From:
http://members.aol.com/EOCostello/s.html
It’s Ned Sparks (1883-1957)
Now, name the “boys”
The “boys” are Boris Karloff, Arthur Treacher, Keaton, and Mischa Auer. (Source: Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald.)
This is the same show that devoted an entire show to spoofing an infamous bootleg recording of Orson Welles throwing a hissy fit while recording an ad for Birdseye frozen foods.
What a great thread.
I’d just like to add:
“My mama done tol’ me
that man is a two face
a worrisome thing
that leave you to sing
the blues”
Daffy Duck, I think.
And Bugs Bunny singing “As Time Goes By” in a cannibal stew pot?
When I saw Casablanca I was quite surprised to hear them quoting Bugs Bunny.
Give dougie_monty a see-gar!
Now - Name the character!
The large, orange, furry monster is “Gossamer” (yes, I know he was called “Rudolph” in his first appearance - doesn’t matter).
Now, who was the little daydreaming boy who was contantly imagining himself the hero in various scenarios?
It is Daffy who sings Blues in the Night.
While reading through this thread, I was thinking that I learned this song from him. Also I’m Just Wild About Harry.
That would be Ralph Phillips, who I believe appeared in two Chuck Jones cartoons: From A to Z-z-z-z-z and Growing Panes.
And he was basically apeing Danny Kaye’s Walter Mitty, right?
That’d be James Thurber’s Walter Mitty. 
Close!
From A to Z-Z-Z-Z and Boyhood Daze
(Both on the LD Assorted Nuts)
(A teen-aged Ralph appeared in 2 army recruiting films, Drafty, Isn’t It? and 90 Day Wondering, but those were never released theatrically)
WB’s answer to D*sney’s “Chip an’ Dale” were the “Goofy Gofers” (who would sometimes act more like chipmunks than gofers, but that’s neither here nor their).
Name them.
Nt quite-- he’s not named in the first appearance, then called “Rudolph” in the second. It’s only since about 1980 that they started calling him “Gossamer”, which i apparently now his proper name. See my Teemings article on this:
Guess it depends on when the cartoon came out - isn’t it more likely it would be copying a movie than a short story from The New Yorker?
I just watched a tape of WWII-era cartoons last night, and here’s three more references I don’t get:
In a couple cartoons, one of the characters says, “What’s the hubbub… bub?” with a noticeable pause between the last to words. I recall hearing this in other cartoons, too. The distinctive meter leads me to believe this is a reference to something else, but what?
In a couple more cartoons, one of the characters says something like (not sure of the correct wording here) “I’m only three and a half years old” in baby-talk (I’m onwy twee an’ a ha’f yea’s owd"). Gotta be a reference to something.
In one cartoon, a red-riding-hood knock off, Red is an obnoxious preteen girl who speaks at the top of her voice. She throws in the phrase “to have” at the end of sentences in a number of places. Example (paraphrased): “I’M BRINGING A BUNNY RABBIT TO MY GRANDMA… TO HAVE.” The “to have” phrase comes almost two seconds after the preceding sentence; very distinctive. Pop culture reference or WB clowning?
It took me a while to realize that the Abominable Snowman (lookit da bunny rabbit! I will name him George!) was a parody of Of Mice and Men.
Er . . . wasn’t he?
I’d say that since Ralph Phillips doesn’t look or act at all like Danny Kaye, what’s being copied is the basic Walter Mitty idea. And that comes from Thurber, not Kaye.
In Calvin & Hobbes, Calvin’s science-fiction flights of fancy at school are based on the Ralph Phillips cartoons (except for the art style, which is 1950’s Wally Wood.)
Im not convinced it was either one. In the Thurber story and the Danny Kaye movie, Mitty was using his fantasies to escape the trials of his life. The Chuck Jones cartoon just seemed to me to be the story of a little boy with a fairly normal imagination.
You’re right, Euty, I hadn’t thought of that. So ne’er mind.
from e.o. costello’s page (see above, and learn to do your own research )
“What’s all the hub-bub, bub?”
“This expression probably derives from the Titus Moody character played by Parker Fennelly on Fred Allen’s radio show”
“I’m only three and a half…” Lou Costello
I can’t recall the 'tune with the annoying bobby-soxer, so I’ll leave that to someone else
Mac ‘n’ Tosh.
Look here for a detailed history of the word “foo”.