# \[Probably dumb\] question about Warner Brothers cartoons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323 "2005-06-22T06:33:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/1 "2005-06-22T06:33:24Z")
What were those [circles](http://www.trickfilmwelt.de/warner_logo.jpg) at the begining of Merrie Melodies & Looney Tune cartoons? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/2 "2005-06-22T08:20:23Z")
They is what they is – a series of concentric circles of gradated colour. In the thirties, the design was simpler, and it was more obvious that it was just an abstract frame for the text. (The circles were evenly spaced, the black-and-white gradient was more simpler and didn’t give the appearance of three-dimensionality, and the “Merry Melodies” title stayed within the boundary of the black inner circle.) It was just elaborated on a few times until it had that distinctive appearance. It doesn’t represent anything. For a long time I thought it was some kind of super drum, because some of the cartoons ended with Porky busting out of a bass drum to stutter the wrap, instead of the orange rings. (Six-year-old logic at work there. :D) ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/3 "2005-06-22T09:56:04Z")
To me, they always seemed suggestive of the heavy theatre drapes that would gather and tuck as they opened in the old movie houses. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/4 "2005-06-22T15:07:42Z")
I always thought the circles were just art-deco-style curtainy things. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/5 "2005-06-22T15:11:40Z")
A third vote for a curtain/proscenium effect. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/6 "2005-06-22T15:43:54Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > A third vote for a curtain/proscenium effect. Fourthed. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/7 "2005-06-22T16:12:39Z")
Fifthed, or is it Fived? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/8 "2005-06-22T16:16:06Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Fifthed, or is it Fived? That’th de-fifth-able! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/9 "2005-06-22T16:48:55Z")
I can see how the shading reminds people of gathered curtains – but it doesn’t really make sense, what with them being concentric circles and all. And when you look at [the](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/31_merrie_melodies1.jpg) [various](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/64_porkypig_end.jpg) [versions](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/70s_merrie_melodies.jpg), they aren’t all shaded or coloured in a way that’s suggestive of those heavy curtains. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/10 "2005-06-22T16:49:59Z")
I wonder if the three-dimensional quality was supposed to evoke the architectural feel of an amphitheater, although the coitan idear ain’t too shabby, Doc. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/11 "2005-06-22T17:21:25Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > And when you look at [the](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/31_merrie_melodies1.jpg) [various](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/64_porkypig_end.jpg) [versions](http://www.melaman2.com/cartoons/looney/logos/70s_merrie_melodies.jpg), they aren’t all shaded or coloured in a way that’s suggestive of those heavy curtains. [Actual WB Cartoon Title Cards](http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/fieldguide.html). By the late 1950s, they seem to have realistic shading, although my hypothesis is that they are just abstract concentric circles and not curtains (who ever heard of a round curtain?). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/12 "2005-06-22T17:42:58Z")
I’m not saying it _is_ a curtain, just that it’s supposed to evoke one. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/13 "2005-06-22T17:46:53Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > [Actual WB Cartoon Title Cards](http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/fieldguide.html). By the late 1950s, they seem to have realistic shading, although my hypothesis is that they are just abstract concentric circles and not curtains (who ever heard of a round curtain?). Who ever heard of a talking rabbit? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/14 "2005-06-22T17:57:15Z")
I always thought it looks like the interior of a hollowed-out carrot. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/15 "2005-06-22T18:58:27Z")
I was watching a lot of Time Tunnel reruns at the time…I always thought it was a portal into the cartoon, that Porky breaks free of to say “That’s all folks!” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/16 "2005-06-23T00:07:51Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > I always thought it was a portal into the cartoon, that Porky breaks free of to say “That’s all folks!” In the film _Space Jam_, the circles are depicted as a portal into the world of the Looney Tunes (Michael Jordan is pulled through it by Bugs Bunny via a hole in the ground), so there is a plausibilty to that one. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/17 "2005-06-23T00:46:27Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > I always thought it looks like the interior of a hollowed-out carrot. Me too. I think it was because when I was first exposed to it, it was A) orange and B) on the Bugs Bunny show. The opening always said “Grab a carrot”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/18 "2005-06-23T05:52:02Z")
I thought it was a representation of the [Hollywood Bowl](http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/losangeles/postcards/hollywood/hbowl2.jpg) stage. [Like in this pic.](http://theband.hiof.no/band_pictures/band-hollywood.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/19 "2005-06-23T11:53:16Z")
Oooh, I think **The Mad Hermit** nailed it! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323/20 "2005-06-23T18:19:35Z")
When I was a kid, I always thought we were zooming into someone’s eyeball, with the black pupil in the center. It was creepy to see Porky Pig bursting out of an eyeball. Years later, when I was teaching myself Adobe Illustrator 1.0, I recreated those circles in my first attempt at gradients. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probably-dumb-question-about-warner-brothers-cartoons/309323.md?page=2)