Connor Ratliff
@connorratliff
Webby Award-winning Actor/Comedian/Podcaster • Dead Eyes • The George Lucas Talk Show • CONNOR RATLIFF presents THE ACTING CLASS • "Deputy Kent" on WIDOW'S BAY • ALSO: Disney's Stitch & DuckTales comics written w/James III!
Lobby card for "War and Pieces" highlights the shocking surprise ending, which violates at least one of Chuck Jones' rules for Road Runner cartoons
Day 37: "War And Pieces" June 6, 1964 The FINAL Road Runner cartoon of the "classic era" contains some new gags and a shocking surprise ending that violates multiple rules on Chuck Jones' list. Watch the entire film (6:43) HERE: archive.org/details/the-...
Credits! This one was a re-tread but it at least offered an alternate Bill Lava musical score; there would be two other cut-down shorts that are purely just unaltered footage from the TV pilot/featurette. Only ONE more Chuck Jones Coyoteverse short from the classic era left, and that's next...
The fact that these iconic images come from near the END of Chuck Jones' classic era run of Road Runner cartoons is an indication that the series was brought to its end before it had run out of steam. They could have easily kept going; the rejected TV pilot is a very sad case of What Might've Been
Day 36: "To Beep Or Not To Beep" December 28, 1963 A short made almost entirely out of footage recycled from the Road Runner TV pilot, but with the Milt Franklyn score replaced by new music by Bill Lava. Watch the entire film (6:39) HERE: archive.org/details/the-...
Credits! The least interesting of the Bugs/Coyote shorts, but it would've been a fantastic 2nd episode of the Road Runner TV show, with its title character already calling out sick.
Wide and tall backgrounds from "Hare-Breadth Hurry" -- click each image to see which ones are WIDE and which ones are TALL!!
Day 35: "Hare-Breadth Hurry" June 8, 1963 The final Bugs/Wile E. short was cobbled together from footage that was supposed to be the 2nd episode of the Road Runner TV series, with Bugs (on "speed pills") filling in for the RR. Watch the entire film (7:07) HERE: archive.org/details/the-...
Credits! Music is now by Bill Lava, who will go on to write the low-budget music for the terrible DePatie-Freleng Road Runner shorts; his music in this one sounds better, I assume he was working with the same resources Milt Franklyn had before he died. Goodbye, Wolf & Sheepdog!
The big development in this one is that the nature of Ralph Wolf & Sam Sheepdog's relationship has changed. No longer mere co-workers, no longer mere neighbors, they now share a home, eat breakfast together and are physically affectionate with one another.
Day 34: "Woolen Under Where" May 11, 1963 Chuck Jones is FIRED; the final Wolf/Sheepdog film has him relegated to a mere story credit, as Phil Monroe & Richard Thompson capably take over directing HUGE surprise at the top of this one! Watch the entire film (6:21) HERE: archive.org/details/the-...
Milt Franklin died in April 1962, before this short (or the Adventures Of The Road-Runner featurette, which showcased his song, "Out On The Desert") were released. "Zoom At The Top" is Franklyn's final Coyoteverse musical score.
