The Woods Are Full Of Cuckoos
Encyclopedia
The Woods Are Full Of Cuckoos is a Merrie Melodie cartoon directed by Frank Tashlin
, and released in December 1937. Author and critic Alexander Woollcott
is parodied as Owl Kott in the cartoon, a parody that Tashlin would revisit the next year as well in Have You Got Any Castles?
.
caricature called "Ben Birdie", feuding with "Walter Finchell" (which the same spoof was used in the cartoon "The Coo-Coo-Nut Groove", which was released the previous year; Walter Winchell
had a well-publicized feud with Bernie at the time).
Afterwards is "Milton Squirrel" (Milton Berle
, emcee of Gillette Community Sing) introducing "Wendell Howl" (Wendell Hall
) and an audience trying to figure out which page to go to in their songbooks, which results in Wendell getting pelted by the audience's songbooks. Then, "Billy Goat and "Ernie Bear" (Billy Jones and Ernie Hare) and everyone else sings a song which the words are:
The Woods are full of cuckoos,
Cuckoos, cuckoos,
The Woods are full of cuckoos
and my heart is full of love.
During the song, a fox (a caricature of Fred Allen
) called "Mr. Allen" is told that he's singing "Swanee River" instead of the actual song. Then the song is sung by "Eddie Gander" (Eddie Cantor
), "Sophie Turkey" (Sophie Tucker
), "W.C. Fieldmouse" (Fields), "Dick Fowl" (Dick Powell
), "Fats Swallow" (Waller
), "Deanna Terrapin" (Deanna Durbin
), "Irvin S. Frog" (Irvin S. Cobb
), "Fred McFurry" (Fred MacMurray
), "Bing Crowsby" (Crosby
), "Al Goatson" (Jolson
), "Ruby Squealer" (Ruby Keeler
, Jolson's wife at the time), and "Lanny Hoss" (Lanny Ross
). Then "Grace Moose" (Grace Moore
) and "Lily Swans" (Lily Pons
) sing notes, each note higher than the other. Then, more spoofs are made, including Raven McQuandry (Haven McQuarrie, emcee of Do You Want To Be An Actor?), Joe Penguin (Joe Penner
), Tizzie Fish {"Tizzie Lish", a character on Al Pearce
's radio show}, Jack Bunny (Benny
), Mary Livingstone
, and Andy Devine
(a regular on Benny's radio program). Then Owlcott finishes the cartoon saying "All is well, all is well, all is well..."
Frank Tashlin
Frank Tashlin, born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, also known as Tish Tash or Frank Tash was an American animator, screenwriter, and film director.-Animator:...
, and released in December 1937. Author and critic Alexander Woollcott
Alexander Woollcott
Alexander Humphreys Woollcott was an American critic and commentator for The New Yorker magazine and a member of the Algonquin Round Table....
is parodied as Owl Kott in the cartoon, a parody that Tashlin would revisit the next year as well in Have You Got Any Castles?
Have You Got Any Castles?
Have You Got Any Castles? is a seven minute animated short film that premiered in theaters on June 25, 1938. It was a part of the Merrie Melodies series produced by Leon Schlesinger, and distributed by Vitaphone...
.
Plot
The cartoon starts with an owl named "Owlcott" (satirizing Woolcott's "Town Crier" radio program) starting with a report. This is followed by a Ben BernieBen Bernie
Ben Bernie , born Bernard Anzelevitz, was an American jazz violinist and radio personality, often introduced as The Old Maestro. He was noted for his showmanship and memorable bits of snappy dialogue....
caricature called "Ben Birdie", feuding with "Walter Finchell" (which the same spoof was used in the cartoon "The Coo-Coo-Nut Groove", which was released the previous year; Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
had a well-publicized feud with Bernie at the time).
Afterwards is "Milton Squirrel" (Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
, emcee of Gillette Community Sing) introducing "Wendell Howl" (Wendell Hall
Wendell Hall
Wendell Woods Hall was an American country singer, vaudeville artist, song writer, pioneer radio performer, Victor recording artist and ukelele player.-Biography:...
) and an audience trying to figure out which page to go to in their songbooks, which results in Wendell getting pelted by the audience's songbooks. Then, "Billy Goat and "Ernie Bear" (Billy Jones and Ernie Hare) and everyone else sings a song which the words are:
The Woods are full of cuckoos,
Cuckoos, cuckoos,
The Woods are full of cuckoos
and my heart is full of love.
During the song, a fox (a caricature of Fred Allen
Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio.His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it...
) called "Mr. Allen" is told that he's singing "Swanee River" instead of the actual song. Then the song is sung by "Eddie Gander" (Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
), "Sophie Turkey" (Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker
Sophie Tucker was a Russian/Ukrainian-born American singer and actress. Known for her stentorian delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popular entertainers in America during the first half of the 20th century...
), "W.C. Fieldmouse" (Fields), "Dick Fowl" (Dick Powell
Dick Powell
Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss.Despite the same last name he was not related to William Powell, Eleanor Powell or Jane Powell.-Biography:...
), "Fats Swallow" (Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
), "Deanna Terrapin" (Deanna Durbin
Deanna Durbin
Deanna Durbin is a Canadian-born, Southern California-raised retired singer and actress, who appeared in a number of musical films in the 1930s and 1940s singing standards as well as operatic arias....
), "Irvin S. Frog" (Irvin S. Cobb
Irvin S. Cobb
Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb was an American author, humorist, and columnist who lived in New York and authored more than 60 books and 300 short stories.-Biography:...
), "Fred McFurry" (Fred MacMurray
Fred MacMurray
Frederick Martin "Fred" MacMurray was an American actor who appeared in more than 100 movies and a successful television series during a career that spanned nearly a half-century, from 1930 to the 1970s....
), "Bing Crowsby" (Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
), "Al Goatson" (Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
), "Ruby Squealer" (Ruby Keeler
Ruby Keeler
Ruby Keeler, born Ethel Hilda Keeler, was an actress, singer, and dancer most famous for her on-screen coupling with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Brothers, particularly 42nd Street . From 1928 to 1940, she was married to singer Al Jolson...
, Jolson's wife at the time), and "Lanny Hoss" (Lanny Ross
Lanny Ross
Lanny Ross was an American singer, pianist and songwriter.-Biography:Lancelot Patrick Ross was born in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Yale University in 1928, where he was a member of Zeta Psi and Skull and Bones. He later studied classical vocal technique at the Juilliard School of...
). Then "Grace Moose" (Grace Moore
Grace Moore
Grace Moore was an American operatic soprano and actress in musical theatre and film. She was nicknamed the "Tennessee Nightingale." Her films helped to popularize opera by bringing it to a larger audience.-Early life:...
) and "Lily Swans" (Lily Pons
Lily Pons
Lily Pons was a French-American operatic soprano and actress who had an active career from the late 1920s through the early 1970s. As an opera singer she specialized in the coloratura soprano repertoire and was particularly associated with the title roles in Léo Delibes' Lakmé and Gaetano...
) sing notes, each note higher than the other. Then, more spoofs are made, including Raven McQuandry (Haven McQuarrie, emcee of Do You Want To Be An Actor?), Joe Penguin (Joe Penner
Joe Penner
Joe Penner was an American 1930s-era vaudeville, radio and film comedian. He was an ethnic Hungarian born as József Pintér in Nagybecskerek, Austria-Hungary...
), Tizzie Fish {"Tizzie Lish", a character on Al Pearce
Al Pearce
Albert Pearce was a comedian, singer and banjoist who was a popular personality on several radio networks from 1928 to 1947....
's radio show}, Jack Bunny (Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
), Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone , was an American radio comedienne and the wife and radio partner of comedy great Jack Benny . Enlisted almost entirely by accident to perform on her husband's popular program, she proved a talented comedienne...
, and Andy Devine
Andy Devine
Andrew Vabre "Andy" Devine was an American character actor and comic cowboy sidekick known for his distinctive raspy voice.-Early life:...
(a regular on Benny's radio program). Then Owlcott finishes the cartoon saying "All is well, all is well, all is well..."