Orestes Calpini

These 9 episodes are all "Screen Songs," made by Famous Studios in the mid 20th century. All are crisply and colorfully drawn, and are delightful, if one takes them in the context of the era, because they have many elements that are now considered "politically incorrect."

"Sudden Fried Chicken" stars Herman (a mouse) and Henry (a rooster). Herman notices a poster that will award $1,000 to anyone who will stay in the ring for one round against a champion boxing rooster. He goes to Henry, who is feeling really low about himself, as he is getting bossed and pushed around by his wife. One thing leads to another, and the scrawny Henry is going up against the Champ!

This entry in the "Noveltoons" series (production number P5-3)is an animated "follow-the-bouncing-ball" audience participation sing-along with Farmer MacDonald having his hands full with the barnyard population. It ends with the animals in a Conga line singing their animated hearts out.

Henry is terribly henpecked by his wife until he makes friends with Herman Mouse. Turns out his wife is terrified of mice, until she dresses up in a cat costume!

In an attempt to prevent his daughter from spending her money needlessly on sweets, Mr. Moppet tells Lulu the story of The Grasshopper and The Ant. Seeing how the grasshopper wasted his money, and could count on no help from the ant, Lulu promises her father that he won't waste her money any more. But the temptation of the local candy store grows too strong, and Lulu buys all of the sweets that she can get hold of in order to "save up for the winter."

In an attempt to prevent his daughter from spending her money needlessly on sweets, Mr. Moppet tells Lulu the story of The Grasshopper and The Ant. Seeing how the grasshopper wasted his money, and could count on no help from the ant, Lulu promises her father that he won't waste her money any more. But the temptation of the local candy store grows too strong, and Lulu buys all of the sweets that she can get hold of in order to "save up for the winter."

Herman tries to get fed but has to watch out for two crazy roosters.

Popeye sits down to make a cartoon. He shows the results to Olive and his nephews: it's a damsel-in-distress scenario, starring him and Olive, with live music and sound effects by Popeye.

Superman discovers a secret Nazi base in the jungle.

Criminals with rocket powered car loot and extort the city, and only Superman can stop them!

Gabby goes camping with the Mayor.

Gabby teaches a young boy how to fish, even though the boy was doing much better without him.

Olive writes a letter to Popeye: she's through with sailors; it's cowboys for her. Popeye immediately sails off to the West, where he finds, who else, Bluto as the head of the ranch where Olive is enthralled. Bluto gives Popeye a wild horse to ride, and, after a few humiliating defeats, Popeye conquers it (and wins back Olive's heart). Bluto punches Popeye out, and into the clutches of what can best be described as a rattlesnake constrictor.

Gulliver washes ashore on Lilliput and attempts to prevent war between that tiny kingdom and its equally-miniscule rival, Blefiscu, as well as smooth the way for the romance between the Princess and Prince of the opposing lands. In this he is alternately aided and hampered by the Lilliputian town crier and general fussbudget, Gabby. A life-threatening situation develops when the bumbling trio of Blefiscu spies, Sneak, Snoop, and Snitch, manage to steal Gulliver's pistol.

Popeye takes Olive roller skating in a rink. She's never skated before, so he has to teach her, and she's not a quick learner. Before long Olive ends up outside the rink, rolling wildly out of control.

Popeye the Sailor, accompanied by Olive Oyl and Wimpy, is dispatched to stop the dreaded bandit Abu Hassan and his force of forty thieves.

Popeye is sitting outside Olive's lunchroom at the airport, distraught. She's closed the business to fly away with an aviator (Bluto, of course). But it's hardly what she expected; he has her painting his plane, while it's flying; when she says she's rather go back to Popeye, he tries to throw her off the plane. Popeye sees this, and takes off in a plane, just in time to help her out. The boys get into a dogfight, and Bluto manages to demolish Popeye's plane.

Bluto dirties all of an office building's windows himself, to drum up business for his window cleaning service. When he gets to Olive's stenographer office, about ten floors up, she says no: Popeye's going to wash her windows. And the battle with Popeye is on.

Popeye is wooing Olive on the phone when Bluto comes over. He overhears, taps into the line, and impersonates Popeye. They proceed to have a high-wire fight on the telephone lines outside Olive's house.

Olive is moving out of her apartment; she's hired Bluto to move her, but Popeye comes over to visit and won't be shown up - at least, not after he's had his spinach. But would you really want these two handling your belongings?

Popeye and Olive are attending a football game; Bluto's team takes the field, and Olive is swept off her feet, becoming a cheerleader for him. Popeye signs up and becomes quarterback of the opposing team, which is skinny and pathetic looking, compared to Bluto's team of huge bruisers. Things go badly, of course, until Popeye eats his spinach and becomes a whole football team himself, winning both the game and Olive.

Popeye and Olive, adrift on a raft, land on what apparently is Africa, and are immediately battling elephants and gorillas (also a moose!). Popeye eventually battles an entire menagerie at once - after first gulping down a can of spinach, of course.