Mr. Magoo - Kangaroo Courting Model Sheets

Here are two model sheets from the 1954 Mr. Magoo short, "Kangaroo Courting" by Alexander Ignatiev along with the a clip of the corresponding scenes. I don't know much about Ignatiev, other than he bounced around as an assistant animator, animator and layout artist for Warner Bros., Disney, Lantz, and Hanna-Barbera and studied at the Chouinard Art Institute. 

Pete Hothead Model Sheets

Here are a few model sheets from the first Pete Hothead short. Released in 1952 and directed former Tom & Jerry animator Pete Burness. Ted Parmelee was the designer but I don't know whether he drew these models.

Pete Hothead - Four Wheels No Brakes

This is the second Pete Hothead cartoon that UPA made. It was directed by Ted Parmelee and designed by Parmelee and Sam Clayberger.

Bob Cannon, Animator vs. Bob Cannon, Director

I love Bob Cannon's animation, particularly the few cartoons he worked on with Tex Avery and the Fox and Crow UPA shorts. It's quite loose and energetic. His work under Chuck Jones is great, "The Dover Boys" being my favorite. Though it's interesting that as a director the animation is more conservative and organized. I suppose that the emphasis placed on design at UPA was in part to blame. I'm not knocking his UPA shorts, I'm quite fond of them. Well, most of them. "The Oompahs" is boring as hell. Here's a some clips to compare.

Bob Cannon Animator

Bob Cannon Director

UPA - "Pete Hothead"

I rather like this cartoon, though I can't seem to tell one animator from another. Pat Matthews along with Chuck Jones animator Phil Monroe.

Pete Hothead

Uploaded by klangley

UPA - "Family Circus"

Art Babbit directed and animated this 1951 UPA short. I'm not sure what to think of it. I don't dislike it but it's certainly not that great of a cartoon. I looks like a John Sutherland industrial film to me. Not that that's entirely a bad thing. The animation is good but the character designs and layouts are very conservative compared to what UPA was doing at the time. Sorry for the crappy copy but it's all I have and I haven't seen this one anywhere online so I thought I'd share.

UPA - "Hotsy Footsy"

Here's a good Mr. Magoo short, "Hotsy Footsy" released in October of 1952. There's some great designs and background by Paul Julian. This is the last Magoo short that Pat Matthews animated, or least received screen credit for. I believe he only animated on 3 more cartoons before leaving UPA. I'm not sure what scenes are his though I assume Magoo's little dance in the beginning is probably his animation. Not quite as good as the first half dozen or so Magoo cartoons but I thought it was a pretty funny short.

Hotsy Footsy

Uploaded by klangley

UPA - "Fuddy Duddy Buddy"

Here's another early UPA short, the John Hubley directed "Fuddy Duddy Buddy". The opening scene of Magoo trying to convince Bottomley to play tennis is really well animated. I'm not sure but I think Pat Matthews animated the scene where the walrus charges the net during the game of tennis. I think the following shot of Magoo might also be Matthews but I'm not too sure. Of course, Paul Julian's backgrounds are great too.

Fuddy Duddy Buddy

Uploaded by klangley

Check out The Big Blog of Kid's Comics! for a comic adaptation of the cartoon drawn by Dan Gormley

UPA - "The Miner's Daughter"

I love the animation in this Bob Canon directed short. I'm still trying to pick out Pat Matthews animation. There's a great run cycle with the miner's daughter that is very similar to one Cannon animated in "Out-Foxed" when he worked under Tex Avery briefly.

UPA-The Miner's Daughter

Uploaded by klangley

"Gerald McBoing Boing's Symphony"

Though the original Gerald McBoing Boing short is by far the best I do enjoy this one as well. The story doesn't quite getting the handling that the original had but there's still great designs and animation. I particularly like the station owner's design.

Gerald McBoing Boing's Symphony

Uploaded by klangley

Fox and Crow - "Punchy De Leon"

This is the very last of the Fox and Crow shorts and the third one by UPA. It's a shame they abandoned the characters as really love the Fox's design. While I think "Robin Hoodlum" and "The Magic Fluke" are better cartoons this is still a really great looking film.

Punchy De Leon

Uploaded by klangley

Hell Bent For Election

This earliest of UPA films was was directed by Chuck Jones and made for the United Auto Workers in their support for Franklin Roosevelt's presidential campaign. Most of the artists moonlighted at night to create this short. There some nice designs here courtesy of Jack Schwartz and also some interesting camera angles too.

Hell Bent For Election

Uploaded by klangley

Fox and Crow - "The Magic Fluke"

Here's a fine John Hubley cartoon. I believe this was the second Fox and Crow cartoon made under UPA. I'm not the biggest UPA fan but I do really enjoy their earlier cartoons. Especially the Fox and Crow shorts and Gerald McBoing Boing.

The Magic Fluke

Uploaded by klangley