Cartoon Diary

That's All!

2005-12-31T04:43:00.000-08:00

That's All!, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Thanks for dropping by, everybody. And thanks to Mark Kausler, Marc Crisafulli, Tom Sito, Tom Mazzocco (Get a blog, Tom!), Brenda and Tom Ray, Jeff Astolfo, Chris Sobeniak, Charles Ilardi and Mary Hanley for their contributions, assistance and support; I'm also grateful to the best animation blog ever, Cartoon Brew, who are responsible for easily half the traffic that this blog recieved (over 17,000 visits.) Also, because it is so easy to take for granted, it should be mentioned that the Los Angeles Public Library was an invaluable resource in the production of this blog. As was Joe Barbera's My Life in 'toons, from which I quoted liberally on several occasions. My apologies and thanks to those websites that I might have grabbed a quote or picture from and neglected to properly credit.

Oh, yeah, and Irv Spence, too. Helluva guy. Couldn't've done it without him.

Happy New Year.

December 31, 1944

2005-12-31T01:12:00.000-08:00

December 31, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 30, 1944

2005-12-30T03:47:00.000-08:00

December 30, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 29, 1944

2005-12-29T04:33:00.000-08:00

December 29, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Visit Tom Ray's website here. And, as recently mentioned at Cartoon Modern, you can watch Destination Earth online, which features some animation by Tom Ray.

December 28, 1944

2005-12-28T00:34:00.000-08:00

December 28, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 27, 1944

2005-12-27T01:20:00.000-08:00

December 27, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 26, 1944

2005-12-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

December 26, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 25, 1944

2005-12-25T02:10:00.000-08:00

December 25, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

The news of the world from NBC for Dec. 25, 1944. Thanks to Tom Mazzocco for providing the link.

December 24, 1944

2005-12-24T00:30:00.000-08:00

December 24, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 23, 1944

2005-12-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

December 23, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 22, 1944

2005-12-22T01:45:00.000-08:00

December 22, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 21, 1944

2005-12-21T00:23:00.000-08:00

December 21, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 20, 1944

2005-12-20T02:55:00.000-08:00

December 20, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 19, 1944

2005-12-19T01:37:00.000-08:00

December 19, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 18, 1944

2005-12-18T02:45:00.000-08:00

December 18, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 17, 1944

2005-12-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

December 17, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 16, 1944

2005-12-16T01:12:00.000-08:00

December 16, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 15, 1944

2005-12-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

December 15, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 14, 1944

2005-12-14T00:12:00.000-08:00

December 14, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 13, 1944

2005-12-13T03:25:00.000-08:00

December 13, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 12, 1944

2005-12-12T00:29:00.000-08:00

December 12, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 11, 1944

2005-12-11T04:23:00.000-08:00

December 11, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 10, 1944

2005-12-10T00:55:00.000-08:00

December 10, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 9, 1944

2005-12-09T02:33:00.000-08:00

December 9, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 8, 1944

2005-12-08T00:54:00.000-08:00

December 8, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 7, 1944

2005-12-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

December 7, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 6, 1944

2005-12-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

December 6, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Bottom line of caption reads: "Big Dinner"

December 5, 1944

2005-12-05T01:48:00.000-08:00

December 5, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

The caption reads: "Make bets for Tex and Dog."

December 4, 1944

2005-12-04T00:23:00.000-08:00

December 4, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 3, 1944

2005-12-03T00:59:00.000-08:00

December 3, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 2, 1944

2005-12-02T01:13:00.000-08:00

December 2, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

December 1, 1944

2005-12-01T01:24:00.000-08:00

December 1, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 30, 1944

2005-11-30T00:19:00.000-08:00

November 30, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 29, 1944

2005-11-29T00:41:00.000-08:00

November 29, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 28, 1944

2005-11-28T01:14:00.000-08:00

November 28, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 27, 1944

2005-11-27T00:13:00.000-08:00

November 27, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 26, 1944

2005-11-26T02:12:00.000-08:00

November 26, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 25, 1944

2005-11-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

November 25, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Views of the late and lamented Bullock's downtown department store from 1942, 1940 and 1951,respectively. The 1906 building as it is today can be seen here.

November 24, 1944

2005-11-24T02:59:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Times for Nov. 24, 1944 reported:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (Friday.) (U.P.)—A force of perhaps 100 B-29 Superfortress planes, mightiest in the world, bombed Tokyo by broad daylight today, opening a planned two-way aerial offensive from the Marianas Islands and China aimed at softening the heart of the Japanese homeland for the final American invasion.

[See a Universal newsreel here.]

The attack was made by the new 21st Bomber Command of the 20th Air Force by planes based on Saipan in the Marianas Islands 1550 miles south-southeast of Tokyo.

It was the first attack on Tokyo since Gen. James Doolittle's flyers bombed it more than two years ago.

"The battle for Japan has been joined,'' Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commander-in-chief of the global 20th Air Force and chieftain of all Army Air Forces, said in a special report to President Roosevelt.

"This operation is in no sense a hit-and-run raid. It is a calculated extension of our air power ... No part of the Japanese Empire is now out of our range, no war factory too remote to feel our bombs . . .

Hit City at Noon

"The systematic demolition of Japan's war production, begun six months ago from China bases, henceforth will be carried out with decisive vigor, softening up the Japanese heart for the ultimate invasion by combined United Nations land, sea and air forces."

It was noon Tokyo time when the giant Superforts, capable of carrying a 10-ton bomb load, roared in over the sprawling, flimsily built enemy capital, heart of the enemy spider web which had spread its now disintegrating network over a vast area from the Central Pacific to equatorial Southeast Asia.

The Superforts hit at war industry targets, plotted in advance.

Tokyo Version on Raid

Some four hours after the attack Japan acknowledged that a strong force of Superfortresses had dropped bombs on Tokyo.

Tokyo radio said the Superfortresses "failed to attain any tangible results" due to "effective interceptions."

The broadcast said the bombers appeared shortly after noon, Tokyo time, "in ten odd groups, each comprising several bombers."

The broadcast acknowledged that bombs and incendiaries were dropped in the southern and northern outskirts of the capital city. "Residential sections, including one hospital" were slightly damaged, the enemy broadcast asserted.

[...]

Industries Blasted

The communique issued by Gen. Arnold in his capacity of commanding general of the 20th Air Force said:

"A sizable task force of B-29 aircraft of the 20th Air Force today attacked industrial targets in Tokyo.

"The mission was a daylight operation by the newly established 21st Bomber Command under command of Brig. Gen. H. S. Hansell Jr., from bases on Saipan.

"A communique covering this operation will be issued when further details are available."

Rock Heart of Japan

Besides the communique and his report to the President, Gen. Arnold issued the following statement:

"The 20th Air Force today rocked the heart of Japan with bombs from a mighty new task force of B-29 aircraft based on Saipan.

''The mission was accomplished by Gen. Hansell's 21st Bomber Command. Its vigor should be convincing proof that these far Pacific Islands, captured by our Army and Navy at great cost in men and materiel, have been put to the greatest possible use. Tokyo's war industries have been badly hurt by a blow made possible by the Americans who fought and died for the Marianas.

"Now, as our American factories feed the voracious appetite of our B-29's with replacements and bombs, we will pound Japan's war machine out of existence."

Double Blow Seen

"With Gen Le May's 20th Bomber Command in China and Hansell's 21st Bomber Command on Saipan, we may now strike at Japan from two directions, and sustain the attack until the destructlon of her war industries has been completed.

"No matter where the Japanese may try to hide their factories, we will seek them out and destroy them. We are going to do just that. Japan has sowed the wind, now let it reap the whirlwind."

The work of building the air fields in the Marianas was started at almost the moment the last organized enemy resistance ceased in those islands now held by the United States. Saipan was secured on July 8 and Guam a few weeks later.

The 21st Bomber Command was activated on March 8 this year and started training at Smoky Hill Alr Base, Salina, Kansas, a few weeks later.

In addition to the shortened distance for operations against Japan the new bases in the Marianas have a great logistics advantage over operatlons from the China bases.

One of the big handicaps that had to be overcome in operating from China was supply—all fuel bombs and other material had to be flown in from India until extension of an oil line into Burma shortened some of the supply route.

[...]

Anyway, if I'm not mistaken this is the last diary entry that concerns the war, which is just fine by me. Happy Thanksgiving to us all.

November 23, 1944

2005-11-23T00:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day, 1944, was also the release date of the Academy Award winning "Mouse Trouble." This one pretty much has it all.

There's literature as weaponry...

... an off-screen pummeling, a mallet whacking, broken teeth ...

...injury to the eye ...

... a gunshot wound that inexplicably doesn't heal by the next scene, or ever...

...forcing Tom to wear a ridiculous toupee throughout the rest of the picture (except for one brief moment.)

There's an ill-fated romance ...

... a magic trick gone horribly wrong...

... and a huge stockpile of explosives, resulting in complete destruction and, finally, death.

What more could you ask of seven minutes of film?

November 22, 1944

2005-11-22T01:43:00.000-08:00

November 22, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 21, 1944

2005-11-21T01:16:00.000-08:00

November 21, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 20, 1944

2005-11-19T23:44:00.000-08:00

November 20, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 19, 1944

2005-11-19T03:10:00.000-08:00

November 19, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 18, 1944

2005-11-18T00:16:00.000-08:00

November 18, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 17, 1944

2005-11-17T01:27:00.000-08:00

November 17, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 16, 1944

2005-11-16T04:03:00.000-08:00

November 16, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

This "news bulletin" more likely refers to Japanese losses in actions taking place the previous weekend. A naval communique of November 14th reports 16 ships believed to be damaged or sunk (later confirmed as 16 sunk in the communique of the 16th) and 130-140 airplanes strafed on airstrips. What the figure of 637 that Spence cites refers to is uncertain, as is the number of Japanese casualities. It may include reports from the ongoing battle for the island of Leyte, which wasn't secured until late December.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf, the greatest and the final naval battle of the war, began October 23, 1944 and allowed for Gen. MacArthur's return to the Philippines.

Much more here.

November 15, 1944

2005-11-15T02:59:00.000-08:00

November 15, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 14, 1944

2005-11-14T03:39:00.000-08:00

November 14, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 13, 1944

2005-11-13T01:53:00.000-08:00

November 13, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 12, 1944

2005-11-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

November 12, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 11, 1944

2005-11-11T03:04:00.000-08:00

November 11, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 10, 1944

2005-11-10T00:29:00.000-08:00

November 10, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 9, 1944

2005-11-09T00:35:00.000-08:00

November 9, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 8, 1944

2005-11-08T01:49:00.000-08:00

November 8, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

The presidential election of 1944 is considered, by one guy at least, to be among the top ten least important elections in U.S. history. It did feature, and not for the last time, a politician delivering a speech defending his dog.

The '44 election is represented in this 1945 film explaining American democracy to the recently liberated. Directed the old-fashioned way by John Houseman and featuring animation by John Hubley.

November 7, 1944

2005-11-07T02:54:00.000-08:00

November 7, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 6, 1944

2005-11-06T00:20:00.000-08:00

November 6, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 5, 1944

2005-11-05T01:30:00.000-08:00

November 5, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 4, 1944

2005-11-04T01:14:00.000-08:00

November 4, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 3, 1944

2005-11-03T01:30:00.000-08:00

November 3, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 2, 1944

2005-11-02T01:05:00.000-08:00

November 2, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

November 1, 1944

2005-11-01T00:15:00.000-08:00

November 1, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 31, 1944

2005-10-31T00:24:00.000-08:00

October 31, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 30, 1944

2005-10-30T01:28:00.000-08:00

October 30, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 29, 1944

2005-10-29T02:04:00.000-07:00

October 29, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Most likely the museum referred to here is the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park.

The creature may have been part of the bird hall exhibit on the second floor. Maybe he's the bony guy on the right.

And, to bring this all back to the topic of animation, the museum also has an early Disney camera stand on display.

October 28, 1944

2005-10-28T00:48:00.000-07:00

October 28, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

"Puttin' On the Dog" released on this date.

October 27, 1944

2005-10-27T02:15:00.000-07:00

October 27, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

An Irv Spence model sheet for "Hound Hunters," ("What Price Fleadom" was the working title) featuring "those bears."

October 26, 1944

2005-10-26T00:21:00.000-07:00

October 26, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 25, 1944

2005-10-25T02:36:00.000-07:00

October 25, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Gus Arriola started his brief animation career as an inbetweener at the Charles Mintz studio. He moved over to MGM in 1937, where he became an assistant animator and, finally, a story sketch artist, primarily in Rudy Ising's unit.

Arriola left MGM in 1941 after selling his comic strip Gordoto United Features. He was drafted in 1942 and found himself back with Ising in the First Motion Picture Unit at Fort Roach. Gordo went on hiatus on October 28, 1942 ("Remember that the only one to blame for unpleasant changes these days ees that dorty jork - Heetler!!) and returned as a Sunday half-page in May of '43. The daily strip returned in 1946 and ran until 1985. According to the World Encyclopedia of Comics, Gordo "became one of the most widely published and read strips in the country."

An interview with Arriola from Hogan's Alley can be found here.

Below are some of Arriola's model sheets of the bad guy from Hugh Harman's The Lonesome Stranger, followed by some early sketches of Gordo that used the bad guy as a point of departure. These drawings are from the book Accidental Ambassador Gordo by Robert C. Harvey and Gus Arriola. Go buy it.

October 24, 1944

2005-10-24T01:15:00.000-07:00

October 24, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 23, 1944

2005-10-23T00:57:00.000-07:00

October 23, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 22, 1944

2005-10-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

October 22, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 21, 1944

2005-10-21T01:27:00.000-07:00

October 21, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 20, 1944

2005-10-20T00:28:00.000-07:00

October 20, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 19, 1944

2005-10-19T00:26:00.000-07:00

October 19, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 18, 1944

2005-10-18T01:18:00.000-07:00

October 18, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 17, 1944

2005-10-17T01:27:00.000-07:00

October 17, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 16, 1944

2005-10-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

October 16, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 15, 1944

2005-10-15T01:05:00.000-07:00

October 15, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 14, 1944

2005-10-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

October 14, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 13, 1944

2005-10-13T01:24:00.000-07:00

October 13, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 12, 1944

2005-10-12T01:06:00.000-07:00

October 12, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 11, 1944

2005-10-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

October 11, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 10, 1944

2005-10-10T00:32:00.000-07:00

October 10, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 9, 1944

2005-10-09T00:57:00.000-07:00

October 9, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 8, 1944

2005-10-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

October 8, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 7, 1944

2005-10-07T02:12:00.000-07:00

October 7, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, in the '30s.

USC and the Coliseum. Photo is undated, but seems to be from the '20s or '30s.

The game was USC vs. Berkeley, and ended in a tie.

October 6, 1944

2005-10-06T02:39:00.000-07:00

October 6, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

October 5, 1944

2005-10-05T03:07:00.000-07:00

October 5, 1944, originally uploaded by Filboid Sudge.

An undated photo, apparently taken by Carmen Maxwell and pilfered from Bill Hanna's book, of the MGM cartoon studio.

The studio was located at the northeast corner of MGM's Lot 2, at Overland and Montana Avenues.

The building is long gone, as is Montana Ave. for that matter (it's now called Palm Court Way.) Lot 2 is now the location of the Culver City Senior Center and a housing development with streets named after some MGM stars. See it from space here.