Puppetoons
Encyclopedia
George Pal
's Puppetoons were a series of animated puppet films made in Europe in the 1930s and in the U.S. in the 1940s. They are memorable for their use of "replacement" animation: using a series of different hand-carved wooden puppets (or puppet heads or limbs) for each frame in which the puppet moves or changes expression, rather than moving a single puppet, as is the case with most stop-motion puppet animation.
The series began when Pal made an advertising film using "dancing" cigarettes in 1932, which led to a series of theatrical advertising shorts for Philips
Radio in the Netherlands. This was followed by a series for Horlicks
Malted Milk in England. These shorts are notable for their remarkable art deco
design (much of it supervised by art director Joop Geesink), often reducing characters to simple geometric shapes. The outstanding replacement animation in these shorts has never been equaled. A typical Puppetoon required 9,000 individually carved and machined wooden figures or parts.
Pal came to the U.S. in 1940, and produced dozens of Puppetoons for Paramount Pictures
, several of which received Academy Award nominations, including "Tulips Shall Grow
", "Jasper and the Beanstalk", "Tubby the Tuba
", and "John Henry and the Inky-Poo".
In 1956, the Puppetoons as well as most of Paramount's shorts, were sold to television distributor U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
National Telefilm Associates
bought out U.M.&M. and continued to syndicate them in the 1950s and 1960s as "Madcap Models".
Pal also used the Puppetoon name, if not the technique, in several of his feature films, including The Great Rupert
, Tom Thumb
and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
. In these films, the individual wooden figures were billed as The Puppetoons.
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
George Pál
George Pal , born György Pál Marczincsak, was a Hungarian-born American animator and film producer, principally associated with the science fiction genre...
's Puppetoons were a series of animated puppet films made in Europe in the 1930s and in the U.S. in the 1940s. They are memorable for their use of "replacement" animation: using a series of different hand-carved wooden puppets (or puppet heads or limbs) for each frame in which the puppet moves or changes expression, rather than moving a single puppet, as is the case with most stop-motion puppet animation.
The series began when Pal made an advertising film using "dancing" cigarettes in 1932, which led to a series of theatrical advertising shorts for Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Radio in the Netherlands. This was followed by a series for Horlicks
Horlicks
Horlicks is the name of a company and of a malted milk hot drink. It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Jamaica, and under licence in the Philippines and Malaysia....
Malted Milk in England. These shorts are notable for their remarkable art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design (much of it supervised by art director Joop Geesink), often reducing characters to simple geometric shapes. The outstanding replacement animation in these shorts has never been equaled. A typical Puppetoon required 9,000 individually carved and machined wooden figures or parts.
Pal came to the U.S. in 1940, and produced dozens of Puppetoons for Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, several of which received Academy Award nominations, including "Tulips Shall Grow
Tulips Shall Grow
Tulips Shall Grow is a 1942 American animated short film directed by George Pal, about a Dutch boy and girl whose idyllic existence is destroyed when they are overrun by a group of mechanical men called "The Screwballs", who lay waste to everything they touch; it is generally recognized as a...
", "Jasper and the Beanstalk", "Tubby the Tuba
Tubby the Tuba (1947 film)
Tubby the Tuba is a 1947 American animated short film from Paramount Pictures, directed by George Pal as part of his Puppetoon series. It was based on the original song by Paul Tripp and George Kleinsinger. The film features narration by Victor Jory....
", and "John Henry and the Inky-Poo".
In 1956, the Puppetoons as well as most of Paramount's shorts, were sold to television distributor U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
U.M.&M. T.V. Corp.
U.M.&M. T.V. Corp. is best known as the original purchaser of Paramount Pictures' pre-October 1950 shorts and cartoons...
National Telefilm Associates
National Telefilm Associates
National Telefilm Associates was an independent distribution company that handled reissues of American film libraries, including much of Paramount Pictures' animated and short-subjects library.-History:...
bought out U.M.&M. and continued to syndicate them in the 1950s and 1960s as "Madcap Models".
Pal also used the Puppetoon name, if not the technique, in several of his feature films, including The Great Rupert
The Great Rupert
The Great Rupert, is a 1950 comedy family film, produced by George Pal, directed by Irving Pichel and starring Jimmy Durante, Tom Drake and Terry Moore...
, Tom Thumb
Tom thumb (film)
Deliberately uncapitalised, tom thumb is a 1958 fantasy-musical film directed by George Pal and released by MGM. It was based on the fairy tale of the same name...
and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm is a 1962 American film directed by Henry Levin and George Pal. The latter was the producer and also in charge of the stop motion animation. The film was one of the highest grossing films of 1962. It won one Oscar and was nominated for three additional...
. In these films, the individual wooden figures were billed as The Puppetoons.
Filmography
1932- Midnight
1934
- Radio Valve Revolution
- Ether Ship
- Philips Cavalcade
1935
- Sleeping Beauty
- The Little Broadcast
- The Magic Atlas
- World's Greatest Show
- In Lamp Light Land
- Sinbad
1936
- Ether Symphony
- Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
- Ali Baba
- On Parade!
1937
- What Ho, She Bumps
- The Reddingbrigade
- The Big Broadcast of '38
1938
- Southseas Sweethearts
- Hoola Boola
- The Ballet of Red Radio Valves
- Sky Pirates
1939
- Love on the Range
1940
- Dipsy Gypsy
- Captain Kidding
- Date with Duke
- Gooseberry Pie
- Friend in Need
1941
- Rhythm in the Ranks
- Western Daze
1942
- Tulips Shall Grow
- The Sky Princess
- Jasper and the Haunted House
- Jasper and the Watermelons
1943
- Bravo, Mr. Strauss
- Goodnight Rusty
- 500 Hats of Bartholemew Cubbins
- Jasper and the Choo Choo
- Jasper Goes Fishing
- Jasper's Music Lesson
- Jasper in a Jam
1944
- And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street
- A Hatful of Dreams
- Jasper Goes Hunting
- Jasper's Paradise
- Package for Jasper
- Two-Gun Rusty
- Little Black Sambo
- Wilber the Lion
1945
- Jasper and the Beanstalk
- Jasper's Booby Trap
- Jasper's Close Shave
- Jasper's Minstrels
- Jasper Tell
1946
- Jasper's Derby
- Together in the Weather
- John Henry and the Inky Poo
1947
- Tubby the Tuba
- Variety Girl (cameo)