Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

SHORT SUBJECTS reviews and synopses Reviews and synopses of short subjects printed In Product Digest are indexed In the Short Subjects Chart, Product Digest Section, pages 3540-3547. Running times are those furnished by the distributor. CAT FISH IN' (MGM) Tom and Jerry Cartoon (W-832) Tom Cat takes a tip from Izaak Walton and tries to use Jerry Mouse as live bait, but Jerry has different ideas on the subject and fishes up some trouble of his own. Release date, March 15, 1947 8 minutes THE COFFEE SONG (Col.) Community Sing (8657) Both "The Coffee Song" and "Open the Door, Richard" are featured in this short, along with the singing of the Song Spinners and the organ playing of Don Baker. Other numbers include "There Is No Breeze," "The Best Man" and "My Adobe Hacienda." Release date, March 13, 194? 10 minutes PIGS IS PIGS (WB) Blue Ribbon Hit Parade (3305) A reissue cartoon, this concerns the little pig who eats so much he has nightmares. In his dreams demons stuff him with so much food that he is about to burst. However, in the morning he is again ready for a hearty breakfast. Release date, February 22, 1947 7 minutes COUNTRY LIFE (Para.) Speaking of Animals (F6-3) A familiar gathering of not-so-dumb animals again engage in sharp banter with the narrator. Among the commentators are cows, hogs, turkeys and chickens. Release date, February 21, 1947 9 minutes MELODY MAESTRO (Univ.) Name Band Musical (2306) This features Skinnay Ennis and his orchestra, playing "I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do," with the band leader handling the vocal accompaniment. This is followed by a novelty dance number and then the orchestra's arrangement of "Echoes of Harlem." Ennis then sings "I'll Never Be the Same" and the reel concludes with "All That Glitters Is Not Gold." Release date, April 2, 1947. 14 minutes GAY ANTIES (WB) Merrie Melodies Cartoon (2714) A romantic couple on a picnic are attacked by a colony of ants who take over the lunch. They engage in some rather humorous doings with the various foodstuffs and eventually cause the couple to break up. Release date, February 15, 1947 7 minutes G.I. HOBBIES (Paramount) Unusual Occupations (L6-3) The war service in the widely scattered zones of operations that developed determined hobbyists in the ranks of American G.I.'s is shown in this subject. The reel also includes sequences on a childhood hobby that became a full time business, a mayor who is also curator of his own private museum and a visit to an angora rabbit farm. Release date, March 14, 1947 11 minutes GOOFY GOPHERS (WB) Merrie Melodies Cartoon (2713) A prize-winning vegetable patch is carefully guarded by a watch dog, but two gophers manage to raid it anyway. They get the dog off their trail but encounter new competition in the person of Bugs Bunny. Release date, January 25, 1947 7 minutes DIAMOND DEMON (MGM) Pete Smith Specialty (S-856) Johnny Price, the trick baseball player, goes through his repertoire of stunts to the accompaniment of Mr. Smith's witty narration. Among Mr. Price's accomplishments is the batting of a fast-pitched ball while standing on his head. Release date, February 1, 1947 9 minutes COCKATOOS FOR TWO (Col.) Color Rhapsody (8502) A hungry pigeon, looking for food, changes places with a rare cockatoo being delivered to a bird lover. The bird lover promptly begins to fatten the pigeon for the stewing pot. The cockatoo arrives ; the pigeon leaves the pot a sadder but wiser bird. Release date, February 13, 1947 6 minutes CALLING ON COSTA RICA (MGM) FitzPatrick Traveltalk (T-812) The FitzPatrick Technicolor cameras visit the second smallest republic of Latin America, and make a stop at San Jose, the capital city, whose peaceful setting belies its turbulent history. Release date, March 15, 1947 10 minutes SHORTY SHERLOCK AND HIS ORCHESTRA (Col.) Thrills of Music (8955) Trumpeter Shorty Sherlock and vocalist Frances Wayne are responsible for this musical short, which contains "I'll Remember April," "You Were Meant for Me" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street." Danny Daniels contributes a tap routine. Release date, January 23, 1947 &y2 minutes EARLY SPORTS QUIZ (MGM) Pete Smith Specialty (S-857) Pete Smith comes up with some fancy questions and humorous answers dealing with the early days of such varied sports as wrestling, skating, skiing, footfall, etc. Release date, March 1, 1947 9 minutes MONKEY-TONE NEWS (20th-Fox) Dribble-Puss Parade (7901) Presented here is a series of games, comics and antics performed by monkeys, as described by Lew Lehr in the form of a newsreel. _ Release date, January 17, 1947 9 minutes PART TIME PAL (MGM) Tom and Jerry Cartoon (W-833) A funnier-than-the-average cartoon with a new twist. The mouse gets the cat drunk and for a happy while the two become pals, with the cat committing all the crimes usually ascribed to the mouse. Swaying tipsily the cat robs the icebox and then proceeds to wake the maid. The fleeing cat, hotly pursued by the infuriated maid, makes for a hilarious fadeout. Release date March 15, 1947 8 minutes FOWL BRAWL (Col.) Color Phantasy (8701) 'Twas a nice quiet evening and through the hen house not a creature was stirring except a sly, ole fox in search of a chicken dinner. The watchdog sets out after the fox, but the fox dons numerous disguises and escapes. Finally a rather young chick blasts away with a shotgun and the short is ended. Release date, January 9, 1947 6 minutes OLE BUTTERMILK SKY (Col.) Community Sing (8656) The Song Spinners, with Don Baker at the organ, dish up five numbers in this audience participation short : "The Things We Did Last Summer," "The Wiffenpoof Song," "Rickety Rickshaw Man," "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakehua" and "Ole Buttermilk Sky." Release date, February 27, 1947 18 minutes MUSICAL MOMENTS (Univ.) Lants Color Cartune (2323) When Andy Panda is giving a piano recital Woody Woodpecker hauls up another piano and joins him. At first their duet is successful but finally as they continue to play Chopin compositions a drunk sets fire to their concert hall. They manage to finish the composition, however before the fire reaches them. Release date, February 24, 1947 8 minutes SCOOPER DOOPER (Col.) All-Star Comedy (8437) Sterling Holloway, lured to the big city by the promise of a job on a newspaper, is made the butt of a practical joke when he is told that certain members of high society are jewel thieves. But he turns the tables by proving that certain members of the 400 are actually snatching diamond necklaces from one another. Release date, February 27, 1947 10 minutes THREE LITTLE PIRATES (Col.) All-Star Comedy (8403) The Three Stooges again, this time shipwrecked on Dead Man's Island where they are captured by "The Governor" who orders their execution. The boys escape through the intervention of Rita, a beauteous captive. After masquerading as the Rajah of Bayside and the Gin of Rummy the Stooges finally get off the island alive. Release date, December 5, 1946 ■ 18 minutes THEY'RE NOT SO DUMB (Paramount) Speaking of Animals (Y6-4) To combat the idea that our animal friends are short on brain power this comedy reel presents an orang-utan who turns out to be quite a speller and a baby parrot whose rapidly developing vocabulary is causing his mother some concern. Release date, March 28, 1947 8 minutes JACK ARMSTRONG (Col.) Chapter Play (8140) Radio's all-American boy, Jack Armstrong, has now been brought to the screen in Columbia 15-episode serial. John Hart plays the title role as he presents a ceaseless struggle to destroy a madman bent on world destruction. Others in the Sam Katzman production are Rosemary LaPlanche, Claire James and Joe Brown. Wallace Fox directed. Release date, February 6, 1947 15 episodes JUNGLE GIRL (Reissue) (Rep.) Chapter Play Edgar Rice Burroughs' story of a physician who settles in the African jungle and becomes practically the ruler of the native tribes has been made into an adventure-filled serial. In the plot are elements of mystery, conspiracy and excitement. Frances Gifford, Tom Neal and Trevor Bardette share the lead in the cast. Hiram S. Brown, Jr., was associate producer with Wrlliam Witney and John English directors. Release date, not set 15 chapters MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 29, W47 3551