The Lost Columbia Cartoons - The Greyhound & The Rabbit

This lost cartoon (released 19th April 1940), which exists in the collectors'/traders' circuit as a 16mm B&W print, focuses on the wacky goings-on during a greyhound race.

The Columbia cartoons during the end of the 30's (and the beginning of the 40's) were becoming routine and uninspired, but there were a few good gems, especially this one directed by Sid Marcus. When viewing this cartoon, it does indicate that he was becoming influenced by the Warner Bros. cartoons around that time (he later wrote some darn good stories during his two brief spells with the WB cartoon studio). When he returned to Screen Gems during its final few years, he directed some classic cartoons with full-blown LT humour, such as "Up & Atom" and "Boston Beanie". IMHO he was certainly the best Screen Gems director during the late 30's-early 40's, and would have been adaptable to the Tashlin cartoons had the producer not let him go.

This cartoon is so full of wacky moments, I felt it is best to present it for your viewing pleasure rather than make screenshots from it. Anyway, enough of the lecture. Enjoy this cartoon:

The Greyhound & The Rabbit
Uploaded by ldglover

The cartoon will be available for four weeks only.

More lost Columbia cartoons shortly. Stay tooned!

The Lost Columbia Cartoons - He Can't Make It Stick

He Can't Make It Stick, a cracking anti-Hitler cartoon, currently survives with a complete soundtrack, but the first-half of the picture is missing (the picture eventually starts after 3 min 40 sec). It was released on 11th June 1943, and was directed by Paul Sommer and John Hubley. But it was the brainchild of storywriter Milt Gross, the cartoonist who directed the zany Count Screwloose cartoons during his brief stay with MGM.

The cartoon starts off with two women talking about a mysterious paperhanger (voiced by John McGleish) who is about to court a largely-built widow (representing Germany). The widow has three children, two follow the crazed stranger's every word, while the other is very suspicious (and gets treated badly whenever he speaks up against him). The widow and the paperhanger instantly fall in love (this is where the surviving picture starts)...

And soon, they were married.

Later, we return to the widow's home.

The paperhanger shows off his new wallpaper design.

The whole family applauds...

Except for one person...

He claims his wallpaper is so "wunderbar", soon the whole world will be using it.

"And now, we mix the paste."

He seems to be in trouble...

And no matter how much he tries...

He can't make it stick!

"It won't stick!"

And sure enough...

There's no paste left.

But he comes up with an idea: He'll get some from his neighbours, in exchange for his wallpaper.

But no matter where he goes...

He can't make it stick!