The Tomorrow Cartoons of Tex Avery

Cartoons are rarely as original, funny or clever as the MGM ones of Tex Avery. And in his series of futuristic cartoons of tomorrow, he proves to be all three.

THE HOUSE OF TOMORROW - 1949

The House of Tomorrow was the first in the series and the one that set the tone for the others to follow. The title says it all, for in documentary fashion, a voice over and clever animation show us in detail what homes will look like in the future - complete with stereo's that become ovens and an extra-wide door for mother-in-laws. I personally find this cartoon the weakest of the series, but it's still loaded with laughs and clever ideas that are well worth checking out.

CAR OF TOMORROW - 1951

The Tomorrow series really hit its stride with Car of Tomorrow, featuring none other than cars of the future, complete with ones that drive sideways, cars for your giraffe, a fold-up car that fits in your pocket to avoid parking, and a car with a glass bottom so if you run over a pedestrian, you can look down to see if it's someone you know. This is my personal favorite, although the others are also quite good.

TV OF TOMORROW - 1953

Many people didn't even have television in their homes yet, when this classic first hit the theaters. TV of Tomorrow, like the others, is a tongue-in-cheek look at the future, with this one focusing on television sets,  and featuring a non-stop barrage of wacky televisions which includes one for gamblers with a built in teller booth to place bets on the horses, a television complete with fish so one doesn't have to go outside to partake in his favorite pastime, and a set that fixes disturbances caused by overhead planes, by including machine guns for one to use to shoot down the culprit.

THE FARM OF TOMORROW- 1954

The Farm of Tomorrow is the last of the Avery Tomorrow cartoons and probably the least seen. However, it is as fresh and clever as the three classics before it. And like the others, the jokes come so fast and furious that it's hard to remember most of them by the time it's over - although I do seem to remember a duck that you can peel like a banana, a chicken slot machine and a cow crossed with a beaver to help swat flies.

These four shorts that make up the Tomorrow series are as good an argument as any for Tex Avery to be considered as one of the most creative animation directors of all time. They are not always politically correct, but like the television show Mad Men, it's a look into a time period long gone. If you've never seen any of these four cartoons in Tex Avery's Tomorrow series, I suggest you seek them out. You'll be richer for it.

Bosko & Cool Cat - Looney Tunes First & Last Stars

Before Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the Road Runner, the face of Looney Tunes was Bosko, the kid made out of ink. And in 1930 he was featured in the cartoon short that started it all, Sinkin' in the Bathtub. This was the first official release of the Looney Tunes franchise and opened the door for the vast array of colorful characters that would follow.

In 1969, when the Looney Tunes theatrical shorts officially ended, it would be Cool Cat starring in Injun Trouble that closed the book on the Warner Brothers cartoon machine. Actually that book was pretty much closed in 1964 when the golden age of cartoons ended and were replaced by cheaper looking animation. Not to say that all cartoons after 1964 were bad (although many of them were) they just looked cheaper and seemed rushed.

While both Sinkin' in the Bathtub and Injun Trouble are vastly different, these are perfect examples of the attitudes and animation styles of both 1930 and 1969. Bosko cartoons were nothing more than elaborate sight gags set to music, much like the silent films that came before it, while the Cool Cat shorts were full of quick one-liners spoken by the main character to reflect the hip, changing style of American pop culture.

Yes, a lot changed from 1930 to 1969. And the cartoons of old represent that change. And although it's always interesting to look back, both Sinkin' in the Bathtub and Injun Trouble seem very dated today. However, they are well worth a second look, for through them you will get a glimpse into what was at one time the mind-set of the American public.