Paul Terry

Paul Terry

Birth : 1887-02-19, San Mateo, California, USA

Death : 1971-10-25

History

Paul Houlton Terry is an American pioneering animator and founder of Terrytoons.

Profile

Paul Terry

Movies

Beaver Trouble
Producer
Two beavers, working harder than beavers, are cutting down trees in order to build a dam when they notice cords of wood piled next to a dog-house. They start hauling it off, as a labor-saving device, but the guard-dog objects and starts chasing them. They easily avoid his futile attempts to catch them and, to add insult to injury, they even dismantle the dog-house. When winter comes and the first snow, the dog, his house destroyed by the beavers, is out in the cold. Ashamed of their actions, the two beavers disguise the dog as a beaver, and the trio spends the winter in the beaver's home.
Better Late Than Never
Producer
A Terrytoons cartoon released March 1950. With Victor the Volunteer.
The Fox Hunt
Writer
Heckle & Jeckle become part of a televised fox hunt when the fox and his pursuer, Dimwit, burst through their TV screen.
Mighty Mouse Meets Deadeye Dick
Producer
Classic satire on the Western genre, with the sheriff fighting the bad guy. Then a mysterious stranger enters. It's Mighty Mouse!
Aladdin's Lamp
Producer
In Arabia, a feline bandit kidnaps Aladdin's beautiful daughter. Mighty Mouse saves the day in this operetta parody.
Aladdin's Lamp
Story
In Arabia, a feline bandit kidnaps Aladdin's beautiful daughter. Mighty Mouse saves the day in this operetta parody.
Christmas Toyshop
Director
Santa visits some kids and tells them a story in the form of a cartoon in this Castle short.
School Daze
Producer
A short cartoon based on the Nancy comics. The cartoon is presented as three blackout sequences, each introduced by a classroom of pupils singing the praises of the comic books. The sequences involve Nancy getting involved in civic-minded projects with typical comical effects.
The Big Build-Up
Producer
A Terrytoons cartoon released 4 September 1942.
The Old Fire Horse
Story
Terrytoons cartoon short
Devil of the Deep
Producer
Deep Sea fisherman is called to help land a big one.
The Saw Mill Mystery
Director
Terrytoon featuring the original version of Oil Can Harry, later becoming a feline version in the Mighty Mouse cartoons.
The Dancing Bear
Producer
The tale of the always-hungry Dancing Bear. When his master falls asleep, the bear slips his collar and tracks the smell of honey to farmer Alfalfa's place.
Puddy's Coronation
Director
Puddy and Kiko watch a king's coronation parade on a large Television receiver. They fight and Puddy's knocked out, and dreams he's now a despotic monarch that puts Kiko into a torture chamber.
The Hay Ride
Producer
A Terrytoons cartoon released 2 April 1937.
The Hay Ride
Story
A Terrytoons cartoon released 2 April 1937.
The Big Game Haunt
Producer
A Terrytoons cartoon released 19 February 1937.
The Big Game Haunt
Story
A Terrytoons cartoon released 19 February 1937.
Bugs Beetle and His Orchestra
Director
A fly and his girl go to an insect nightclub, but a spider crashes the scene to kidnap the girl.
A Tough Egg
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 26 June 1936.
The Sailor's Home
Director
A sailor's whimsical remembrance of his mermaid wife. Told with charm. Includes an incongruous riff from Disney's MUSIC LAND. Some animators: Milton Stein, Eddie Donnelly, John Foster, "Connie" Rasinski, Jerry Shields.
The Western Trail
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 3 April 1936.
Off to China
Director
Uncle Sam personally sends off a cat pilot for a flight to the Orient, to much crowd acclaim. Along the way he drops a heavy mailbag that nearly sinks Hawaii, and when he arrives in China, he has bags of laundry for them to wash.
Barnyard Amateurs
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 6 March 1936.
Home Town Olympics
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 7 February 1936.
Alpine Yodeler
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 2 February 1936.
The 19th Hole Club
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 24 January 1936.
The Feud
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 10 January 1936.
The Mayflower
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 27 December 1935.
Ye Olde Toy Shop
Director
When the old toymaker goes home, the toys in his shop come to life. Tin soldiers, a jack-in-the-box and wind-up dolls dance and cavort. A mean spider enters the shop, causing chaos which leads to a thrilling battle royale.
Southern Horse-pitality
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 29 November 1935.
A June Bride
Director
The Farmer tries to keep his pet from eloping. The "star attraction" here, as far as I'm concerned, is the ballad "Agnes", probably an original song by Philip A. Scheib (during a period when they were working hard to introduce them in these films; "Gypsy Life" being the only one anyone remembers). The scenes with the couple on a bicycle was an early one by "Connie" Rasinski, exhibiting his learning from Bill Tytla. The shot with the cats walking down the aisle is by a staffer whose animation was full of awkwardness and errors, but was also ambitious and charming.
Football
Director
It's the Army Mice vs. the Navy Cats in a wild, free-for-all football game. The cats battle and steamroll the mice until some gimmicks are employed.
Hey Diddle Diddle
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 20 September 1935.
Circus Days
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 6 September 1935.
Birdland
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 23 August 1935.
The Foxy-Fox
Director
Men on horseback and their dogs are hot on the trail of a sly fox. In this takeoff on the old Pied Piper fable, the hungry fox gets in the way of the flute playing.
Moans and Groans
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 28 June 1935.
King Looney XIV
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 7 June 1935.
Opera Night
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 31 May 1935.
A Modern Red Riding Hood
Director
Terrytoons make a modern variation of Red Riding Hood.
Five Puplets
Director
Thie Terry-Toon (titled "Five Puplets" as a pun and takeoff on Canada's famous Dionne quintuplets, and is not titled "Five Puppets")has a stork delivering five puppies (and not puppets)to a town, with all the dog-population householders blocking up their chimneys so the heavy consignment of quintuplets can't be delivered to them. Finally a proud daddy is found for them, and the town gives him a great parade and ovation, with the doctor and his horse joining in. Parody reigns.
Flying Oil
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 5 April 1935.
Old Dog Tray
Director
While the music background is "Old Dog Tray," the cartoon features a little pup who gets into some fantastic adventures and mishaps with soap bubble, and old farmer Alfalfa to go along. They sail off into the air on their bubbles until their bubbles burst.
The Moth and the Spider
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 8 March 1935.
Fireman, Save My Child
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 22 February 1935.
Peg Leg Pete, the Pirate
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 21 February 1935.
The Bull Fight
Director
A young man takes his girlfriend to a bullfight where the toreador, matador and picadors all suffer defeat at the hands (uh - feet) of the bull. The gallant suitor enters the arena and wins a great victory, via grotesque cartoon imagery, and earns the plaudits of the crown and his girlfriend.
What a Night
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 25 January 1935.
The First Snow
Director
It's a snow day, so everyone gets on the ice near the giant waterfall; trouble ensues.
The Dog Show
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 28 December 1934.
South Pole or Bust
Director
A dog pilots an airplane to the South Pole where he and his mouse assistant encounter an angry walrus.
Jack's Shack
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 30 November 1934.
Tom, Tom the Piper's Son
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 16 November 1934.
Hot Sands
Director
The Pup of Arabia.
The Magic Fish
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 9 October 1934.
Jail Birds
Director
A pair of convicts, a cat and a mouse, get rid of their striped prison suits and head for the hills. They hide in a tree but two skunks live there and have no intention of vacating. The escaped prisoners soon decide they prefer returning to the jail.
Why Mules Leave Home
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 7 September 1934.
Mice in Council
Director
The mice hold an Atlantic City convention to decide who bells the cat. Very inventive cartoon, filled with incident and East Coast references.
Irish Sweepstakes
Director
A Terrytoon cartoon released on July 27, 1934.
My Lady's Garden
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 13 July 1934.
See the World
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 29 June 1934.
Slow But Sure
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 15 June 1934.
Pandora
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 1 June 1934.
The Lion's Friend
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 18 May 1934.
The King's Daughter
Director
Princess Fanny is held captive by a giant in a castle. He's musical, playing the top of the castle like a piano, but that doesn't make him nice or her happy. She sends a letter to her father the king, with the help of a musical bird. The king calls for a volunteer, and the smallest knight steps forth. He traps the giant's guard dragon under the castle gate, then ties the dragon's tail around the giant's ankle and has the dragon haul him into the sea. Just in time, because he was preparing to saute the princess. The knight saves her and returns in triumph.
Joe's Lunch Wagon
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 6 April 1934.
A Mad House
Director
Mad Doctor who rooms with a house of skeletons plans mischief. M.D. animation largely by Bill Tytla.
The Owl and the Pussycat
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 9 March 1934.
The Last Straw
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released 23 February 1934.
Holland Days
Director
Farmer Al Falfa tries to save his Swiss cheese from thieving mice.
Tropical Fish
Writer
An early Terrytoon that is, typically, all over the map. There are grotesque mutant fish, singing skeletons, and, finally, Farmer Al Falfa drinking some bad booze and hallucinating about mermaids.
Who Killed Cock-Robin
Writer
A cat, frustrated at his inability to catch a bird, drinks a potion that turns him into a Hyde-like beast. Then he goes after Cock Robin.
Rip Van Winkle
Director
Rip Van Winkle, a lazy American man, wanders off one day with his dog Wolf into the Kaatskill mountains where he runs into an odd group of men drinking and playing bowls. He drinks some of their mysterious brew and passes out. When he wakes up under a tree he is astonished to find that 20 years have passed and things are a lot different. This is a charming story about how America changed due to the cival war, only in a different and more subtle way than ever told before.
The Banker's Daughter
Screenplay
Releasing a new cartoon to theaters every two weeks, producer Paul Terry had the idea to create an animated movie serial parodying 1890s melodrama. This was the proposed first installment with four more “chapters” to be released over the next two months. The concept didn’t catch on, but the characters and tropes did—zaftig Fanny Zilch, the damsel in distress, pursued by mustachioed villain Oil Can Harry in his opera hat and the dashing (albeit effeminate) hero Strongheart. The cliffhanger situations and operetta format became a Terry studio staple over the next 20 years, including the return of Oil Can Harry himself, tropes later adopted by Terry’s 1940s-50s “Mighty Mouse” cartoons.
Ireland or Bust
Writer
Aboisterous gang of animals in various wacky aircraft compete in a race to see who can get to Ireland first. The winners unfortunately wind up in a haunted house when they get there.
Hollywood Diet
Writer
A group of drinking, smoking and card-playing society women are getting obesely flabby. They go to a gym where various methods are used to reduce their fat.
Farmer Al Falfa's Ape Girl
Writer
The Farmer is abducted by a capering Jungle Goddess. As pre-Code as a Terrytoon ever got. Most animation is by Frank Moser; with him are Art Babbitt, Jerry Shields, Bill Tytla and others.
Happy Polo
Director
Sound re-issue of a 1929 Paul Terry cartoon, The Polo Match. A jockey preparing his horse for the day's polo matches. He opens up the neck, pours gasoline in the horse, oils and greases his hoofs, cranks up the tail and the horse is ready to go!
Bull-ero
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon involving bullfighting.
The Lorelei
Writer
Based on the German legends, there are visual references to the Ring cycle and to anything even vaguely Germanic, including Rip Van Winkle.
The Black Spider
The Spider is a terrifying creature who invades the castle, imprisons the king, and disguises himself in his clothes so he can pursue his designs upon the king's fair daughter.
The Black Spider
Writer
The Spider is a terrifying creature who invades the castle, imprisons the king, and disguises himself in his clothes so he can pursue his designs upon the king's fair daughter.
2000 B.C.
Producer
Part of the Paul Terry Toons series
2000 B.C.
Writer
Part of the Paul Terry Toons series
The Sultan's Cat
Story
A Farmer Alfalfa Cartoon.
Pigskin Capers
Producer
It's the mice versus the cats in a football stadium.
Pigskin Capers
Writer
It's the mice versus the cats in a football stadium.
Salt Water Taffy
Director
A Terrytoons cartoon released November 30, 1930.
Scotch Highball
Animation
Various anthropomorphic animals flock to the stadium to watch a horse race. Released November 16, 1930
Scotch Highball
Producer
Various anthropomorphic animals flock to the stadium to watch a horse race. Released November 16, 1930
Scotch Highball
Writer
Various anthropomorphic animals flock to the stadium to watch a horse race. Released November 16, 1930
The Family Album
Animation
Short sponsored by Western Electric to explain to the general public how their newest technology works. Animation by Frank Moser and Paul Terry.
Hot Turkey
Writer
A Terrytoons cartoon with a Turkish theme.
Spanish Onions
Writer
A mouse invites his girlfriend to a bullfight and ends up in the ring when the matador is defeated.
Caviar
Writer
The first Terrytoons animated short
Barnyard Melody
Producer
A cat and mouse nonchalantly dance on roller skates and comically harass Farmer Gray.
The Big Scare
Director
Newspaper claims "The End of the World is Near". Farmer Al Falfa tries to help animals get away.
Bughouse College Days
Director
Fly wins race over spider at Bugville Field-Day and gets fly princess. Spider gets mad and kidnaps fly princess. Fly fights back and gets princess.
House Cleaning Time
Director
Farmer Alfalfa and his cat are having a wash day and mice starts a soap war.
Jail Breakers
Director
A Aesop's Fables cartoon from Paul Terry.
Wood Choppers
Director
A series of animated short subjects created by Paul Terry and actor-turned-writer Howard Estabrook. Estabrook suggested making a series of cartoons based on Aesop's Fables.
Ball Park
Producer
An animated short film, and part of Paul Terry's Aesop's Film Fables, in which some animals play a game of baseball.
Ball Park
Director
An animated short film, and part of Paul Terry's Aesop's Film Fables, in which some animals play a game of baseball.
Ball Park
Animation
An animated short film, and part of Paul Terry's Aesop's Film Fables, in which some animals play a game of baseball.
Skating Hounds
Director
A series of animated short subjects created by Paul Terry and actor-turned-writer Howard Estabrook.
Presto-Chango
Director
In this entry in the Aesop's Fables series, a boy and girl cat cannot keep their eyes- and paws- off each other.
The Black Duck
Director
Okay, this is an entry in the "Aesop's Sound Fables" and is a version of the little-black-duck and the wolf-in-sheep's clothing fables about the sibling duck who was shunned because of his color, and not because of race.
A Lad and His Lamp
Director
Another Van Beuren's mouse cartoon variation of Aladdin's lamp, with a soundtrack added in the late 1940s.
Wooden Money
Director
The annoying animal antics- combined with the collapse of his porch- finally get to Farmer Al Falfa, so he sells his house to odd-looking twins. But their money bag is filled with mice who chase Al Falfa into the lake. Drawn into a whirlpool, he magically travels through a faucet back into his house. The mice also pour out and chase him- and the loony twins- down the road.
Snapping the Whip
Director
An obnoxious cat, wearing roller skates, leads Al Falfa on a merry chase. The frisky feline then puts skates on the unsuspecting farmer, propelling him right into a mean canine traffic cop.
Land o' Cotton
Director
Mice sold into slavery and driven to pick cotton by whip-cracking cats plot their escape to freedom.
Laundry Man
Producer
Aesop's Fable from Paul Terry & VanBeuren.
Laundry Man
Director
Aesop's Fable from Paul Terry & VanBeuren.
Big Game
Director
Farmer Alfa goes hunting big game.
Dinner Time
Director
Dinner Time is noted as the first sound cartoon short made after Warner Bros.' success with The Jazz Singer and produced even before Walt Disney's first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie (though released after).
Horses, Horses, Horses
Director
Milton Mouse, the demon rider, stages a one-man round-up, puts the horses into the barn and then calls on Rita, the rancher's daughter. They are getting along famously until terrible Thomas sneaks up, lassos the barn, knocks out Milton, steals Rita, and drives away with his booty.
When Snow Flies
Producer
A group of anthropomorphic animals are having fun in the snow, and steal Farmer Al Falfa's door. After fighting with his water pump and later his hand, Al Falfa wakes up from a drunken dream and has trouble getting inside his house. The animals invite the farmer to have fun with them.
The Plow Boy's Revenge
Director
An Aesop's Fables animated short.
Phony Express
Animation
In order to deliver Western Union mail on time, our cowboy protagonist will have to be brave, clever and resourceful
Phony Express
Producer
In order to deliver Western Union mail on time, our cowboy protagonist will have to be brave, clever and resourceful
Phony Express
Director
In order to deliver Western Union mail on time, our cowboy protagonist will have to be brave, clever and resourceful
Closer Than a Brother
Director
Farmer Al Falfa, the boss at an egg factory, discourages the romance between his two feline employees.
The Ugly Duckling
Director
1925 Paul Terry version of the familiar story that was re-done twice by Walt Disney. Farmer Alfalfa gets into the early scenes since the story takes place on his farm.
Transatlantic Flight
Director
A Aesop's Fables with flying fish and flying hot dogs....
The Haunted House
Director
an animated cartoon with a supernatural theme—
That Old Can of Mine
Director
Cartoon Comedy about Automobiles.
When Winter Comes
Producer
When snow comes, winter sports are back and all the animals rush to the frozen lake.
Five Orphans of the Storm
Producer
One of Van Beuren Studios' Aesops Fables shorts
Five Orphans of the Storm
Director
One of Van Beuren Studios' Aesops Fables shorts
Happy-Go-Luckies
Animation
In Happy-Go-Luckies a pair of ukulele-strumming railroad hoboes fake their way into a dog show and make off with the prize loot. “Two heads are better than one” is the moral. To modern eyes, our trickster duo may look like two dogs—in the show they pretend to be one long dog—but audiences of the ’20s would have recognized a dog-and-cat team. The black body, white face, and sharp ears would have been most familiar from the greatest jazz-era trickster cat, Felix. Dogs and cats—much easier to animate than humans—were everywhere in silent cartoons. Terry, like most early film animators, had begun as a newspaper cartoonist, and his first strip, working with his brother as a teenager for the San Francisco Call, was about the adventures of a dog named Alonzo.
Happy-Go-Luckies
Producer
In Happy-Go-Luckies a pair of ukulele-strumming railroad hoboes fake their way into a dog show and make off with the prize loot. “Two heads are better than one” is the moral. To modern eyes, our trickster duo may look like two dogs—in the show they pretend to be one long dog—but audiences of the ’20s would have recognized a dog-and-cat team. The black body, white face, and sharp ears would have been most familiar from the greatest jazz-era trickster cat, Felix. Dogs and cats—much easier to animate than humans—were everywhere in silent cartoons. Terry, like most early film animators, had begun as a newspaper cartoonist, and his first strip, working with his brother as a teenager for the San Francisco Call, was about the adventures of a dog named Alonzo.
The Burglar Alarm
Producer
Farmer Alfalfa encounters a disingenuous salesman.
Springtime
Director
In this one, Farmer Al Falfa and Henry the Cat go down to beach, where Al is singularly unsuccessful in impressing the pretty young ladies.
The Fable of the Jolly Rounders
Director
An Aesop's Fables cartoon about a hippo who had a few too many to drink, resulting in his wife kicking him out of the house. To win her back, the hippo conjures up a plan to make her jealous.
The Fable of Henry's Busted Romance
Director
Henry’s Busted Romance is a tale about a lovesick tomcat. Spotting a theatrical poster for Mademoiselle Kitty, he feels his passion surge and consults a fortuneteller for advice. “You are in love,” the cat is told and should pop the question at once. At the theater, the cat endures several acts (surely not players on the Keith-Albee Theatre circuit!), but makes little headway with Kitty, who leaves after the show with a top-hatted dog. When Kitty’s date proves to be a robber, our hero saves the day and returns with his ladylove to her home—and her brood of kittens. Tomcat makes a quick exit. As we are reminded in the final title card, “2600 Years Ago Aesop Said 'Anticipation is greater than realization.' ”
The Farmer and his Cat
Director
Entry in the Eastman Kodak Stores Series of Aesop Fables Cartoon Comedies.
The Farmer and the Cat
Director
A cat and a farmer chase mice.
The Spendthrift
Director
A Paul Terry cartoon
The Fox and the Grapes
Producer
An early Aesop's Fable from Paul Terry and Commonwealth Pictures
The Dissatisfied Cobbler
Director
An Aesop's Fables animated short.
Cat and Mice
Director
A hungry cat tries to eat parrot, but is foiled by a cop. He then goes after some mice, who conspire with other mice
A Cat's Life
Director
A cat abuses his mouse-slave, serenades a girl-cat and devises a mousetrap.
The Big Reward
Director
An Aesop's Fable cartoon
Farmer Al Falfa's Wayward Pup
Director
Farmer Al Falfa's pipe is stolen, smoked and buried by his frisky dog Fido. Some frantic chases ensue, with the farmer after Fido and Fido after various ducks and hens. The pooch's climactic battle with a fierce rooster leads to "fowl play."
Farmer Al Falfa Sees New York
Director
Farmer Al Falfa goes to New York, money bag in hand. He is immediately spotted by a crook who dispatches a fetching lady to shake him down. At a restaurant, she gets him drunk and lays him out with knockout drops. But what's in the bag is not what she is expecting, and she flees. The now-drunken farmer has stepped dizzily outside to acquaint himself with a lamppost when another sharper steps up and hauls him into a crooked card game. While prospects do not look good for Farmer Al Falfa, he has more tricks up his sleeve than the city slickers realize.
Farmer Al Falfa's Revenge
Director
Sir Henry Bonehead is poaching Farmer Alfalfa's "game preserve", stunning animals with the scent of his pipe tobacco and shooting at what he imagines to be goats but which turn out to be Alfalfa himself. That's the standard of humor in this early Paul Terry cartoon for the Bray studio.
Farmer Al Falfa's Cat-astrophe
Director
Farmer Al Falfa's Catastrophe
Down on the Phoney Farm
Writer
An animated short about a farmer and his cow
Down on the Phoney Farm
Producer
An animated short about a farmer and his cow
Down on the Phoney Farm
Animation
An animated short about a farmer and his cow
Down on the Phoney Farm
Director
An animated short about a farmer and his cow
The Walrus Hunters
Director
Farmer Al Falfa goes hunting for walruses in the arctic and runs into the usual troubles.