When I was a kid, I loved Terrytoons. I still do!
There was a Saturday Morning Mighty Mouse Show that was really cool.
It had bumpers with Mighty Mouse riding a rocket 
and talking to us in a different voice than he had in the cartoons.Then they would show classic Terrytoons from the 40s and 50s.
These were fully animated but I knew there was something unique and strange about them. They were good but sort of slapdash at the same time.
I also had super 8 silent movies that I ran over and over for my friends. Woody Woodpecker, Zippy The Chimp,
Ub Iwerk's Puss In Boots and a Gandy Goose and Sourpuss cartoon.
The cartoon was a take off on Mickey's Trailer. 
I must have watched that cartoon a million times.Terrytoons made a practice of taking cartoons that were hits 10 years earlier and copying them using their own characters, now that the gags were completely out of date. It's a very ignorant yet funny practice. Joe Barbera would do something similar all through the 60s. He was always behind the times, but in a really funny way - like the episodes where Fred would sing Rock 'N' Roll.
Gandy is a loveable homosexual. Sourpuss was a mean curmudgeon.
Gandy and Sourpuss had a funny relationship. 
They slept together and would invade each other's dreams. Sourpuss was the asshole character and Gandy loved him nonetheless. Their relationship inspired Ren and Stimpy.
Later when I teamed up with Ralph, he let me explore bizarre domestic situations in the Bakshi Adventures Of Mighty Mouse.It was all practice for the Ren and Stimpy Show and my other cartoons. There is something inherently fascinating to me about domestic squabbles. They are a never ending supply of funny material.
Here, why don't you bone-up on Gandy and Sourpuss and I will reward your research on Friday.
35 comments:
Terrytoons have got to be the most underappreciated cartoon studio in history.
How can you not appreciate a studio that made a bald alcoholic farmer into a star???
Sourpuss and Gandy (plus Deputy Dawg, Hashimoto, and some suspiciously familiar looking rangers) in the size chart for "The Ice Goose Cometh" from the New Adventures:
http://tag.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_info.asp?ItemID=102597
Mr. K, I recently found a couple of Terrytoons on YouTube featuring a character called "Sad Cat." Ralph Bakshi directed them. Care to comment?
I have been thinking about discovering Terrytoons, because I saw some fantastic pictures in the book CARTOON MODERN (though I doubt those are the cartoons you are talking about). Are any of these cartoons available on DVD or VHS?
I haven't really seen that many Gandy Goose and Sourpuss cartoons, except for a clip from "Dream Walking," all of "Nightlife in the Army," and "Barnyard Actor" (no Sourpuss, but it is a Gandy Goose cartoon). This cartoon had some really funny animation, and I thought it was enjoyable.
BTW, what's your opinion on "Flebus?" http://youtube.com/watch?v=owev_Iw1kQw
I did my research man, Check out these photos of the Terry-Toons studio.
Wow, call me ignorant, but this was the first Sourpuss & Gandy episode I have ever seen. This stuff is a lost treasure... I've pulled out a handful of gags from that one episode that I have seen over and over again in countless cartoons. It sad in one aspect, because the toons you thought came up with those jokes become useless, but they seem fresh and well executed with these characters. Post some more!
I've never seen these characters-WOW! I love that drawing at the top- so cute!!
I admit I know little or nothing about Terrytoons.I loved the "Ice Goose cometh" BTW. I also have a question, was that first image part of a new project ?
Oh and in that cartoon, I can definetly see how Gandy and Sourpuss's relationship influenced Ren and Stimpy.
I loved those cartoons. There was something sort of naughty about the Terry Toons. They always had a look like they were getting away with something.
I remember theses little booths that were in malls and supermarkets that looked like a little barn, and for a quarter you could watch a terrytoon.The artwork on the side was terrific.
almost like this
I'd kill for one today. (even though I don't think Id fit inside anymore)
I love sourpuss' jimmy durante voice. chachacha!
I remember a similar statement in Sherlock Holmes where he remarks to Watson how fascinating it would be to him, to lift off all the roofs of all the houses to watch the interesting people go about their interesting lives, and to see what strange coincidences would occur between them.
There's something very compulsive about taking a peak into the private lives of strangers, to compare notes so to speak, and see if they type of humans THEY are, come anywhere near to the people WE are.
Hey, John..I remember the Gandy Goose cartoon you did for the New Adventures of Mighty Mouse. I miss it!
John, I suppose there's no real chance of the Mighty Mouses you worked on with Bakshi getting a proper DVD release any time soon?
Do you mind the bootlegs being posted/shared? If not I can try to put your Gandy/Sourpuss up somewhere (Google Video I guess?)
murrayb: You wouldn't be able to fit into that booth. I know, because two years ago, I came within a hairsbreadth of buying one for $50.00. It was a hard decision, but I just couldn't justify the space it would require. I had to see it sitting there taunting me week after week at the antique mall/junk store before someone finally bought it.
There hard to find but I think I have found one. (I can't watch on work because I don't have divx here....)
Gandy Goose in Peacetime Football (1946)
On stage 6 you can find other cartoons as well.
Who know's other sites for finding watching cartoons?
I really like to read more about terrytoons.
wow, that's the first Gandy and Sourpuss cartoon i've ever seen. nifty!
heh heh, that Gandy Goose is a bit of a sissy,but how do you know he's a homosexual? Did the Terrytoon animators kind of imply that in some episodes?.I guess the bed-sharing thing is a factor in this observation.
How is Ralph doing these days, sir? Other than the cameo he had in your Adult Party Cartoon, he seems to be pretty enigmatic.
*whines* Johhhhhhhn
The new template is kind of constricting. Didja know you can create your own ~original~ template?
hahaha hilarious stuff! the old toons really do have an edge over the fancy hitech new ones!
Sourpuss was fond of yelling at the goof-off goose to "Cut out that foolishness an' come to bed!" In their relationship, Gandy was the crockpot; Sourpuss the pressure cooker. They were probably gay and didn't even know it. Terrytoons' Farmer Alfalfa, on the other hand, had major issues with fencepost knotholes, a backstory which has yet to be properly investigated. Let's hope that you get to do it, John, before Ken Burns.
Terrytoons are wow! Seeing Gandy and Sourpuss in the same bed immediately conjures R&S memories. The New Adventures versions were great renditions. They rarely if ever played Terrytoons on Cartoon Network - a shame.
You know what, living in the UK I've never seen a Terrytoons cartoon before, and I must say they seem bizarre to me. It's like limited animation, but in full animation. I can't quite put my finger on it, but they really interest me.
This post had just inspired me to do a post on the Terrytoons, John.
For myself being a virgin to the cartoons produced by Paul Terry, I think it would be wise for myself to brush up on these cartoons, as well for the studio that had produced them.
Also, trying NOT to be a pest, but I'm still waiting for your words of wisdom.
From a wannabe cartoonist/ artist
Bruce
Mickey's Trailer?? I loved that cartoon when I was little.
Sweet- I need to watch this clip when I get home on a computer with sound. Hey this is unrelated but can you vote for my UPA style cartoon that's a finalist in the Nesquik contest:
http://tinyurl.com/2ef5l8
If it wins it gets shown on the big screen in Times Square! (unfortunately I think the 3-d animation entry is going to win because that's what's cool these days...) Thanks again for this great blog- it is helping my toons get progressively better (I think).
Nice drawing of Sourpuss and Gandy!
ok now you've started to outdo yourself. this x sheets post just blew my education out of the water, i'm going to have to donate this week.
thanks!
"a practice of taking cartoons that were hits 10 years earlier and copying them using their own characters, now that the gags were completely out of date."
I love R&S, but that's exactly what they did as well man (except the years earlier are different). I don't mean that in a bad way, in fact, I love both the camel's hallucination scene from "Porky Goes to Egypt" and the Yak's scene from "Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen", just about the same.
Sometimes my own work reeks of Looney Tunes or R&S just cause I've watched 'em so many times I can't clear my head!
Wow I never saw a full Gandy Goose and Sour Puss cartoon! I only saw that one episode of Mighty Mouse you showed at your "Saves San Francisco" show over a year ago.
The animation was really fluid especially for a so-called cheap studio. Terrytoons deserves more credit than they get.
That was fantastic.
Did anyone see that Chop Suey cartoon next along on the youtube scroll (at the end of the Gandy and Sourpuss video), and know anything about it?
For a lackluster and non-entertaining hallucinating camel, which may or may not have been inspired by Clampett's "Porky in Egypt", see the 1977 "Raggedy Ann and Andy" feature.
I'm with Kali on this one. I haven't heard of Gandy or Sourpuss, but I'll take a look at them.
And by the way, did you draw that first picture up top? It's awesome!
Has anyone ever seen a episode where they recreate Cinderella. Gandy has a dancing scene. He looks into the camera and says, look at me Ma, Im dancing, I'm dancing. Funny stuff.
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