Mr. Magoo
Encyclopedia
Quincy Magoo is a cartoon
character created at the UPA
animation studio in 1949. Voiced by Jim Backus
, Quincy Magoo is a wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of sticky situations as a result of his nearsightedness
, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem. However, through uncanny streaks of luck, the situation always seems to work itself out for him, leaving him no worse than before.
Affected people (or animals) consequently tend to think that he is a lunatic, rather than just being nearsighted. In later cartoons he is also an actor, and generally a competent one except for his visual impairment.
In 2002, TV Guide
ranked Mr. Magoo number 29 on its '50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time' list.
. His creation was a collaborative effort; animation director John Hubley
is said to have partly based the character on his uncle Harry Woodruff, and W. C. Fields
was another source of inspiration. In a legend circulating among medievalists, Harvard professor Francis P. Magoun
is also said to have been the model for the character. However, there is no evidence that artist Hubley knew the scholar. Columbia
was reluctant to release the short, but did so, only because it included a bear. However, audiences quickly realized that the real star was Magoo, one of the few "human" cartoon characters ever produced in Hollywood at the time. The short became a box-office success.
The Magoo character was originally conceived as a mean-spirited McCarthy
-like reactionary whose mumbling would include as much outrageous misanthropic ranting as the animators could get away with. Kaufman had actually been blacklisted, and Magoo was a form of protest. Hubley was an ex-communist who had participated in the Disney animators' strike
in 1941. Both he and Kaufman had participated in the blacklist
front and perhaps due to the risk of coming under more scrutiny with a successful character, John Hubley
, who had created Magoo, handed the series completely over to creative director, Pete Burness
.
Under Burness, Magoo would win two Oscars
for the studio with When Magoo Flew
(1955) and Magoo's Puddle Jumper
(1956). Burness scrubbed Magoo of his politicized meanness and left only a few strange unempathic comments that made him appear senile or somewhat mad. This however was not entirely out of line with the way McCarthy came to be perceived over that same era. Magoo was frequently accompanied in his on-screen escapades with his nephew Waldo, voiced at various times by Jerry Hausner or Daws Butler
.
On talk shows, Backus often told the tale of how he originally discovered Magoo's voice when he put on a fake rubber nose that pinched his nose slightly, giving it the nasal sound. He was only able to perform the voice with the help of the rubber nose for some time, but eventually learned how to re-create it without its assistance. He would usually pull out the nose (or a facsimile, since the original had been lost some years before) and put it on and break into the familiar voice.
In 1957, the record album Magoo in Hi-Fi
was released. Side 1 consisted of a dialog between Magoo and Waldo taking place while Magoo was attempting to set up his new sound system
. Music on the album was composed and conducted by Dennis Farnon and his orchestra. Side 2, "The Mother Magoo Suite", was a series of musical pieces which included two solos by Marni Nixon
.
In 1959, Mr. Magoo starred in 1001 Arabian Nights, directed by Jack Kinney
, UPA's first feature-length production.
In the 1960s, UPA transferred its attention to television, and began producing the series The Mr. Magoo Show for the character. Because UPA shut down its animation studio in 1959, the animation for these cartoons was done at Jack Kinney productions and Larry Harmon
studios. Because of this, the cartoons suffered from varying character designs and choppier animation, due to rushed production schedules. Magoo's nephew Waldo (voiced, as in most of the theatrical cartoons, by Jerry Hausner) was seldom seen with his uncle, now appearing in his own episodes, introduced by a brief phone conversation from Magoo's point of view which acted as a teaser. The Waldo episodes also featured a slick-talking con man named Presley, and always ended with a return to Magoo saying, "Oh, that Waldo and Presley. What'll they be up to next? Hee hee hee!"
Magoo's houseboy Cholly (i.e. "Charlie") took up a lot of Waldo's slack. Cholly was a Chinese stereotype with huge buck teeth and comically fractured English pronunciation, a fact that makes these cartoons even more politically incorrect
than the theatrical ones from the 1950s. In fairness, it should be noted that Cholly is intelligent and resourceful (far more so than his employer), and that his quick thinking often saves Magoo from danger.
Still other cartoons featured Tycoon Magoo, voiced by Mel Blanc
, and his bumbling assistant Worcestershire.
During the UPA television era came Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
, an abbreviated but largely faithful retelling of Charles Dickens
's tale. It was the first ever animated Christmas special made for television and is considered to be a holiday classic of the 1960s, ranking alongside A Charlie Brown Christmas
and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
. The special inspired production of an animated TV series titled The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
, which placed Magoo as an actor in other well-known stories. After an introduction in Magoo's backstage dressing room, Magoo was depicted in such roles as The Count of Monte Cristo
, Merlin
in an upbeat retelling of the story of King Arthur
, Friar Tuck
in Robin Hood
, and Puck
in A Midsummer Night's Dream
.
In the late 1970s, Mr. Magoo appeared in a new Saturday morning CBS
television series called What's New Mr. Magoo? This series was made under license by the DePatie-Freleng
studio, as UPA had by this time ceased in-house cartoon production.
In 1997, Mr. Magoo was portrayed by Leslie Nielsen
in a live-action Mr. Magoo
feature film. It failed to find critical or popular success, and some support groups for the disabled
protested it on behalf of the blind.
Mr. Magoo helped advertise the General Electric
line of products throughout the 1950s and 60's. In 2005, Mr. Magoo became the spokesman
of the optical retail store Sterling Optical. Magoo also was
featured in a series of commercials for Stag Beer
in the 1960s. Also in the 1960s, the Polaner company sold its line of preserves in jars decorated with images of Mr. Magoo, which when empty could then be used as drinking glasses.
ASI Entertainment has used Mr. Magoo cartoons to "warm up" audiences when testing television comedy pilots,.
Mr Magoo's catchphrase was "Oh Magoo, you've done it again!"
Mr. Magoo is an alumnus
of Rutgers University
, Class of 1903 (or "aught-three" as Magoo would say). The reason behind this is that his creators wanted him to be "a college alumnus who was still fired up with the old school spirit [and they felt] Rutgers was the embodiment of the 'old school tie' in America."
The following Mr. Magoo cartoons were either nominees for or recipients of the Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons)
:
(under license from Classic Media
) released The Mr. Magoo Show: The Complete collection. This 4-disc set featured all 26 episodes of the series as well as bonus features. This release has been discontinued and is now out of print.
On November 8, 2011, Shout! Factory
(under license from Classic Media
) released Mr. Magoo: The Television Collection 1960-1977 on DVD in Region 1. This 11-disc collection contains all episodes from all 3 Mr. Magoo television series including all 26 episodes of The Mister Magoo Show, all 26 episodes of The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, all 16 episodes of What's New Mister Magoo?, and the prime-time TV special Uncle Sam Magoo as well as several bonus features.
According to Jerry Beck on August 10, 2011 on Stu's Show internet radio show, Shout! is looking into releasing the Mr. Magoo theatrical (UPA) shorts. On February 14th, 2012 (Valentine's Day) Shout! will release the 4-disc Mr. Magoo Theatrical Collection containing all Mr. Magoo theatrical shorts.
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
character created at the UPA
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
animation studio in 1949. Voiced by Jim Backus
Jim Backus
James Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
, Quincy Magoo is a wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of sticky situations as a result of his nearsightedness
Myopia
Myopia , "shortsightedness" ) is a refractive defect of the eye in which collimated light produces image focus in front of the retina under conditions of accommodation. In simpler terms, myopia is a condition of the eye where the light that comes in does not directly focus on the retina but in...
, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem. However, through uncanny streaks of luck, the situation always seems to work itself out for him, leaving him no worse than before.
Affected people (or animals) consequently tend to think that he is a lunatic, rather than just being nearsighted. In later cartoons he is also an actor, and generally a competent one except for his visual impairment.
In 2002, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked Mr. Magoo number 29 on its '50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time' list.
History
Mr. Magoo's first appearance was in the theatrical short cartoon The Ragtime Bear (1949), scripted by Millard KaufmanMillard Kaufman
Millard Kaufman was an American screenwriter and novelist. His works include the Academy Award-nominated Bad Day at Black Rock . He was also one of the creators of Mr. Magoo.-Life:...
. His creation was a collaborative effort; animation director John Hubley
John Hubley
John Hubley was an American animation director, art director, producer and writer of traditional animation films known for both his formal experimentation and for his emotional realism which stemmed from his tendency to cast his own children as voice actors in his films.- Biography :Hubley was...
is said to have partly based the character on his uncle Harry Woodruff, and W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
was another source of inspiration. In a legend circulating among medievalists, Harvard professor Francis P. Magoun
Francis Peabody Magoun
Francis Peabody Magoun, Jr. MC was one of the seminal figures in the study of medieval and English literature in the 20th century, a scholar of subjects as varied as football and ancient Germanic naming practices, and translator of numerous important texts...
is also said to have been the model for the character. However, there is no evidence that artist Hubley knew the scholar. Columbia
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
was reluctant to release the short, but did so, only because it included a bear. However, audiences quickly realized that the real star was Magoo, one of the few "human" cartoon characters ever produced in Hollywood at the time. The short became a box-office success.
The Magoo character was originally conceived as a mean-spirited McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
-like reactionary whose mumbling would include as much outrageous misanthropic ranting as the animators could get away with. Kaufman had actually been blacklisted, and Magoo was a form of protest. Hubley was an ex-communist who had participated in the Disney animators' strike
Disney animators' strike
The Disney animators' strike was a labor strike by the animators of Walt Disney Studios in 1941.-History:The 1930s led to a rise of labor unions in motion pictures as in other industries such as The Screen Actors Guild which was formed in 1933. Animators of Fleischer Studios went on strike in 1937...
in 1941. Both he and Kaufman had participated in the blacklist
Blacklist
A blacklist is a list or register of entities who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition. As a verb, to blacklist can mean to deny someone work in a particular field, or to ostracize a person from a certain social circle...
front and perhaps due to the risk of coming under more scrutiny with a successful character, John Hubley
John Hubley
John Hubley was an American animation director, art director, producer and writer of traditional animation films known for both his formal experimentation and for his emotional realism which stemmed from his tendency to cast his own children as voice actors in his films.- Biography :Hubley was...
, who had created Magoo, handed the series completely over to creative director, Pete Burness
Pete Burness
Wilson D. "Pete" Burness was an American animator and animation director. He won two Academy Awards during his career and was perhaps best known for his work on the Mr. Magoo series. He also contributed to the Tom and Jerry series, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, and Rocky and His Friends.Burness...
.
Under Burness, Magoo would win two Oscars
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for the studio with When Magoo Flew
When Magoo Flew
When Magoo Flew is a 1954 short animation by Stephen Bosustow that won an Academy Award for Short Subjects in 1954. In addition, it was the first UPA short to be made for the Cinemascope widescreen format.-Plot Summary:...
(1955) and Magoo's Puddle Jumper
Magoo's Puddle Jumper
Magoo's Puddle Jumper is a 1956 short animation by Pete Burness that won an Academy Award for Short Subjects . The cartoon follows the misadventures of the myopic Mr. Magoo as he drives a new electric car into the ocean....
(1956). Burness scrubbed Magoo of his politicized meanness and left only a few strange unempathic comments that made him appear senile or somewhat mad. This however was not entirely out of line with the way McCarthy came to be perceived over that same era. Magoo was frequently accompanied in his on-screen escapades with his nephew Waldo, voiced at various times by Jerry Hausner or Daws Butler
Daws Butler
Charles Dawson "Daws" Butler was a voice actor originally from Toledo, Ohio. He worked mostly for Hanna-Barbera and originated the voices of many famous animated cartoon characters, including Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, and Huckleberry Hound.Daws Butler trained many working actors...
.
On talk shows, Backus often told the tale of how he originally discovered Magoo's voice when he put on a fake rubber nose that pinched his nose slightly, giving it the nasal sound. He was only able to perform the voice with the help of the rubber nose for some time, but eventually learned how to re-create it without its assistance. He would usually pull out the nose (or a facsimile, since the original had been lost some years before) and put it on and break into the familiar voice.
In 1957, the record album Magoo in Hi-Fi
High fidelity
High fidelity—or hi-fi—reproduction is a term used by home stereo listeners and home audio enthusiasts to refer to high-quality reproduction of sound or images, to distinguish it from the poorer quality sound produced by inexpensive audio equipment...
was released. Side 1 consisted of a dialog between Magoo and Waldo taking place while Magoo was attempting to set up his new sound system
Shelf stereo
thumb|right|200px|A Magnavox 2.0 shelf stereoThe term shelf stereo refers to any home stereo system that is physically suitable for placement on a shelf or other similar location. Shelf stereo systems are becoming more popular as their capabilities increase while size decreases. The price of shelf...
. Music on the album was composed and conducted by Dennis Farnon and his orchestra. Side 2, "The Mother Magoo Suite", was a series of musical pieces which included two solos by Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon is an American soprano and playback singer for featured actresses in movie musicals. She has also spent much of her career performing in concerts with major symphony orchestras around the world and in operas and musicals throughout the United States.-Biography:Born Margaret Nixon...
.
In 1959, Mr. Magoo starred in 1001 Arabian Nights, directed by Jack Kinney
Jack Kinney
Jack Ryan Kinney was an American animator, director and producer of animated shorts.Jack Kinney attended John Muir Junior High School in Los Angeles, California , and attended John C. Fremont High School there with Roy Williams...
, UPA's first feature-length production.
Magoo on television
Larry Harmon
Lawrence Weiss , better known by the stage name Larry Harmon and as his alter-ego Bozo the Clown, was a Jewish American entertainer.-Biography:...
studios. Because of this, the cartoons suffered from varying character designs and choppier animation, due to rushed production schedules. Magoo's nephew Waldo (voiced, as in most of the theatrical cartoons, by Jerry Hausner) was seldom seen with his uncle, now appearing in his own episodes, introduced by a brief phone conversation from Magoo's point of view which acted as a teaser. The Waldo episodes also featured a slick-talking con man named Presley, and always ended with a return to Magoo saying, "Oh, that Waldo and Presley. What'll they be up to next? Hee hee hee!"
Magoo's houseboy Cholly (i.e. "Charlie") took up a lot of Waldo's slack. Cholly was a Chinese stereotype with huge buck teeth and comically fractured English pronunciation, a fact that makes these cartoons even more politically incorrect
Politically incorrect
The phrase "politically incorrect" may refer to:* Someone or something which does not meet a standard of political correctness* Politically Incorrect, a late-night U.S. political talk show* Politically Incorrect, a German political blog...
than the theatrical ones from the 1950s. In fairness, it should be noted that Cholly is intelligent and resourceful (far more so than his employer), and that his quick thinking often saves Magoo from danger.
Still other cartoons featured Tycoon Magoo, voiced by Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
, and his bumbling assistant Worcestershire.
During the UPA television era came Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol is a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous short story A Christmas Carol starring the character Mr. Magoo...
, an abbreviated but largely faithful retelling of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
's tale. It was the first ever animated Christmas special made for television and is considered to be a holiday classic of the 1960s, ranking alongside A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is the first prime-time animated TV special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was produced and directed by former Warner Bros. and UPA animator Bill Melendez, who also supplied the voice for the character of Snoopy...
and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story by Dr. Seuss written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It was published as a book by Random House in 1957, and at approximately the same time in an issue of Redbook...
. The special inspired production of an animated TV series titled The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo is an animated television series, produced by United Productions of America, which aired for one season...
, which placed Magoo as an actor in other well-known stories. After an introduction in Magoo's backstage dressing room, Magoo was depicted in such roles as The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is often considered to be, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas's most popular work. He completed the work in 1844...
, Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
in an upbeat retelling of the story of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is a companion to Robin Hood in the legends about that character. He is a common character in modern Robin Hood stories, which depict him as a jovial friar and one of Robin's Merry Men. The figure of Tuck was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th...
in Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
, and Puck
Puck (Shakespeare)
Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream that was based on the ancient figure in English mythology, also called Puck. Puck is a clever and mischievous elf and personifies the trickster or the wise knave...
in A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
.
In the late 1970s, Mr. Magoo appeared in a new Saturday morning CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television series called What's New Mr. Magoo? This series was made under license by the DePatie-Freleng
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
studio, as UPA had by this time ceased in-house cartoon production.
In 1997, Mr. Magoo was portrayed by Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
in a live-action Mr. Magoo
Mr. Magoo (film)
Mr. Magoo is a 1997 live-action comedy film based on the original cartoon of the same name. The film was produced by Walt Disney Pictures, and originally released to movie theaters in 1997. It starred Leslie Nielsen as the title character. It was produced by Ben Myron and was the first English...
feature film. It failed to find critical or popular success, and some support groups for the disabled
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
protested it on behalf of the blind.
Mr. Magoo helped advertise the General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
line of products throughout the 1950s and 60's. In 2005, Mr. Magoo became the spokesman
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
of the optical retail store Sterling Optical. Magoo also was
featured in a series of commercials for Stag Beer
Griesedieck Brothers beer
Griesedieck Brothers Beer is a historic St. Louis beer brand that has been reintroduced after years of absence. The Griesedieck family once owned three St. Louis area breweries, Griesedieck Brothers Brewery, Griesedieck Western Brewery Co...
in the 1960s. Also in the 1960s, the Polaner company sold its line of preserves in jars decorated with images of Mr. Magoo, which when empty could then be used as drinking glasses.
ASI Entertainment has used Mr. Magoo cartoons to "warm up" audiences when testing television comedy pilots,.
Mr Magoo's catchphrase was "Oh Magoo, you've done it again!"
Mr. Magoo is an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, Class of 1903 (or "aught-three" as Magoo would say). The reason behind this is that his creators wanted him to be "a college alumnus who was still fired up with the old school spirit [and they felt] Rutgers was the embodiment of the 'old school tie' in America."
Characters
- Mr. Quincy Magoo (voiced by Jim BackusJim BackusJames Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
) — An elderly, bald man whose eyesight is failing, though he either does not know it or is too stubborn to do anything about it. - Waldo (voiced by Jerry Hausner in the '60s' series, Casey KasemCasey KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
in the '70s' series) — Quincy Magoo's nephew. - McBarker (voiced by Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
) — Quincy Magoo's dog, in the 70s cartoon series, What's New, Mr. Magoo? A talking bulldogBulldogBulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
, he shares his owner's facial features and poor eyesight. - Mother Magoo (voiced first by Henny BackusHenny BackusHenny Backus was a Broadway showgirl in the 1930s, where she performed with Earl Carroll's Vanities. Born Henrietta Kaye in Philadelphia, she was the wife of actor and comedian Jim Backus.-Career:...
in "Meet Mother Magoo" (1956), then June ForayJune ForayJune Foray is an American voice actress, best known as the voice of many animated characters...
) — Quincy Magoo's "Momma", Linda. - Charlie (Voiced By Benny RubinBenny RubinBenny Rubin was an American comedian and film actor. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Rubin made more than 200 radio, film and television appearances over a span of 50 years.-Radio and television:...
)— Quincy Magoo's Chinese houseboyHouseboyA Houseboy is typically a male servant or assistant who performs domestic or personal chores. Examples of its usage include:*An American slang term that originated in World War II for a native boy who helped a soldier perform basic responsibilities like cleaning, laundry, ironing, shoe-shining,...
. Charlie's depiction as a Chinese stereotype was controversial. The character was prone to unusual misuses of English, such as referring to himself in the third person as "Cholley", and calling Mr. Magoo "Bloss" instead of "Boss". In the late 1960s, episodes featuring Charlie were dropped from the series and his character was never mentioned again. - Grandma "Granny" Magoo
- Presley (voiced by Daws ButlerDaws ButlerCharles Dawson "Daws" Butler was a voice actor originally from Toledo, Ohio. He worked mostly for Hanna-Barbera and originated the voices of many famous animated cartoon characters, including Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, and Huckleberry Hound.Daws Butler trained many working actors...
) — Waldo's "partner in crime" in the 1960 cartoon. - Bowser — Quincy Magoo's dog (really a Siamese cat).
- Wheeler and Dealer — Two children Quincy Magoo occasionally babysits in "The Mr. Magoo Show" (1960–1962)
- Tycoon Magoo (voiced by Mel BlancMel BlancMelvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
) — Quincy Magoo's rich uncle. - Worcestershire (voiced by Mel BlancMel BlancMelvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
) — Tycoon Magoo's butler who is always trying to prevent Quincy Magoo from ruining Tycoon Magoo's property.
Theatrical cartoon shorts
- For a complete list of theatrical Mr. Magoo cartoons, see List of Mr. Magoo cartoons
The following Mr. Magoo cartoons were either nominees for or recipients of the Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons)
Academy Award for Animated Short Film
The Academy Award for Animated Short Film is an award which has been given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Academy Awards every year since the 5th Academy Awards, covering the year 1931-32, to the present....
:
- 1950: Trouble Indemnity
- 1952: Pink and Blue Blues
- 1955: When Magoo Flew (winner)
- 1956: Magoo's Puddle Jumper (winner)
DVD releases
On February 8, 2005 Sony WonderSony Wonder
Sony Wonder is a children and family's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment, founded in 1991. The division once distributed material from Sesame Workshop and Classic Media...
(under license from Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
) released The Mr. Magoo Show: The Complete collection. This 4-disc set featured all 26 episodes of the series as well as bonus features. This release has been discontinued and is now out of print.
On November 8, 2011, Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
(under license from Classic Media
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, is an American production company and distributor of family programming. It was founded in 2000 by former Marvel Entertainment CEO Eric Ellenbogen and former Broadway Video executive John Engelman in hopes of acquiring mismanaged classic properties and giving exposure to...
) released Mr. Magoo: The Television Collection 1960-1977 on DVD in Region 1. This 11-disc collection contains all episodes from all 3 Mr. Magoo television series including all 26 episodes of The Mister Magoo Show, all 26 episodes of The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, all 16 episodes of What's New Mister Magoo?, and the prime-time TV special Uncle Sam Magoo as well as several bonus features.
According to Jerry Beck on August 10, 2011 on Stu's Show internet radio show, Shout! is looking into releasing the Mr. Magoo theatrical (UPA) shorts. On February 14th, 2012 (Valentine's Day) Shout! will release the 4-disc Mr. Magoo Theatrical Collection containing all Mr. Magoo theatrical shorts.
External links
- Mr. Magoo at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- What's New, Mr. Magoo? at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- The Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....
entry for Magoo - UPA: Mavericks, Magic, and Magoo
- The Columbia Crow's Nest
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Mr. Magoo page
- Toon Tracker's Mr. Magoo Page