Rainbow Parade

Rainbow Parade was a series of 26 animated shorts produced by Van Beuren Studios and distributed to theaters by RKO between 1934 and 1936.[1] This was the all-color series and final series produced by Van Beuren.

Rainbow Parade
Rainbow Parade opening title
Directed byBurt Gillett
Ted Eshbaugh
Steve Muffatti
Tom Palmer
Shamus Culhane
Dan Gordon
Produced byAmadee J. Van Beuren
Music byWinston Sharples
Production
company
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
July 27, 1934 — October 2, 1936
Running time
7–8 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

History

Many of the Rainbow Parade cartoons were one-shot stories with no recurring characters, but several of the films featured Parrotville Parrots, Molly Moo-Cow, Toonerville Folks, and Felix the Cat. This series was purchased by Commonwealth Pictures in 1941 and was later syndicated for television. The 1935 short The Merry Kittens was used in an episode of The Wubbcast. Thunderbean Animation released a collection of the early Rainbow Parade cartoons on DVD in 2009. The second half of the series is available from the original negatives released by Image DVD/Blackhawk Films/Film Preservation Associates.

Filmography

The first 13 cartoons in the series were all produced in two-strip Cinecolor. Starting with 'Molly Moo and the Butterflies', the remainder of the series was produced in three-strip Technicolor.

Title Characters Original release date Director Notes
Pastry Town Wedding Bride, Groom, Pastry Chefs July 27, 1934 Burt Gillett
Ted Eshbaugh
  • First Rainbow Parade series short.
  • First short in two-strip Cinecolor.
  • First short co-directed by Burt Gillett and Ted Eshbaugh.
  • Later reissued as a promotional film for a bakery by the name of Cushman's Sons, Inc. This reissue adds an extra animated scene advertising the bakery, along with special title cards.
The Parrotville Fire Department The Flasher, Firefighters September 14, 1934 Burt Gillett
Steve Muffatti
  • Only short co-directed by Steve Muffatti.
  • The first of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series.
The Sunshine Makers Gnomes, Goblins January 11, 1935 Burt Gillett
Ted Eshbaugh
  • Re-issued in 1940 as a promotional film for Borden's Milk, with the "Borden" script on the title card. The original 1935 Rainbow Parade titles have been found.
  • Runner-up on The 50 Greatest Cartoons list.
Parrotville Old Folks Matron Birdkins, Captain, Friend, Old Folks January 25, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • First short co-directed by Tom Palmer.
  • The second of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series.
Japanese Lanterns Japanese Children, Father, Stork March 8, 1935 Burt Gillett
Ted Eshbaugh
  • aka Chinese Lanterns (black and white edition by Official Films during World War II and Korean redrawn three-strip edition part of Radio and Television Packagers)
  • Final short co-directed by Ted Eshbaugh.
Spinning Mice Wizard/Rabbit, Lizards/Doves, Toad/Squirrel, Throwback Mice/Devils, Girl, Boy, Mice April 5, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • Contains a live-action prologue and epilogue sequences.
A Picnic Panic
(a.k.a. The Stupid Teapot)		 Molly Moo-Cow, Teapots, Flashback Teapots, Teacups May 3, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • First appearance of Molly Moo-Cow.
  • Contains a live-action prologue and epilogue with animated wraparounds.
The Merry Kittens Three Kittens, Terrier May 31, 1935 Burt Gillett
Shamus Culhane
Parrotville Post-Office The Captain, Black Parrot, Mrs. Perkins, Mr. Perkins' Children June 28, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • The last of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series.
Rag Dog Three Kittens, Two Terriers July 19, 1935 Burt Gillett
The Hunting Season Molly Moo-Cow, Ducks, Hunters August 19, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • First appearance of Molly Moo Cow out of the flashback sequence.
Scotty Finds a Home Scotty, Family, Bully August 23, 1935 Burt Gillett
Bird Scouts Birds, Cat September 20, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Molly Moo-Cow and the Butterflies Molly Moo-Cow, Collector, Butterflies November 15, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Molly Moo-Cow and the Indians Molly Moo-Cow, Indian Squaw, Papoose, Indian Brave, Two Ducks November 15, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Molly Moo-Cow and Rip Van Winkle Molly Moo-Cow, Rip Van Winkle, Little Men December 17, 1935 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Toonerville Trolley Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Katrinka, Molly Moo-Cow (cameo), Bull January 17, 1936 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • The first of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip.
  • Cameo by Molly Moo-Cow
  • Only Toonerville short co-directed by Tom Palmer.
Felix the Cat in "The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg" Felix the Cat, Goldie, Captain Kidd, Pirates February 7, 1936 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Molly Moo-Cow and Robinson Crusoe Molly Moo-Cow, Robinson Crusoe, Cannibals February 28, 1936 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
  • Molly Moo-Cow's final appearance.
Neptune Nonsense Felix the Cat, King Neptune, Annabelle, Octopus, Electric Eel, Mermaid March 20, 1936 Burt Gillett
Tom Palmer
Bold King Cole Felix the Cat, Old King Cole, Ghosts May 29, 1936 Burt Gillett
  • Final Felix the Cat cartoon in the Rainbow Parade series. Also final and third three-strip Technicolor appearance of Felix the Cat.
  • Only Felix short solely directed by Burt Gillett.
A Waif's Welcome Orphan, Mother, Father, Son June 19, 1936 Tom Palmer
  • First of two shorts solely directed by Tom Palmer.
Trolley Ahoy Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Mr. Bang, Katrinka July 3, 1936 Burt Gillett
  • The second of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip.
Cupid Gets His Man Dan Cupid, Edna May Oliver, W.C. Fields July 24, 1936 Tom Palmer
  • One source suggests that the spinster actually is a dead ringer for Margaret Hamilton (who later would gain fame as the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz").
  • Second and final of two shorts solely directed by Tom Palmer.
  • Only short where the characters were solely designed by Dan Gordon.
It's a Greek Life Centaur, Mercury, Two Ducks August 2, 1936 Dan Gordon
  • Only a day in the limelight short in the Rainbow Parade series.
  • Only short solely directed by Dan Gordon.
Toonerville Picnic Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Mr. Bang, Katrinka, Dog, Octopus October 2, 1936 Burt Gillett
  • Final Rainbow Parade series short.
  • The last of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip.
  • Final short solely directed by Burt Gillett.

References
  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 127–128. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
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