Saturday, July 21, 2007

Tex Avery - "Rock-A-Bye Bear"


I posted a clip from this short on Tex's birthday and figured I may as well post the whole cartoon along with some layouts. It has to be one of the funniest cartoons ever made. I think Tex really hit his stride in the late 40s and early 50s. I love the crew of Walt Clinton, Michael Lah, and Grant Simmons. My favorite of Tex's units throughout his career.


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14 comments:

  1. Andy Latham7/21/2007 4:40 AM

    I LOVE this cartoon. Although I think Avery cartoons and MGM cartoons as a whole are really funny, I don't really have a love for them like I do the old Disney shorts. There are some exceptions though, and this is one of them.

    Where on earth do you find all the layouts and stuff for these cartoons Kevin?

    Great stuff!
    -----------------------------
    Visit Andy's Animation!

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  2. Thad7/21/2007 7:16 AM

    Amazing film.

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  3. Kasey7/21/2007 12:23 PM

    This cartoon was the only cartoon in history that ever made my parents laugh. And that's saying something!

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  4. Kevin Langley7/21/2007 6:13 PM

    Andy- These layout were from Patrick Brion's book Tex Avery: Les Dessins. He also wrote a fantastic book on Tom and Jerry.

    I think when it comes to this cartoon Thad summed it up best.

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  5. Lavalle Lee7/22/2007 12:43 PM

    what i want to learn is great layout like these cartoons

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  6. Michael J. Ruocco7/23/2007 12:43 PM

    One of my favorite Tex Avery cartoons!

    I love the expression on Spike when the bear drags him into the house. That innocent childlike look always gets me.

    I also love the way Spike gallops around the room after he touches the red-hot doorknob. That U-turn animation always makes me laugh.

    Who did the voices in this cartoon? Whoever voiced that bear & Spikes screams of pain certainly had a strong pair of lungs on him.

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  7. Michael7/23/2007 5:05 PM

    The buttock run was a truly inspired stroke of genius.

    Brilliant.

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  8. Nichole19728/12/2007 9:13 AM

    This is by far one of my favorite cartoons of all times.. you are awesome for posting this here so that everyone may enjoy.. Thanks a million!!

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  9. Unknown8/19/2007 11:47 PM

    I've observed that Jim Morrison's "Petition The Lord With Prayer" routine makes a great lead-in to the bear's initial rant.

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  10. Unknown8/21/2007 8:05 PM

    I've also been thinking of a contemporized Rock-A-Bye Bear gag: somehow, the little dog winds up shampooing Spike, which gets Spike running to the top of the hill to go all Meg Ryan/Herbal Essences on us.

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  11. Anonymous4/13/2010 4:40 PM

    This short is truly funny. I'd also say that the similar "Deputy Droopy" is just as funny.

    Thanks for the post!

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  12. wbhist7/31/2010 9:31 AM

    The screaming bear sounds like it could be Paul Frees.

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  13. rnigma9/11/2010 5:49 AM

    Actually, it was Jackson Beck who voiced the bear. Beck, a very busy radio actor/announcer, did the bulk of his cartoon voice work for Famous/Paramount.

    "Rockabyr Bear" is perhaps my favorite Avery cartoon - he reused much of the gags in "Deputy Droopy" and (on his return to Lantz) "The Legend of Rockabye Point." One of the later ('70s-80s) Flintstones episodes featuring Dino and Cavemouse reworked "Rockabye Bear."

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  14. Yowp7/14/2012 8:10 AM

    The bear and the city dog pound guy are Pat McGeehan.
    Beck never worked in animation outside New York.

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