// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Cat-Tails for Two" say? Purr-haps we'll meet again.
| Cat-Tails for Two | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Directed by | Robert McKimson |
| Story by | Tedd Pierce |
| Starring | Mel Blanc Stan Freberg[1] |
| Music by | Carl Stalling |
| Animation by | Herman Cohen Phil DeLara Charles McKimson Rod Scribner Keith Darling Harry Love |
| Layouts by | Robert Givens |
| Backgrounds by | Richard H. Thomas |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 6:40 |
| Language | English |
Cat-Tails for Two is a 1953 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon, directed by Robert McKimson and written by Tedd Pierce.[2] The short was released on August 29, 1953.[3] It was the first appearance of Speedy Gonzales, in a prototype form.[4] Because this cartoon's rendition of Speedy Gonzales looked rather coarse, they redesigned him for future cartoon releases.
Plot
[edit]
George and Benny, two dim-witted cats, are searching for food on a pier when they discover a Mexican ship. Hoping for Mexican mice, they board the ship and encounter Speedy Gonzales, who declares himself "The Fastest Mouse in All Mexico."
George and Benny, the latter who looks like Dodsworth but with red hair, go through numerous attempts to capture Speedy, who always outwits them. Speedy comes to think of them as private entertainment, at one point declaring "I like those fellows. All the time having fon (fun)!" The cats' failures include setting a crate of anvils as a trap, trying to use dynamite-laced cheese without a match, and using a pipe and mallet setup.
In their final attempt, the cats try to channel dynamite through a pipe into Speedy's hiding place, but Speedy bends the pipe back toward them. George's lit dynamite results in an explosion that sends both cats flying into the harbor. As they fall, George admits he has lost his appetite for Mexican food, while Speedy remarks on their silliness.
Voice cast
[edit]- Mel Blanc as Speedy Gonzales / George / Benny (screaming)
- Stan Freberg as Benny
Reception
[edit]The cartoon has been criticized for its stereotypical and insensitive depictions of Mexicans.[5]
Home media
[edit]Cat-Tails for Two is available on disc 3 of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 4 DVD set[6] and disc 2 of the Looney Tunes Collector's Vault: Volume 1 Blu-ray set.[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ Scott, Keith (2022). Cartoon Voices from the Golden Age, 1930-70. BearManor Media. p. 85. ISBN 979-8-88771-010-5.
- ↑ Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 252. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- ↑ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 104–106. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ↑ Behnken, Brian D.; Smithers, Gregory D. (March 24, 2015). Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito. ABC-CLIO. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-4408-2977-2.
- ↑ Behnken, Brian D.; Smithers, Gregory D. (2015). Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito. ABC-CLIO. pp. 112–113. ISBN 9781440829772. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- ↑ Rich, Jamie S. (November 18, 2006). "Looney Tunes - Golden Collection, Volume Four". DVD Talk. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Looney Tunes Collector's Vault: Volume 1 Blu-ray". www.blu-ray.com. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
External links
[edit]- 1953 films
- 1950s Warner Bros. animated short films
- Merrie Melodies short films
- Films directed by Robert McKimson
- 1953 American animated films
- Films scored by Carl W. Stalling
- Animated films about cats
- 1953 English-language films
- Speedy Gonzales films
- Animated films set on ships
- English-language short films
- 1953 animated short films
- Warner Bros. Cartoons animated short films