Over 30 years ago, Will Friedwald and I co-authored a book (actually two versions of the same book) detailing the plots of each and every Warner Bros. cartoon. It was tough work, but someone had to do it. Today, with interest in classic animation at an all-time high, a new crop of scholars are taking such research to greater extremes – and I’m delighted.
Seattle-based author, artist Frank M. Young has spent the last six years studying the work of comic artist/writer John Stanley in his excellent Stanley Stories blog. His new online project is to throughly examine the films of animator Tex Avery – particularly his Warner Bros. cartoons during the formative years (1936-1941) that led to Avery’s later masterpieces at MGM (1942-1954).
Supervised By Fred Avery: Tex Avery’s Warner Brothers Cartoons has just begun – it’s initial blog post went up on Sunday, a close-up look at Avery’s first cartoon for Leon Schlesinger, Gold Diggers of ’49 – a cartoon starring a forgettable feline named “Beans”, and in a supporting role, a large obese Porky Pig. Frank’s a great writer and his insights here will make great reading. Bookmark this one – it should be an informative and hilarious ride.
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