The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia: 1939

Soup to Mutts Release Date: 1/9/39 Direction: Les Kline Story: Victor McLeod Animation: George Nicholas and Dick Marion Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 959 A Cartune short The final appearances of Jock, Elmer the Great Dane, and Doxie Dachshund.

I'm Just a Jitterbug Release Date: 1/23/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod Animation: Merle Gilson and Hicks Lokey Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 968 A Cartune short Final onscreen credit for George Merle Gilson at Lantz Hidden Gag: Look for a sketch of Baby-Face Mouse in the background of this cartoon.

The Magic Beans Release Date: 2/13/39 Direction: Les Kline Story: Victor McLeod Animation: Fred Kopietz and George Dane Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 966 The first Nertsery Rhyme cartoon, featuring Baby-Face Mouse as Beanie Michael Fitzgerald incorrectly lists this cartoon as a January release.

The Birth of a Toothpick Release Date: 2/27/39 Direction: Burt Gillett Story: Victor McLeod Animation: Frank Tipper and Laverne Harding Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 967 A Cartune short Burt Gillett's directorial debut at Lantz

Little Tough Mice Release Date: 3/13/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod Animation: Dick Marion and Ralph Somerville Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 965 A Cartune short, featuring Baby-Face Mouse Working title: Dead End Mice Reissued as Crime Buster by Castle Films

The One-Armed Bandit Release Date: 3/27/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animation: George Grandpre and Hicks Lokey Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 964 A Cartune short Video availability: Universal Matinees: Stone of Silver Creek (VHS; Universal/MCA)

Crackpot Cruise Release Date: 4/10/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Cal Howard Animation: George Grandpre and Frank Tipper Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 963 A Cartune short Walter Lantz provides the voice of one of the two Italian venders in this short.

Charlie Cuckoo Release Date: 4/24/39 Direction: Elmer Perkins Story: Elviry Perkins Animators: Hank Perkins and Si Perkins Musical Direction: Zeke Perkins Notes: Production Number: 970 A Cartune short Obviously, all the credits listed (with the exception of the director) are gag credits

Nellie of the Circus Release Date: 6/19/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animation: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 971 The first Mello-Drama cartoon Working title: Under the Big Top Michael Fitzgerald incorrectly lists this cartoon as an April release.

Bolo-Mola Land Release Date: 5/28/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animation: Frank Tipper and Dick Marion Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 973 The first Crackpot Cruise cartoon

The Bird on Nellie's Hat Release Date: 6/19/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animation: Ray Fahringer and George Grandpre Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 975 The final Mello-Drama cartoon Working title: The Bird on Nellie's Cap Reissued as The Runaway Choo-Choo by Castle Films

The Stubborn Mule Release Date: 7/3/39 Direction: Burt Gillett (uncredited) Musical Direction: Frank Marsales (uncredited) Notes: Production Number: 979 The first appearance of Lil' Eightball and the first cartoon in the Lil' Eightball series.

Arabs with Dirty Fezzes Release Date: 7/31/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod and James Miele Animation: George Dane and Laverne Harding Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 977 A Cartune short The final appearance of Baby-Face Mouse Reissued as The Arabs with Dirty Fezzes by Guild/Firelight This cartoon's title is a play on the 1938 Warner Bros. feature Angels with Dirty Faces directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney.

Snuffy's Party Release Date: 8/7/39 Direction: Elmer Perkins Story: Victor McLeod and Hicks Lokey Animation: Frank Tipper and Al Coe Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 972 A Cartune short, featuring Snuffy Skunk Working title: Snuffy Skunk's Party Reissued as The Snuffy Skunk's Party by Guild/Firelight Many sources incorrectly list Snuffy Skunk's Party as the real title of this cartoon. Includes reused animation from Kiddie Revue (1936) and Yokel Boy Makes Good (1938) Watch for a cameo by Oswald Rabbit at the beginning of this one. The first appearance of Mr. Whippletree [see Andy Panda Goes Fishing (1940) for more details]. The second appearance of Snuffy Skunk (his first being the Oswald cartoon, Yokel Boy Makes Good). Snuffy would appear one last time in Life Begins for Andy Panda and then he would make a cameo appearance in 1941's $21 a Day (Once a Month).

Slaphappy Valley Release Date: 8/21/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Victor McLeod Animation: George Dane and Laverne Harding Musical Direction: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 980 The final Crackpot Cruise cartoon The first appearance of Punchy

Silly Superstition Release Date: 8/28/39 Direction: Burt Gillett (uncredited) Musical Direction: Frank Marsales (uncredited) Notes: Production Number: 981 The second and final cartoon in the Lil' Eightball series. The character would appear once more in the Technicolor Cartune A Haunting We Will Go before being retired from the screen permanently. Fell into the public domain in 1967 The last Walter Lantz cartoon filmed in black and white.

A Haunting We Will Go Release Date: 9/4/39 Direction: Burt Gillett Story: Kin Platt and Gil Burton Animation: Lester Kline and Fred Kopietz Music: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 969 A Cartune short The first Walter Lantz cartoon made in three-strip Technicolor. From this point onward, all of the Walter Lantz cartoons would be produced in color. The final appearance of Lil' Eightball. Video availability: Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 2 (DVD; Universal/MCA)

Life Begins for Andy Panda Release Date: 9/9/39 Direction: Alex Lovy (uncredited) Music: Frank Marsales (uncredited) Notes: Production Number: 974 The first appearance of Andy Panda and the first cartoon in the Andy Panda series. Includes reused animation from Snuffy's Party Many sources (including Joe Adamson) erroneously state that the title of this cartoon was inspired by the Mickey Rooney feature, Life Begins for Andy Hardy. This is impossible because the Rooney feature premiered in 1941, two years after the release of the Lantz cartoon. The title of this short is actually a direct reference to the birth of Andy Panda. Video availability: Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 1 (DVD; Universal/MCA) Woody Woodpecker and Friends, Vol. 1 (DVD; Columbia House)

Scrambled Eggs Release Date: 11/20/39 Direction: Alex Lovy Story: Elaine Pogany Design: Willy Pogany Animation: Frank Tipper and Hicks Lokey Music: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 984 The first and only Peterkin cartoon Video availability: Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 1 (DVD; Universal/MCA) Woody Woodpecker and Friends, Vol. 7 (DVD; Columbia House)

The Sleeping Princess Release Date: 12/4/39 Direction: Burt Gillett Story: Kin Platt and Gil Burton Animation: Lester Kline and Fred Kopietz Music: Frank Marsales Notes: Production Number: 976 The final Nertsery Rhyme cartoon Video availability: Woody Woodpecker and Friends, Vol. 3 (DVD; Columbia House)