What features were theatrically released with which cartoons?

[Tom Wake]

Any way of finding out which film each LT/MM cartoon was theatrically released with? A website or anything?

More for curiosity's sake than anything else.

[Ray Pointer]

This question has come up before in another forum. As mentioned before, the only way of determining this would be to seach old newspapers, trade ads, and
industriy pubications as a substitute for access to actual studio release records.
Another way, although very time consuming would be to look up the copyright registration dates of movies and compare them with the copyright registration dates of cartoons. This is no guarantee that they were distributed together or released on those dates.

There is a reference to LUMBER JACK RABBITT, made in 3D being released with Warners' HOUS OF WAX in Leonard Maltin's OF MICE AND MAGIC.:bugs2:

[MF TOON]

I think I asked a similair question at Jerry's forum some time ago...

Were the accompanying shorts always consistent from city to city and theatre to theatre though, or did the studios distribute different packaged shorts along with their films?

Does anyone know what the very last film to be screened with a cartoon short theatrically was?

[frizfrelengfan]

I don't think there's any way of knowing which cartoons were released with which features, especially because cartoons and features could have been re-released. I think it would be fun to look at the studio and the year and come up with fantasy pairings. My fantasy pairing is "Peace on Earth" with "The Wizard of Oz" (both 1939, both MGM).

[Ray Pointer]

Keep in mind that the film package changed after 1948, making it possible for theaters to negotiate rentals on the preferred shorts that were the better boxoffice draws. At the same time, these cartoons were in storage with National Screen Service, and many times made available with features as a package deal.


To ask which was THE last feature to be distributed with a cartoon is hard to say since it still happens periodically, as Warners has produced new LOONEY TUNES in recent years. Disney made at least three ROGER RABBIT cartoons after the success of the feature that introduced him. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, cartoons were being release with some features, but not by all releasing companies. Warners might reissue theirs on occaision. The only releasing company with new product into the 1970s was Universal with the Walter Lantz product and United Artists with the DePatie-Freleng product.

During the 1970s when I was working in theaters, cartoons were included on second run distribution of films, but not on first run for the most part. At the same time, cartoons on first run feature programs were done on an idividual or regional basis. In the Detroit and Great Lakes/Chicago area, THE CRUNCHBIRD (1972), which was produced in Detroit by Ted Petok and won the OSCAR that year was on the bill with CABARET. The following year, a short of mine, GOLDNAVEL (1973) was distributed with THE CONVERSATION.

So I would suppose to qualify the answer would be to consider the end of
cartoons as a regular part of the program package rather than the ceasing of the appearance of theatrical cartoons all together. :bosko:

[MF TOON]

Thanks for all the info Ray, I guess I should have been more specific..

Do you have any idea which was the last of the first-run Hollywood features to have been consistently paired with an animated short?

The finale at the last stretch which marked the end of an era?

[Ray Pointer]

My guess is that BONNY AND CLYDE was one of the last.:bugs2:

[Ray Pointer]

"I think I asked a similair question at Jerry's forum some time ago..."

For the record, CARTOON FORUM is part of THE ANIMATION SHOW group. It is not Jerry Beck's forum.:bosko:

[corey3rd]

Pixar has been putting shorts on their theatrical releases. So it's still happening.

[Philo & Gunge]

I just happen to know that "Dr. Devil & Mr. Hare" was released with "The Incredible Mr. Limpet".

[MF TOON]

My guess is that BONNY AND CLYDE was one of the last.:bugs2:


Really... the Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway film?

Wasn't that a late 60's production, I would've thought it'd be earlier?

[Detroiter]

Look up old issues of the Motion Picture Herald trade magazine. They have release charts that list the date of release for all shorts and features. In that way, you can match features and cartoons on a release date basis. But, as to which features and cartoons actually played together, that differed theater by theater. Not even producer-affiliated chains played the same programs.

Frank

[Chooch]

Heh, I saw "One Froggy Evening" with "Five Easy Pieces" back in 1970 in South Bend, Indiana. Overheard more than one person in the audience say out loud what was on my mind... "the damn cartoon was better than the movie!"

[JDWeil]

I remember that Grand Canyonscope was released with Lady and the Tramp at my local theatre.

[mmm...donuts]

I remember seeing Mickey's "The Runaway Brain" before "A Goofy Movie" in 1996 in a theater in Milan, Italy. Maybe the same happened also in other countries.

[Nelson]

Well here's an answer to you history toon buffs...

The very first Looney Tunes cartoon "Sinkin In The Bathtub"(1930) starring Bosko opended up for Warner's early sound two strip technicolor musical feature, "Song Of The Flame" in New York City and it was the moviegoers very first glimpse of Bosko.:bosko: