoon marks the first and only color appearance of Grampy, a wild inventor that co-starred with Betty Boop in several classic cartoons.  At this time, the Max Fleisher studios was trying to make Disney-type cartoons along with their roster of Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons.  This cartoon is kind of a weird bridge between the two styles:   The first couple of minutes tries to create a scene full of sincerity and pathos, but it comes off as cloying, maudlin and a little annoying.   However, once Grampy enters the cartoon, the picture takes off, because this is what the Fleischers were great at: innovention. 
Grampy appeared in ten Betty Boop cartoons and was always a welcome addition to the films.   If you have a desire to see more I suggest you check out Grampy's Indoor Outing and The Impractical Joker, two of his better films.
This cartoon also showcases the three-dimensional sets that the Fleischers liked to use with their characters.   You can see them at the beginning and the end.   Enjoy!

Saturday Morning Cartoon - Santa's Surprise

I am continuing my annual tradition of posting a few Christmas-themed cartoons in the weeks before Christmas.   This year I'm starting with Santa's Surprise, a Paramount Noveltoon from 1947.   This was the first appearance of Little Audrey, who replaced Little Lulu when Paramount decided they no longer wanted to pay for the rights for the Little Lulu character.  Little Audrey went on to appear in several other cartoons and a long-running series of comic books from Harvey.   Also appearing in this cartoon is one of the most stereotypical set of children since the Our Gang comedies.   Still, it's a cute cartoon to launch the holiday season here at JoeFood.   Look for the December calendar with only 30 days.  Enjoy!

Yukon Have it!

This summer I made my semi-annual trip to Alaska.  Last year, we rode the White Pass railway, which took the path the sourdoughs followed when making the trek into the gold fields of the Yukon.  The ride ended at the border to Canada, stopping short of the wonders of the Yukon.  This year, we took a trek into the Yukon to experience the granduer of Canada's least-populated province.
The tour bus picked us up promptly at 0800 AM at the Skagway shipyards.  Once aboard the bus took a trip through town, then joined up with the Klondike Highway to start the trip to the Yukon.   This road winded through the mountains that once challenged then fortitude of the goldseekers (and my stomach), and the fog made driving difficult.   But once we reached the top and began the trip into Canada, the fog cleared and the weather cooperated for the rest of the trip.



Driving along the Klondike Highway.  Nary a Stuckey's to be found.

Welcome to the Yukon!   I immediately took on the nickname of "Yukon Joe" and insisted that everyone on the bus address me by that name.  For some reason, after that no one would tell me when it was time to get on the bus.   I assume they wanted me to have the most time to enjoy the scenery.

This is Bove Island, located in Taglish Lake.   I wish I was a better photographer, because this really was a beautiful site. 

Our lunch stop was at Spirit Lake Wilderness Resort, where we were treated to a lunch of soup, sandwiches and what was billed as the best pie in the Yukon.   All I can say is, someone could make a fortune opening a Marie Callendar's up here.

 After making a brief stop at what was billed as "The Worst Restroom in Canada" we eventually made it to Carcross.  Carcross, originally known as Caribou Crossing, was a popular stopping point for prospectors heading towards Dawson City or Whitehorse, and continues to be to this day.   Tourism is the #1 economy for this population of about 200.  It's conveniently located at the intersection of the Klondike Highway and Tagish Road, between Lake Bennet and Nares Lake.  It's also a stop on the White Pass Railway.

 

Here's the train station at Carcross.  Train service resumed in 2007. 

The Matthew Watson General Store is the oldest operating store in the Yukon.  They don't take supermarket coupons, as I soon found out.

Inside the General Store, catering to all your moose-related needs.



Another view of the train station.   To the left is one of the original locomotives.  I asked someone where I could find an old caboose.  I didn't like his answer.

Beautiful downtown Carcross.  There was a bakery on the right that served some great rolls. 

This was the Carcross visitor's center.  Next to it was a small assemblage of shops catering to the tourist.   They DID take coupons, all of which could be found in the travel guides in the visitor's center.   A very symbiotic relationship.

The Shoppes of Carcross.  Not exactly Westside Pavilion, but the fish and chips were excellent.

Now this is a sad story.   The S.S. Tutshi was the largest excursion boats built at the time, and catered to first class-passengers with such novelties as room service.  Built in 1917, she took pleasure-seeking tourists to Ben-My-Chree (a interesting story in itself that you should seek out later) and up the river until she was retired in 1956.  She sat unused until the people of Carcross decided to buy her and restore her to her formal glory as a tourist draw.   Work began in 1972.  Painting was completed in 1977 and the restoration work began in earnest in 1984.   By 1990 work was almost completed when an early morning fire destroyed most of the ship, except for a small part of the bow.  It now sits just as you see it, a testament to early tourism in the area.

Lake Bennet.   You can almost imagine the sourdoughs piloting their boats towards Whitehorse.

Who said there are no beaches in the Yukon?  Probably no one.   But, in case you are curious, here's the beach at Carcross.

There was an annoying photographer on our bus that was constantly taking pictures of everything.  However, annoying as he was, he really could take a good picture, even with my cheap camera.

Outside of Carcross was Emerald Lake.  It was the color of an emerald.   Hey, maybe that's where the name came from...

Another view of Emerald Lake.  Yukon Joe like!

This is everyone getting on the Tourbus.   As usual, no one told me they were leaving.  

Carcross Dessert is really not a desert at all, but a small area of sand dunes leftover from a dried-up lake.  However, the populace bills it as the "World's Smallest Desert."  It's popular for sandboarding and off-roading.

This is Yukon Joe, making his perilous trip across the Carcross Desert.  The desert consists on one square mile of rugged, unrelenting hardships.   Will he make it?   Or will the elements get the best of him??

Yeah, the bus tried to leave me here as well.

Heading back into Alaska, we  crossed back over the mountains and beyond the timber line, where tress can't grow.  The landscape looks like something out of a Hobbit movie.

At this point, we re-entered Alaska and made our way back to Skagway. I was going to take pictures of the customs area, but our driver warned us that our cameras would be confiscated by Homeland Security if we did.  Seriously.

Just another thing for my "Bucket List"...   One day I may drive up here.   It seems like a beautiful way to see this area without getting seasick.

Saturday Morning Cartoon - Dog Show

Earlier in this blog, I mentioned the new Mickey Mouse cartoons that the Disney studios were making.  They've now made close to ten of them, and each one has gotten better and better.   Here's one of the latest ones, Dog Show starring Mickey and Goofy.   It's a pretty predictable story, yet delivers some great laughs along the way.  If you like this one you can watch some of the other ones by following the YouTube link.   I recommend Gasp, No Service, and Ghoul Friend.  Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

I don't have time to write a Halloween story today, so I'll refer you to one I wrote a couple of years ago.   Please read Halloween Do's and Don'ts...

Restaurant Review: Chili John's

Ahhh,Chili, the ultimate comfort food.   What can be more satisfying than a bowl of warm chili on a cold rainy day?   Chili is one of my favorite meals, and I'm always on the lookout for a good bowl of red. 

Chili is one of those dishes whose history is shrouded in mystery.   One thing is certain, it is NOT from Mexico.  The origins of chili are believed to have come from the Spaniards and the Aztecs, but chili really took root in the great US Southwest during the 1800's.  Popular on cattle drives, the various chili recipes traveled across the US and eventually took root in small chili parlors that began appearing in the early 1900's.  Most cities had at least one chili parlor.   Looked on as "peasant's food" it is estimated that the chili from chili parlors saved more people from starvation during the Great Depression than the American Red Cross.  Chili was cheap and crackers were free.  The Dictionary of American Regional English described chili joints as: "A small cheap restaurant, particularly one that served poor quality food."

Despite its reputation as peasant food, chili has a remarkably large following.  Walt Disney, Clark Gable and Ladybird Johnson were known as big fans of chili.  Will Rogers tasted chili wherever he went and kept a scorecard, rating cities by the quality of their chili.   Jesse James once refused to rob a bank in McKinney, Texas because his favorite chili parlor was located there.  Chasen's Restaurant in Hollywood supposedly had one of the best chili recipes served anywhere, so good that Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt begged Dave Chasen for the recipe (they were refused, but Chasen sent them a batch of chili complimentary).  Elizabeth Taylor had Chasen's chili sent to her while filming Cleopatra in Rome. 

Chili parlors are still very common in the Midwest.   One of my favorites is Chili John's, a staple in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where my mother grew up.  Chili John's began in 1913 by John Issac and is still a favorite of the chili aficionados.  When we visited Green Bay when I was growing up, a trip to Chili John's was mandatory.  I have always been disheartened that Southern California has no chili parlors to speak of.  

Then, one day, I ran across a fact that set my epicurean taste buds on end.  In 1946, Ernie Issac, son of John Issac, moved to Burbank California and opened Chili John's, California.  This restaurant still survives today as the oldest restaurant in Burbank.  Well, you could've knocked me over with a oyster cracker.   For years I had been enjoying Chili John's chili on the occasional trip to Wisconsin, and now I find out that the chili I have been craving has been served for years in Burbank, only 45 minutes from my house!  I am now a semi-regular, visiting Chili John's in Burbank every time I'm in the neighborhood. 

Chili John's is a pretty typical chili parlor like you'd expect to see in the Midwest.   No tables here, the dining area is a large u-shaped counter set around the serving area.  A large mural of The Great Outdoors is plastered across the far wall.  The menu consists of a few sandwiches and things, but nobody ever orders that stuff.   The main dish here is chili, served in a variety of ways.

No problem getting a seat here...

You have a lot of choices to make when ordering chili at Chili John's.  First of all, they have three temperatures, ranging from mild to medium to hot.   Then, there are the extras.  This would be a good chance to learn some chili terminology.  In the Midwest, you can order chili "two-way" three-way" "four-way" or "five-way" depending on the extras you want in your chili.   Confused?   Here is the meaning of each "way":

Bowl: chili in a bowl

Two-way: chili and spaghetti

Three-way: chili, spaghetti, and cheese

Four-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions

Five-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans

Chili John's also has chicken chili or vegetarian chili available.  I mention this only so that I can say that I have covered that angle. Now that I've said it, forget I mentioned it. You want BEEF chili. 

This picture is missing the cheese.   Their loss. 

I get the mild version of the chili, as I admit, I am a wimp when it comes to hot food.  Five-way is also my chosen "way".  Once the chili is served, you next want to pour a heap of oyster crackers onto the chili.  These particular crackers were supposedly invented by John Issac specifically for his chili.   Then, stir it all up until the entire mess is saturated with chili, then dive in.   Trust me, you won't get a better bowl of chili in Southern California.  Personally, my stomach is growling as I type this.

My bowl, after I started devouring it then remembered i was supposed to take a picture.

They also serve their chili on tamales, hot dogs and other products which I'm sure I would enjoy if I ever tried them.  But I haven't.   CHILI is the thing to order here. 

The only issue with Chili John's is the hours.   They are rarely open late, and they often close down for a few weeks while their owners are on vacation.   Be sure to check their Facebook page before driving out there, or you'll be like me on my second visit, banging my head against a door with a "gone fishing" sign firmly attached.

Chili John's has earned numerous awards for "Best Chili in the Southland" and was featured on the Food Channel.  Below, you can see Guy Fieri visiting the restaurant as a part of his "Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives"cable show.  I suggest you do the same!

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Feed the Kitty

I've posted very few Chuck Jones cartoons on this blog...  the reason for that is because everyone has seen his best work practically everywhere.   In this blog I'm trying to bring you the different stuff, the stuff you don't see all the time.  For instance, you will NEVER see What's Opera Doc posted on this site.  They show that darn cartoon at every animation festival I attend.  I have seen it so much I can no longer enjoy the  Der Ring des Nibelungen without singing "Kill the Wabbit!"   And if you knew how much I enjoy the full 15 hours of the cycle, you'd understand my frustration.

I'm posting a Warner Bros. Merrie Melodie cartoon from 1952, Feed the Kitty, directed by Chuck Jones.   This cartoon has none of the famous Warner characters in it...  No Bugs, Daffy or Sylvester.   It stars a typical Warner Bros. bulldog and a kitten.   But in this short 7-minute film, Chuck gives the bulldog a personality and range of emotion that gets you instantly caught up in the proceedings.   The results is one of his best, and one of my personal favorites.  In 1994 it was selected as #36 on the list of 50 Greatest Cartoons of all Time.   Enjoy!


Feed the Kitty by AlbertHonore

The Incredible Mr. Limpet returns?

 

As a kid, one of my favorite movies was The Incredible Mr. Limpet.   Keep in mind, this was at a time when DVD's and videotape didn't exist.   We were subject to whatever movies were available on TV, and Mr. Limpet was one that was broadcast often.  I looked forward to it whenever it was screened.

For those of you not familiar with the film, it's the story of Henry Limpet, a mild-mannered fish enthusiast who longs to join the navy.  A fall into the ocean causes a fantastic metamorphosis that turns him into an animated dolphin.  As such, he becomes the Navy's greatest secret weapon against the Nazis in World War II.

The movie was released in 1964 and was a beginning and an end, of sorts.  This film launch the film career of Don Knotts, who went on to star in other classic movies such as The Shakiest Gun in the West and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, both of which made up a big part of my childhood viewing.  On the downside, this was the last animation produced by the Warner Bros. cartoon studio.  Once the film was completed, the studio closed their doors, ending an almost 35-year stream of great animated cartoons.

There has been talk in recent years of a remake, and stars such as Jim Carrey and Zach Galinfiakis have been associated with it from time to time.  Currently Richard Linklater is pinned as director. 
We all know that Don Knotts went on to bigger and better things, but what became of the animated fish?  Many people are unaware that the fish found work at the Walt Disney studios.   Limpet played a cameo role in The Little Mermaid.   In the Under the Sea number, you can see Mr Limpet in the big finale at the end.  See the photo below for unequivocal proof. 

Click on photo for a larger view.   You can see Mr. Limpet near the top, to the right.  Look for the fish wearing glasses.

Limpet made such a big impact in the movie that when it came time to build a Little Mermaid attraction at the theme parks, it was imperative that he was a part of the ride.   So, next time you ride Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventures, keep at least one eye open during the Under the Sea scene.   Near the end of the scene, look to your left, away from the action.  There, you can see Limpet, swimming over to join in the fun!   Again, look below for more unequivocal proof.

It's good to know that Limpet is still making a nice, steady income as he waits for his chance at a remake.  Hail to Henry Limpet!!

Alaskan Cruise, Part XIII: A Tale of Two Trees

I'm hoping to wrap up last summer's trip before the end of this summer.   In this installment, we're focusing on the Tale Of Two Trees...  to be more specific, the tale of two drive-through trees.  We visited two of them in our journey and give you the details here.  Leaf your cares behind and join me, as we get to the root of today's topic!   BLOGGER NOTE:   All subsequent tree puns will be removed by the blogging service.

Drive-through trees have always captured the public's imagination.   The most famous drive through tree, the Wawona tree, was located in Yosemite National Park and was the second tunnel tree created.   This is the tree pictured on countless postcards, brochures, and other promotional materials.   It was carved out in 1881 as a  tourist attraction and a promotional stunt.  Pictures of cars and buses driving through the tree were distributed throughout the world to help promote tourism in Yosemite and to show the vast size of the trees.  This tree stood until 1969, when a large snowfall caused the already-fragile tree to fall to the ground.   It has since been replaced by the Fallen Tree Tunnel when the forest service cut another tunnel through the trunk of a fallen tree.  The horizontal drive-through tree was not replaced, as the National Park Service no longer goes for gimmicky trees.   And we are a poorer people for it.

A tour bus poses next to the Wawona tree in Yosemite.

The Fallen Tree Tunnel, a mighty poor replacement for the Wawona tree.

People still ask about the famous Wawona tree...  So many, in fact, that a few entrepreneurial folks decide to get into the drive through tree business.   Sure, only God can make a tree, but only man can carve a big hole in one.  Three drive-through trees still exist, all privately owned and operating as a sort of "branch" office (BLOGGER NOTE: Okay, we'll let one more get through.   But that's it.).  I have visited two of them, and will visit the third one this summer.   Below is a comparison of the two I visited, the Chandelier Tree and the Klamath Tour Through Tree.  The Shrine Tree will be reviewed later.

We'll start with the Klamath Tour-Through Tree.  This tree is located in beautiful Klamath county, famous for just about nothing.   It's a pretty boring area.   The tree is located on a bluff over the Klamath river, a river that seems in just as much of a hurry to get out of town as you are.  In fact, the river flows in two directions, both of them leaving town.   The tree is $5 and takes about 10 minutes...   you drive up the hill to a small clearing, drive through the tree, then turn around and drive out.   When we went, there was a couple of senior citizens that were motorcycling their way across country and two girls from Sweden who were amazed that you could actually drive through a tree.   I've heard stories about Sweden, and I assumed living there would be more exciting than THIS.   We took the obligatory photos, helped our fellow travelers with their photos, and were back down the hill in 20 minutes.   We stopped at the gift shop - very small, and no great shakes.   I ended up buying nothing, and if you've ever seen me in a gift shop, you can assume there was very little to recommend. 

Me and the Klamath Tour-through Tree.

 This would be a good time to talk about how you drive through a tree.    The answer is similar to the old joke, "How do porcupines mate?"   The answer:   VERY carefully.  No matter how much room you actually have, it never seems to be quite enough.   Before going through the tree, I inhale and held my breath, as if that gave us extra room to scrooch through.   It's helpful to have a partner watching the car on the passenger side, and not the kind with a weird sense of humor.   Making scraping noises in the middle of a tree is NOT funny.   Once you get through, get out, count your side mirrors, and exhale a sigh of relief.   You have driven through a tree!   My uncle tried driving through a tree once and failed...  of course, he was drunk at the time, and this particular tree didn't have a tunnel carved into it.

The Chandelier Tree is located in Leggett.   If you thought Klamath was boring, wait until you see downtown Leggett.   When the biggest business in town is a drive-through tree, well, you have a real economic slowdown on your hands.  The tree is located at the edge of town.   The Chandelier Tree was carved in the 1930's and is probably the most famous of the three current drive-through trees.   The tree was featured in the opening credits of National Lampoon's Vacation, so you're dealing with a real celebrity here.  This tree is actually located in a nice grove-like area, with picnic areas, a small lake, and a good -sized gift store ready to meet all your tree-related needs.  I bought a nice tree-t-shirt and considered buying the Thirsty Bird, but better sense prevailed. 

The Chandalier tree.   The tunnel is no bigger than it looks.

We made it through the tree!   Please note both rear-view windows clearly attached.

So, let's compare the two experiences, and choose a winner...

• Admission:   Comparable.  
• Celebrity Status:  The Chandelier tree wins out here.
• Gift Shop:  Again, the Chandelier tree was the clear winner.   Not only was the gift shop better, but it sold ice cream.
• Surrounding area:  Klamath was a nicer area than Leggett , with several Indian casinos close by.  So I give this one to the Tour-through tree.
• Extra amenities:  The Chandelier tree had picnic areas, a lake, and most important, a bathroom.  Clearly the edge here goes to the Chandelier tree. 

So there you have it.   Chandelier is the winner.  This year we will visit the third tree, the Shrine tree and complete our analysis of the drive through tree business.   Look for chapter "tree" in the near future!   (If you read this far, it's you own fault.   Personally we stopped reading after the "branch office" comment.)

Bonus cartoon! Safety Second

I can't think of a better way to celebrate July Fourth than with random cartoon violence.   So, with that, I give you "Safety Second" a Tom and Jerry cartoon from 1950, directed by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera.  Not one of the better Tom and Jerry's.  The subject matter kept this one off of TV for quite some time.   Enjoy!  



Tom and Jerry - Safety Second cartoon TJ by takuyamiyata

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Yankee Doodle Bugs

In our never-ending efforts to be timely, this week we bring you Yankee Doodle Bugs, a 1954 Looney Tune from Friz Freleng.  I donm't have much to say about this one, except this note to trivia fans:  This is one of only two cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny's nephew, Clyde.   His other appearance was in His Hare Raising Tale, released three years earlier in 1951.   (He also appeared in a television special, but we don't count that).  Enjoy!