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{{short description|1950 cartoon by Tex Avery}}
{{unreferenced|date=March 2010}}
{{Infobox film
'''''Ventriloquist Cat''''' is an [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] [[Animation|animated film]], directed by Hollywood director [[Tex Avery]]. The film was released in the US on 27 May 1950.
| name = Ventriloquist Cat
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Title card
| director = [[Tex Avery]]
| producer = [[Fred Quimby]]
| writer =
| screenplay =
| story = Rich Hogan
| based_on =
| starring = Tex Avery<br />[[Red Coffey]]<ref name="Voice2">{{cite web|title=AVERY…. Vol. 2??? WELL, IMAGINE THAT!|url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/avery-vol-2-well-imagine-that/|website=cartoonresearch.com|access-date=5 April 2021|date=7 December 2020}}</ref>
| editing =
| animator = Walter Clinton<br />[[Michael Lah]]<br />Grant Simmons
| narrator =
| music = [[Scott Bradley (composer)|Scott Bradley]]
| cinematography =
| background_artist = Don Driscoll
| studio = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio|MGM Cartoons]]
| distributor = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]<br/>Loew's Incorporated
| released = {{Film date|1950|5|27}}
| runtime = 6:39
| country =
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Ventriloquist Cat''''' is a 1950 [[Animation|animated short film]] directed by [[Tex Avery]] and produced by [[Fred Quimby]] for [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio|MGM Cartoons]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |pages=146–147}}</ref> The film was released in the US with the movie ''[[The Big Hangover]]'' on May 27, 1950, by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]. The short stars [[Butch (animated character)|Spike]] and Blackie the Cat.


==Plot==
==Plot==
An alley [[cat]] is being chased by a dim-witted [[bulldog]] after he is caught writing on the fence "I hate Dogs!". In order to escape, the cat jumps into a box full of magicians props and discovers a ventriloquists device for throwing his voice. With his newly acquired powers of [[ventriloquism]], the cat plays a series of practical jokes on the bulldog. Ultimately the jokes backfire on the cat.
Blackie the Cat is being chased by Spike after he is caught writing "I hate Dogs!" on the fence. In order to escape, Blackie inadvertently jumps into a box full of assorted tricks and discovers a ventriloquist's device for throwing his voice. With his newly acquired powers of [[ventriloquism]], Blackie plays a series of practical jokes on the bulldog. Ultimately, the jokes backfire on Blackie after he discards the device.


==Remake==
==Voice cast==
*[[Tex Avery]] as [[Butch (animated character)|Spike]]
''Ventriloquist Cat'' was later remade in [[CinemaScope]] as ''Cat's Meow'', which was released in 1956. It was one of two Avery MGM cartoons to have been reworked in the [[widescreen]] format (the other was the 1949 [[Droopy]] cartoon ''Wags to Riches'', which was redone as ''Millionaire Droopy''); as Avery himself was long gone from MGM at the time of these remakes, the new versions were worked on by the [[William Hanna|Hanna]]-[[Joseph Barbera|Barbera]] unit.
*Tex Avery and [[Red Coffey]] as Blackie the Cat<ref>{{cite web |last1=DataBase |first1=The Big Cartoon |title=Ventriloquist Cat (MGM) |url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/4990-Ventriloquist-Cat |website=Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB) |access-date=25 January 2020 |language=en}}{{dead link|date=January 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="Voice2"/>


==Remake as ''Cat's Meow''==
There were numerous differences in the designs of the two main characters. [[Spike and Tyke (characters)#Droopy's enemy|Spike the bulldog]] is two shades of tan in the 1950 original and white in the 1956 remake, while the cat had dark grey fur in the earlier version and red fur in the later version.
{{Infobox film
| name = Cat's Meow
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Title card
| director = [[Tex Avery]]
| producer = [[William Hanna]]<br>[[Joseph Barbera]]
| story = Rich Hogan
| starring = Tex Avery<br>[[Red Coffey]]<ref name="Voice2"/>
| animator = Walter Clinton<br>[[Michael Lah]]<br>Grant Simmons
| background_artist = Don Driscoll
| music = [[Scott Bradley (composer)|Scott Bradley]]
| studio = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio|MGM Cartoons]]
| distributor = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]<br/>Loew's Incorporated
| released = {{suppress categories|{{Film date|1957|1|25}}}}
| runtime = 6:39
| language = English
}}

''Ventriloquist Cat'' was later remade in [[CinemaScope]] as '''''Cat's Meow''''', which was released on January 25, 1957.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Vault |url=http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1957-2-23&page_no=83#page_start |website=www2.boxoffice.com |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tex Avery Filmography |url=https://www.texavery.com/films/ |website=www.texavery.com |access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> It was one of two Avery MGM cartoons to have been reworked in the [[widescreen]] format (the other was the 1949 [[Droopy]] cartoon ''Wags to Riches'', which was redone as ''Millionaire Droopy''); as Avery himself was long gone from MGM at the time of these remakes, the new versions were worked on by the [[William Hanna|Hanna]]-[[Joseph Barbera|Barbera]] unit, despite having Avery's name credited on the title card.

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0043102|Ventriloquist Cat}}
*{{IMDb title|0043102|Ventriloquist Cat}}
*{{IMDb title|0050236|Cat's Meow}}
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se6vESeL5Eo Original 1950 ''Ventriloquist Cat''] on YouTube

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOEz4ybPYg 1956 remake ''Cat's Meow''] on YouTube
{{Tex Avery}}
{{Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoons}}
{{Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoons}}


[[Category:Films directed by Tex Avery]]
[[Category:Films directed by Tex Avery]]
[[Category:1950 films]]
[[Category:1950 animated short films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated short films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated short films]]
[[Category:1950s American animated films]]
[[Category:Animated films about cats]]
[[Category:Films scored by Scott Bradley]]
[[Category:Animated films about dogs]]
[[Category:Films produced by Fred Quimby]]
[[Category:Ventriloquism]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio short films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:American animated short films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer short films]]
[[Category:English-language short films]]



{{animation-film-stub}}
{{short-animation-film-stub}}

Latest revision as of 23:56, 2 December 2024

Ventriloquist Cat
Directed byTex Avery
Story byRich Hogan
Produced byFred Quimby
StarringTex Avery
Red Coffey[1]
Music byScott Bradley
Animation byWalter Clinton
Michael Lah
Grant Simmons
Backgrounds byDon Driscoll
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Loew's Incorporated
Release date
  • May 27, 1950 (1950-05-27)
Running time
6:39
LanguageEnglish

Ventriloquist Cat is a 1950 animated short film directed by Tex Avery and produced by Fred Quimby for MGM Cartoons.[2] The film was released in the US with the movie The Big Hangover on May 27, 1950, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The short stars Spike and Blackie the Cat.

Plot

[edit]

Blackie the Cat is being chased by Spike after he is caught writing "I hate Dogs!" on the fence. In order to escape, Blackie inadvertently jumps into a box full of assorted tricks and discovers a ventriloquist's device for throwing his voice. With his newly acquired powers of ventriloquism, Blackie plays a series of practical jokes on the bulldog. Ultimately, the jokes backfire on Blackie after he discards the device.

Voice cast

[edit]

Remake as Cat's Meow

[edit]
Cat's Meow
Directed byTex Avery
Story byRich Hogan
Produced byWilliam Hanna
Joseph Barbera
StarringTex Avery
Red Coffey[1]
Music byScott Bradley
Animation byWalter Clinton
Michael Lah
Grant Simmons
Backgrounds byDon Driscoll
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Loew's Incorporated
Release date
  • January 25, 1957 (1957-01-25)
Running time
6:39
LanguageEnglish

Ventriloquist Cat was later remade in CinemaScope as Cat's Meow, which was released on January 25, 1957.[4][5] It was one of two Avery MGM cartoons to have been reworked in the widescreen format (the other was the 1949 Droopy cartoon Wags to Riches, which was redone as Millionaire Droopy); as Avery himself was long gone from MGM at the time of these remakes, the new versions were worked on by the Hanna-Barbera unit, despite having Avery's name credited on the title card.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "AVERY…. Vol. 2??? WELL, IMAGINE THAT!". cartoonresearch.com. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  2. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 146–147. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7.
  3. ^ DataBase, The Big Cartoon. "Ventriloquist Cat (MGM)". Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB). Retrieved 25 January 2020.[dead link]
  4. ^ "The Vault". www2.boxoffice.com. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Tex Avery Filmography". www.texavery.com. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
[edit]