The Ant and the Aardvark
Studio: DePatie Freleng Release Date : March 5, 1969 Series: Ant and the Aardvark

Cumulative rating:
(4 ratings submitted)

Associated Studio(s)

Mirisch Company

Synopsis

The Ant tries to get the bountiful food of a picnic into his home, while avoiding the Aardvark who's determined to have ants for lunch.

Characters

The Ant
(Voice: John Byner)
The Aardvark
(Voice: John Byner)

Distributor(s)

United Artists

Milestones

  • While not his last directorial work, this is the final theatrical cartoon directed by studio co-founder Friz Freleng.

Trivia

  • First Ant and The Aardvark caroon.
  • According to Friz Freleng, Jackie Mason originally expressed interest in voicing the Aardvark. He was brought into a recording session and Friz Freleng showed him the storyboards and went over the script. Apparently, Jackie Mason stopped in the middle of recording because he didn't like the lines and felt he couldn't properly voice the character. He suggested they bring in a imitator, to which John Byner was brought in and kept to voice both title characters. Art Leonardi reports that because Byner did a marvelous job imitating Jackie Mason, Mason's lawyers proposed the studio pay him for a portion of the profits made, as a way to avoid a lawsuit.

Television

The New Pink Panther Show (Season 1, Episode 12)
The Pink Panther and Friends (Season 1, Episode 1)

VHS

United States

The Ant and the Aardvark featuring "The Ant from Uncle"

DVD

United States

The Pink Panther and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 5: The Ant and the Aardvark
The Pink Panther Ultimate Collection
The Pink Panther Classic Cartoon Collection (9 Disc Set - 2009)
The Pink Panther Film Collection
The Ant and The Aardvark
The DePatie Freleng Collection 1

BluRay Disc

United States

The Ant and The Aardvark
The DePatie-Freleng Collection 1

Technical Specifications

Running Time: 6:15
MPAA No.: 21926
Animation Type: Standard (Hand-drawn-Cel) Animation
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1
Color Type: Deluxe
Sound Type: Mono
Print Type: 35mm
Negative Type: 35mm
Cinematographic Format: Spherical
Original Language: English
Original Country: United States

Reviews and Comments

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From TibbyH :

A groovy short made by the hottest cats in town. In one of Friz Freleng's last directed animated shorts, "The Ant and the Aardvark" is a tightly written, humorously performed, and gorgeously simplistic cartoon. Sure, like most DFE shorts, it's reminiscent of Warner Bros cartoons and can be a bit hit and miss in terms of comedy. However, look at this in terms of its own merits and you'll have a grand ol' time.
See all comments by TibbyH