It's the End of the Road for Grampy

Zula Hula (1937)
Starring: Jack Mercer (as the voice of Grampy) and Mae Questel (as the voice of Betty Boop)

Directors: Dave Fleischer

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A plane crash leaves Grampy and Betty stranded on a tropical island. Grampy puts his genius for jury-rigging to work, recreating all the comforts of civilization and even turning a hostile native tribe friendly.

"Zula Hula" first appeared in movie theaters on December 24, 1937. It was the final cartoon released by the Fleischer Studios that year. It was also the final appearance of Grampy, an occassional guest star in the Betty Boop series of cartoons, but who almost always got top billing and took the lead in most episodes in which he appeared.

Watching "Zula Hula", it doesn't feel like Grampy is done at this point. Not only is Betty once again reduced to a supporting role in her own series, but it was an improvement quality-wise over "Service With a Smile" (released in November of 1937), which was already lots of fun. In fact, it almost seemed like Grampy was getting a second wind, as the two final cartoons out of his ten appearances were as amusing and cute as the very first one. This one also benefits greatly from the fact that Gramy's inventions are fun and creative. (I found the anti-crash device on his private plane, his automated fishing device, and his turning an airplane engine into a musical device particularly amusing. His failed attempt to create a water clock, and Betty's comment about it, is also a funny moment.)

A big negative in "Zula Hula", however, is Grampy behaving completely out of character from how he's been portrayed in two of the best previous entries in the series. In "A Song a Day" and "Be Human", Grampy was concerned with the health, well-being, and ethical treatment of animals to the point where I jokingly said he'd make a great mascot for PETA. I feel that the Grampy we have in this film would be targeted for an ass-kicking by the Grampy in the two above-mentioned cartoons due to the way he abuses animals here, especially the way he turns a monkey into the motor powering a gyrocopter.

I suppose the cartoon natives on the island can also be considered a negative since their design will undoubtedly cause palpitations among those with a tendency to see racism everywhere. From a 21st century perspective, the design of the natives characters does appear to be racist, although if they artists were going for full-on racism would they, yet again, have portrayed the native culture as a weird mix of African and Polynesian flavors? Personally, that annoyed me more than the physical design of the characters--but since this is the second time I've encountered this in a "Betty Boop" cartoon, I suppose this is just how jungle-dwelling natives are in her world. 

I am further willing to overlook any perceived racism in the design of the native characters, because the song and dance number that closes out "Zula Hula" is one of the best to be featured in the Grampy cartoons, with a perfect mix of weird visual gags, silly cartoon dancing, and catchy music.

Take a few minutes to enjoy Grampy's final adventure right now. And feel free to leave a comment if you agree or disagree with any of my takes on it.

'The Impractical Joker' isn't very funny

The Impractical Joker (1937)
Starring: Mae Questel, Jack Mercer, and Pinto Colvig
Director: Dave Fleischer
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

Betty's peaceful day turns chaotic when prank-loving Irving stops for a visit. Grampy puts his mechanical genius to work in order to turn the tables and prank the prankster. But can even the might Grampy best the King of Pranks?

"The Impractical Joker" is a low point in the series of cartoons co-starring Betty Boop and gadget-maker Professor Grampy. The gags are barely funny, the prankster character of Irving is completely unlikeable and one wonders why Betty even lets him into her home (or why she doesn't beat him to death with a rolling pin once she does), and Grampy's inventions aren't as inspired or funny as they've been in previous outings. 

The only remarkable thing about "The Impractical Joker" was the animation and design of Irving who is among one of the weirdest creatures to exist in the World of Boop. He's so bendable that even Gumby must be jealous. 

Maybe this one just isn't in step with my sense of humor, or maybe it shoots for a juvenile audience that's even lower than my admittedly juvenile tastes. You can check it out below, and if you feel inclined, you share your take by leaving a comment.

Grampy cures the 'House Cleaning Blues'

House Cleaning Blues (1937)

Starring: Mae Questel (as the voice of Betty Boop) and Jack Mercer (as the voice of Grampy)

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Dave Tendlar

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

The day after hosting a wild birthday party, Betty Boop is hung-over, short-tempered, and she very quickly becomes frustrated with trying to clean up the mess. Grampy comes to her rescue by creating and make-shift cleaning machines.

In "House Cleaning Blues", Professor Grampy once again Does His Thing and saves Betty from house-cleaning... but in the process he pretty destroys a number of expensive household items, such as a record player, a player piano, and clock, and a bicycle. There isn't anything we haven't seen in other Betty & Grampy cartoons, but unlike those, the thought of how much property was being damaged to help Betty get out of house-cleaning kept popping into my head and so maybe I didn't enjoy this one as much as I should have.

While this may not be the most innovative of Betty & Grampy outings, there's still a lot to like about it. Betty has one of the cutest melt-downs ever put into animation--a bit the folks at Fleischer liked so much they recycled some of it in "Service with a Smile" (1937). Everything about Grampy driving his roadster is hilarious--especially the way one has to wonder what it is he has on tap when he serves Betty her drink as they drive off at the end of the episode. Finally, there is plenty of high-quality animation to enjoy--with a pan-shot across the wreckage of Betty's home before Grampy goes to work that has a 3D quality to it standing out in particular. And, despite my very joy-killing cringing at the property Grampy converts, the bits with his machines operating are as well done as they always are. 

If you have a few minutes, go ahead and check out "House Cleaning Blues" by clicking below.

Betty and Grampy should be PETA mascots

A Song a Day (1936)

Starring: Mae Questel (voice of Betty Boop) and Jack Mercer (voice of Grampy)

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Dave Tendlar

Rating: Six  of Ten Stars

When Betty is overwhelmed from caring for all the patients in her animal hospital, Grampy comes up with a miracle cure.

There isn't much more story to this cartoon than what is summarized above. It's got some midly amusing jokes relating to the ailments the animals under Betty's care, some nice music, and a closing dance number (complete with the jazz hands). The best part of this installment is some very nicely done, 3D-feeling animation during the opening scenes.

"A Song  a Day" isn't the best in the Betty Boop series, but it's cute and worth the eight minutes of your life it will take to watch. And since you're already here, you should go ahead and click below to do just that!

Betty and Grampy deliver 'Service With a Smile'

Service With a Smile (1937)

Starring: Mae Questel (Voice of Betty Boop) and Jack Mercer (Voice of Grampy)

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Dave Tendlar

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

It's the grand opening of the Hi-Di-Ho-Tel. Front desk clerk Betty is getting overwhelmed with demands from angry guests... until Grampy saves the day with his brilliant mind and talent for make-shift mechanical engineering.

In "Service With a Smile", Betty Boop is once again relegated to second billing in her own series, and genial mechanical genius Grampy and his creations take center stage, drive most of the story, and ultimately save the day. He elevates the service provided to guests with legitimate complaints to wondrous levels while delivering well-deserved comeuppance to those who are just obnoxious.

Among the high points in this Betty Boop outing are some nice (and sometimes subtle) callbacks to some of the older entries in the series, with the name of the hotel being foremost among these. There's none of the surrealism or edgy humor that was present in those efforts from the early 1930s, but the steady stream of good-natured gags (which start with the signs outside the hotel in the opening scene and don't stop until the closing fade-out) and the assortment of odd and/or troublesome guests at the hotel manage to make this a bit of fast-paced, fun entertainment.

Since we here at Shades of Gray also like to provide service with a smile, we invite you to check out "Service With a Smile" right now, by clicking below. It's only about seven minutes long, and we promise it will brighten your day!

The hero we need for the Covid-19 age

Grampy's Indoor Outing (1936)

Starring: Mae Questel (as the voices of Betty Boop and Junior) and Jack Mercer (voice of Grampy)

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Dave Tendlar

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

After a promised outing to a traveling carnival is cancelled, Junior throws a temper tantrum. It's Professor Grampy  to the rescue, as he applies his mechanical genius to turn his home into an indoor carnival.

"Grampy's Indoor Outing" is a fast-paced, fun bit of fluff. There's not a whole lot to say about it beyond the summary above and the sentence I began this paragraph with. It's one of those things you just sit back and watch with a smile. Parents of young children may find themselves watching and wishing the had Grampy as a neighbor, what with all the lockdowns and shut-downs of the amusement parks and just plain old parks, and even the schools. It's been a year for many parents, and these next few months are probably going to feel even longer. Grampy is both the hero they need AND deserve.

Take a few minutes to enjoy "Grampy's Indoor Outing" right now. It will almost certainly brighten your day!

(One thing I observed that I found interesting is that the character design of Junior is almost identical to that of Little Jimmy, a licensed character that starred along side Betty Boop in a cartoon released earlier in 1936. I don't know if that means anything other than Fleischer was going to spend the effort to come up with an entirely new character design for a series that was sinking in popularity, or if it was something else.)

Grampy requests your presence

Betty Boop and Grampy (1935)

Starring: Mae Questal (Voice of Betty Boop)

Director: Dave Fleischer & Dave Tendlar

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Betty and the Gang are invited to party at Grampy's house... and, BOY!, do they party!

"Betty Boop and Grampy" stars a Betty in the process of transitioning from her wild flapper days to a homemaker. Betty still favors the short skirts, but they aren't as short as they used to be... and instead of visiting Crazy Town with her boyfriend, or going to see the Old Man of the Mountain against everyone's advice, she's happily doing domestic chores around her happy home. Still, there's more than just a little spunk and wildness left in Betty, so when she gets in invitation to come to Grampy's house for a party, she picks up four total strangers while crossing town (including a fireman and a police officer) and invites them along.

Grampy, a bald, white-bearded inventor of weird gadgets with a talent for jury-rigging devices on the spot that puts MacGyver to shame, joins Betty Boop's supporting cast with this installment. With Fleischer having to tone down the more mature aspects of their popular "Betty Boop" cartoons, they were trying different things and wacky Grampy was one of them. 

"Betty Boop and Grampy" is an entertaining bit of nonsense. It's got excellent music (starting with the "Betty Boop Theme", which Betty hums while tending to household chores; continuing through "Over at Grampy's House", which is sung by Betty and the guys she picks up while heading to the party; and "The Tiger Rag", which the characters sing and dance to, as it is played by a makeshift mechanical orchestra that Grampy constructs out of his kitchen appliances. The animation is up to the usual high standards to the Fleischer studio, and the gags are all well timed. It's not a high point in Betty's catalogue, but it's well worth your time.

The only real complaint I have is that Betty shouldn't have been picking up random strangers in response to Grampy's invitation. It would have been nice to see Koko and Bimbo at the party, since they're actually "the gang" mentioned in the letter. I know that Fleischer had removed the anthropomorphic elements of Betty's world by now, but it still would have made the Continuity Geek in me happy.

As is my habit with most of the short films I review, I invite you to take few minutes to brighten your day by watching the subject I've discussed. 

Trivia: In addition to working in animation, Dave Tendlar also illustrated comic books. I edited and wrote some material for a collection of his "Ginger and Snap" stories from NUELOW Games.

'Be Human' addresses animal cruelty with bluntness and humor

Be Human (1936)

Starring: Mae Questal (voice of Betty Boop) and Jack Mercer (voices of Grampy and Neighbor)

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Myron Waldman

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

Outraged at the extreme abuse her neighbor heaps upon pets and farm animals alike, Betty (Questel) calls animal shelter operator and animal rights champion Professor Grampy, who knows exactly how to deal with such a human monster.

In 1935, the Motion Picture Production Code forced the Fleischer Studios to tone down the adult humor that once given their Betty Boop cartoons a sharp edge, and they subsequently became less popular with movie-goers. Naturally, steps were to reverse the downturn.  

As a character, Betty made made to leave her wild days behind and become a responsible career woman and/or a homemaker. As a commercial property, producer Max Fleischer tried to rekindle Betty's dwindling popularity by shifting her appeal to a younger audience. Despite everyone's best efforts, Betty's star continued to fade. I don't think there's a clearer sign of this than today's subject. As the instrumental version of Betty's long-time theme plays, viewers are shown a title card that reads "Grampy in Be Human" in large type and "A Betty Boop Cartoon" in a much smaller typeface that almost blends into a graphic element on the left side of the screen. Not only is Betty given less marquee space than a member of her supporting cast, but she is almost rendered invisible.

Once the cartoon really gets going, however, things are little different. Betty leads off singing a song that spells out the story's theme--be kind to animals. Her hateful neighbor then engages in a string of terrible acts of animal abuse, up to beating a chicken to death for not laying eggs on command. Betty is then the driving force in bringing Professor Grampy onto the scene... although it's all Grampy when it comes to making the animal abuser pay, all while harnessing the power of his punishment to make animals happy.

"Be Human" is squarely focused on a strong message opposing animal abuse, and it makes its points without subtlety. I suppose those who fear they may be "triggered" by cartoon scenes of animal abuse should give this film a pass, as should those who think animal abusers shouldn't just be rounded up and tossed in torture pits. Personally, I think the only ones who would take issue with this cartoon would be those who are prone to abuse helpless creatures... and there are apparently many people out there, since when the Betty Boop cartoons were syndicated to television in the mid-1950s, "Be Human" was pulled from rotation due to complaints that it encouraged vigilantism. 

Personally, I think any non-psychopath is going to get a kick out of Prof. Grampy's creative way of making Betty's nasty neighbor pay for his cruelty while generating a benefit for the animals housed at his sanctuary. Although Betty may have been in decline as a commercial property when "Be Human" was released, I think it ranks among the best in the series, and I highly recommend that you take a few minutes to check it out right now. 

'Grampy: The Candid Candidate' still resonates

Grampy: The Candid Candidate (1937)

Starring: Jack Mercer (voice of Grampy) and Mae Questel (voice of Betty Boop)

Director: Dave Fleischer

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

After narrowly winning at election for Mayor, various citizens groups invade Grampy's office and insist he deliver on his promises. Grampy comes up with innovative ways to meet their demands (and more)!

Although this is ostensibly a Betty Boop cartoon, the fact that it's headlined by a member of what is generally viewed as her supporting cast, says a lot about the standing of the Betty Boop character in the late 1930s. Her adventures lost much of their edge when production companies became obligated to adhere to the MPPC, and Betty grew up, put away the tiny flapper dress, and became a domesticated homemaker. Meanwhile, characters like Grampy, who was introduced into the series in 1935, took more and more of the spotlight. In some ways, Betty Boop was following the same path that her one-time boyfriend Bimbo had followed: Betty began her existence as a supporting character to Bimbo, but she quickly came to overshadow him.

While the "The Candid Candidate" is a solid sign that Betty's days as the reigning Queen of Cartoon Comedy were coming to an end, it is an item that has stood the test time--with humor that is as fresh now as it was in 1937, and probably still will be in 2103. Not only does it feature a rapid-fire stream of sight gags, but it's a fun-filled send-up of politicians who over-promise and who then, when called to deliver, fail at truly fixing  problems they campaigned on while going so overboard in other areas to the point where there are going to be unintended consequences down the road. Shots taken at the media here also shows that "fake news" isn't new, and that politicians pandered just as hard back then as they do today. There is so much in this cartoon that remains relevant that it's funny and depressing at the same time.

Whether you watch "The Candid Candidate" for its social commentary or just for the crazy and innovative ways Grampy goes about being the Greatest Mayor Ever, you're going to enjoy every moment of its  six-minute running time. I've embedded it below so you can check it out now--I'm sure it will brighten your day.

 

(In fact, I enjoyed this cartoon so much that I think I shall have to focus my meanderings through the history of Betty Boop on just the ones featuring Grampy. He made ten appearances between 1935 and 1937, and if they're all as good as this, I'll be glad I did!)