Every studio experimented with different formats in making cartoons. 1939 is a really interesting year in animation history. Gulliver’s Travels became a huge hit at the end of the year, Pinocchio was finished at the end of the year, with Fantasia also being nearly done.

Warners continued to refine their own brand of comedy while MGM struggled between comedy shorts (The Milt Gross, plus the Captain and the Kids shorts) and, later in the year, Harman/Ising’s Disney-esque films. The Fleischers remained strong in the Popeye cartoons and meandered between solid and wobbley films with the later Betty Boops and the Color Classics. Back on the east coast, Paul Terry’s Studio, comprised of seasoned New York animators, had a pretty fascinating year in terms of types of films. Some shorts were the standard animal outings with fair to spectacular production qualities (Their Last Bean, the Ice Pond, The Owl and the Pussycat, The Nutty Network, The Three Bears, The Orphan Duck). Their overall look and story elements fall between a cloying Disney-esque approach, Fleischer’s Color Classics and WB’s Merrie Melodies. A whole series of one-shot black and white shorts feature human characters (Nick of Time, Frozen Feet, The Golden West, The Prize Guest). Gandy Goose and Sourpuss get their own shorts that land somewhere between a Warners and a little more Disney-esque in approach. I find all pretty interesting, and have found I’ve rarely gone back to watch the one shots. So, when Tommy Stathes lent me this short a few weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised – so here it is!

The Prize Guest (1939) plays like a one or two-reel comedy short more than a cartoon in many ways. Directed by Mannie Davis and written by John Foster, the short features a hotel detective tasked with following a mysterious, magical guest who can defy gravity as well as make his dog disappear at will.

It’s a beautifully layed-out picture featuring some beautiful shots of New York Skyscrapers. Terrytoons don’t often get noted for their backgrounds, but they really should since there’s so much beautiful layout and painting work in these shorts.

Now, it’s not a ‘top’ cartoon by any means, but a very enjoyable little outing nonetheless.

The short repeats a gag from Foster’s earlier Van Beuren cartoon Trouble featuring ‘Tom and Jerry’. The print here has a splice at that gag, so here is another print of the same cartoon to watch that scene

Here is the print we’re posting, featuring the original titles. Thanks again to Tommy for the lend – and have a good week all!