# Fiendishly obscure actor ID: The culprit in cartoon "Who Killed Who? \[sic\] (1943) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [March 17, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248 "2022-03-17T15:38:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/1 "2022-03-17T15:38:06Z")
[Video here](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10152736255757552) If you don’t want to watch the whole cartoon, at the end in a brief live action segment the culprit is revealed to be. . . . Well, who the hell is it? My best guess is that it’s most likely Tex Avery. That would make the most sense. Only problem is that there aren’t a lot of photos of him floating around, and those that do don’t look a whole lot like the actor( to my eyes, anyway). Side note: Some of the voices are supplied by an obscure voice actor Kent Rogers, who died at age of 20 in 1944 (apparently a WWII training plane crash accident). He had done a ton of voice work in his short life, and may well have gone on for many more years had his life not been cut short. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/2 "2022-03-17T16:07:06Z")
[Robert Emmett O’Connor](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Emmett_O%27Connor)? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/3 "2022-03-17T16:24:03Z")
Looks like him but “I dood it” and “If I dood it” are Red Skelton catch phrases (Copied by Bugs Bunny) and I’m not seeing the connection. Definitely not Tex Avery. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/4 "2022-03-17T16:30:34Z")
1943 magazine photo: [![](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t~sAAOSwnvRiGYYS/s-l1600.jpg) ](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t~sAAOSwnvRiGYYS/s-l1600.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/5 "2022-03-17T16:33:00Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > [Robert Emmett O’Connor](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Emmett_O%27Connor)? He’s the guy behind the desk at the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/6 "2022-03-17T16:55:42Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > He’s the guy behind the desk at the beginning. And is the payoff that he then turns out to be the culprit at the end? ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/7 "2022-03-17T19:31:16Z")
Wikipedia seems to agree. That’s the whole gag? ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/8 "2022-03-17T20:01:53Z")
Yeah, wikipedia has an [article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_Who%3F) on this cartoon, with a fairly complete plot summary. It states that the live action host (played by Robert Emmett O’Connor, as stated above) who introduces the story returns at the end, revealed to be the killer. Watching the video, it’s definitely the same guy, wearing the same suit, tie, and pocket square. That seems to be the joke–the guy at the beginning who was moralizing about how “crime does not pay” turns out to be a criminal. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/9 "2022-03-17T20:12:12Z")
“I dood it” was indeed a Red Skelton catchphrase and was used as a title as one of his movies. I saw the cartoon a couple of weeks ago on MeTV. Came in partway through and recognized Avery’s style at once. There’s also a Red Skelton reference: a red skeleton is one of the creatures haunting the house. I ended up watching _I Dood It_ on Youtube. Eleanor Parker is one of film’s greatest dancers. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/10 "2022-03-17T20:16:21Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Wikipedia seems to agree. That’s the whole gag? > [@MrAtoz](#): > > Yeah, wikipedia has an [article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Killed_Who%3F) on this cartoon, with a fairly complete plot summary. It states that the live action host (played by Robert Emmett O’Connor, as stated above) who introduces the story returns at the end, revealed to be the killer. Watching the video, it’s definitely the same guy, wearing the same suit, tie, and pocket square. > > That seems to be the joke–the guy at the beginning who was moralizing about how “crime does not pay” turns out to be a criminal. I’ve shared the video with my FB group for animation, some of whom are professional voice actors or descended from animators. Haven’t heard anything yet but they should be able to definitively say one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2022, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/11 "2022-03-17T22:30:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > …Eleanor Parker is one of film’s greatest dancers. Eleanor Powell. I have seen this cartoon many times and it has always been clear the same live-action actor was featured in the beginning and end. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/12 "2022-03-18T13:36:46Z")
Well, thanks. Maybe it’s just the hair (and my old eyes), but the guy in the intro looks a good 10-20 years older than the perp, although side-by-side comparisons shows a closer resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/13 "2022-03-18T17:11:55Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Haven’t heard anything yet but they should be able to definitively say one way or another. Definitively say what? What’s still in question here? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/14 "2022-03-18T17:17:47Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Definitively say what? What’s still in question here? You know how Wikipedia is. At the time, there was still the question of whether or not it’s Red Skelton at the end. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/15 "2022-03-19T02:34:47Z")
It’s definitely Red Skelton ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/16 "2022-03-19T02:48:02Z")
On no planet is that Red Skelton. It’s the actor from the beginning of the cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/17 "2022-03-19T03:08:05Z")
The IMDb doesn’t list Skelton in the cast and agrees with Wikipedia that the host is Robert Emmitt O’Connor, who appears at the beginning. His hair isn’t even red, for Pete’s sake! There is a joke about a red skeleton, but that’s it. > **[Who Killed Who? (1943) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036535/fullcredits)** > > Who Killed Who? (1943) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/18 "2022-03-19T22:38:13Z")
If anyone’s still interested, a [side by side](https://imgur.com/a/wxSWq6h) comparison. While I do now agree that they seem to be the same person, it still seems to me that the person in the intro looks a little older. Red Skeleton was a red herring. I was wondering if it might be some other long-forgotten face from pop culture. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/19 "2022-03-20T01:42:41Z")
He’s even wearing the same suit and tie. He just looks more serious in the first picture. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiendishly-obscure-actor-id-the-culprit-in-cartoon-who-killed-who-sic-1943/961248/20 "2022-03-20T04:58:41Z")
Plus it makes sense as a gag. The stern-faced announcer at the beginning, “Crime Does Not Pay,” and him 'fessing up at the end.