I didn’t want to only focus on Looney Tunes as a sketching source, even if I enjoy them the most. I tracked down a bunch of the Freleng produced shorts from the extended Pink Panther universe, things like The Inspector, Roland and Rattfink, but also the lesser known (or seen) Blue Racer, Tijuana Toads, and the Dogfather. I have to admit, I never realized how many cartoons were so, um… well, let’s just say I didn’t remember the stereotypes that seemed to pop up so much. The Japanese beetle in Blue Racer, and the Tijuana Toads themselves– well, they’re just not as endearing as Speedy Gonzalez; who according to voice actor Gabriel Inglesias, is still loved among the Latin community. The level of racism in these old cartoons was disturbing, but it’s an issue that can’t be ignored. Sadly, my next post will address even more instances in classic Warner Brothers cartoons.
On a brighter note, you may notice the rarely seen “Hercules” cartoon from the 60s, which I used to loved for the centaur’s song – “I’m glad, I’m glad, to have, to have, a mi…gh-ty friend, like Hercules, like Hercules“.