Paramount's Superman cartoons

[cbrubaker]

You can download theatrical Superman cartoons from this site.

Since these are in public domain, I'm sure it's okay to plug this

http://www.toonamiarsenal.com/features/superman/

[musicradio77]

Max & Dave Flesicher produced the first several "Superman" cartoons from 1941 until they both left the studio in 1942. By the fall of 1942, Famous Studios did the last couple of "Superman" shorts until the end of the series in 1943. It's great to see the complete "Superman" cartoons online. Keep in mind that all of the Paramount openings and closings are removed from this site.

[Ray Pointer]

Max & Dave Flesicher produced the first several "Superman" cartoons from 1941 until they both left the studio in 1942. By the fall of 1942, Famous Studios did the last couple of "Superman" shorts until the end of the series in 1943. It's great to see the complete "Superman" cartoons online. Keep in mind that all of the Paramount openings and closings are removed from this site.

In all, there were 17 SUPERMAN cartoons released by Paramount between 1941 and 1943. Fleischer Studios produced the first nine in the series, ending with TERROR ON THE MIDWAY. Famous Studios continued the series beginning with
JAPOTEURS (1942) and ending with SEGRET AGENT (1943) The remaining eight cartoons produced by Famous would certainly be more than just "a couple" as you can see.

[RetroMan]

I downloaded Terror On The Midway, but unfortunately it has added sound effects, the dialogue is barely audible and... was the opening supposed to be still pictures of a circus?

[oldgreypole]

Late last year, I bought several $1 DVDs at Target. Two of them have Superman cartoons on them. Because "Electric Earthquake" is the only one left out among the cartoons, I downloaded that one.

[Sogturtle]

One of the things I find very puzzling about the "Superman" series is this... That Fleischer (and then Famous after then) would have a complete newcomer to the studio, Steve Muffatti, act as "head animator" (aka animation director) on close to a third (5 out of 17) of the cartoons (3 from Fleischer, 2 from Famous).

This is even stranger when we consider that they pretty much had 6 units working, and that these were VERY expensive cartoons to make. I'm not sure why they'd risk that many being done by a newcomer, unless they believed that Muffatti was in some way superior for the artwork on the series... Color me "perplexed":confused:

[Duck Dodgers]

I downloaded Terror On The Midway, but unfortunately it has added sound effects, the dialogue is barely audible and... was the opening supposed to be still pictures of a circus?

you could buy this,a must have for any serious animation fan:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6305943389/qid=1116151565/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-4636185-3653711?v=glance&s=dvd

[Kowalski]

One of the things I find very puzzling about the "Superman" series is this... That Fleischer (and then Famous after then) would have a complete newcomer to the studio, Steve Muffatti, act as "head animator" (aka animation director) on close to a third (5 out of 17) of the cartoons (3 from Fleischer, 2 from Famous).

This is even stranger when we consider that they pretty much had 6 units working, and that these were VERY expensive cartoons to make. I'm not sure why they'd risk that many being done by a newcomer, unless they believed that Muffatti was in some way superior for the artwork on the series... Color me "perplexed":confused:
That's really strange. When did exactly Muffatti joined Fleischer studio? His earliest credit in a Fleischer cartoon was in 1940, so he may really qualify as a newcomer. Of course, he had experience as director at Van Beuren. He did several very good Cubby Bear cartoons (including one of my favorites "Croon Crazy"), but that doesn't sound like the most adequate or best possible credentials for doing Superman cartoons. Still, he did pretty good job with them.

[Sogturtle]

That's really strange. When did exactly Muffatti joined Fleischer studio? His earliest credit in a Fleischer cartoon was in 1940, so he may really qualify as a newcomer. Of course, he had experience as director at Van Beuren. He did several very good Cubby Bear cartoons (including one of my favorites "Croon Crazy"), but that doesn't sound like the most adequate or best possible credentials for doing Superman cartoons. Still, he did pretty good job with them.

Kowalski~

I have no strong criticisms of Steve Muffatti's Superman work. And I STILL haven't found out exactly when Muffatti joined the Fleischers... His actual first CREDIT there was as an animator (NOT animation director) on the feature "Gulliver's Travels" (1939) sooooo that puts him at Max's in at least 1939 (Shamus Culhane joined in mid-year and still managed to get some crowd animation scenes in the film even at that late date). And the fact that Muffatti was CREDITED on "Gulliver's..." and then on a toon in 1940 speaks pretty loudly that he was ranking pretty high (Jim Tyer was there animating from 1937 and received NO credit till the Famous days, despite having directing, story, and animating credits). I've been puzzled by where Muffatti was from 1934 on... The odds would be good that Bert Gillette had either fired him or demoted him down to animator. If he was still at Van Beuren till 1936 that still leaves a whopping three year gap in his filmography and life. And yeah, he could even have been at Terrytoons or one of the industrial shops in that period.

And though I've been remiss in not searching for an obituary for Steve Muffatti, in my files I do have the data from the only man by that name on the Social Security records. And that makes it all even stranger, because though it fits with his life in general, it means that he was 53 years old when he made those "Cubby Bear" cartoons...! And would have been some 60 years of age when the "Superman" series started!!! That would in fact make him two years OLDER than Max Fleischer!! :eek: And that Steve kept on working at Famous till he was in his early Seventies, and years later died in New York in 1968 at age 87! Does anybody have the obituary for Mr. Muffatti??? Detroiter, are you reading this??;)

[YPSmitGimmick]

You can also download most of the Superman cartoons in DVD quality (Mpeg2) on the "Internet Archive"

Superman (http://www.archive.org/details/superman_1941)
The Mechanical Monsters (http://www.archive.org/details/mechanical_monsters_1941)
Billion Dollar Limited (http://www.archive.org/details/billion_dollar_limited)
The Arctic Giant (http://www.archive.org/details/arctic_giant)
The Bulleteers (http://www.archive.org/details/bulleteers)
- The Magnetic Telescope -
Electric Earthquick (http://www.archive.org/details/superman_electric_earthquake)
- Volcano -
- Terror of the Midway -
Japoteurs (http://www.archive.org/details/japoteurs)
Showdown (http://www.archive.org/details/showdown)
Eleventh Hour (http://www.archive.org/details/eleventh_hour)
Destruction, Inc. (http://www.archive.org/details/destruction_inc)
The Mummy Strikes (http://www.archive.org/details/mummy_strikes)
Jungle Drums (http://www.archive.org/details/jungle_drums)
- The Underground World -
Secret Agent (http://www.archive.org/details/secret_agent)

There also some PD cartoons of Betty Boop, Tom and Jerry (Van Beuren), Popeye and others. Search in Film Chest Vintage Cartoons (http://www.archive.org/details/classic_cartoons), Open Source Movies (http://www.archive.org/details/opensource_movies) and Features Films (http://www.archive.org/details/feature_films)

[Ray Pointer]

Steve Muffatti was NOT a newcomer. He had been at Fleischer's a number of years. But keep in mind that one of the the important qualifications for animating on SUPERMAN was the ability to draw realistic humans. This was something that
many of the other animators had difficulty with, and can be seen in some of the cartoons, compared to others. It was largely due to the strength of the Assistant Animators that the drawings were kept on model and drawn fairly naturalistic.

As for the "expense" of the SUPERMAN cartoons, I'd like to know just what is thought to have been the cost. It may not be what has been reported incorrectly for years.

[Sogturtle]

Steve Muffatti was NOT a newcomer. He had been at Fleischer's a number of years. But keep in mind that one the the important qualifications for animating on SUPERMAN was the ability to draw realistic humans. This was something that
many of the other animators had difficulty with, and can be seen in some of the cartoons, compared to others. It was largely due to the strength of the Assitant Animators that the drawing were kept on model and drawn fairly naturalistic.

As for the "expense" of the SUPERMAN cartoons, I'd like to know just what is thought to have been the cost. It may not be what has been reported incorrectly for years.

Alright Ray, I'll bite then;), EXACTLY how many years had Steve Muffatti been at Fleischers when he finally received screen credit on "Gulliver's Travels" ??

(And I'm still puzzled as to why a successful guy like yourself feels so compelled to phrase everything in confrontational terms on here again and again and again...:confused: )

[Ray Pointer]

Alright Ray, I'll bite then;), EXACTLY how many years had Steve Muffatti been at Fleischers when he finally received screen credit on "Gulliver's Travels" ??

(And I'm still puzzled as to why a successful guy like yourself feels so compelled to phrase everything in confrontational terms on here again and again and again...:confused: )

Who has been confronted? If one feels "challenged" over a declarative statement that is not based on actual research or fact, so be it. I'm not sure of the exact year, but Muffatti was at Fleischer's at least a few years before GULLIVER. And considering the years it took to become an animator, it would hardly be fair to call him a "newcomer."

[Sogturtle]

Who has been confronted? If one feels "challenged" over a declarative statement that is not based on actual research or fact, so be it. I'm not sure of the exact year, but Muffatti was at Fleischer's at least a few years before GULLIVER. And considering the years it took to become an animator, it would hardly be fair to call him a "newcomer."

Ray~

Hmmmmm... So let me get this right... In other words Ray, unless I'm missing something, you're saying that you have ZERO evidence (at least as of yet), to back up YOUR OWN "declarative statement":D that Mr. Muffatti was at Fleischer's "a few years" before Gulliver or even one minute before 1939. Or am I mis-reading the post that you just wrote up above? Or do you have a Fleischer photograph from 193? with him in it??? I don't seem to hear you saying that you have such a thing. Or do you? I don't know of anybody on here who has seen one, but I'm human and could well be wrong.

And Steve Muffatti was a full-fledged animator and director back at Van Beuren, so he was a newcomer to Fleischer in the same way as Jim Davis was one, i.e. newly hired, so as such you misunderstood the term. Jim Davis went from Harman-Ising (in 1937) over to Jam Handy then to Fleischer's. But Muffatti (like Davis) was NOT a newcomer to the animation industry. As such Muffatti SHOULD have been credited at Fleischer from the minute he joined (BOTH Muffatti and Davis notably receive credit first on "Gullivers..."). But there is no such film credit nor evidence of Muffatti being there earlier than Davis. Or, once again, do YOU have a Fleischer photograph from 193? with Mr. Muffatti in it that you're sitting on???

And you really should re-read all of your old posts... You engage in unneccessarily confrontational bouts with a number of people on here (not just little insignificant me:)). But other folks like Larry T., JLee, Geezil etc., where you needlessly denigrate their research and their views... And a number of people are noticing...

[Yosemite682]

This is not my fight, but I can't help it.... Do you guys really need to be arguing about a little known animator on which year he arrived to Fleischer? I mean does it really matter? It is petty bickering and it is demeaning to yourselves. Just remember the NO FLAMES rule, ok? No offense to each of you, and I have the highest respect for the both of you. Just cool down and think before you respond. (I know this sounds strange coming from me, I have been known to argue at the drop of a dime, but I hope that I have changed)

[Kowalski]

And though I've been remiss in not searching for an obituary for Steve Muffatti, in my files I do have the data from the only man by that name on the Social Security records. And that makes it all even stranger, because though it fits with his life in general, it means that he was 53 years old when he made those "Cubby Bear" cartoons...! And would have been some 60 years of age when the "Superman" series started!!! That would in fact make him two years OLDER than Max Fleischer!! :eek: And that Steve kept on working at Famous till he was in his early Seventies, and years later died in New York in 1968 at age 87! Does anybody have the obituary for Mr. Muffatti??? Detroiter, are you reading this??;)

That's a fascinating info! He may have been in fact one of the oldest people in animation business during that era. I checked his entry in Alberto Becattini's excellent database of animators (available at: http://www.immaginariofiorentino.com/albertopage/index.html)
According to this, Muffatti worked at Van Beuren (1933-34) , Fleischer (1938-42), Famous (1942-52) and finally for Joe Oriolo on Felix the Cat. There's no mention of the four "lost years" between VB and Fleischer. Now I'm really curious about him, especially since it's highly unlikely that somebody in his '50s might suddenly enter into animation field. It's quite possible that he worked in animation much earlier than the available documentation or screen credits indicate.
I did an brief web search and found out that he, like many other Famous animators worked for Harvey Comics (in particular on Little Audrey). Also found a picture from his 1954. New Eve celebration, at web site dedicated to animator Al Eugster. And finally, an brief but very complimentary mention in an interview with Vince Fago (Fleischer and Famous animator, later an editor for Marvel comics). Quote:
"I remember Steve Muffati's opening shot for Superman. He had that down to an art. When Paramount took over and we redid the beginning, Steve was ready to do it again. He had it mapped out in his head. He was a real artist with a terrific background."
This confirms that Muffati was a very accomplished and capable artist. The whole interview (with some interesting Fleischer and Famous info) can be found on: http://www.twomorrows.com/alterego/articles/11fago.html
Still, nothing on Muffati's early years could be found.

[Ray Pointer]

This is not my fight, but I can't help it.... Do you guys really need to be arguing about a little known animator on which year he arrived to Fleischer? I mean does it really matter? It is petty bickering and it is demeaning to yourselves. Just remember the NO FLAMES rule, ok? No offense to each of you, and I have the highest respect for the both of you. Just cool down and think before you respond. (I know this sounds strange coming from me, I have been known to argue at the drop of a dime, but I hope that I have changed)

Absolutely not. Out of respect and accuracy regarding Steve Muffatti, who had animated on several POPEYE cartoons and continued for many years in the New York area, including Famous Studios and others, my point was to say that calling him a 'newcomer" on SUPERMAN was not only inaccurate, but disrespectful to someone who had paid their dues. One the surface, it may seem like a small thing. But it's not. This was understood on this end to be a discussion, not a public squabble. The question is why someone is willing to wage an arguement where there is no reason for it.

[cpdavison]

As for the "expense" of the SUPERMAN cartoons, I'd like to know just what is thought to have been the cost. It may not be what has been reported incorrectly for years.

The animated SUPERMAN series as established by Fleischer Studios continues to be a standard, as it pioneered the gnere of animation action adventure cartoons at a time when all other studios were making comedy cartoons with anthropromorphic animals.The proported cost at $100,000 is a myth, however, begun by a quotation taken from the 1968 Dave Fleischer interview with Joe Adamson. This myth was printed in THE FLEISCHER STORY by Leslie Cabarga, and accordingly, continues to be quoted as fact. Having seen the Fleischer production contract for the 1941-1942 season, the allocated production funds for SUPERMAN from Paramount were $65,000.00 for the first, with the remaing cartoons at $45,000.00.It is also to be noted that Fleischer Studios produced the first nine cartoons, the last being "Terror on the Midway." From "Japeteours" on, the production was assumed by Famous Studios, which was the sucessor to the demise of Fleischer Studios in May, 1942.
http://amazingforums.com/forum2/REELDVD/3.html

Just a little cut-n-paste to save you the trouble of typing it up again...

[Yosemite682]

Absolutely not. Out of respect and accuracy regarding Steve Muffatti, who had animated on several POPEYE cartoons and continued for many years in the New York area, including Famous Studios and others, my point was to say that calling him a 'newcomer" on SUPERMAN was not only inaccurate, but disrespectful to someone who had paid their dues. One the surface, it may seem like a small thing. But it's not. This was understood on this end to be a discussion, not a public squabble. The question is why someone is willing to wage an arguement where there is no reason for it.

I understand now, It just looked like a flame war, sorry for my jumping to conclusions. By the way what do the orginal Paramount titles look like? I have never seen the episodes with them.

[Ray Pointer]

Here is a link to a wonderful review of the Paramount cartoon logos from Jerry Beck's Cartoon Research Comments, including the SUPERMAN series. http://www.cartoonresearch.com/paramount.html The logo used in the SUPERMAN series was originally made in 1937 for the COLOR CLASSICS series, and continued to be used for all of the Fleischer color releases from that point one. This explains the reference to The Stereoptical Process that appears in the front logo of every SUPERMAN cartoons, eventhough the process was not used for this series. The one and only time such a dimensional effect appears to have been used was in the transitional shot going from the exterior of the Daily Planet Building, through the window, leading to the door of Perry White's office in the first entry titled, simply, SUPERMAN.

[musicradio77]

Here is a link to a wonderful review of the Paramount cartoon logos from Jerry Beck's Cartoon Research Comments, including the SUPERMAN series. http://www.cartoonresearch.com/paramount.html The logo used in the SUPERMAN series was originally made in 1937 for the COLOR CLASSICS series, and continued to be used for all of the Fleischer color releases from that point one. This explains the reference to The Stereoptical Process that appears in the front logo of every SUPERMAN cartoons, eventhough the process was not used for this series. The one and only time such a dimensional effect appears to have been used was in the transitional shot going from the exterior of the Daily Planet Building, through the window, leading to the door of Perry White's office in the first entry titled, simply, SUPERMAN.

Ray Pointer, as a special bonus, you should check out Argus Sventon's comments on Paramount including the pictures off of Argus' Cartoon Distributors website:

Paramount Pictures Cartoon Logo Gallery (http://www.geocities.com/argussventon/cartoondistributors/paramount/paramount.html)