Month: March 2007


Did Tom and Jerry DVD commentary today


irv-flipping-tom.jpgI went over to Burbank today to Sparkhill Prods. and recorded some commentary on the history of MGM cartoons for the Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. I can’t reveal what’s going to be on it, but there is some good stuff. They told me Eric Goldberg did some great commentary on the individual animator’s styles and histories. Coming soon to your DVD outlet (don’t buy it at Wal-Mart).

cartoon archive


I’m experimenting with archival pictures, here’s a couple from the cartoon history file.

zamora.jpg

bosko-box.jpg

Soupy!


dscn0807.JPGSoupydscn0806.JPG Sales was the Kausler family’s favorite comedian in the late 50s and early 1960s. My brother and I loved hearing our father laugh at silly White Fang the dog viciously smacking Soupy with a pie after an outrageous pun or crazy comedy routine. Of course, the puppeteer and comedian who was every bit as much a star as Soupy remained off-camera for the most part and unsung. His name was Clyde Adler. In New York, the puppets were controlled by Frank Nastasi, but we mid-westerners will always adore Clyde. Clyde’s voice was so funny he could have had a career as a cartoon voice actor, but preferred to edit film in Detroit when not performing with the Pookie Players. A couple of years ago, Soupy was given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located to the immediate right of the doorway to the old Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. I am including a photo of Soupy from the ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt last year. It was pouring down rain that day, and the old guy was wheelchair bound, feeble and couldn’t really speak, but I was thrilled to be there. Imagine finally being in the presence of the guy who had made us all laugh together as a family! And believe me, my Dad was not an easy laugher, but Soupy and Clyde tickled him. Now where is Clyde’s star? Do the Soupy Shuffle!

Plein Air Painting


dscn2630.JPGMy wife Cathy and I look forward to painting outdoors in natural light whenever we can, usually on Thursdays. Cathy paints in oil and I attempt watercolor. Cathy is a wonderful painter and cartoonist. Maybe you’ve read her comic book: Mad Raccoons. Last week we went to Peck Park near Monrovia, Ca. The view of the San Gabriel mountains was sharp and purple, in great contrast to the previous week when they were so hazy that their edges made an anemic yellow outline in the sky. We paint with a group that consists of artists from the San Gabriel Art Association and the Mid Valley Art League. There are some really talented painters in the group. Our friend Jason Situ, from China, shows up occasionally at Peck Park, he is a widely collected and admired landscape painter. Bill Wray, also occasionally paints with us and is a talented landscape artist, being a cartoonist as well he often picks unusual subject matter. Last year at the paint-out in San Luis Obispo he did a Quick Draw painting of a hearse! It didn’t sell, but we had to admire Bill’s audacity.

Howdy Folks!


dscn0508.JPG As the friendly Bosko once said! Welcome to the new CatBlog! I don’t know how often I will post, as I don’t have much to say. I still feel uncomfortable around computers, I guess I read too much George Orwell and Ray Bradbury when I was a kid. I am working on an essay: “Bosko gives way to Buddy”, I’ll bet you can guess what I’ve been watching lately! It’s been an historic day for me, my cartoon “It’s ‘The Cat'” is on Cartoon Brew Films.com for paid downloads, I posted some stuff on Ebay for sale for the first time, and I have this new blog. Feel free to comment on anything you like, and I will delete them all! Yuk yuk! I will also post unrelated travel and other photos here, just to have something to look at.

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