The Use of "Acme"

[Pilmedium]

Why did the classic WB studio use Acme products in cartoons so frequently? In the Roadrunner/Coyote series, it was surprising for me to see any other name. Even outside of that, Acme was listed in many products. Of course, no one now knows how it started, but it's worth a try.

[Thad Komorowski]

You know, there's still Acme companies around today. I saw on a gas tank once: "Made by the Acme Co. in Ohio, USA" Weird, isn't it?


-Thad

[Matt Yorston]

"Acme" is actually a word in the English language. Its definition basically means, "the highest point of something; the best of its kind". Of course, the coyote's products are in no way the "Acme" of their kind so they probably used it as a company name to get a bit of ironic wit in there. Same for the other non-Road Runner WB cartoons.

I myself didn't understand what the heck Acme meant until much later. I once found a pair of Acme Gloves and I was like, "HEY! These were made by Acme!"

[Pilmedium]

There is also an Acme supermarket in some areas, and there was a bankrupt company called "Acme Metals".

[J Lee]

Also, Acme Brick is the official brick of the Dallas Cowboys (no really!).

This could go a long way towards explaining their play in recent seasons. ;)

[Matthew Hunter]

I think someone went and traced the first use of Acme in a Warner cartoon and found that the Hardaway/Dalton team introduced it, and the first use of it was in Hardaway's "Count Me Out" starring Egghead. (It's the name of the boxing school). I always thought it interesting that Wile E. Coyote would occasionally switch brands...I've seen him try 'Ace" and "Ajax" and "Little Giant" before...to no avail.
-Matthew

[J Lee]

Apparently there were two earlier uses of Acme in Warner's cartoons -- by Bob Clampett in 1938's "Porky's Poppa," and by Jack King in 1935's "Buddy's Bug Hunt."

This at least gives King credit for introducing something besides Lulu the ostrich to Warner Bros. cartoons (and if Walt could see into the future, might explain why he tabbed King to head up the Donald Duck series, since if couldn't have been based on the body of his work at the Schlesinger studio).

[Thad Komorowski]

There's a few non-WB cartoons that use Acme:


---The Pink Panther and Ant & Aardvark cartoons use the company alot


---"Sky Scrappers" (Herman & Katnip/Paramount): The name of the company that tears down Herman's cousins' previous place of residence was Acme Construction Company


---"Private Eye Pooch" (Woody Woodpecker/Lantz): Woody and Strongnose (the dog that's chasing Woody for his taxidermist master) run through a series of doors by the Acme Door Factory.


-Thad

[Pilmedium]

I know MGM used Ajax (in the Tom and Jerry cartoon "Trap Happy"), but did they ever use Acme?

I'll guess "no", even though I really have no idea. I often don't remember information like that from cartoons.

[hiphats]

Acme is also used a lot in commercials for Geico Insurance. Ajax was used also, I think, in Disney's "Lonesome Ghosts" (it has since become a trademark of Colgate/Palmolive).