Wednesday, September 26, 2012

MORE CASPER...

Here’s some more story ideas that were submitted by Studio staff for Casper films. I thought these really good examples of how ideas could be submitted in any form--- they didn’t need to be anything fancy… like typed! Also, they're fun to read since you can really hear the voice of the writer.

This first proposal is by George Germanetti, long time Fleisher and Famous Studios animator.

Click on any image to enlarge for reading





























Here’s a story idea below by Myron Waldman, another long time Fleischer and Famous Studios animator. Myron likely held the record for having worked on the most Betty Boop cartoons and was responsible for animating many Casper films as well.























The story idea below was submitted by Jack Mercer—who  though he submitted many story ideas and was also an assistant animator, is best remembered as the voice of Popeye.













If you think the story idea below looks a bit more ‘professional’- it’s because the writer, Larz Bourne, was actually a member of the story department!














I love these story ideas because they show how staffers in the 30’s and 40’s could choose to be involved in many aspects of a film... from start to finish! 

All story idea scripts: Collection of Virginia Mahoney


14 comments:

  1. The last one sounds like it was modified into "Spook and Span", a 1958 Capser your dad directed and which Larz Bourne gets story credit (his last at Paramount, IIRC). It's interesting to look at the written concepts for the stories that did make it into production and how they finally turned out.

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    1. Thanks for figuring which film that turned into- I think you're right!

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  2. As a longtime Famous Studios fan, I love your site and all of these behind the scenes looks at how the cartoons were created! A question many FS Popeye fans have is why Olive Oyl and Bluto were given makeovers so that they were more attractive than they had been in the Fleischer films and comic strips and even in the earliest FS cartoons. I and many fans who correspond with me love the revamped versions. Did your dad ever talk about this or do you have any memos or notes on it? It might make for an interesting post.

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    1. Hi Deborah-- thanks for the post-- often I think of all the things I never asked my dad and that question might have been one of them. So I don't at all know the answer beyond that later cartoons were often simplified to reduce animation costs so their appearance became more modernized looking. Cost saving became a really big thing even affecting how things were animated. But for a possibly more interesting answer-- have you tired Bob Jaques blog (popeyeanimators.blogspot.com) - he is the real Popeye expert and goes into all the nuances of how the characters are drawn. But I still keep finding things here and there from by dad's stuff- and if I find a better answer will get back to you!--- Best, Ginny

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  3. Actually, I'm Steve Bierly. I didn't realize our Google account was in my wife's name!!! But thanks for the input, Ginny, and for the great blog!

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    1. Hi Steve-- thanks for the note-- I'll try and remember to read 'Deborah' as 'Steve.' Best, Ginny

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  4. Thanks Mike!-- I'm getting things together to put up another Casper post for Halloween---

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  5. The more I visit your blog, the more I enjoy it. Thank you so much for all your hard work!

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  6. Hey, Ginny, hello from another Steve, who has a blog dedicated to the original A.Clokey Gumby series, and I enjoy your blog...your dad directed the vats majority of those, though it did wind up taking a toll on his lie in 1964, he ddid the funniest cartoons (including a TV "Snuffy" smith, part of that large King Features SS/Beetle Bailey/Krazy Kat" package of 1962-63, where Snuffy is in the army and calls the seargant a name, whereupon the seargant challenges Snuffy to eat his own words, which with the seagent's help, he does! Then, "Mmm..Good use some salt".(Paul Frees as Snuffy, Allan Melvin as the seargant, which made it sound like the sister series Beetle Bailey).

    I agree with the posts above..

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    1. Hi Pokey -- I didn't know my dad did any of the Pokey films-- can you tell me any more about that??? I've love to know--- Best, Ginny

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  7. I'm new to blogspot and I just want to say
    you keep and preserve the most interesting works
    your father had done in those times.

    The story ideas here are interesting too,
    I'd like to use those as references.

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  8. I'm glad you're enjoying....please feel free to us the material as references-- if you re-post any images, please give credit to: Collection: V. Mahoney

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  9. Hi Ginny - great stuff. It's been a while since I checked out your blog. I'd like to add that Jack Mercer became a member of the story department at the Fleischer Studio after he started doing Popeye's voice and continued to write for the story department of Famous after returning from the service.

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