Wonderland Burlesque's Down The Rabbit Hole: Flip The Frog Part 5 of 5

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Down The Rabbit Hole: 

Flip The Frog

Part 5 of 5

Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.

Today, we take a final look at the Depression era cartoon, Flip the Frog.

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From Wikipedia and other sources:

Flip the Frog is an animated cartoon character created by American animator Ub Iwerks. He starred in a series of cartoons (38 total) produced by Celebrity Pictures and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1930 to 1933.

Ub Iwerks was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios and a personal friend of Walt Disney. In 1930, after a series of disputes between the two, Iwerks left Disney and went on to accept an offer from Pat Powers to open a cartoon studio of his own, Iwerks Studio Iwerks was to produce new cartoons under Powers' Celebrity Pictures auspices and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The first series he was to produce was to feature a character called Tony the Frog, but Iwerks disliked the name and was subsequently changed to Flip.

Ub Iwerks planned to release the series in both color and black and white versions through Celebrity Productions, Inc. The series attracted public attention in England by being the first color sound cartoon series. After four shorts had been produced MGM picked up the series. MGM decided to produce the series entirely in black and white, releasing the ones produced in color in black and white versions only.

After the first two cartoons, the appearance of Flip the Frog gradually became less froglike. This was done with the encouragement of MGM, who thought that the series would sell better if the character were more humanized. Flip's major redesign is attributed to Grim Natwick, who made a name for himself at the Fleischer Studios with the creation of Betty Boop. Natwick also had a hand in changing Flip's girlfriend. In earlier films, she was consistently a cat, but Natwick made Flip's new girlfriend, Fifi, a human who shared distinct similarities with Betty Boop. The series had a number of recurring characters, including Flip's dog, the mule Orace, and a dizzy neighborhood spinster.

The frog's personality also began to develop. As the series progressed, Flip became more of a down-and-out, Chaplin-esque character dealing with everyday conflicts in poverty-stricken atmosphere of the Great Depression. The shorts also became increasingly risqué due to an influx of animators from New York City.

By the autumn of 1933, Flip the Frog had worn out his welcome at MGM. His final short was Soda Squirt, released in August 1933. Subsequently, Iwerks replaced the series with a new one starring an imaginative child named Willie Whopper.

Here are the last eight cartoons.

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Funny Face

(1932)

Coo Coo The Magician

(1933)

Flip's Lunch Room

(1933)

Techno-Cracked 

(1933)

Bulloney

(1933)

Chinaman's Chance

(1933)

Pale Face

(1933)

Soda Squirt

(1933)

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Weekend Onesie: Women's Land Army

Weekend Onesie: 

Women's Land Army

People who check in on this blog on a regular basis know that I am a huge fan of graphics. Some of the finest? From various government agencies around the world. I adore their big, broad use of color and presentation of iconic ideals, characters and images.

I've thrown in a few magazine covers, too.

Government agencies are responsible for any number of initiatives - suggestions brought home to the people by use of posters. Today, we'll take a brief look at the various campaigns to recruit women into direct service during wartime - as part of the Women's Land Army. This was a matter of great importance in order to ensure military success. It was a case of all hands on deck - as men fought overseas, women were needed on the farm to feed not only our fighting forces, but those at home, as well. To facilitate that success, governments got their messages out, boldly, colorfully and patriotically via brilliant posters.

 

Simple and direct...

These graphics have become iconic.

And part of history.

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Women's Land Army Recruitment - UK

Women's Land Army Recruitment - UK

Friday Fun: Make Your Own Head Day!

Friday Fun: 

Make Your Own Head Day!

Oops.

Like Britney in her prime...

I did it again!

Apparently, this day is actually reserved for arts and crafts, using whatever medium you wish in order to create a likeness of your own head.

Well? I can't help it if I am 'gay' literal.

Anyhoo... I guess my interpretation passes as a kind of 'performance' art. The artists certainly enjoy the fruits of their labor, as do we!

I know there are many of us who wish we were so talented. If I were? I'd certainly put it on display.

So here are a bunch of guys who are making their own head in the gayest way possible. 

And I say, kudos to them! Bravo! Great job (hee, hee)!

And thanks to the internet, for sharing their amazing achievements. 

Personally? I can think of way worse ways to spend a Friday night.

Nice work, if you can get it...

And if you get it?

Then come sit by me!

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeah

Head On - The Jesus And Mary Chain

Wonderland Burlesque's Let's Go To The Movies: Where That Girl From? - Part X

Wonderland Burlesque's 

Let's Go To The Movies:

Where That Girl From?

Part X

Everybody's from somewhere. In theory. Even in the abstract.

Today's cinema excursion dares to ask the poignant question: Where That Girl From?

And who has the answer? 

Hollywood, of course. For Tinseltown has the 411 on anything or anyone who has ever graced the silver screen.

So, off we go... seeking answers, which these vintage films offer up in spades.

Yes, never fear. When it comes to the movies?

You are never truly lost.

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The Girl From Rector's

(1917)

Loute Sedaine, a French dancer and known along Broadway as 'The Girl from Rector's', attracts the attention of Andy Tandy, a man about town. Andy has little regard for the reputation of the girl. Richard Lawrence also meets her and for the time being thinks that he loves her and protects her from the advances of Tandy. Complications arise and in the end the fact that Tandy has a wife and daughter is disclosed. Richard also learns that 'The Girl From Rector's' is a happily-married woman who has become a dancer only because of her love of art and thirst for adventure.

Based on the controversial play written by Paul M. Potter, this silent sex farce stars Ruth McTammany and Lillian Concord.

Poster from the Australian production.

The play was considered indecent by many critics, as well as some government officials who censored performances. It is an adaptation of Loute, a French farce by Pierre Veber. In 1909, producer A. H. Woods staged it on Broadway, where it was a hit. Prior to opening on Broadway, preview performances were scheduled in Trenton, New Jersey. After the first matinee, a group of 25 local clergy complained to Trenton police the play was immoral. The police shut the play down and did not permit any further performances.

Rector's was actually a well-established, popular Manhattan restaurant whose business was impacted by the controversy surrounding the play. It's reputation sullied, they declared bankruptcy in 1913.

A print of this film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archives.

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The Girl From Scotland Yard

(1937)

Things have been going 'boom' in England, so Scotland Yard calls in their ace agent, Karen Morley, to investigate. She crosses paths with reporter Robert Baldwin, who's in London to cover the coronation, but taking a couple of days off to look into the mysterious disappearance of Agnes Anderson's husband. This involves him sneaking into a party, listening to Milly Monti sing, then going off for a rendezvous in a waxworks. When a corpse turns up, the police try to arrest him, but he escapes by doing a convincing imitation of a waxwork. Miss Morley and Baldwin join forces, and, in the course of their investigation, they chance upon Eduardo Ciannelli and his terrifying death ray!

This American mystery crime film was directed by Robert G. Vignola and stars Karen Morley, Robert Baldwin, Eduardo Ciannelli, Katherine Alexander, Lloyd Crane (Jon Hall), Dennis O'Keefe and Milly Monti.

Features the song We Haven't a Moment To Lose, Music by Arthur Johnston, Lyrics by Johnny Burke and Sung by Milly Monti.

Critic Leonard Maltin wrote, "escapist story of girl trying to track down mysterious madman with destruction ray is poorly handled; not nearly as much fun as it might have been." While Fantastic Movie Musings & Ramblings wrote, "there are nice touches here and there...but all in all, it's merely rather ordinary. Not bad for a slow day and keep your expectations in check."

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The Girl From S.I.N.

(1966)

Poontang Plenty is a secret agent who works on defeating evil while trying to crack the secret of invisibility.

This spy-thriller parody was directed by C. Davis Smith and stars Joyana Frederics, Barbara Kemp, and Carol Evans.

Barbara Kemp

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The Girl From Pussycat

(1969)

A peek into the squalid lives of a girl gang that boasts lesbianism, orgies, and bank robbery!

This American low-budget crime drama was directed by Smythe David and stars Inga Darr, Gay Lamour, Bayard King, Genevieve Wilde and Fanny Rickles.

Besides innumerable cans of Schlitz beer, one can spot such period objects as the March 1968 issue of Playboy Magazine and the 1966 Bantam paperback  I.E. An Autobiography by Mickey Rooney.

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The Third Girl From The Left

(1973)

An aging chorus girl comes to the realization that she is not getting any younger and that her longtime relationship with a nightclub comedian is going nowhere. She finds herself attracted to an unassuming but attentive - and much younger - delivery boy!

This American made-for-television drama was directed by Peter Medak, written by Dory Previn, and stars Kim Novak and Tony Curtis, Michael Conrad, George Furth, Anne Ramsey, Jennifer Shaw and Barbi Benton. Hugh Hefner was the Executive Producer for the film, which was made by Playboy Films.

It was the television film debut for both Novak and Curtis. The film was originally shown on October 16, 1973.

In addition to the screenplay, Dory Previn also wrote all the music in the film.

You can watch this film in its entirety for free on YouTube.

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And that's all for now, folks.

Tune in next time...

Same place, same channel.

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We Haven't A Moment To Lose - Milly Monti

from the 1937 film The Girl From Scotland Yard