Looney Tunes vs. Merrie Melodies

[bcdb]

Hi:

I hope this is not a topic already dicussed at length here... if it is, please let me know...

Anyway, I have always been perplexed as to the differences between LT and MM. I mean, what (besides the title card!) makes a cartoon a LT or MM? Or is it simply a bookkeeping thing?

thanks!

dave

[Jack]

We did talk about it here:
Two Questions (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?threadid=740&highlight=Two+Questions)
a while back, I hope that helps.


Jack :D

[bcdb]

Jack:

That does it... perfect! It seemed to me, from the name MM, that they would be similar to Silly Symphonies- music based cartoons, and I guess they originally were. But that line blurred, and that is where my confusion comes from.

There are a few cartoons I am not sure whether they are LT or MM... should I post them to see if anyone knows which series they are?

dave

[Jack]

I think Dave Mackey's site (http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/index.html) lists what series the cartoons originally belonged to, but if you aren't sure, then post it here.


Jack :D

[bcdb]

Dave's site is GREAT .... but I am looking for the series (if there is one!) on the more obscure or recent releases...

Here is my list:


90 Day Wondering
A Feud with a Dude
A Hitch In Time
Another Froggy Evening
Any Bonds Today?
Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol
Daffy Flies North
Drafty, Isn't It?
Father of the Bird
Fistic Mystic
Freeze Frame
Fright Before Christmas
Hocus Pocus Powwow
Merlin the Magic Mouse
Norman Normal
Orange Blossoms For Violet
Philbert (Three's A Crowd)
Point Rationing of Foods
Portrait Of The Artist as a Young Bunny
Pullet Surprise
Shamrock and Roll
So Much For So Little
Soup or Sonic
Spaced Out Bunny
The Chocolate Chase
The Door
The Yolk's On You


I am not sure if they are even categorized as LT or MM... but since I just found out Carrotblanca was LT, I figure at least some of these might be one or the other... even though some are parts of compilations... maybe they are something.

Thanks!

Dave

[Patrick McCart]

1930 to mid-1933: Looney Tunes are Bosko cartoons that are mostly "plot driven." Merrie Melodies are musical shorts with a song being the center of the cartoon. All are in B&W. Different musical directors work on the two series. Also, LT's are one year older. Merrie Melodies always have a bigger budget than Looney Tunes until the early 1940's.

mid-1933 to 1936: Looney Tunes centered on Beans cartoons in B&W. Merrie Melodies still music-centered and later the only ones in color.

1936-1942: Merrie Melodies are the only ones in color, mostly musicals. Looney Tunes mainly Porky and Daffy cartoons.

1942: The Hep Cat is released. Basically a Merrie Melodie with the Looney Tunes banner and budget.

1942-1943: Only difference now is color or B&W. The 1942/1943 B&W Looney Tunes tend to have very low budgets and mostly one-shots.

1944-1969: Now, just different banners. Book Revue, a musical cartoon is a Looney Tune, while a non-musical cartoon like Old Grey Hare is a Merrie Melodie.

[Jack]

90 Day Wondering - No series destinction

A Feud with a Dude - Merrie Melodie

A Hitch In Time - No series destinction

Another Froggy Evening - Looney Tune

Any Bonds Today? - No series destinction

Drafty, Isn't It? - No series destinction

Father of the Bird - Looney Tune

Fistic Mystic - Looney Tune

Hocus Pocus Powwow - Looney Tune

Merlin the Magic Mouse - Merrie Melodie

Norman Normal - "Cartoon Special"

Orange Blossoms For Violet - No series destinction

Philbert (Three's A Crowd) -TV show pilot, no series destinction

Point Rationing of Foods - No series destinction

Pullet Surprise - Looney Tune

Shamrock and Roll - Merrie Melodie

So Much For So Little - No series destinction

The Door - Merrie Melodie

The information comes from Dave's site, seeing a few of these, Jerry Beck's book, and other people.

The made for TV shorts (Like "Daffy Flies North") were originally part of TV specials, only later were they given opening titles and a series destinction, I believe.

jack :D

[Matthew Hunter]

The TV cartoons are weird about that. Some, like "Daffy Flies North" and "Soup or Sonic" have been given titles, that is, there is a "Merrie Melodies" card tacked on. Others retain a title card from their sndication when they were lifted from the specials (apparently CBS) that is red with white letters and a little music clip that was used on the 1970's LT shows.
-Matthew

[bcdb]

OK, Soup or Sonic came out (first) as part of Bugs Bunny's Busting Out All Over ... but then, when released afterwards, it was made a MM? Are the other cartoons (Portrait Of The Artist as a Young Bunny and Spaced Out Bunny ) from Bugs Bunny's Busting Out All Over also considered MM?

dave

Sorry if I am being AR about this, just want to make sure I get it right!

[Thad Komorowski]

All of those TV WB cartoons have a new Merrie Melodies opening title and the original MM closing tacked onto the shorts, so I'm presuming this was the series these cartoons were released under.


-Thad