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This disfunctional family is helped by showing compassion to an orphan in A Waif's Welcome (1936) — but not before cartoon chaos.

Charity, Candy and Toys in Classic ’30s Cartoons

PRESENTED BY GARY SCOTT BEATTY, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR, MUSKEGONMAGAZINE.COM, AND AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

With the toy buying season upon us, we look at classic cartoons featuring charity, candy, and toys.


I admire the amount of subtlety in the characters in A Waif's Welcome (1936) (above). The father is scared of his wife, but agrees to make her happy by taking in the orphan. The mother dotes on her child, but shows real compassion taking in the orphan. Disney alumni Burt Gillett and Tom Palmer brought focused plotting to Van Beuren Studios when they were brought in in 1933.


Just a few years earlier, Van Beuren Studios were producing shorts like Candy Town (Silvery Moon) (1933 re-release) (above), much less focused but charmingly creative. Apparently, the moon is not made of green cheese, but candy! If you wonder why the cat has Betty Boop's voice, it's possible this voice work was done by Mae Questel, Betty's voice at Fleischer Studios for nearly 10 years.


Van Beuren Studio's A Toy Town Tale (above), produced in 1931 makes more sense than a lot of Van Beuren Studio cartoons from this period. (No, I don't know what the man in the moon has to do with awakening toys, or what happened to the elephant.) This includes the songs Silent Night, Parade of the Tin Soldiers (by Leon Jessel), and the 1911 ragtime hit Oh, You Beautiful Doll (by Seymour Brown and Nat D. Ayer).


Van Beuren Studio's Toy Time (1932) (above) is a cartoon musical featuring mice playing with toys, and the most emaciated cat I think I've ever seen in cartoons.

Look for a cartoon page next month, where we'll be sharing classic holiday cartoons like like Jack Frost, Christmas Comes But Once a Year, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!


What do you think of classic cartoons? Too violent or bigoted to be enjoyed today? Let us know at Muskegon Magazine .com on Facebook.


These Works are in Public Domain and not Derivative as specified by U.S. copyright law (title 17 of the U.S. Code).

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Contents:

DECORATING
Before and after! Decorator Carol Beatty of Quigley Draperies shows how to transform boring rooms with soft window treatments, designed just for you. Here's to your new look!

HOLIDAY WALK
What better way to bring in the holidays than the 26th Annual White Lake Holiday Walk, November 22 and 23 along the streets of Montague and Whitehall! Event details here.

EVENTS
Live music, Snow Queen event, early Michigan adventure tales, and library tour are at Hackley Public Library in November, plus more, including a Christmas kick off! Discover it all here.

SENIORS
What if an older adult's doctor says they aren’t safe returning to their home? Kurt Sapp of Seminole Shores Living Center discusses finding an assisted living community during a crisis. VIDEO!

COMMUNITY
United Way of the Lakeshore has made veterans the focus of their annual Day of Caring for the last three years. Christine Robere explores why in this informative article. VIDEO!

LAKESHORE STAR GAZER
Whole turkeys are great for meals and delicious leftovers. Yet cooking an entire turkey is terribly inefficient! Here's how to cook a perfect a turkey every time (with gravy and broth).

LAKESHORE STAR GAZER
Clear November nights offer a chance to enjoy the stars of autumn. Plus, Mystery of the Christmas Star is at Carr-Fles Planetarium! Astronomer Jonathan Truax is your guide. VIDEO!

BUSTER KEATON
Muskegon's own silent film star is mistaken for Dead Shot Dan in “The Goat," leading to amazing stunts and surprising escapes, complete and on line here! VIDEO!

CLASSIC CARTOONS
With the toy buying season upon us, we feature four classic cartoons featuring charity, candy, and toys, perfect for Thanksgiving and pre-holiday viewing! VIDEO!

EVENTS CALENDAR
Don't miss a thing this month with Muskegon County's best online events calendar, courtesy of Hackley Public Library!

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