Gerry Chiniquy's WB cartoons

[BugsandTweety]

Gerry Chiniquy was a primary director at DePatie-Freleng, and the Inspector cartoons are evidently his best work. He directed more of those than anyone else and his were arguably the best of the series.

But with Warner Bros. the cartoons he directed were near the end of the main studio run. Production value was low, but were his two cartoons, "Dumb Patrol" and "Hawaiian Aye Aye",
of a reasonably high calibre story-wise?

I'm of the opinion that "Dumb Patrol" is the most disappointing original Bugs-Sam cartoon in that series. Animation is poorer than most cartoons of the period and the gags are exceedingly lame (a big 'B' in the flowers, indeed!). "Hawaiian Aye Aye" has moments, especially with Sylvester and Sharkey, but Sharkey is really a variant on the bulldog, and we've seen that conflict many times already. It's so similar to "Sandy Claws" as to invite direct comparison and of course fall abysmally short. To my mind, it's the poorest Sylvester-Tweety in that series except for the cheaters like "Tweet Dreams" and "Trip For Tat".

IMHO, Ted Bonnicksen did a much more effective job directing in McKimson's stead ("Fast Buck Duck").
Where Jones' stand-in directors are concerned, that's subject for a whole other thread. Gerry Chiniquy's best cartoons, in my estimation, were definitely with DePatie-Freleng.

[Sogturtle]

Taking it on the Chiniquy... (ouch!)

Chiniquy was by all accounts a very fine animator. His two theatricals at Warners are purely substitutions for Friz (busy at work on other projects and packing his bags). As such, his being a neophyte causes me to cut him a fair amount of slack on these... Personally I prefer Bob McKimson's handful of Inspectors (but hey that's just me).

[all41]

BugsandTweety

I am a huge fan of the Inspector and have collected "almost" all of his shorts. I am looking to complete my collection. If you are at all interested in a trade, let me know.

If you have anymore information on The Inspector cartoons, I'd love to hear about it.

[Matthew Hunter]

I've seen one or two "Inspector" cartoons, and they were quite good. But in terms of the two WB cartoons you mentioned, I'll have to agree. "Dumb Patrol" isn't very good (in fact, Chuck Jones' Bugs films of this period seem to be the only good ones). "Hawaiian Aye Aye", I think, is just fine. It's not the best of the Tweety and Sylvester films, but Sylvester and Tweety did do worse, like the "cheater" cartoons you mentioned. "Aye Aye" is better than alot of the stuff WB was doing at the time.
-Matthew

[Sogturtle]

Originally posted by all41
BugsandTweety

I am a huge fan of the Inspector and have collected "almost" all of his shorts. I am looking to complete my collection. If you are at all interested in a trade, let me know.

If you have anymore information on The Inspector cartoons, I'd love to hear about it.

The Inspector cartoons were ALMOST all directed by Gerry Chiniquy. The premiere cartoon was by none other than... Friz Freleng himself, evidently as a model for Chiniquy to follow! (Friz had directed almost the entire first year of Pink Panther shorts before turning those over to Hawley Pratt.) Former Bullwinkle director George Singer did a couple of Inspectors (as memory serves) while doing some other work for Friz. Bob McKimson (as mentioned before) pitched in and did a few just after the DePatie-Freleng/Warner Bros. contract ended (1967). I would have loved to have seen the series continue a little while and thus been able to see Art Davis have a chance at the Inspector and Deaux Deaux... The ownership of the Panthers was complicated, with the Inspectors being along the same lines...

Gerry Chiniquy and Art Davis both figured prominently as directors in the subsequent, sublimely silly "Ant and Aardvark" theatricals. (Hawley Pratt directed a few of those, with a couple by some other old friends of ours... ;)).

[J Lee]

Friz also directed the first Ant and Aardvark cartoon as well as doing the pilot for The Inspector series. IIRC, "The Ant and Aardvark" cartoon (the subway gag showed Friz still had it) was Freleng's last theatrical short, though he got credit later for those WB compilation films of the early 1980s...

[Sogturtle]

Originally posted by J Lee
Friz also directed the first Ant and Aardvark cartoon as well as doing the pilot for The Inspector series. IIRC, "The Ant and Aardvark" cartoon (the subway gag showed Friz still had it) was Freleng's last theatrical short, though he got credit later for those WB compilation films of the early 1980s...

Very correct John... Freleng's entry is very fine and funny. The other "old friend" I referred to on the Ant & Aardvark toons was one Mr. George Gordon , late of MGM and indie Hugh Harman, and John Sutherland...

[J Lee]

Another director who worked on the late 60s-early 70s D-FEs, was Irv Spector, who did an earlier stint with the studio and received credit for directing the Friz-scripted "Corn on the Cop" and in-between worked with Jones and Tashlin on "The Bear That Wasn't" (and to connect it to another thread going on right now, Spector was also the story man on the infamous "Winner By A Hare" that Nelson is having the privlege of watching tonight, complete with suicide scene. Actual direction of that one was by Myron Waldman. Too bad he didn't use that same type of ending on Pudgy 15 years earlier ;) ).

[Sogturtle]

Originally posted by J Lee
Another director who worked on the late 60s-early 70s D-FEs, was Irv Spector, who did an earlier stint with the studio and received credit for directing the Friz-scripted "Corn on the Cop" and in-between worked with Jones and Tashlin on "The Bear That Wasn't" (and to connect it to another thread going on right now, Spector was also the story man on the infamous "Winner By A Hare" that Nelson is having the privlege of watching tonight, complete with suicide scene. Actual direction of that one was by Myron Waldman. Too bad he didn't use that same type of ending on Pudgy 15 years earlier ;) ).

Yeah John too bad about Pudgy ;) ;)

After the way "Corn On The Cop" turned out Friz never trusted Spector to direct another theatrical for him!!! Spector also worked for Jones on some other MGM stuff, and for Friz on other TV work, and theatrical story work (as I recollect). They learned that as talented as he was as a storyman that a director he wasn't... (new title for Tashlin "The Director That Wasn't" :D :D )

[Matt Yorston]

Of those cartoons I have seen directed by Chiniquy, I like the following the best...

Napoleon Blown-Aparte
Crow De Guerre
Put Put Pink
Pink Pest Control
Pierre and Cottage Cheese
Hasty but Tasty
Think Before You Pink

BTW, Sogturtle, you're right. George Singer did direct a few Inspectors (He only directed 5; "The Pique Poquette of Paris", "Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!", "That's No Lady - That's Notre Dame", "Unsafe and Seine", and "Le Cop on Le Rocks")). Ironically, he directed more than McKimson did (four for him).

Incidentally, regarding the story work on Chiniquy's WB cartoons, "Dumb Patrol" was written by John Dunn (as expected; he's virtually the only writer from this period) but "Hawaiian Aye Aye" was co-written by famous long-time storyman Tedd Pierce and the not-quite-as-famous Bill Danch. In fact, this may have been Pierce's final storywork ever.

Incidentally, though, Friz Freleng is the main director for the premiere Inspector cartoon ("The Great DeGaulle Stone Operation"), Chiniquy is indeed credited as "co-director" in the opening credits (Much like Hawley Pratt is credited as "co-director" on the Freleng directed Panther cartoons).

[Sogturtle]

Matt Yorston~

I didn't go back through my DePatie-Freleng filmography and count the Singer and McKimson Inspector cartoons (me bad Turtle). But your count sounds right.

And you're on the money on Tedd Pierce... Doubt he wanted the lone Tom and Jerry to be put down as his last theatrical cartoon...

The reason why Hawley Pratt was credited as co-director on the cartoons, was that he was helping Friz do the animation layouts. Almost certainly Gerry Chiniquy did the same job on the lone Freleng Inspector toon. This supposed "co-director" work provided ideal on-the-job training for Pratt and Chiniquy under one of the all-time great directors (a job I would've killed for!!)

[BugsandTweety]

All41,

The only Inspectors I have are the ones officially released to video by MGM/UA and they're all copyguarded. Sorry. We'll have to wait until a DVD transfer of the cartoons is possible. It'll have to hurry as my two Inspector tapes are showing lots of dropouts.

About the Inspectors, one thing that I've always wondered about is why Deux-Deux disappeared part way through the series and only reappeared in one later cartoon, "La Feet's Defeat" with a much different voice and personality. Guess they thought solo Inspector cartoons would be funnier.
Though a few of them are particularly enjoyable ("Canadian Can Can" is a hoot, "Le Cop On the Rocks" is hilarious, and "Le Quiet Squad" has some great Commissioner-Inspector gags), I much prefer the ones with Deux-Deux. "Napoleon Blown-Aparte",
"Reaux, Reaux, Reaux Your Boat", "Sicque! Sicque! Sicque!", "Le Picque Paquette of Paris", "Bomb Voyage", "Sacre Bleu Cross" and "Ape Suzette"
are favorites.

The Ant and Aardvark cartoons are great too. Pity they only made half as many as they did Inspectors.

[all41]

BugsandTweety

Just thought I'd ask. Don't run across very many Inspector fans. I also have those 2 tapes (only ones released and with only 5 shorts apiece) plus some that have been shown on TV. I'm a huge Inspector fan.

I think you are absolutely correct about Deux Deux. The shorts with him are much better than the Inspector alone. "See? Don't say Si, Say Oui"

I'm not holding my breath for DVD's. Good toons seem few and far between on DVD, as a general rule.

Since you mentioned the Ant/Aardvark, do you have the only tape released with them? I believe they had only one VHS tape, more's the pity for that.

[BugsandTweety]

The Ant and the Aardvark tape comes up for auction at eBay quite often but I've passed on it. The tape would now be nearly 15 years old and there's no telling what condition a tape that old would be in. Not everyone is as diligent in caring for their tapes as some of us.

MGM may be persuaded to release some DVDs of the DePatie-Freleng cartoons. They must soon be running low on United Artists feature films to release.

[Jack]

Originally posted by BugsandTweety
The Ant and the Aardvark tape comes up for auction at eBay quite often but I've passed on it. The tape would now be nearly 15 years old and there's no telling what condition a tape that old would be in. Not everyone is as diligent in caring for their tapes as some of us.

MGM may be persuaded to release some DVDs of the DePatie-Freleng cartoons. They must soon be running low on United Artists feature films to release.
It was mentioned at the Anigen board that MGM is up for sale. Maybe WB will buy it and put the D-F cartoons on Cartoon Network again...



Jack :D

[Greg Method]

I understand MGM's pricetag is seven million. That's a little less than what Warner bought Turner for...

[Sogturtle]

Originally posted by Greg Method
I understand MGM's pricetag is seven million. That's a little less than what Warner bought Turner for...


The price being bandied about is $7 Billion, but that is about $1.5 to $2 Billion more than the combined MGM and UA were worth before these latest rumors. They've actually had several successful films of late (miracle of miracles), but their only films of continuing "francise" worth are the James Bond and Pink Panther features. The much ballyhooed "film library" is the remnants of the old UA library, combined with other acquistions.

For reasons unknown, analysts NEVER EVER factor in the significant market value of the DePatie-Freleng cartoons which are substantially 50% owned by MGM (the successor to UA). The corporation is aware of them though, for when Friz died they took out large trade ads showing the Pink Panther mourning over Friz's now vacant drawing board... The DFE films truly belong back beside the Warner and MGM toons (having shared directors Freleng, McKimson, Davis (plus Chiniquy, Pratt, Sid Marcus, and George Gordon).

The various analysts are being quick to point out the only likely purchasers/merger partners for MGM would be (in no real order), Disney, Viacom, orrrrrrr... AOL-Time-Warner (YES!! , then dump the stupid "AOL" out and make it "Warner Bros-MGM-UA "!!!). The only other real candidates for absorbing the old lion would be a cable company like Comcast...

To amusingly complicate matters, Kirk Kerkorian (81% owner of MGM) is now claiming that he doesn't WANT CASH... He wants to swap all his MGM stock for stock in the "rival group". Further claims he wouldn't want a management role (uh-huh). Now let us think about this... Ted Turner, Kirk Kerkorian, Steve Case, and the widow of Stephen Ross as the prime HUMAN owners of Warner Bros-MGM-UA ". Think there might be a little contest of wills?? Hmmmmm at that rate what might we innocent cartoon lovers-historians get?? :eek: :yawn: ;)

[Greg Method]

<< The price being bandied about is $7 Billion >>

Ah, that sounds a little more believeable. Apparently the news source I read didn't know the difference in demoninations. :bosko:

[J Lee]

Why wouldn't Kirk want cash? Well, at 84-years-old you can't take it with you, but your much-younger wife can, per this exerpt (from one of her ex-high school classmates via National Review's website):

Lisa Bonder — Lisa Bonder Kerkorian, actually — has split from her husband, Kirk Kerkorian, the mogul and billionaire (not to be confused with Jack Kevorkian, Dr. Death — who’s also from Michigan, like Lisa). Kerkorian is 84, Lisa is 36 (just by the by). Lisa is asking for $320,000 a month to raise their three-year-old daughter. She says she needs (for the tot alone) $144,000 in travel, $14,000 for parties, $7,000 for charities, $4,300 for food, $5,900 for eating out (this is a three-year-old), $2,500 for movies, $1,400 for laundry and cleaning, $1,000 for toys, videos, and books, and $436 for pet care (including the care of a bunny, whom reports did not name). Those figures are per month, bear in mind.

If Kirk sells MGM for cash, then Lisa, their daughter and I'm assuming the pet bunny would get half. The diving up of the stock in a swap might be a little different.

Unfortunately, other than access to the UA library for TNT and Turner Classic Movies, AOL Time Warner really doesn't get a heck of a lot out of buying MGM, and they already have flims coming out under two different banners -- Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. It would be nice if they could at least scrape up the $$$ to buy the cartoon rights, but I'm guessing Kirk won't part with only part of the MGM properties, and the three-year-old and the pet bunny probably don't have voting rights yet to join with Ms. Bonder-Kerkorian in outmanuerving her soon-to-be-ex on any possible sale of the studio.

[BugsandTweety]

Whoa! If Warner gains the rights to the D-F cartoons, we'll NEVER see them on DVD. At least with MGM, there's a chance of seeing additional DVDs to the one Pink Panther disc already released. MGM believes in putting catalog titles on DVD. Warner, with some rare exceptions, does not. I couldn't care less if the D-F cartoons were on CN, unless they could be recorded on DVD-R of long shelf life- and even that is overlooking the CN logos.

I for one hope that Warner doesn't buy MGM, but as Warner already owns the entire pre-1980 MGM-proper catalog, I guess the writing is on the proverbial wall.

[Sogturtle]

Mine is really a case of wishful thinking... Does "the conglomerate" want to cough up $7 Billion worth of stock to swap to Kirk??? Turner would likely fight it 'cause it'd dilute his holdings in the company. Same might be true for Stephen Ross's widow... Iffffff A-T-W did buy it then they might combine it with New Line and put Ted in charge of it to get rid of him from the general company... Or maybe Ted would like to sell his stock and buy MGM back personally... :cool: Turner permanently out of Warners, presiding over the paper company that is MGM (and UA)... :) ;) :cool:

Whether Disney or Viacom would really want the old lion might be questionable as well. MGM and Kerkorian have also talked to "Sony Pictures" (Columbia)... Hmmmm a merger of MGM (and UA) with Columbia would be enough to make Louis B. Mayer and both Schenck (Nicholas & Joseph) brothers, and Marcus Loew throw up in their graves!!! The "Tiffany of the movie studios" merging with "Poverty Row"!!!

Time will tell...

[Howard Fein]

What always puzzled me is that Gerry Chiniquy was a credited animator for Freleng's unit all through the forties in tandem with Ken Champin, Manny Perez, and Virgil Ross. Then he disappeared from Warners' until 1955 (apparently when the studio re-opened), after which he was teamed with Art Davis and Ross until 1961, thereafter with Lee Halpern, Art Leonardi and Bob Matz. From 1950 to 1955, animators on virtually every Freleng short were Champin, Davis, Perez and Ross, with occasional inroads from Ted Bonnicksen and Emery Hawkins.

So where was Chiniquy for the first half of the fifties? :confused: Was he at a different studio? Apparently he made a good enough impression during his second tenure to become a full director on two of the last pre-DFE releases in 1964.

After WB closed down the second time, he briefly worked on H-B's theatrical Yogi Bear feature along with other Warner staffers. (Ken Harris is a credited animator on that pic along with Chiniquy.) When UA began DFE, Chiniquy became director on many of its series, as many of you have noted. Many former WB animators worked on DFE theatricals well into the seventies: Warren Batchelder, Bonnicksen, Bob Bransford, Herman Cohen, Manny Gould, George Grandpre, Leonardi, Matz, Norm McCabe, Perez and Don Williams.

For that matter, I don't recall seeing Champin getting animation or direction credit after 1955 at any studio. Perhaps he passed away soon after the fifties layoff? Davis had an illustrious post-WB career at DFE, H-B and Lantz; Ross animated for all those studios, as well as Filmation and R-S, well into the eighties.

Phil Monroe is another animator who took a long hiatus from the studio. He last animated for Jones in 1952 and then reappeared in 1963 to co-direct WOOLEN UNDER WHERE with Jones animator Richard Thompson. Monroe became a co-director and supervising animator for many of the 1970s-80s Jones anthologies and retrospectives made both for TV and theatres. I seem to recall seeing Monroe credited as animator for several fifties' UPA theatricals.

[Matt Yorston]

Howard ---

To answer your question regarding Chiniquy's 1950's disappearance, Greg Duffell once noted (at alt.animation.warner-bros) that Chiniquy left WB in the early 1950's (as you mentioned) to go into another line of work entirely. As to what that new line of work was, I have no idea but it should give you an idea as to why he isn't credited on any 1951-54 cartoon ("By Word of Mouse" is his first animation credit after his hiatus).

As for Champin's disapperance ("Pests for Guests" is his last animation credit), I have NO idea as to what he did for a living after his disappearance. You're right, he isn't credited on any other theatrical cartoon from that point onward (although he does receive animation credit on Chuck Jones' 1980 TV special, "Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over"). He did NOT die after the 1950's layoff; in fact, he didn't die until 1989... quite a bit after, obviously.

I hope I could help you out as best I could. It is worth wondering why Freleng didn't bother to re-hire Champin as an animator at DFE.

[Howard Fein]

[
"As for Champin's disapperance ("Pests for Guests" is his last animation credit), I have NO idea as to what he did for a living after his disappearance. You're right, he isn't credited on any other theatrical cartoon from that point onward (although he does receive animation credit on Chuck Jones' 1980 TV special, "Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over"). He did NOT die after the 1950's layoff; in fact, he didn't die until 1989... quite a bit after, obviously."

I think that might be JIM Champin credited for "Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over". This name appeared a lot in the credits as 'film editor' in the CBS prime-time clip specials made from 1977 through 1983. However, "Bustin' Out" was three entirely NEW made-for-TV shorts, including the reviled SPACED OUT BUNNY. So Jim Champin must have been involved only in made-for-TV footage, whether it be linking animation in the clip specials or all-original material.

I'll have to check Jerry Beck's book to make entirely sure. It gives credits not only for the theatricals but all the TV shows as well.

Seems like Phil De Lara and Basil Davidovitch haven't been heard from since their WB tenures ended in the McKimson and Davis units, either.

[Matt Yorston]

Nope, that's Ken Champin credited for that 1980 TV special (under the "master animators" credit). In fact, under the "film editor" credit, Jim Champin isn't even mentioned. Instead, a man named Rich Harrison is credited as "film editor" for the special. As you said, all the animation was new while Jim Champin was mainly the "link" editor on those other TV specials.

As for DeLara and Davidovich, Phil DeLara eventually became an accomplished comic book artist (for both Warners and DISNEY comics!). Davidovich eventually became a layout artist for the Disney studio (his name is credited on "The Story of Anyburg, U.S.A.", "Goliath II", "Aquamania", and a few animated features, among them The Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood).

[Sogturtle]

Howard Fein and Matt Yorston~

Jim Champin is Ken Champin's son. And Jim did work as film editor (as I recall he sported a very large dark beard at the time). Somewhere amongst my hard-copy files is the evidence of where Ken Champin was though in the missing period...

Warner's did employ Phil Monroe and others (like Champin) making nothing but commercials... And yes Phil did work for a brief while for UPA in the Fifties, but he also worked for John Sutherland then too. He and (moonlighting) Art Davis plus Bill Littlejohn animated on John David Wilson's "Petrouchka" (which was allegedly the first animated TV special).

Note... And a OOOOOPS!!!! So I edited out what I believe was an error on my part about Ken Champin. Sorry if I created confusion :o :o :o :confused: