Looney Tunes.
Three's a Crowd (1932) (1932)
I Like Mountain Music (1933) (1933) Variation: Travel brochures come to life
Beauty and the Beast (1934) (1934) Variation: Books and toys come to life.
Speaking of the Weather (1937) (1937) Variation: Magazines come to life.
Have You Got Any Castles? (1938) (1938)
Sniffles and the Bookworm (1939) (1939)
A Coy Decoy (1941) (1941) (Daffy Duck is featured.)
Book Revue (1946) (1946) (Daffy Duck is featured.)
I Like Mountain Music (1933) (1933) Variation: Travel brochures come to life
Beauty and the Beast (1934) (1934) Variation: Books and toys come to life.
Speaking of the Weather (1937) (1937) Variation: Magazines come to life.
Have You Got Any Castles? (1938) (1938)
Sniffles and the Bookworm (1939) (1939)
A Coy Decoy (1941) (1941) (Daffy Duck is featured.)
Book Revue (1946) (1946) (Daffy Duck is featured.)
The cuckoo clock is Red Skelton.
Harry James is the trumpeter on the cover of "Young Man With the Horn."
Charles Laughton as Henry VIII transforms into Henry Aldrich, the teenage character on the popular radio program. See: "The Aldrich Family" on Wikipedia.
Frank Sinatra is the sickly-blue singer in a wheelchair on the cover of "Voice in the Wilderness."
Tommy Dorsey is playing trombone on the cover of "Brass."
An American Indian on the cover of "Drums Along the Mohawk" becomes Gene Krupa.
Benny Goodman is the musician on the cover of "The Pie-Eyed Piper."
Tommy Dorsey tickles W.C. Fields's nose with his trombone's slide.
Bob Burns is the radio comedian and movie actor playing an instrument called the bazooka on the cover of "Arkansas Traveler.' See: bazooka (instrument) on Wikipedia.
Daffy Duck imitates Danny Kaye on the cover of "Danny Boy." He specifically riffs on two performances of Kaye's in Up in Arms (1944) (1944).
Little Red Riding Hood is Margaret O'Brien.
Jimmy Durante, from the cover of "So Big," trips up the wolf with his enormous nose.
The wolf uses the phrase, "You sillies," pronouncing it "You thillies" in imitation of the comedian .
Source: Michael Barrier's DVD commentary in Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two (2004) (V) Disc 4.
Harry James is the trumpeter on the cover of "Young Man With the Horn."
Charles Laughton as Henry VIII transforms into Henry Aldrich, the teenage character on the popular radio program. See: "The Aldrich Family" on Wikipedia.
Frank Sinatra is the sickly-blue singer in a wheelchair on the cover of "Voice in the Wilderness."
Tommy Dorsey is playing trombone on the cover of "Brass."
An American Indian on the cover of "Drums Along the Mohawk" becomes Gene Krupa.
Benny Goodman is the musician on the cover of "The Pie-Eyed Piper."
Tommy Dorsey tickles W.C. Fields's nose with his trombone's slide.
Bob Burns is the radio comedian and movie actor playing an instrument called the bazooka on the cover of "Arkansas Traveler.' See: bazooka (instrument) on Wikipedia.
Daffy Duck imitates Danny Kaye on the cover of "Danny Boy." He specifically riffs on two performances of Kaye's in Up in Arms (1944) (1944).
Little Red Riding Hood is Margaret O'Brien.
Jimmy Durante, from the cover of "So Big," trips up the wolf with his enormous nose.
The wolf uses the phrase, "You sillies," pronouncing it "You thillies" in imitation of the comedian .
Source: Michael Barrier's DVD commentary in Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two (2004) (V) Disc 4.
Here are a list of the books and magazines that appear in the film. The authors' names, which we're providing here, are not visible on any of the books, except in the cases of Shakespeare and Dante. We haven't identified every reference. Any IMDb poster who can provide more specific information is invited to edit this entry.
The titles don't always evoke actual books or magazines. Some evoke movies, radio shows, common phrases, people, etc. Note that some of the book titles really are books, but the audiences at the time - and even now - may know them best by their movie adaptations.
First up is "The Complete Works of Shakespeare." A silhouette of the bard visually puns on "works." We see gears and spring coils and whistles inside the playwright.
Next is "Young Man With a Horn" by Dorothy Baker. On the cover is a caricature of Harry James, who later, incidentally, recorded an album with Doris Day based on the music in the 1950 movie adaptation.
"Cherokee Strip" features a sexy Cherokee stripping (only by implication: we don't see her in action) to the applause of other Cherokees. This evokes the 1940 movie Cherokee Strip (1940), which had an original screenplay.
"The Whistler" features a would-be mysterious cloaked figure whistling wildly at the Cherokee princess. This evokes the radio drama, not any book. A recent movie adaptation of the series was: The Whistler (1944) (1944).
"The Sea Wolf" by Jack London shows a sailor howling like a wolf. A recent movie adaptation was: The Sea Wolf (1941) (1941).
Back to William Shakespeare, whose spring has just become unsprung.
We see a fat man in purple garb howling, pounding his fists, biting the air and then transforming into a barking seal. We cut to a matron shouting from the book "Aldrich Family": "Henry!" This is meant to evoke the popular radio series, not a book. We cut back to the suddenly chastened fat man. We now see the book that identifies him as Henry VIII. "Coming, mother!" he cries and runs over to his mom. She spanks the fat king, who is probably meant to evoke Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) (1933). She stops when she hears ...
"The Voice in the Wilderness." Reference unknown. On the cover is an emaciated, blue-faced Frank Sinatra, singing "It Had To Be You" as he's being wheeled in a chair by a hulking blonde male nurse.
The bobby-soxers on the cover of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott fall into a dead faint. The most recent movie adaptation was: Little Women (1933) (1933).
"Freckles" by Gene Stratton-Porter features a girl who faints away, which briefly leave her freckles hanging in mid-air. This is probably meant to evoke the book and not any of the movie adaptations: Freckles (1935) (1935), Freckles (1928) (1928) and Freckles (1917) (1917).
The denizens in the book "Girls' Dormitory" are fainting, too. Possible reference: Girls' Dormitory (1936) (1936).
Mother Goose, from "Mother Goose," cries, "Frank-ee!" and faints. Her egg hatches and the gosling faints, too.
Whistler's Mother from "Famous Paintings" screams and falls back on the floor.
"Lady in the Dark" evokes either Moss Hart's play or its 1944 movie adaptation, Lady in the Dark (1944).
Tommy Dorsey appears on the cover of "Brass" evoking either the 1921 novel by Charles G. Norris or its film adaptation Brass (1923).
"Drums Along the Mohawk" by Walter D. Edmonds features an American Indian that becomes Gene Krupa. A recent movie adaptation was: Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) (1939).
"The Pie-Eyed Piper" features Benny Goodman. (Unless this is just a spoof of the Pied Piper, and nothing more, the reference is unknown.)
Bob Burns is shown on "The Arkansas Traveler." evoking the 1938 movie The Arkansas Traveler (1938).
"Hudson's Bay" evokes the 1941 movie Hudson's Bay (1940), but no book.
Daffy takes some clothes out of "Saratoga Trunk" by Edna Ferber. A recent movie adaptation was: Saratoga Trunk (1945) (1945).
Daffy pops in front of "Danny Boy" and imitates Danny Kaye. "Danny Boy" is a song title that has nothing to do with Danny Kaye (except in this cartoon).
"Little Red Riding Hood" is a nursery story.
"Hopalong Cassidy" evokes the cowboy star, William Boyd.
Daffy, the wolf and Riding Hood run through "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The wolf can't chop down a tree in "The Petrified Forest," a play by Robert E. Sherwood. Movie adaptation: The Petrified Forest (1936) (1936).
A policeman calls all cars from "The Police Gazette."
A very long arm reaches out of "The Long Arm of the Law," which is perhaps meant to evoke the phrase itself, not a specific book title.
A judge from "Judge" magazine sentences the wolf to "Life" magazine. When the wolf breaks out, the title becomes "Escape."
"So Big" by Edna Ferber has Jimmy Durante using his long nose to trip the wolf.
The wolf slides down "Skid Row," which evokes only the phrase itself.
He skids into Dante Alighieri's "Inferno."
The last line is meant to evoke the popular song, "Stop That Dancing Up There!" by Harry 'The Hipster' Gibson.
The titles don't always evoke actual books or magazines. Some evoke movies, radio shows, common phrases, people, etc. Note that some of the book titles really are books, but the audiences at the time - and even now - may know them best by their movie adaptations.
First up is "The Complete Works of Shakespeare." A silhouette of the bard visually puns on "works." We see gears and spring coils and whistles inside the playwright.
Next is "Young Man With a Horn" by Dorothy Baker. On the cover is a caricature of Harry James, who later, incidentally, recorded an album with Doris Day based on the music in the 1950 movie adaptation.
"Cherokee Strip" features a sexy Cherokee stripping (only by implication: we don't see her in action) to the applause of other Cherokees. This evokes the 1940 movie Cherokee Strip (1940), which had an original screenplay.
"The Whistler" features a would-be mysterious cloaked figure whistling wildly at the Cherokee princess. This evokes the radio drama, not any book. A recent movie adaptation of the series was: The Whistler (1944) (1944).
"The Sea Wolf" by Jack London shows a sailor howling like a wolf. A recent movie adaptation was: The Sea Wolf (1941) (1941).
Back to William Shakespeare, whose spring has just become unsprung.
We see a fat man in purple garb howling, pounding his fists, biting the air and then transforming into a barking seal. We cut to a matron shouting from the book "Aldrich Family": "Henry!" This is meant to evoke the popular radio series, not a book. We cut back to the suddenly chastened fat man. We now see the book that identifies him as Henry VIII. "Coming, mother!" he cries and runs over to his mom. She spanks the fat king, who is probably meant to evoke Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) (1933). She stops when she hears ...
"The Voice in the Wilderness." Reference unknown. On the cover is an emaciated, blue-faced Frank Sinatra, singing "It Had To Be You" as he's being wheeled in a chair by a hulking blonde male nurse.
The bobby-soxers on the cover of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott fall into a dead faint. The most recent movie adaptation was: Little Women (1933) (1933).
"Freckles" by Gene Stratton-Porter features a girl who faints away, which briefly leave her freckles hanging in mid-air. This is probably meant to evoke the book and not any of the movie adaptations: Freckles (1935) (1935), Freckles (1928) (1928) and Freckles (1917) (1917).
The denizens in the book "Girls' Dormitory" are fainting, too. Possible reference: Girls' Dormitory (1936) (1936).
Mother Goose, from "Mother Goose," cries, "Frank-ee!" and faints. Her egg hatches and the gosling faints, too.
Whistler's Mother from "Famous Paintings" screams and falls back on the floor.
"Lady in the Dark" evokes either Moss Hart's play or its 1944 movie adaptation, Lady in the Dark (1944).
Tommy Dorsey appears on the cover of "Brass" evoking either the 1921 novel by Charles G. Norris or its film adaptation Brass (1923).
"Drums Along the Mohawk" by Walter D. Edmonds features an American Indian that becomes Gene Krupa. A recent movie adaptation was: Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) (1939).
"The Pie-Eyed Piper" features Benny Goodman. (Unless this is just a spoof of the Pied Piper, and nothing more, the reference is unknown.)
Bob Burns is shown on "The Arkansas Traveler." evoking the 1938 movie The Arkansas Traveler (1938).
"Hudson's Bay" evokes the 1941 movie Hudson's Bay (1940), but no book.
Daffy takes some clothes out of "Saratoga Trunk" by Edna Ferber. A recent movie adaptation was: Saratoga Trunk (1945) (1945).
Daffy pops in front of "Danny Boy" and imitates Danny Kaye. "Danny Boy" is a song title that has nothing to do with Danny Kaye (except in this cartoon).
"Little Red Riding Hood" is a nursery story.
"Hopalong Cassidy" evokes the cowboy star, William Boyd.
Daffy, the wolf and Riding Hood run through "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
The wolf can't chop down a tree in "The Petrified Forest," a play by Robert E. Sherwood. Movie adaptation: The Petrified Forest (1936) (1936).
A policeman calls all cars from "The Police Gazette."
A very long arm reaches out of "The Long Arm of the Law," which is perhaps meant to evoke the phrase itself, not a specific book title.
A judge from "Judge" magazine sentences the wolf to "Life" magazine. When the wolf breaks out, the title becomes "Escape."
"So Big" by Edna Ferber has Jimmy Durante using his long nose to trip the wolf.
The wolf slides down "Skid Row," which evokes only the phrase itself.
He skids into Dante Alighieri's "Inferno."
The last line is meant to evoke the popular song, "Stop That Dancing Up There!" by Harry 'The Hipster' Gibson.
Use slow motion as the American Indian changes to Gene Krupa. Watch his nose fall off.
As Michael Barrier points out in his DVD commentary, the scene of the wolf escaping from prison looks very different in slow motion.
When Daffy Duck and Little Red Riding Hood dance in celebration, notice that all around them are tiny people that appear for a second or two then vanish.
A single frame of film shows a picture on Henry VIII's chest of a red, devilish head with its tongue sticking out. It appears right after he bites down twice and then spreads out his arms. Use your pause button. (Note: This may be a bleeding image of the king's face caused by DVD technology, not revealed by it.)
See: Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Two (2004) (V) Disc 4.
As Michael Barrier points out in his DVD commentary, the scene of the wolf escaping from prison looks very different in slow motion.
When Daffy Duck and Little Red Riding Hood dance in celebration, notice that all around them are tiny people that appear for a second or two then vanish.
A single frame of film shows a picture on Henry VIII's chest of a red, devilish head with its tongue sticking out. It appears right after he bites down twice and then spreads out his arms. Use your pause button. (Note: This may be a bleeding image of the king's face caused by DVD technology, not revealed by it.)
See: Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Two (2004) (V) Disc 4.
See: "The Book Revue" on Wikipedia.
The following scenes have been cut from some TV prints:
Daffy and the Wolf run through "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
Daffy says, "So round, so firm, so fully packed, so easy on the draw." (This was the catchphrase for Lucky Strike cigarettes, though it's unclear what child would know this and become corrupted by the reference. It may have been cut for its sexual innuendo.)
Source: The Censored Cartoons Page
Daffy and the Wolf run through "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
Daffy says, "So round, so firm, so fully packed, so easy on the draw." (This was the catchphrase for Lucky Strike cigarettes, though it's unclear what child would know this and become corrupted by the reference. It may have been cut for its sexual innuendo.)
Source: The Censored Cartoons Page
See: this FAQ entry
Yes, it's included in the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Volume Two (2004) (V) Disc 4.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content