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1950s Television Cartoon Series

Barker Bill's Cartoon Show was the first network television weekday cartoon series, airing on CBS from 1953 to 1955. It aired the early black and white Terrytoon theatricals.

The Baby Seal restoration that I completed last year is an example from that series.

I was able to acquire a lot 9 Barker Bill prints plus two additional early Terrytoons. These are scanned at 2k. I fixed the variation of the brightness and ...

Mutt & Jeff

Yet another project that I'm working on is related to Mutt and Jeff. For the better part of a year, I have been collecting new scans of those films. 

The Library of Congress was a good starting place. Perhaps some of you have seen the videos on RockinPins Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/RockinPins)?

A full blown restoration project is a few months away yet, but I had some time last week ...

Ken Southworth Basic Animation Program. Part 1.

Ken Southworth (September 22, 1918 – December 6, 2007) was an animator who worked for a number of major animation studios throughout his nearly 60-year career, including Walt Disney Studios, Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, Warner Bros. Animation, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio, Walter Lantz Productions, and Clokey Productions.   His credits included Disney's Alice in Wonderland and Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones, Space Ghost and Dino Boy, Sco...

Progress Reports

As it is almost mid-March, I wanted to give some updates to current projects. I've been going slower due to the number of projects that I'm working on simultaneously (5!). 

The first project is the one I announced when I released I'm a Big Shot Now. The Tom and Jerry cartoon that belongs to Antonio. I'm almost at the 4 minute mark in that film in terms of clean up. After cleaning is finished, things progress quickly from there in terms of doing color, stabilization, etc. The video ...

MGM Bosko Run, Sheep, Run (1935) 16mm scan

This is the first short with the redesigned Bosko.  

This is from a 16mm scan of a somewhat poor condition print. It has a lot of full frame emulsion scratches and the color was quite faded. I wrestle with whether to put my full attention to it or just try to make it presentable. 

I decided on the latter. I may revisit at a later date or see if another, better print turns up.

Click here: 2022-03-05 16:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post

Rockin Pins' Secret Cartoon Club Pin

Rocking Pins and I have collaborate to create a limited series of enamel pins of cartoon characters that likely will never see any official release.

The first pin is ready and can be ordered here. 

These limited to only 100 pins per set.

Any questions, please comment below or send me a DM.

Fifth Column Mouse 16mm scan w/restored audio track

The Fifth Column Mouse is a 1943 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated cartoon directed by Friz Freleng. 

When the film was re-released in 1950, a small line of dialogue was cut during the "Ain't We Got Fun?" musical number. The original line was "Down with the Axis, we're all glad to pay our taxes."

WB has restored and released this apart of the golden collection; unfortunately, no HD version of that restoration exists (yet.)

Despite a restoration already existing, I d...

We the Animals Squeak Redrawn/Colorized 16mm

The redrawn/colorized Looney Tunes provoke strong feelings (often negative). This week I uploaded a new 16mm scan of the redrawn/colorized version of Bob Clampett's We the Animation Squeak. It my number YouTube video for the week in terms of views (https://youtu.be/ogif6MheSKk).

Here's active Facebook thread on this cartoon.

2022-02-19 13:41:04 +0000 UTC View Post

New Scan Tin Pan Alley Cats (1943)

Tin Pan Alley Cats is Bob Clampett's follow up to Coal Black. Both were released in 1943 and are apart of the canonical Censored 11 owing to their objectionable visual depictions of American blacks. This short also focuses upon themes of African-American culture ( religion, and jazz music). The central character is a cat designed after Fats Waller.  

A few months ago, this print was on eBay, and as you can see from the left most picture, it is very red. Based on my experience with ...

I Wanna Be a Sailor Scan

This is from a 16mm print I had scanned some months back. It was on my list of scans to clean up; however, since WB has apparently restored this film; I've decided to shelve those plans for the time being as it will likely air on MeTv in the future.  There's a splice with missing from in the opening title cards. No watermark is on this version.

Download: 2022-02-05 13:18:34 +0000 UTC View Post

Upcoming Projects

Now that I finished "I'm a Big Shot Now," I've spent this week prepping upcoming projects.

Some of you may know who Antonio Gabriele Fiori is. He is a collector and has his own Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/cartoon98100). He has amassed a nice collecti...

2022 Film Restoration #1

Merrie Melodies I'm a Big Shot Now (1936) 16mm Clean Up Preview

This is from a 16mm scan of I'm a Big Shot Now (1936). The following was done to the raw scan to improve the quality of the picture and sound: 

-AAP Logo clean up (because why not?) 

-Title card colors/text improved 

-Dust/scratches significantly reduced 

-Colors balanced and graded 

-Stabilized  

-Flicker reduced 

-Soundtrack cleaned up&nb...

A-Lad-In Bagdad 16mm AGFA stock

So supporter inquired if I have a print of the Merrie Melody A-Lad-In Bagdad. At the time, I didn't, but knew a collector who had one, but with a reddish tint. In investigating the print, he discovered that he had another print on AGFA stock with good color; he sold me that instead.

As far as I've been able to confirm, this has not been been officially restored, or if restored, no plans to air it currently exist.

This will be another LT I'll be able to clean up that likely won't...

2022 Update

Thank you to all who have generously supported my ongoing work throughout the year. 

I never intended/imagined that I would be doing this kind of work as I have no background in it. A lot has changed in the last year. In addition to my skillset increasing with each film, I'm also doing clean up work for the Fleischer family as they try to acquire and scan their relatives films, and I'm currently working with a partner on a future Blu-ray release (details to come later).

I'm l...

Saturday Morning Cartoons 2022

With the new year comes a new post to host Saturday morning cartoons.

January 15, 2022

"Man's Best Friend" is an episode from the second season of The Ren and Stimpy Show. It was originally intended to air on Nickelodeon as the second half of the second episode of Season 2, however it was pulled and the original theatrical pilot took its place. It eventually aired on Spike TV in 2003.

The episode was deemed controversial for the violent scene where Ren beats...

Animation Dust/Scratch Removal Demonstration

This video demonstrates a first pass at digital clean up for the opening scene of I'm a Big Shot Now.   The concept of a dust map (or dirt map) comes from  @TheStarWarsTrilogy.com (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gATZLpMHNQE&t=208s).  

I've adopted that proces...

I'm a Big Shot Now's Opening Sequence

Here is my first pass at cleaning up and restoring the opening sequence. Leave any comments if something does not look good. 

*Note: since this is on YouTube and there compressed, film grain is suppressed, but know that it is in there.

"I'm a Big Shot Now" Clean Up

This week I started work on the WB's cartoon "I'm a Big Shot Now." This cartoon has not been released since laserdisc (And as an extra on a WA release). Of the batch of restored WB cartoons that was leaked last year, this was not apart of that. So its official restoration status is unknown (though I suspect it has been restored). 

I'm hoping to finish the opening and closing credits before the new year, and then the film should be finished near the end of January or beginning of F...

Heckle & Jeckle Scans

The rate at which I have been acquiring prints and scans has increased drastically. In just a month, I have been able to obtained 12 prints of Heck & Jeckle, 9 of which I've already had scanned. My exact plans for these is unclear right now. As you can see from the image above, many are faded and need significant color work.

I'm trying to think of different ways to present content. As a typical restoration takes me 4-6 weeks, it is just not possible to do restoration work on everyth...

2021 Film Restoration #7

Design for Leaving Restored Opening Rings

Warner Brothers released a restoration of Design for Leaving, but included the Blue Ribbon reissue opening and closing rings instead of those original to the cartoon.   

This is from a 16mm print of the film that include those original, though faded, rings.   

I was able to restore the opening ring colors using a series of layer masks and the blend if feature in photoshop. All the lettering on ...

Saturday Morning Cartoons 2021 Archive

My previous way of providing this content will change. All future additions will be added to this one post, which will be pinned. Most recent edition are top with earlier at the bottom.

December 18, 2021

On my YT channel, I have most of the Harmon & Ising Happy Harmonies. One that I do not have  (because the collector wishes I don't post it) is a Happy Pups carto...

New Looney Tunes Scans

Of the lot of 8 scans that I recently had done, 4 are of Looney Tune/Merrie Melodies. 

Design for Leaving is a LT that has already been restored and released by WB on HBO Max. However, their version is the blue ribbon reissue with the original title cards inserted. The print I acquired has the original rings (depicted above) with the title cards. As this has already been restored, I won't ...

Crusader Rabbit 16mm

I was able to obtain a single 16mm reel of Crusader Rabbit a few months ago. It is from Crusader in the Tenth Century. Unfortunately, that is a 30 part crusade and this reel is only part 29 of 30, so much context + the conclusion are absent. 

For those who do not know, Crusader Rabbit was the first made-for-TV animated series. It features very limited animation (it makes Hanna-Barbera look like Disney), but the writing is very witty nonetheless.

The series is very rare. Outsi...

Paul Terry's The Baby Seal

The first of the various scans that I am working on is A Terry Toon Called the Baby Seal. Cartoon Research erroneously listed it as "lost," but rather, it is very scarce. I was able to acquire a copy that had early vinegar syndrome, but was scannable nonetheless.

Here are some clips of the progress to date.

Clip 1: https://youtu.be/SLSSAThkF9g

Clip 2: 2021-10-30 17:14:01 +0000 UTC View Post

New Scans Coming Next Week

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been working on a restoration project that I am not currently allowed to speak about. But if/when that is public, then I can, and I will possibly be able to share the work as well.

Anyway, I sent out 8 films to get scanned this week and they should be back next week. 

Once I receive those, I'll update everyone on what to expect going forward for the rest of the year. 

TCM Celebrates Fleischer Animation’s 100th Anniversary

TCM is dialing in its focus on classic film to one of the pioneers of Toon Town with a celebration of Fleischer Animation’s 100th Anniversary. The lineup includes a brand-new documentary on the early days of American animation and two collections of Fleischer cartoon shorts (read the whole article here).

I'll be recording the below listed...

Johhny Smith & Poker-Huntas Remaster Preview

I have a few minor tweaks to make before rendering the master files. If all goes well, this should be released tomorrow.

Johnny Smith Clean Up Progress

Below you can view or download a comparison video that shows the before and after of cleaning up the print. 

The new process that I alluded to previously involves making two versions of a scene, one that's "dirty" (i.e., not yet cleaned), and a "clean" that has most noise/grain/dust removed (but which damages the animation some). These two versions are then layered (dirty on top), and a difference map is made that only retains the differences between the two versions, which is usua...

Johnny Smith Color Grading Finished

It took the better part of the week, but I'm satisfied with how the color is graded for this film now. It took 6 revisions to finish. In the the image above from left to right, you can see the transformations. Changes get more subtle as revisions advance.

As stated previously, I initially over saturated the print, which brings out the areas in which color needs to be fixed. This print was made in 1978. There was much yellowing that needed to be removed in order to make the greens more a...

Johnny Smith & Poker-Huntas: 1st Color Revision

Here is my first pass at improving the color of this scan. The original is on the right and the first revision on the left.  Since this film has not been released since laserdisc, I do not have another source to act as a model on the color.

Initially, I decided to work with saturation and vibrancy as many of WB's pre-1940 MMs look very vibrant.  However, I had a two-hour conversation with animation historian Ray Pointer yesterday, and he told me that the pre-1940 restorations ...