Bosko's Holiday

Last updated

Bosko's Holiday
Bosko's Holiday.jpg
Directed byHugh Harman
Rudolf Ising
Produced byHugh Harman
Rudolf Ising
Leon Schlesinger
StarringJohnny Murray
Rochelle Hudson (both uncredited)
Music byFrank Marsales
Production
companies
Harman-Ising Productions
The Vitaphone Corporation
Leon Schlesinger Studios
Distributed byWarner Bros.
The Vitaphone Corporation
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • 31 July 1931 (1931-07-31)(United States)
Running time
6 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Bosko's Holiday is a one-reel 1931 short subject animated cartoon, part of the Bosko series. [1] It was directed by Hugh Harman, and first released on July 18, 1931 as part of the Looney Tunes series from the Leon Schlesinger animation studio and distributed by Warner Brothers. [2] The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

Contents

Plot

The cartoon opens with the phone ringing loudly, while Bosko is sleeping. The anthropomorphic telephone can't get its owner to wake up no matter how insistently it rings, since he is a heavy sleeper. It then turns its attention to an anthropomorphic alarm clock sleeping nearby, snoring with a "tick tock" sound. So the phone wakes up the alarm clock, so it can wake Bosko up. The alarm clock also has trouble waking up Bosko. He does not respond to its own ringing with bell-like sounds, nor to it hitting a brush against the bedpan. The alarm clock finally pokes him in the bottom with one of its pointy hands, waking him up. He wakes up screaming. [3]

Bosko goes to the phone, and answers a call from Honey. She invites Bosko to a picnic, and Bosko seems pleased with the idea. She asks him to hurry up, says goodbye and then hangs up the phone. Bosko quickly gets ready for the excursion. The phone says "Scram, Bosko, scram!". [4]

Bosko goes to get his car. The garage looks like a big doghouse, and Bosko summons the resident. Out comes not a dog but a car with a personality of its own. He gets into the car and leaves. Several little cars, presumably children of the big one, follow them. He stops to tell them to go home. He then remarks "Ain't that cute"? [5]

The car is driving itself, leaving Bosko with nothing to do during the ride. Then, Bosko gets a banjo and sings, until a string breaks. So Bosko takes a mouse's tail to use as a replacement. The mouse seems to serve as an ornament in the car. The mouse is pretty mad at Bosko for taking his tail. As soon as Bosko arrives at Honey's house, the banjo strings come off. He then tries again to pull the mouse's tail off, but the mouse pulls its tail away and sticks his tongue out at Bosko. It then leaves. Bosko again responds "Ain't that cute", and sticks his own tongue out. [6]

Bosko arrives at Honey's house to get her for the picnic, and calls her from the house's front yard. She comes out to her balcony and says "Hello, Bosko". Honey's dog follows the car. The car tries to drive up a very steep hill and path, and consequently goes stuck. Bosko gets out and tries to push the car. The dog pulls Bosko's pants, which makes him let go of the car. The car consequently goes backwards and knocks Bosko out. The dog licks Bosko, he regains consciousness and replies with "Hey!". He is about to kick the dog, when the dog escapes. [7]

Bosko gets the car moving, and the dog comes back and bites a tire. This act causes the air from the tire to be sucked out, into the dog. It inflates like a balloon. Bosko gets mad and sucks the air back to the tire. The unhappy dog leaves, but soon comes back. When the trio walk to the picnic location, they find a log. They put the picnic basket there and start conversing. Bosko whispers an ungentlemanly suggestion to Honey's ear, which causes her to stand up in a huff. Bosko resorts to tempting her with food. He eats a sandwich, chewing noisily with his mouth open, and says it tasted sure fine. She seems tempted. The dog licks Honey's bottom, but she thinks Bosko did it. She slaps him and leaves in anger. Bosko says "Aw, nuts" and the film ends. [8]

Notes

Johnny Murray serves as the voice of Bosko. Rochelle Hudson voices Honey. Both are uncredited. The film was directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. They were also the producers of the film, with Leon Schlesinger as an associate producer. The film was animated by Friz Freleng and Paul Smith. The musical score was a work of Frank Marsales. [9]

This is the first cartoon where the title card had Bosko's name in it, and almost all subsequent entries in the series followed this practice. [10] The film has a simple plot which serves as an excuse for a series of inventive gags. The action is otherwise unremarkable. The short marks a turning point in the Bosko film series and the Looney Tunes series in general. This is the first short where the plot does not revolve around singing and dancing. Singing-and-dancing plots were subsequently reserved for the Merrie Melodies series. [11]

The voices of both Bosko and Honey while speaking on the phone sound childish. Rochelle Hudson was 15 years old when recording the film, while Johnny Murray's age is unknown. [12]

The first meeting of the lovers, with Honey in the balcony and Bosko on the grounds, is reminiscent of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet (1597). [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bosko</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Bosko is an animated cartoon character created by animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Bosko was the first recurring character in Leon Schlesinger's cartoon series and was the star of thirty-nine Looney Tunes shorts released by Warner Bros. He was voiced by Carman Maxwell, Bernard B. Brown, Johnny Murray, and Philip Hurlic during the 1920s and 1930s and once by Don Messick during the 1990s.

<i>Bosko the Doughboy</i> 1931 film

Bosko the Doughboy is a one-reel 1931 short subject animated cartoon, part of the Bosko series. It was directed by Hugh Harman, and first released on October 17, 1931 as part of the Looney Tunes series from Harman-Ising Productions and distributed by Warner Bros.

Foxy (<i>Merrie Melodies</i>) Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Foxy is an animated cartoon character featured in the first three animated shorts in the Merrie Melodies series, all distributed by Warner Bros. in 1931. He was the creation of animator Rudolf Ising, who had worked for Walt Disney in the 1920s.

<i>Sinkin in the Bathtub</i> 1930 film

Sinkin' in the Bathtub is the first Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon short as well as the first of the Looney Tunes series. The short debuted in April 1930, at the Warner Bros. Theater in Hollywood. The cartoon features Bosko, and the title is a pun on the 1929 song Singin' in the Bathtub. The film was erroneously copyrighted under the same title as the 1929 song. It is now in the public domain in the United States as the copyright was not renewed.

<i>Congo Jazz</i> 1930 film

Congo Jazz is a Looney Tunes cartoon starring Warner Bros.' first cartoon star, Bosko. The cartoon was released on August 9, 1930. It was distributed by Warner Bros. and The Vitaphone Corporation. Congo Jazz was the first cartoon to feature Bosko's falsetto voice that he would use for the bulk of the series' run. It has the earliest instance of a "trombone gobble" in animation.

<i>Hold Anything</i> 1930 film

Hold Anything is the third short in the Looney Tunes series from Warner Bros., released to theaters in October 1930. Featuring Bosko, it is loosely based on the lost film Hold Everything, one of whose songs, "Don't Hold Everything," features prominently in the cartoon. It was directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, and animated by Isadore "Friz" Freleng and Norman Blackburn.

Bosko's Picture Show is a Warner Bros. Looney Tunes animated short directed by Hugh Harman and Friz Freleng. It was the last Looney Tunes Bosko cartoon produced by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising for Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros. The duo moved on to produce cartoons for MGM, the first of which were released in 1934. The music score was a work of Frank Marsales.

<i>Buddys Day Out</i> 1933 film

Buddy's Day Out is a 1933 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, directed by Tom Palmer. The short was released in theaters on September 9, 1933, premiering with Goodbye Again, and was the first cartoon to feature Buddy, the second star of the series who was created by Palmer.

Bosko the Musketeer is an American animated short film. It is a Looney Tunes cartoon, featuring Bosko, the first star of the series. It was released on August 12, 1933, although some sources note September 16 as a date; this is problematic, as that would imply that the last films featuring Bosko as the star of Warner Bros. cartoons were released after the first film featuring Buddy, the second star of the series. It was, like most Looney Tunes of the time, directed by Hugh Harman; Frank Marsales was the musical director.

Bosko's Knight-Mare is a 1933 Looney Tunes animated short film featuring Bosko, the first star of the series. The film was directed by Hugh Harman. The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumb Patrol (1931 film)</span> 1931 film

Dumb Patrol is a 1931 one-reel short subject, part of the Looney Tunes series. It was released in May 1931 and is directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

Yodeling Yokels is a 1931 one-reel short subject featuring Bosko; it is part of the Looney Tunes series. It was released in June 1931 and is directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

<i>The Trees Knees</i> 1931 film

The Tree's Knees is a 1931 one-reel short subject featuring Bosko, part of the Looney Tunes series. It was released in August 1931 and is directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, the last cartoon in the series to be directed by the two. Every Looney Tunes cartoon after this was directed by Hugh Harman until 1933, and every Merrie Melodies cartoon was directed by Rudolf Ising until the aforementioned year. It is also the last Bosko cartoon to not feature the main character's (Bosko's) name in the title. The short is also notable for the extensive use of footage from the earlier short Ain't Nature Grand! that it reuses, in particular a scene of Bosko happily and innocently pursuing a butterfly.

Bosko's Soda Fountain is a 1931 one-reel short subject featuring Bosko as part of the Looney Tunes series. It was released on November 14, 1931 and was directed by Hugh Harman. The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

<i>Boskos Fox Hunt</i> 1931 film

Bosko's Fox Hunt is a 1931 one-reel short subject featuring Bosko as part of the Looney Tunes series. It was released on December 12, 1931 and is directed by Hugh Harman. The film score was composed by Frank Marsales.

<i>Boskos Store</i> 1932 film

Bosko's Store is a 1932 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Hugh Harman. It was released on August 13, 1932, and stars Bosko, the first star of the series. As is the case with most Looney Tunes of its time, it was directed by Hugh Harman and its music scored by Frank Marsales.

Bosko in Person is an American animated short film featuring Bosko. It is a Looney Tunes cartoon, featuring Bosko, the original star of the series. It was released on February 11, 1933, though one source claims the release date is April 10, 1933. Like most Looney Tunes of its day, it was directed by Hugh Harman; its score is by Frank Marsales. The film features Bosko and Honey in a vaudeville-act. This is the second cartoon directed by Friz Freleng.

<i>Battling Bosko</i> 1932 film

Battling Bosko is an American animated short film. It is a Looney Tunes cartoon, featuring Bosko, the original star of the series. Like most Looney Tunes of its day, it was directed by Hugh Harman; Frank Marsales provided musical direction. The film was released in 1932, though one source gives an ambiguous date of 1931–1932.

Big-Hearted Bosko is a 1932 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon, featuring Bosko, the original star of the series. It was released on March 5, 1932, although one source offers for it only an ambiguous release date of 1931–1932. It was, like most Looney Tunes of its time, directed by Hugh Harman; its musical direction was by Frank Marsales.

<i>Bosko the Lumberjack</i> 1932 film

Bosko the Lumberjack is an American animated short film, released September 3, 1932, though one source gives only an ambiguous release date of 1931–1932. It is a Looney Tunes cartoon, featuring Bosko, the original star of the series. Like most Looney Tunes of its day, it was directed by Hugh Harman; its musical direction was by Frank Marsales.

References

  1. ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 4. ISBN   0-8050-0894-2.
  2. ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 57–58. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7 . Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  3. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  4. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  5. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  6. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  7. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  8. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  9. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  10. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  11. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  12. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
  13. ↑ Analysis of the film in the website "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.