List of films directed by Tex Avery

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Tex Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor, and director. He became famous for producing animated cartoons during the Golden age of American animation and produced his most significant work while employed by the Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios.

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Avery in 1926 Tex Avery yearbook photo.png
Avery in 1926

He created the characters of Daffy Duck in Porky's Duck Hunt (1937), Egghead in Egghead Rides Again (1937), Elmer Fudd in Little Red Walking Hood (1937), Bugs Bunny in A Wild Hare (1940), Cecil Turtle in Tortoise Beats Hare (1941), Droopy in Dumb-Hounded (1943), Screwy Squirrel in Screwball Squirrel (1944), George and Junior in Henpecked Hoboes (1946), Spike/Butch the Bulldog (Tex Avery's version) in Bad Luck Blackie (1949), and Smedley Dog in I'm Cold (1954). He developed the characters of Porky Pig from the Warner Bros. studio and Chilly Willy from the Walter Lantz Studio into the personas for which they are best remembered.

Avery first began his animation career at the Walter Lantz studio in the early 1930s, working on the majority of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons from 1931-35. He is listed as "animator" on the original title card credits on the Oswald cartoons. He later claimed to have directed two cartoons during this time. By 1942, Avery was in the employ of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, working in their cartoon division under the supervision of Fred Quimby. At MGM, Avery's creativity reached its peak. A burnt-out Avery left MGM in 1953 to return to the Walter Lantz studio. Avery's return to the Lantz studio did not last long. He directed four cartoons in 1954-1955: the one-shots Crazy Mixed-Up Pup and Shh-h-h-h-h, and I'm Cold and The Legend of Rockabye Point, in which he defined the character of Chilly Willy the penguin.

Films directed or co-directed by Tex Avery

1935: Carl Laemmle/Walter Lantz era

TitleYearNotesRef(s).
Towne Hall Follies1935First cartoon directed by Avery at Lantz and credited as an animator; Co-directed by Walter Lantz [1]
The Quail Hunt Co-directed by Walter Lantz [1]

1935–1942: Warner Bros. era

No.TitleYearNotesDVD/Blu-Ray AvailabilityRef(s).
1 Gold Diggers of '49 1935
  • In black and white.
  • First cartoon by Tex Avery at Warners.
  • Featuring Porky Pig
[2] [3]
2 Plane Dippy 1936 [4] [5]
3 Page Miss Glory
  • First color cartoon by Tex Avery.
 [6]
4 The Blow Out [2] [7]
5I'd Love to Take Orders from You
6 I Love to Singa
7Porky the Rain Maker [2]
8The Village Smithy [8] [9]
9 Milk and Money [9]
10 Don't Look Now [10]
11Porky the Wrestler1937
12Picador Porky [11]
13 I Only Have Eyes for You
14 Porky's Duck Hunt
  • In black and white.
  • Featuring Porky Pig
  • First appearance of the character Daffy Duck.
  • First cartoon where Mel Blanc does the voice of Porky Pig.
 [8]
15 Uncle Tom's Bungalow
16 Ain't We Got Fun [12]
17 Egghead Rides Again [13]
18A Sunbonnet Blue
19 Porky's Garden
20 I Wanna Be a Sailor
21 Little Red Walking Hood [14]
22 Daffy Duck & Egghead 1938 [15]
23The Sneezing Weasel [16]
24 The Penguin Parade
25 The Isle of Pingo Pongo
  • Part of the Censored Eleven.
  • Featuring Egghead
  • Lobby poster makes first reference to the Prototype of Elmer as "Elmer".
 [17] [18]
26 Cinderella Meets Fella [17] [19]
27 A Feud There Was
  • First cartoon in which the name full Elmer Fudd was employed.
 [17] [20]
28 Johnny Smith and Poker-Huntas [17] [20]
29 Daffy Duck in Hollywood [20]
30The Mice Will Play [20]
31 Hamateur Night 1939 [20]
32 A Day at the Zoo
  • In the public domain
  • Featuring Egghead
[21]
33 Thugs with Dirty Mugs [15]
34Believe It or Else [22] [23]
35 Dangerous Dan McFoo [17] [15]
36 Detouring America
  • Eskimo, black and half of Native American sequence cut from television airings.
 [24] [25]
37 Land of the Midnight Fun
38Fresh Fish [26]
39Screwball Football
  • Gags involving guns are cut from T.V. airings.
 [27]
40 The Early Worm Gets the Bird 1940
  • In the public domain
 [28]
41 Cross Country Detours
  • This is the longest Warner Bros cartoon to clock around 9:53.
  • The gag of "a close-up of a frog croaking" when the frog shoots itself with a gun and jumps and splashes in the water is cut from television airings.
 [15]
42 The Bear's Tale [29]
43 A Gander at Mother Goose [29]
44 Circus Today [19]
45 A Wild Hare [8]
46Ceiling Hero [30]
47Wacky Wild Life [31]
48 Of Fox and Hounds
49Holiday Highlights
  • DVD: Bugs Bunny's Cupid Capers (bonus feature, unrestored)
  • Blu-Ray: Mr. and Mrs. Smith (bonus feature, restored)
50The Crackpot Quail1941
  • The quail acts and sounds very similar to Bugs Bunny.
  • The raspberry noises the quail and dog make in this cartoon were replaced with whistles instead.
 [32]
51 The Haunted Mouse
  • In black and white.
 [33]
52 Tortoise Beats Hare [34]
53 Hollywood Steps Out
54 Porky's Preview
  • In black and white.
  • Final Porky Pig cartoon directed by Tex Avery.
 [35]
55 The Heckling Hare [8]
56 Aviation Vacation
  • African native sequence cut from television airings.
 [36]
57 All This and Rabbit Stew
  • Part of the Censored Eleven.
  • Final Bugs Bunny cartoon directed by Tex Avery until he started directing Kool Aid ads in the 1960s.
 [37] [38] [39]
58The Bug Parade
  • Final cartoon directed by Tex Avery that he completed by himself.
 [40]
59The Cagey Canary1941 [1] [41]
60 Wabbit Twouble
61Aloha Hooey1942 [1] [39]
62 Crazy Cruise
  • Planned, but completed by Bob Clampett.
  • African native sequence and Japanese vulture sequence cut from television airings.
 [1] [32]

1941: Paramount era

All shorts are in live action and in black and white.

TitleYearNotesRef(s).
Down on the Farm 1941 [42]
In a Pet Shop [43]
In the Zoo [44]

1942–1957: MGM era

#TitleYearNotesDVD & Blu-Ray AvailabilityRef(s).
1 Blitz Wolf 1942
  • Rarely airs on television due to Nazi imagery.
  • First appearance of the Wolf.
 [15] [45]
2 The Early Bird Dood It! [28] [45]
3 Dumb-Hounded 1943 [15]
4 Red Hot Riding Hood [8] [15]
5 Who Killed Who? [46]
6One Ham's Family [47] [45]
7 What's Buzzin' Buzzard [48]
8Screwball Squirrel1944 [27]
9Batty Baseball [17]
10Happy-Go-Nutty
  • Blackface gag is cut from television airings.
 [45] [15]
11Big Heel-Watha
  • Rarely airs on television due to negative stereotypes of Native Americans.
  • It is the only Screwy Squirrel's cartoon to have its alternate name, "(Buck of the Month)".
 [8]
12 The Screwy Truant 1945 [8]
13 The Shooting of Dan McGoo
  • Originally withheld from broadcast during the television restrictions code for its suggestive material.
  • Original print found by Mark Kausler.
 [45]
14 Jerky Turkey
  • In the public domain.
 [17]
15 Swing Shift Cinderella
  • Originally withheld from broadcast during the television restrictions code for its suggestive material.
  • Working title was Red Hot Cindy during production
 [45] [15]
16 Wild and Woolfy
  • Originally withheld from broadcast during the television restrictions code for its suggestive material.
 [45]
17 Lonesome Lenny 1946
18The Hick Chick [8]
19 Northwest Hounded Police [8] [45]
20 Henpecked Hoboes
  • First appearance of the characters George and Junior.
  • Blackface gag is cut from television airings.
 [46]
21Hound Hunters1947
  • Originally titled What Price Fleadom during production, named used for another Avery cartoon the following year.
 [49]
22Red Hot Rangers [46]
23 Uncle Tom's Cabaña
  • Banned from television due to racial stereotypes.
  • LaserDisc: The Compleat Tex Avery
 [46] [50]
24 Slap Happy Lion
  • This cartoon and Smarty Cat from Tom and Jerry swapped the ending which is why the reissue has Tom and Jerry ending instead of the blue MGM ending card.
 [45]
25 King-Size Canary [8]
26What Price Fleadom1948
  • The scene where the dog was about to commit suicide towards the end was cut.
 [45]
27 Little 'Tinker [45]
28Half-Pint Pygmy
  • George and Junior are designed differently in this cartoon.
  • Final appearances of George and Junior.
  • Banned from television due to racial stereotypes.
  • LaserDisc: The Compleat Tex Avery
 [50]
29 Lucky Ducky
  • Blackface gag cut from television airings.
  • LaserDisc: The Compleat Tex Avery
 [50]
30 The Cat That Hated People [8] [51]
31 Bad Luck Blackie 1949
  • Current airings on Cartoon Network, Boomerang and MeTV cut the scene where Butch emerges from the outdoor stove because it resembles a stereotypical Asian face.
 [52]
32 Señor Droopy
  • First cartoon in which the character Droopy is named onscreen.
 [45]
33 The House of Tomorrow [15]
34 Doggone Tired
  • In the public domain
 [46]
35Wags to Riches
  • First appearance of the character Spike/Butch the bulldog (Tex Avery's version).
  • Later got a remake as cinemascope called "Millionaire Droopy".
 [46]
36 Little Rural Riding Hood
  • Originally withheld from broadcast during the television restrictions code for its suggestive material.
  • Last appearance of Red.
 [8]
37 Out-Foxed [46]
38 The Counterfeit Cat [46]
39 Ventriloquist Cat 1950
  • Later got a remake as cinemascope called "Cat's Meow".
 [46]
40The Cuckoo Clock
  • The gag of the cuckoo bird shooting the cat in the head is cut from television airings.
 [53]
41Garden Gopher
  • Blackface gag airs uncut on MeTV.
 [46]
42The Chump Champ
  • Only time where Droopy loses in the end.
 [54]
43The Peachy Cobbler1951
  • Photo backgrounds
44Cock-a-Doodle Dog [45]
45 Daredevil Droopy
  • Blackface gag cut from television airings.
46Droopy's Good Deed
  • Blackface gags and stereotypes cut from television airings.
  • DVD: Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection
 [46]
47 Symphony in Slang [55]
48Car of Tomorrow
  • Cartoon Network and Boomerang cuts two scenes of Indian and Chinese cars.
49 Droopy's Double Trouble
  • First appearance of Droopy's brother Drippy who is stronger than him.
50 Magical Maestro 1952
  • Due to racist stereotypes, future airings removes the scenes of where a cymbal lands on Butch making him look Chinese, and another where ink was sprayed on Butch giving him blackface. Brief scene of cymbal landing on Mysto was also removed.
 [56]
51 One Cab's Family
52Rock-a-Bye Bear
  • Final cartoon directed by Avery before year-long sabbatical.
 [45]
53 Little Johnny Jet 1953
  • First cartoon directed by Avery after return from sabbatical.
 [45]
54 T.V. of Tomorrow
55The Three Little Pups [46]
56Drag-a-Long Droopy1954 [57]
57 Billy Boy [57]
58Homesteader Droopy [46]
59 The Farm of Tomorrow [46] [58]
60The Flea Circus [46]
61 Dixieland Droopy [46]
62Field and Scream1955 [59]
63 The First Bad Man [60]
64Deputy Droopy
  • A semi-remake of 1952's "Rock-a-Bye Bear."
  • Directed by Tex Avery and Michael Lah.
 [45]
65 Cellbound
  • Directed by Tex Avery and Michael Lah.
  • Last MGM cartoon directed by Tex Avery.
 [45] [30]
66Millionaire Droopy1956
  • Cinemascope remake of Wags to Riches (1949) by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera after Avery left.
  • Credits mention « directed by Tex Avery ».
  • DVD: Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection
 [46]
67 Cat's Meow 1957
  • Cinemascope remake of Ventriloquist Cat (1950) by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera after Avery left.
  • Credits mention « directed by Tex Avery ».
 [30]

1954–1955: Universal & Walter Lantz era

#TitleYearNotesAvailabilityRef(s).
1 I'm Cold 1954
  • A Chilly Willy cartoon.
  • First appearance of the character Smedley Dog
 [61]
2 Crazy Mixed Up Pup 1955 [32]
3 The Legend of Rockabye Point [62]
4 Sh-h-h-h-h-h [63] [64]

1979: Hanna-Barbera era

TitleYearNotesRef(s).
Casper's First Christmas 1979Credited as Musical Sequence Director [65]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Adamson, Joe, Tex Avery: King of Cartoons, 1975, Da Capo Press
  2. 1 2 3 Barrier, Michael (1999). Hollywood cartoons : American animation in its golden age. Oxford University Press. pp. 330–331. ISBN   978-0195167290.
  3. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 138.
  4. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 276.
  5. ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 44. ISBN   0-8050-0894-2.
  6. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 259.
  7. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 46.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Tex Avery was the master of bizarre, groundbreaking animation
  9. 1 2 Barrier, Michael (1999). Hollywood cartoons : American animation in its golden age. Oxford University Press. p. 332. ISBN   978-0195167290.
  10. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 95.
  11. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 270.
  12. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 6.
  13. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 102.
  14. ↑ Michael Barrier, J.; Elliott, Duong Van Mai; Barrier, Michael (1999). Hollywood cartoons : American animation in its golden age. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-503759-3.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Grant, John (2006). Animated movies : facts, figures and fun. AAPPL Artists & Photographers Press, Limited. p. 15. ISBN   978-1-904332-52-7.
  16. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 327.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Talking About Tex
  18. ↑ The Censored 11: "The Isle Of Pingo Pongo" (1938)
  19. 1 2 Webb 2011, p. 74.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 1938-39 Merrie Melodies: The People's Choice (Pt. 1)
  21. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 86.
  22. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 39.
  23. ↑ The CENSORED Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Guide: B
  24. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 88.
  25. ↑ The CENSORED Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Guide: D
  26. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 129.
  27. 1 2 Webb 2011, p. 315.
  28. 1 2 Webb 2011, p. 101.
  29. 1 2 Webb 2011, p. 35.
  30. 1 2 3 Webb 2011, p. 68.
  31. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 377.
  32. 1 2 3 Webb 2011, p. 82.
  33. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 152.
  34. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 360.
  35. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 285.
  36. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 26.
  37. ↑ The Censored 11: "All This and Rabbit Stew (1941)"
  38. ↑ Check Out These 1965 Tex Avery Directed Kool-Aid Commercials
  39. 1 2 Webb 2011, p. 17.
  40. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 56.
  41. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 61.
  42. ↑ "Speaking of Animals Down on the Farm". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  43. ↑ "Speaking of Animals in a Pet Shop". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  44. ↑ "Speaking of Animals in the Zoo". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Some Advance Notes on "Tex Avery Screwball Classics" Volume 3
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Lebensold, Peter (December 19, 1970). "TAKE ONE: the film magazine". TAKE ONE. p. 14. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  47. ↑ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. pp. 229–230. ISBN   9781476672939.
  48. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 382.
  49. ↑ "Irv Spence and Rod Scribner, One-Shot Moonlighters |".
  50. 1 2 3 "Compleat Tex Avery, The [ML102681]". Laserdisc Database. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  51. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 67.
  52. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 28.
  53. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 84.
  54. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 73.
  55. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 346.
  56. ↑ The Song Begins…It's Magic!
  57. 1 2 Fitness vs. Fatness (Part 6): I Was a (??)-Pound Weakling
  58. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 110.
  59. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 119.
  60. ↑ Webb 2011, p. 120.
  61. ↑ "I'm Cold". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  62. ↑ "The Legend of Rockabye Point". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  63. ↑ "Sh-h-h-h-h-h". IMDb. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  64. ↑ "The Final Needle Drop: "The Okeh Laughing Record"". Cartoon Research. October 24, 2016. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023.
  65. ↑ Sánchez, Cruz (2014). Tex Avery (in Spanish). Ediciones Cátedra. ISBN   9788437632292.
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