Talkartoons
Encyclopedia
Talkartoons is the name of a series of 42 animated cartoons
produced by the Fleischer Studios
and distributed by Paramount Pictures
between 1929 and 1932.
, and without the burden of Red Seal Pictures and Alfred Weiss, Max Fleischer
was free to experiment with new, bold ideas. First he changed the name of the Ko-Ko Song Cartunes series to Screen Songs
. Although the Screen Songs were successful, Fleischer felt that it wasn't enough; Walt Disney
also seemed to gain a great amount of fame through his sound cartoons as well. He decided to work with his brother, Dave
on a new series of cartoons where the characters did more than just simply dance to the music of the "bouncing ball". The name for the new series was to be Talkartoons. When the idea was pitched to Paramount, they leaped at the opportunity.
The Talkartoons started out as one-shot cartoons. The first entry in the series was Noah's Lark, released on October 25, 1929. Although a Fleischer cartoon, it appeared to be patterned after the Aesop's Film Fables
of Paul Terry
. In it, a Farmer Al Falfa
-esque Noah allows the animals of his ark to visit Luna Park
. When he brings them back into the ship, the weight is so heavy that it sinks. In the end, Noah chases topless mermaids throughout the ocean waters. Lark has very few gray tones, very much like the Screen Songs produced during the same time and the earlier Fleischer silent works. It also included copyright-free songs, mostly utilized from old 78-rpm's.
The series began to take a new direction, however, with the arrival of Max and Dave's brother, Lou Fleischer
, whose skills in music and mathematics made a great impact the studio. Fitz evolved into a character named Bimbo
, named so for his foolishness. The first cartoon that featured Bimbo was Hot Dog (1930), the first entry in the series and the first Fleischer cartoon to use a full-range of greys. New animators such as Grim Natwick
, Shamus Culhane
, and Rudy Zamora
began entering the Fleischer Studio, with new ideas that pushed the Talkartoons into a league of their own. Natwick especially had an off-beat style of animating that helped give the shorts more of a surreal quality. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the Talkartoons series and the Fleischer Studio was the creation of Betty Boop
with Dizzy Dishes
in 1930.
By late-1931, Betty Boop dominated the series. Koko the Clown
was brought out of retirement from the silent days as a third character to Betty and Bimbo. By 1932, the series was at an inevitable end and instead, Betty Boop would be given her own series, with Bimbo and Koko as secondary characters.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
produced by the Fleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios, Inc., was an American corporation which originated as an Animation studio located at 1600 Broadway, New York City, New York...
and distributed by 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...
between 1929 and 1932.
History
For the Fleischer brothers, the transition to sound was relatively easy. With the new contract with Paramount PicturesParamount 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...
, and without the burden of Red Seal Pictures and Alfred Weiss, Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer was an American animator. He was a pioneer in the development of the animated cartoon and served as the head of Fleischer Studios...
was free to experiment with new, bold ideas. First he changed the name of the Ko-Ko Song Cartunes series to Screen Songs
Screen Songs
Screen Songs is the name of a series of animated cartoons produced by the Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures between 1929 and 1938. They were revived by Famous Studios in 1945 starting with the Noveltoon Old MacDonald Had a Farm....
. Although the Screen Songs were successful, Fleischer felt that it wasn't enough; Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
also seemed to gain a great amount of fame through his sound cartoons as well. He decided to work with his brother, Dave
Dave Fleischer
David "Dave" Fleischer was an American animator film director and film producer, best known as a co-owner of Fleischer Studios with his two older brothers Max Fleischer and Lou Fleischer...
on a new series of cartoons where the characters did more than just simply dance to the music of the "bouncing ball". The name for the new series was to be Talkartoons. When the idea was pitched to Paramount, they leaped at the opportunity.
The Talkartoons started out as one-shot cartoons. The first entry in the series was Noah's Lark, released on October 25, 1929. Although a Fleischer cartoon, it appeared to be patterned after the Aesop's Film Fables
Aesop's Film Fables
Aesop's Film Fables was a series of animated short subjects, created by American cartoonist Paul Terry. Terry came upon the inspiration for the series by young actor-turned-writer Howard Estabrook, who suggested making a series of cartoons based on Aesop's Fables. Although Terry later claimed he...
of Paul Terry
Terrytoons
Terrytoons was an animation studio founded by Paul Terry. The studio, located in suburban New Rochelle, New York, operated from 1929 to 1968. Its most popular characters included Mighty Mouse, Gandy Goose, Sourpuss, Dinky Duck, Deputy Dawg, Luno and Heckle and Jeckle; these cartoons and all of its...
. In it, a Farmer Al Falfa
Farmer Al Falfa
Farmer Al Falfa , the quintessential grizzly old farmer type, is an animated cartoon character created by American cartoonist Paul Terry. He first appeared in 1916 in a series of shorts produced by the John R. Bray Studios...
-esque Noah allows the animals of his ark to visit Luna Park
Luna Park, Coney Island
Luna Park was an amusement park at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City from 1903 to 1944. A second Luna Park was opened on the former site of the nearby Astroland amusement park...
. When he brings them back into the ship, the weight is so heavy that it sinks. In the end, Noah chases topless mermaids throughout the ocean waters. Lark has very few gray tones, very much like the Screen Songs produced during the same time and the earlier Fleischer silent works. It also included copyright-free songs, mostly utilized from old 78-rpm's.
The series began to take a new direction, however, with the arrival of Max and Dave's brother, Lou Fleischer
Lou Fleischer
Lou Fleischer was an American animator, composer, and brother of Max and Dave Fleischer. He was the head of the Fleischer Studios music department until the company was purchased by Paramount Pictures in 1942. He is also known for voicing J. Wellington Wimpy from Popeye from 1936 until...
, whose skills in music and mathematics made a great impact the studio. Fitz evolved into a character named Bimbo
Bimbo (Fleischer)
Bimbo is a fictional character, a cartoon dog created by Fleischer Studios. He first appeared in the Out of the Inkwell series and was originally named Fitz....
, named so for his foolishness. The first cartoon that featured Bimbo was Hot Dog (1930), the first entry in the series and the first Fleischer cartoon to use a full-range of greys. New animators such as Grim Natwick
Grim Natwick
Myron "Grim" Natwick was an American artist, animator and film director. Natwick is best known for drawing the Fleischer Studio's most popular character, Betty Boop.-Background:...
, Shamus Culhane
Shamus Culhane
James "Shamus" Culhane was an American animator, film director, and film producer.Culhane worked for a number of American animation studios, including Fleischer Studios, the Ub Iwerks studio, Walt Disney Productions, and the Walter Lantz studio. He began his animation career in 1925 working for J.R...
, and Rudy Zamora
Rudy Zamora
Rudy Zamora was a Mexican American animator and a prolific animation director who was a veteran actor in George of the Jungle.-External links:...
began entering the Fleischer Studio, with new ideas that pushed the Talkartoons into a league of their own. Natwick especially had an off-beat style of animating that helped give the shorts more of a surreal quality. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the Talkartoons series and the Fleischer Studio was the creation of Betty Boop
Betty Boop
Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in...
with Dizzy Dishes
Dizzy Dishes
Dizzy Dishes is a animated short film created by the Fleischer Studios in 1930 as part of the Talkartoon series. It is famous as a debut cartoon of Betty Boop.-Plot:...
in 1930.
By late-1931, Betty Boop dominated the series. Koko the Clown
Koko the Clown
Koko the Clown was an animated character created by animation pioneer Max Fleischer. The character originated when Max Fleischer invented the rotoscope, a device that allowed for animation to be more lifelike by tracing motion picture footage of human movement. To test out his new invention...
was brought out of retirement from the silent days as a third character to Betty and Bimbo. By 1932, the series was at an inevitable end and instead, Betty Boop would be given her own series, with Bimbo and Koko as secondary characters.
1929–30
| Film | Characters | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| Noah's Lark | One-shot | October 25, 1929 |
| Marriage Wows | One-shot | January 8, 1930 |
| Radio Riot | One-shot | February 13, 1930 |
| Hot Dog | Bimbo | March 29, 1930 |
| Fire Bugs | Bimbo | May 9, 1930 |
| Wise Flies | One-shot | July 18, 1930 |
| Dizzy Dishes Dizzy Dishes Dizzy Dishes is a animated short film created by the Fleischer Studios in 1930 as part of the Talkartoon series. It is famous as a debut cartoon of Betty Boop.-Plot:... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | August 9, 1930 |
| Barnacle Bill Barnacle Bill (1930 cartoon) Barnacle Bill is a 1930 Fleischer Studios animated short film. It was part of the Talkartoons series, and featured Betty Boop and Bimbo .-Plot:... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | August 31, 1930 |
| Swing You Sinners! | Bimbo | September 24, 1930 |
| Grand Uproar | Bimbo | October 3, 1930 |
| Sky Scraping | Bimbo | November 1, 1930 |
| Up To Mars | Bimbo | November 20, 1930 |
| Accordion Joe | Bimbo and Betty Boop | December 12, 1930 |
| Mysterious Mose Mysterious Mose Mysterious Mose is a 1930 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short released through Paramount Pictures. It was released in late December the same year. This film contains an early version of Betty Boop and the studio's star, Bimbo.... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | December 26, 1930 |
1931
| Film | Characters | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Spades | Bimbo | January 16, 1931 |
| Tree Saps | Bimbo | February 3 |
| Teacher's Pests | Bimbo and Betty Boop | February 7 |
| The Cow's Husband | Bimbo | March 13 |
| The Bum Bandit The Bum Bandit The Bum Bandit is a animated short film created by the Fleischer Studios in 1931 as part of the Talkartoon series.-Plot:Bimbo prepares to rob a train that he has forced to stop... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | April 3 |
| The Male Man | Bimbo | April 24 |
| Twenty Legs Under the Sea | Bimbo | May 5 |
| Silly Scandals Silly Scandals Silly Scandals is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Bimbo and featuring Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Bimbo sneaks into the theater stage show. In a vaudeville act the crowd cheer Betty by name when she comes on stage. Betty Boop, with dog's ears, a white nose, lots of curls... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | May 23 |
| The Herring Murder Case | Bimbo and Koko the Clown | June 26 |
| Bimbo's Initiation Bimbo's Initiation Bimbo's Initiation is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Bimbo and featuring Betty Boop. It was the final Betty Boop cartoon to be animated by the character's co-creator, Grim Natwick.-Plot:... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | July 24 |
| Bimbo's Express Bimbo's Express Bimbo's Express is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Bimbo and Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Bimbo shows up at Betty's door with his assistant's to help Betty move house. Bimbo takes one glance at Betty, and falls in love with her. Bimbo then sing's "Hello Beautiful" to Betty... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | August 22 |
| Minding the Baby Minding the Baby Minding the Baby is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop and Bimbo.-Synopsis:Bimbo's mom has fallen out with her husband and has had an affair with the ice man. Bimbo's mother goes shopping and leaves Bimbo in charge of his baby brother, Aloysius. Betty Boop... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | September 26 |
| In the Shade of the Old Apple Sauce | Bimbo | October 16 |
| Mask-A-Raid Mask-A-Raid Mask-A-Raid is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Betty Boop is queen of the Masquerade Ball. Bimbo and the lecherous King compete for Betty's affections. Betty sings You're the one I care for, Before Bimbo and the king begin the sword fighting.... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | November 7 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk Jack and the Beanstalk (1931 cartoon) Jack and the beanstalk is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Bimbo & Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Associated with the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk, Bimbo plants some magic beans which grow into a gigantic beanstalk. He then climbs to the top of the beanstalk where he... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | November 21 |
| Dizzy Red Riding Hood Dizzy Red Riding Hood Dizzy Red Riding Hood is a 1931 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Betty Boop stars in her own version of Little Red Riding Hood. Betty prepares before going to visit her grandmother's house, despite being warned of wolves wandering the woods by the... |
Bimbo and Betty Boop | December 12 |
1932
| Film | Characters | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| Any Rags? Any Rags? Any Rags? is a 1933 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop, Bimbo, and Koko the Clown.-Synopsis:Bimbo the garbage man walks the streets asking townsfolk "Any Rags?". He comes across Betty Boop who throws her garbage to him from her window... |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | January 2, 1932 |
| Boop-Oop-a-Doop Boop-Oop-a-Doop Boop-Oop-a-Doop is a animated short film created by the Fleischer Studios in 1932 as part of the Talkartoon series.-Plot:The short film begins with a giant Betty Boop flag which flies over the big top. Betty works as a Lion taming artist and a Tightrope walking artist. Another of the other circus... |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | January 16 |
| The Robot | Bimbo | February 5 |
| Minnie the Moocher Minnie the Moocher "Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz song first recorded in 1931 by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, selling over 1 million copies. "Minnie the Moocher" is most famous for its nonsensical ad libbed lyrics . In performances, Calloway would have the audience participate by repeating each scat phrase in a... |
Betty Boop and Bimbo | February 26 |
| Swim or Sink Swim Or Sink Swim Or Sink is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, and Bimbo.-Synopsis:A sinking ship leaves three survivors on a life raft: Bimbo, Koko the Clown and Betty Boop. Good news/bad news: they're rescued by a pirate ship...... (S.O.S.) |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | March 11 |
| Crazy Town Crazy Town (1932 cartoon) Crazy Town is a 1932 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film featuring the Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Betty and Bimbo take a trip to Crazytown for a small vacation where anything can happen. mice are roaring & birds swim in the lake. Hats are worn on feet & shoes on heads. Betty and bimbo... |
Betty Boop and Bimbo | March 25 |
| The Dancing Fool The Dancing Fool The Dancing Fool is a 1932 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop, Bimbo & Koko the Clown.-Synopsis:Bimbo and Koko are sign painter's they have been hired to paint the lettering on the window of Betty Boop's Dancing School"... |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | April 8 |
| Chess-Nuts Chess-Nuts Chess-Nuts is a 1932 Fleischer Studios animated short films starring Betty Boop, and featuring Bimbo and Koko the Clown.-Synopsis:A live action chess game becomes a chaotic, animated quest for the favors of Betty Boop. Betty comes to life as the black queen and Bimbo becomes the white king. The... |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | April 13 |
| A Hunting We Will Go | Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | April 29 |
| Hide and Seek | Bimbo | May 26 |
| Admission Free Admission Free Admission Free is a 1932 Fleischer Studios Talkartoon animated short film starring Betty Boop.-Synopsis:Betty Boop works at a Penny arcade. While singing "Change! Come get your pennies! Change! Your ten & twenties!" she exchanges Koko the Clown's nickle for five pennies. Bimbo flirts with Betty... |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | June 10 |
| The Betty Boop Betty Boop Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in... Limited |
Betty Boop, Bimbo and Koko | July 1 |