Dixieland Droopy
Encyclopedia
Dixieland Droopy is a 1954 animated short subject
in the Droopy series, directed by Tex Avery
and produced by Fred Quimby
for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
. Dixieland Droopy was produced simultaneously in the Academy ratio
and in Cinemascope
as well.
) tells the story of a Dixieland
-music loving dog named John Irving Pettybone (Droopy, voice of Bill Thompson
). Pettybone's one love is listening to a record of Dixieland jazz, specifically "Tiger Rag
", and pretending to conduct the music. Unfortunately, the manager of the dump where Pettybone lives is not a fan of Dixieland, and he evicts the hapless dog from the dump. Pettybone travels to several locations (a cafe, an organ grinder, an ice cream
truck, a merry go round
) in an attempt to play his music, but is thrown out each time. Pettybone is heartbroken when his LP
is accidentally smashed, but his luck changes when he picks up a group of flea
s, "Pee Wee Runt and his All-Flea Dixieland Band." He is chased by the owner of a flea circus
into a theatrical agent's office, who mistakenly believes that Pettybone is making the music himself. Pettybone becomes famous as "John Pettybone, Dog of Mystery", and realizes his dream of playing the Hollywood Bowl
. As the cartoon concludes with a close up of the flea circus band, the narrator states that no one ever discovered the secret to Pettybone's music cause only Pee Wee Runt knew and would never tell as he, the trumpeter, reveals "for you see, he, that flea, Pee Wee, is me! See?"
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
in the Droopy series, directed by Tex Avery
Tex Avery
Frederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
and produced by Fred Quimby
Fred Quimby
Frederick C. "Fred" Quimby was an American cartoon producer, best known as a producer of Tom and Jerry cartoons, for which he won seven Academy Awards...
for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. Dixieland Droopy was produced simultaneously in the Academy ratio
Academy ratio
The Academy ratio of 1.375:1 is an aspect ratio of a frame of 35mm film when used with 4-perf pulldown. It was standardized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as the standard film aspect ratio in 1932, although similar-sized ratios were used as early as 1928.The Academy ratio is...
and in Cinemascope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
as well.
Plot summary
An unseen narrator (John BrownJohn Brown
John Brown may refer to:* John Brown , American who led an anti-slavery revolt in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859* John Brown , Scottish physician who taught that disease was caused by either excessive or inadequate stimulationJohn Brown may also refer to:- American :* John Y. Brown, Sr. , U.S...
) tells the story of a Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
-music loving dog named John Irving Pettybone (Droopy, voice of Bill Thompson
Bill Thompson (voice actor)
Bill Thompson was an American radio actor and voice actor whose career stretched from the 1930s until his death.-Early career:...
). Pettybone's one love is listening to a record of Dixieland jazz, specifically "Tiger Rag
Tiger Rag
"Tiger Rag" is a jazz standard, originally recorded and copyrighted by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in 1917. It is one of the most recorded jazz compositions of all time.-Origins:...
", and pretending to conduct the music. Unfortunately, the manager of the dump where Pettybone lives is not a fan of Dixieland, and he evicts the hapless dog from the dump. Pettybone travels to several locations (a cafe, an organ grinder, an ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
truck, a merry go round
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
) in an attempt to play his music, but is thrown out each time. Pettybone is heartbroken when his LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
is accidentally smashed, but his luck changes when he picks up a group of flea
Flea
Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood...
s, "Pee Wee Runt and his All-Flea Dixieland Band." He is chased by the owner of a flea circus
Flea circus
A flea circus refers to a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas are attached to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing...
into a theatrical agent's office, who mistakenly believes that Pettybone is making the music himself. Pettybone becomes famous as "John Pettybone, Dog of Mystery", and realizes his dream of playing the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
. As the cartoon concludes with a close up of the flea circus band, the narrator states that no one ever discovered the secret to Pettybone's music cause only Pee Wee Runt knew and would never tell as he, the trumpeter, reveals "for you see, he, that flea, Pee Wee, is me! See?"
External links
- Dixieland Droopy at the Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....