MGM titles discussion

[ToonStar95]

Since we have a list of MGM shorts that were reissued, hows about we have an official discussion board discussing MGM original/reissue titles. Here's a few topics/theories I'd like to bring up.

• I believe that Dog Trouble used the red spotlighted "An MGM Cartoon" card, like Puss 'n' Toots and The Bowling Alley Cat.
• Only four cartoons used the "Tiger Rag" opening: Blitz Wolf, The Early Bird Dood It!, Chips Off the Old Block and Fine Feathered Friend.
• If Wild Honey had "Runnin' Wild" music and has credits, I believe that Sufferin' Cats also did that, wheras other cartoons with the music (Dumb-Hounded, Red Hot Riding Hood and The Lonesome Mouse) had no credits.
• Another title card series I know of is that the red/sunburst lion logo has a majestic fanfare that ends at fadeout, followed by the cartoon's title card with the soundtrack starting at it. I found that on Barney Bear's Victory Garden, Bah Wilderness!, Who Killed Who? and The Uninvited Pest.

Any more discussion.

[NicKramer]

Well, there's the early Tom and Jerry title card that I think started with "The Midnight Snack" and probably ended around 1944 and was cut out in latter re-issues.  I believe the only one that still has that early style title is "The Night Before Christmas" which has a holiday variation.

[ToonStar95]

Well, there's the early Tom and Jerry title card that I think started with "The Midnight Snack" and probably ended around 1944 and was cut out in latter re-issues.  I believe the only one that still has that early style title is "The Night Before Christmas" which has a holiday variation.

Well, I believe that style lasted until 1943, as evidence showed that it was used as late as The Lonesome Mouse. A real mystery is that title card where Tom is holding a derby wile Jerry is in a high-chair.

You know what's weird that I just found. The current print of The Bear That Couldn't Sleep came from a late 1950s reissue (with blue open-matted lion logo), but the opening credits themselves (Barney Bear headshot and "A Rudolf Ising Production" card) came from the 1953 reissue, as the look of the credits have an Academy ratio design.

[Retro00064]

I believe that Dog Trouble used the red spotlighted "An MGM Cartoon" card, like Puss 'n' Toots and The Bowling Alley Cat.

It's hard to say what style Dog Trouble had. It may just as well have had the blue titles. If someone could access the original copyright synopsis, which, if it's like the synopses for later cartoons, would describe the textual content of each card, then that may reveal the answer. Thad Komorowski and David Gerstein looked at copyright synopses for MGM cartoons (including this one) several years back, so one of them may or may not know.

If Wild Honey had "Runnin' Wild" music and has credits, I believe that Sufferin' Cats also did that, wheras other cartoons with the music (Dumb-Hounded, Red Hot Riding Hood and The Lonesome Mouse) had no credits.

According to Thad's MGM Cartoon Filmography by Production Number, the original version of Sufferin' Cats did not have animation/music credits. This makes it an interesting exception among the MGM reissues; other reissues of cartoons without animation/music credits did not have them added.

Well, I believe that style lasted until 1943, as evidence showed that it was used as late as The Lonesome Mouse. A real mystery is that title card where Tom is holding a derby wile Jerry is in a high-chair.

You know what's weird that I just found. The current print of The Bear That Couldn't Sleep came from a late 1950s reissue (with blue open-matted lion logo), but the opening credits themselves (Barney Bear headshot and "A Rudolf Ising Production" card) came from the 1953 reissue, as the look of the credits have an Academy ratio design.

Cole Johnson posted in the comments on Gerstein's initial blog post showing original Tom and Jerry titles several years back that he's seen that same image with Jerry in a high chair used in MGM promotional material/ads of the 1940s. Note that the original pencil drawing of this image has the "Tom and Jerry" text at the bottom crossed out. Perhaps they initially intended to use it as a title card but changed their minds and it ended up being used for promotional uses instead. Unless it was used for The Yankee Doodle Mouse (who knows?). Baby Puss most likely used the title card that The Zoot Cat and cartoons that followed used, since it was the first cartoon to use the Tom and Jerry closing titles, which match in style.

The blue lion logo on The Bear that Couldn't Sleep is from the 1953 reissue.

[ToonStar95]

Also of note: What happened to Thad's video of the original titles for The Lonesome Mouse?

[Looney Tunes Fan]

Also of note: What happened to Thad's video of the original titles for The Lonesome Mouse?

I have them backed up on my hard drive.

[Retro00064]

Also of note: What happened to Thad's video of the original titles for The Lonesome Mouse?

Having just gotten a look at that video for the first time in a long time, courtesy of Looney Tunes Fan, I have to say that those titles are actually a recreation. The information at the bottom of the title card (with the MPAA logo, copyright notice, etc.) is totally wrong for the era, not to mention that it and the "Directed By" credits have been squashed vertically. You can even see the splice line between the titles and the start of the cartoon, not to mention hear a change in the sound. Interesting to see a recreation on 16mm film. Probably took a bit of effort to make.

[ToonStar95]

Whoa, I thought something was up with that "original title" screencap.

Anyway, what happened to Thad's video of the original titles for Wild and Woolfy.

[ToonStar95]

You guys should head over to the Van Eaton Galleries website. Their MGM lot includes several things related to original titles, including title card layouts (such as The Mouse Comes to Dinner and Puppy Tale, plus an unused one for The Night Before Christmas) and credit cels (such as The Bodyguard and Lonesome Lenny).

[Retro00064]

Sweet! Lots of great stuff there.

http://www.vegalleries.com/newart.html#mgm