Horton Hatches the Egg (film)

Horton Hatches the Egg is a 1942 ten-minute animated short film based on the 1940 book of the same name by Dr. Seuss (and the first cartoon based on Dr. Seuss' work), by Leon Schlesinger Productions, released as part of Warner Bros.' Merrie Melodies series.[5] The short, like with many cartoons at the time, and in contrast to the original children's book, was more adult-oriented and was directed by Bob Clampett. Kent Rogers voiced Horton as well as the Peter Lorre fish, Sara Berner voiced Mayzie and the elephant bird, Frank Graham narrated, and Mel Blanc performed most of the other voices.

Horton Hatches the Egg
Blue Ribbon reissue title card
Directed byRobert Clampett
Produced byLeon Schlesinger
Story byMichael Maltese
Rich Hogan (uncredited)[1]
Based onHorton Hatches the Egg
by Dr. Seuss
StarringKent Rogers
Sara Berner
Frank Graham
Mel Blanc
Bob Clampett
(all uncredited)[2]
Narrated byFrank Graham (uncredited)
Music byMusical Direction:
Carl W. Stalling
Orchestration:
Milt Franklyn (uncredited)
Edited byTreg Brown (uncredited)
Animation byRobert McKimson
Uncredited animation:
Virgil Ross
Sid Sutherland
Rod Scribner
I. Ellis
Thomas McKimson
Rev Chaney[3]
A.C. Gamer (effects)
Layouts byNic Gibson (uncredited)[1]
Backgrounds byMicheal Sasanoff (uncredited)[4]
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • April 11, 1942 (1942-04-11)
Running time
9:50
LanguageEnglish

Plot

In producing the cartoon, Clampett's unit did not use a storyboard, as was the customary practice; instead, they sketched and wrote additional ideas for the cartoon in Clampett's copy of Seuss' book. Several elements that do not appear in the original book were added to the cartoon, including;

  1. An introductory paragraph, starting with "Now once in a jungle . . ." and ending with " . . . up in her tree."
  2. A scene where Mayzie uses sex appeal, including (unsuccessfully) shifting her physique to make it appear as if she has large breasts, to lure Horton.
  3. Several areas of skipped or re-invented dialogue, such as when Mayzie claims to have bags under her eyes, or when Horton speaks, "Plain as day" to the hunters, except that they only have one gun, which is clearly not aimed at his heart.
  4. A fish caricature of Peter Lorre who shoots himself in the head after seeing Horton on the boat (This scene has been edited or removed from most television prints of the cartoon since the 1980s,[6] due to being considered too violent and unsuitable for younger viewers with the exception of the home media releases and The Bob Clampett Show).
  5. A breathy Katharine Hepburn impersonation by Mayzie (featuring her signature lines)
  6. A popular nonsense tune of that era, "The Hut-Sut Song" first recorded by Horace Heidt – Words and music by Leo V. Killion, Ted McMichael and Jack Owens, sung by Horton and his son, with the words "and so on so on so forth" replacing some of the lyrics (Horton claims he can't get the words to that song).
  7. A mouse that was previously seen in "Farm Frolics" another cartoon directed by Clampet and another cartoon made by Warner Bros. Cartoons telling the other animals that Horton is sitting in a tree.

Cast

[2]

Production

Home media
  • (1991) LaserDisc - The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 1, Side 4: Bob Clampett
  • (1991) VHS - The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 4: Bob Clampett
  • (1999) VHS - Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition, Vol. 7: Welcome to Wackyland (USA 1995 Turner print)
  • (2000) VHS - The Best of Dr. Seuss (USA 1995 Turner print)
  • (2003) DVD - The Best of Dr. Seuss (USA 1995 Turner print)
  • (2008) DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6, Disc 4
  • (2008) DVD - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who Deluxe Edition

Notes
  • This is the only Merrie Melodies short based on a Dr. Seuss book.
  • The original titles have been found, but it is unknown if they will be acquired for future releases.
  • This cartoon is the longest Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies short ever made in the Golden Age of Animation, clocking in at 9 minutes and 48 seconds (in the Blue Ribbon version), edging out You Ought to Be in Pictures by 3 seconds.
  • The LaserDisc print changes the ending title to that of a 1949 or 1953–54 season ending Color Rings scheme plastered with the 1946–55 Looney Tunes music.
  • The Turner "dubbed version" print retains the 1941–55 MM end music (applies to both the USA and EU prints).
  • In the book from Dr. Seuss as well as other animated screen adaptations (including the 2008 CGI-animated film by Blue Sky Studios), his skin is gray, but in his Merrie Melodies short, his skin is pink.
  • The version of this cartoon shown on the TNT special In Search of Dr. Seuss re-edits the entire short, and also removes the opening and ending title cards from the Blue Ribbon reissue. The featured dialogue is dubbed by voice actor Frank Welker.
  • This is the first cartoon that Clampett directed in Tex Avery's unit that Tex Avery did not start.
  • Production on this cartoon began in August of 1941 just a few weeks after Avery's unit was turned to Clampett.[1]

References
  1. "Tralfaz: Gibson and the Elephant". Tralfaz. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. Hartley, Steven (9 December 2014). "Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie: 363. Horton Hatches the Egg (1942)". Likely Looney, Mostly Merrie. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  3. "Looney Tunes Breakdowns #1: 1940's Clampett". 23 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  4. "Tralfaz: The Elephant and Michael Sasanoff". Tralfaz. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  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. 127. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
  6. "Censored Looney Tunes: H (Hi-Hy)". looney.goldenagecartoons.com. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
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