Chuck Jones and Space

[comicfan]

On the heels of my Jones/Col. Shuffle question, I had another thought:
Did Jones ever express an interest in outer space/science fiction? His cartoons would seem to reflect this, as he directed most of the Warner space toons: "Duck Dodgers", "Rocket Squad", the Bugs/Marvin the Martian series, partial credit on "Martain Through Georgia", etc. [Did Jones direct that one with the little baby Martian named Yob? I can't recall the title] Did any other LT directors do cartoons with sci-fi/space themes? The only one that immediatly springs to mind is Freleng's "Lighter Than Hare" [w/ "Yosemite Sam of Outer Space"].

[Cartoon King]

Originally posted by comicfan
On the heels of my Jones/Col. Shuffle question, I had another thought:
Did Jones ever express an interest in outer space/science fiction? His cartoons would seem to reflect this, as he directed most of the Warner space toons: "Duck Dodgers", "Rocket Squad", the Bugs/Marvin the Martian series, partial credit on "Martain Through Georgia", etc. [Did Jones direct that one with the little baby Martian named Yob? I can't recall the title] Did any other LT directors do cartoons with sci-fi/space themes? The only one that immediatly springs to mind is Freleng's "Lighter Than Hare" [w/ "Yosemite Sam of Outer Space"].

The cartoon Jumpin' Jupiter with Porky and Sylvester comes to mind. I believe the title you are searching for is Rocket Bye Baby.
Unfortunately, it's been awhile since I've seen either, so I don't recall the directors right off.


Well, I may not have made it to Chattanooga, but I sure did get a bumpered crop!

[Jack]

"Jumpin' Jupiter" and "Rocket Bye Baby" were both Jones cartoons.



Jack

[PorkyandDaffy]

It also seems that Friz Freleng liked Western cartoons a lot.

[Jack]

And McKimson liked Australia....

[J Lee]

Westers were big stuff back in the 1930s through the early 1960s, so Freleng Jones, Clampett and Avery all did their fair share of them. But Jones was really the only director with much of an interest in space as a setting, instead of just as a gag (Tex and Friz sending their characters to the moon in "The Cat That Hated People," "Billy Boy" and "The Lion's Busy").

Friz' closest visits to space were with the drunken stork at headquarters in the clouds and 'Yosemite Sam of Outer Space!' (who was never seen in outer space) in "Lighter than Hare." Avery -- well, I guess you could count the gay Buck Rogers in "Believe It Or Else" as Tex's journey into the unknown...