The Weakly Reporter
Encyclopedia
The Weakly Reporter is a Warner Bros.
cartoon released on March 25, 1944. Directed by Chuck Jones
, written by Michael Maltese
, and with music directed by Carl Stalling
, this cartoon is a spoof of sacrifices made by those on the homefront during World War II
.
and shows the Statue of Liberty and the presidents of Mount Rushmore
in wartime garb, such as air raid wardens and civil defense personnel.
The second sequence, to the tune of California, Here I Come
, states that Florida
loves California
"for the duration". Several scenes following, set to the tune of In My Merry Oldsmobile
, deal with the lack of automobile
traffic. One of those scenes shows a policeman chasing someone only to zoom out to show a foot chase. The policeman makes a reference to early race car driver Barney Oldfield
.
To the tune of "Memories", a scene shows a trio of armored car
guards carrying a pound of butter
, while the next scene shows a lady at a butcher shop asking if the butcher
has Porterhouse steak. The butcher replies, "We certainly have, lady" and allows the lady to sniff the beef
, then charges her $1.19 (equal to $ today) for the privilege of sniffing.
The cartoon then switches to a man tossing and turning in bed and, to the tune of "A Cup Of Coffee, A Sandwich And You", discusses the rationing of coffee
, both before and after rationing. The sequence after that deals with hoarding, and to the tune of Yankee Doodle
, says about war bonds, "You can't hoard too many of these!" A scene, to the tune of Oh, You Beautiful Doll
, deals with women regularly visiting beauty salon
s to improve wartime morale, and one lady is shown wearing a welder
's mask as a nod to Rosie the Riveter
.
An armed robbery of a jeweler nets an alarm clock
. Following sequences deal with feminine intrigue as well as women joining the Army and taking jobs vacated by men who have gone off to war. One "feminine intrigue" scene shows a woman with an accent being affectionate to an American man in front of what appears to be a German castle, saying "I can't go back without them. Please! Please!" As the camera zooms out, the castle is actually on a calendar advertising meat in a butcher shop. The butcher says, "Oh, very well. Here, that will be fifty cents" (equal to $ today) as he wraps two ham
steaks up for the woman.
The cartoon closes with scenes dealing with factory workers building ships, planes and guns faster than they had ever been built before, and features a scene where a female repair person empties her tool box and starts a stalled machine (and the entire factory) with a hairpin.
The closing scene shows a formally-dressed man standing with a woman (who is holding a bottle of champagne) at an empty dry dock
, ready to launch a ship. The woman asks the man, "But, where's the boat?" The man replies, "Just start swinging, lady!" As she swings the bottle of champagne, the ship rises out of nowhere, gets struck by the bottle and launches to the tune of Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean. The cartoon fades to a shack marked "Henry J. Kaiser
- Private", and from a nail on the shack's door hung a sign reading "Back in 2 minutes - out to launch".
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
cartoon released on March 25, 1944. Directed by Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
, written by Michael Maltese
Michael Maltese
Michael "Mike" Maltese was a long-time storyboard artist and screenwriter for classic animated cartoon shorts.-Career:...
, and with music directed by Carl Stalling
Carl Stalling
Carl W. Stalling was an American composer and arranger for music in animated films. He is most closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts produced by Warner Bros., where he averaged one complete score each week, for 22 years.-Biography:Stalling was born to Ernest and...
, this cartoon is a spoof of sacrifices made by those on the homefront during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Outline
Its opening sequence is set to My Country, 'Tis Of TheeMy Country, 'Tis of Thee
"My Country, 'Tis of Thee", also known as "America", is an American patriotic song, whose lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith. The melody derived from Muzio Clementi's Symphony No. 3, and is shared with "God Save the Queen," used by many members of the Commonwealth of Nations...
and shows the Statue of Liberty and the presidents of Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
in wartime garb, such as air raid wardens and civil defense personnel.
The second sequence, to the tune of California, Here I Come
California, Here I Come
"California, Here I Come" is a song written for the 1921 Broadway musical Bombo, starring Al Jolson. The song was written by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer, with Jolson often listed as a co-author. Jolson recorded the song in 1924...
, states that Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
loves California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
"for the duration". Several scenes following, set to the tune of In My Merry Oldsmobile
In My Merry Oldsmobile
"In My Merry Oldsmobile" is a popular song from 1905, with music by Gus Edwards and lyrics by Vincent P. Bryan.The song's chorus is one of the most enduring automobile-oriented songs...
, deal with the lack of automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
traffic. One of those scenes shows a policeman chasing someone only to zoom out to show a foot chase. The policeman makes a reference to early race car driver Barney Oldfield
Barney Oldfield
Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
.
To the tune of "Memories", a scene shows a trio of armored car
Armored car (valuables)
A common meaning of armored car is as an armored van or truck, used in transporting valuables, such as large quantities of money . The armored car is a multifunctional vehicle designed to protect and ensure the well being of the transported individuals and/or contents...
guards carrying a pound of butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
, while the next scene shows a lady at a butcher shop asking if the butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
has Porterhouse steak. The butcher replies, "We certainly have, lady" and allows the lady to sniff the beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
, then charges her $1.19 (equal to $ today) for the privilege of sniffing.
The cartoon then switches to a man tossing and turning in bed and, to the tune of "A Cup Of Coffee, A Sandwich And You", discusses the rationing of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, both before and after rationing. The sequence after that deals with hoarding, and to the tune of Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
, says about war bonds, "You can't hoard too many of these!" A scene, to the tune of Oh, You Beautiful Doll
Oh, You Beautiful Doll
"Oh, You Beautiful Doll" is a ragtime love song published in 1911 with words by Seymour Brown and music by Nat D. Ayer. The song was one of the first with a twelve-bar opening. It is well-known by its chorus:*...
, deals with women regularly visiting beauty salon
Beauty salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for men and women...
s to improve wartime morale, and one lady is shown wearing a welder
Welding
Welding is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes...
's mask as a nod to Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military...
.
An armed robbery of a jeweler nets an alarm clock
Alarm clock
An alarm clock is a clock that is designed to make a loud sound at a specific time. The primary use of these clocks is to awaken people from their night's sleep or short naps; they are sometimes used for other reminders as well. To stop the sound, a button or handle on the clock is pressed; but...
. Following sequences deal with feminine intrigue as well as women joining the Army and taking jobs vacated by men who have gone off to war. One "feminine intrigue" scene shows a woman with an accent being affectionate to an American man in front of what appears to be a German castle, saying "I can't go back without them. Please! Please!" As the camera zooms out, the castle is actually on a calendar advertising meat in a butcher shop. The butcher says, "Oh, very well. Here, that will be fifty cents" (equal to $ today) as he wraps two ham
Ham
Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
steaks up for the woman.
The cartoon closes with scenes dealing with factory workers building ships, planes and guns faster than they had ever been built before, and features a scene where a female repair person empties her tool box and starts a stalled machine (and the entire factory) with a hairpin.
The closing scene shows a formally-dressed man standing with a woman (who is holding a bottle of champagne) at an empty dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
, ready to launch a ship. The woman asks the man, "But, where's the boat?" The man replies, "Just start swinging, lady!" As she swings the bottle of champagne, the ship rises out of nowhere, gets struck by the bottle and launches to the tune of Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean. The cartoon fades to a shack marked "Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
- Private", and from a nail on the shack's door hung a sign reading "Back in 2 minutes - out to launch".
Censorship
- When this short aired on Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network (United States)Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
, some of the introductions to the cartoons' gags (which feature Nazis as stick figures) were cut.
Availability
- This cartoon can be found uncut, uncensored, and digitally remastered on the sixth volume of the Looney Tunes Golden CollectionLooney Tunes Golden CollectionThe Looney Tunes Golden Collection was an annual series of six four-disc DVD box sets from Warner Bros.' home video unit Warner Home Video, each containing about 60 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated shorts...
.