Life Begins for Andy Panda
Encyclopedia
Life Begins for Andy Panda (originally titled Pygmy Trouble) is a 1939 American
short subject cartoon created by Walter Lantz
, as the very first Andy Panda
film.
film Life Begins for Andy Hardy
. The short capitalized on public interest surrounding the United States' first captive panda
, Su Lin, who had been donated to the Brookfield Zoo
in Chicago
three years earlier and whose arrival created a consumer desire for panda-related products. The film was the first Andy Panda film, introducing Andy as a baby. Papa Panda was voiced by Mel Blanc
, Mama Panda by Sara Berner, and Andy Panda by Margaret Hill-Talbot. In Andy Panda's fourth film,Knock Knock
Walter Lantz's more famous character, Woody Woodpecker
, was first introduced
ell Broadcasting Station telling the news that the panda family had their first baby. All of the forest animals rushed to see the new baby. All the animals were excited to see him and shouted to name the cub. Mama Panda made the decision, to named him Andy. The arrival of a skunk caused them all to run away. 6 months later, Papa Panda was talking with Andy about to appreciate Mother Nature
, until Andy looked under a tree with his slingshot and hit an opossum and the opossum stamp on Papa Panda's foot. After Papa opines that Mother Nature has no place to live, Andy starts to cry. While they're talking, they start to leave the forest and enter a barren area. Papa warns Andy about the savage Pygmy hunters that live in the wasteland. Andy runs away from his dad into the wasteland and Papa runs after him and lands in a trap, presumably made by the hunters. The hunters spot Andy and begin to chase him. Finchell announces their plight to the animals and they gather to form a rescue mission. Mr. Whippletree, a turtle, was the first animal to attempt to rescue Andy but he failed because a hunter had his shell. Mama Panda joins the action and fights off some pygmies. A kangaroo
successfully put Andy in his pouch but he was distracted by a pygmy while another one slapped the kangaroo's behind with a plank. The skunk, who had six months earlier scared the animals chases the pygmies away and the animals cheer and Andy is rewarded by Papa. Andy wishes that the events would be put in a Newsreel
and Papa, about to spank him, istead decides to snuggle Andy. As the cartoon ends, Mr. Whippletree the turtle, is seen chasing the pygmy who took his shell.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
short subject cartoon created by Walter Lantz
Walter Lantz
Walter Benjamin Lantz was an American cartoonist, animator, film producer, and director, best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker.-Early years and start in animation:...
, as the very first Andy Panda
Andy Panda
Andy Panda is a cartoon character who starred in his own series of animated cartoon short subjects produced by Walter Lantz. These "cartunes" were released by Universal Pictures from 1939 to 1947 and United Artists from 1948 to 1949. The titular character is an anthropomorphic cartoon character, a...
film.
Background
Rreleased originally as Pygmy Trouble, the film was retitled in parody of the Andy HardyAndy Hardy
Andy Hardy was a fictional character played by Mickey Rooney in an MGM film series from 1937 to 1958. Spanning over 20 years, the 16 movies were based on characters in the play Skidding by Aurania Rouverol....
film Life Begins for Andy Hardy
Life Begins for Andy Hardy
Life Begins for Andy Hardy is the 11th installment of the popular Andy Hardy movies. Directed by George B. Seitz, Life Begins for Andy Hardy was also the last Andy Hardy movie to feature Judy Garland.- Plot :...
. The short capitalized on public interest surrounding the United States' first captive panda
Panda
Panda or Panda bear most often refers to:*Giant panda, an animal in the Bear familyPanda may also refer to:*Red panda, the only living member in the Ailuridae family-In biology:* Species related to the Giant panda...
, Su Lin, who had been donated to the Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
The Brookfield Zoo is zoo located in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield, Illinois. The zoo covers an area of and houses around 450 species of animals....
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
three years earlier and whose arrival created a consumer desire for panda-related products. The film was the first Andy Panda film, introducing Andy as a baby. Papa Panda was voiced by Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
, Mama Panda by Sara Berner, and Andy Panda by Margaret Hill-Talbot. In Andy Panda's fourth film,Knock Knock
Knock Knock (1940 cartoon)
Knock Knock is a 1940 animated short subject, part of the Andy Panda series, produced by Walter Lantz. The cartoon is noted for being the first appearance of Woody Woodpecker, and was released by Universal Pictures on November 25, 1940.-Plot:...
Walter Lantz's more famous character, Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
, was first introduced
Plot synopsis
The story begins with FinchFinch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
ell Broadcasting Station telling the news that the panda family had their first baby. All of the forest animals rushed to see the new baby. All the animals were excited to see him and shouted to name the cub. Mama Panda made the decision, to named him Andy. The arrival of a skunk caused them all to run away. 6 months later, Papa Panda was talking with Andy about to appreciate Mother Nature
Mother Nature
Mother Nature is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the mother. Images of women representing mother earth, and mother nature, are timeless...
, until Andy looked under a tree with his slingshot and hit an opossum and the opossum stamp on Papa Panda's foot. After Papa opines that Mother Nature has no place to live, Andy starts to cry. While they're talking, they start to leave the forest and enter a barren area. Papa warns Andy about the savage Pygmy hunters that live in the wasteland. Andy runs away from his dad into the wasteland and Papa runs after him and lands in a trap, presumably made by the hunters. The hunters spot Andy and begin to chase him. Finchell announces their plight to the animals and they gather to form a rescue mission. Mr. Whippletree, a turtle, was the first animal to attempt to rescue Andy but he failed because a hunter had his shell. Mama Panda joins the action and fights off some pygmies. A kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
successfully put Andy in his pouch but he was distracted by a pygmy while another one slapped the kangaroo's behind with a plank. The skunk, who had six months earlier scared the animals chases the pygmies away and the animals cheer and Andy is rewarded by Papa. Andy wishes that the events would be put in a Newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
and Papa, about to spank him, istead decides to snuggle Andy. As the cartoon ends, Mr. Whippletree the turtle, is seen chasing the pygmy who took his shell.
Style
The animation used in this film when the pygmies were climbing out the rock was used again in Andy Panda Goes Fishing and again in 100 Pygmies and Andy Panda. The Pygmies' design changed from human-like, having yellow grass skirts and light brown skin to ape-like, having orange grass skirts and have darker skin in later cartoons. The cartoon wasn't seen in US television for a number of years due to concerns with the 1939 film's use of inappropriate sterotyping of Blacks through the pygmy's appearance, but it was seen in countries like BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
External links
- Life Begins for Andy Panda at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...