T&J Mystery animator

[Frank]

I think it makes sense that the mystery animator in the T&J unit in the early 1940's was Paul Sommer. He was working at MGM for a couple years (1937 to 1941) and Ray Abrams doesn't seem to be at MGM until 1942 around. I think the scene when Tom accidentally kisses the bulldog in Dog Trouble (1942) might have been done be Ray Abrams. But since I'm not familiar with Ray Abrams animation style I could be wrong.

[Sogturtle]

I think it makes sense that the mystery animator in the T&J unit in the early 1940's was Paul Sommer. He was working at MGM for a couple years (1937 to 1941) and Ray Abrams doesn't seem to be at MGM until 1942 around. I think the scene when Tom accidentally kisses the bulldog in Dog Trouble (1942) might have been done be Ray Abrams. But since I'm not familiar with Ray Abrams animation style I could be wrong.

Frank~

Well, obviously your post is a delayed response to a lengthy answer of mine on a thread from back in May (on the old board) concerning "the mystery animator". And yes, Paul Sommer did join Metro in 1937... But DON'T count Ray Abrams out as not being there early enough, as he definitely quit Lantz in 1937 and immediately headed for the greener pastures of MGM where he stayed put for many years. I should point out that Ray Abrams was the former room-mate of Friz Freleng, and as such the early MGM studio with Friz would have seemed kind of like home to Abrams. And Ray had been in the Tex Avery side of the Universal/Lantz studio, so Tex knew him well too and would've wanted his old colleague to work with him.

BOTH Irv Spence and the "Mystery animator" simultaneously VANISH out of the HB unit when Avery joined MGM and took over the former Harman unit... Interesting coincidence!!! Sort of like both men were sent back to their "home" unit! Ifffff that's the case then the mystery man would have to be Ray Abrams. And yes, Paul Sommer is the only other prime candidate (in my mind)... As he turned up at Screen Gems on releases starting in April 1942 (their production time right then was 6 to 7 months), meaning he likely left Metro in about Sept. 1941. Sept. '41 was just as Tex arrived at MGM and just as Tashlin took over Screen Gems. AND it was very, very close to when the "Mystery animator" vanished from the land of Leo...
Sooooo like I said back in May, I think it really points to either Ray Abrams or possibly Paul Sommer... "Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance!!"