Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Question about "Herman and Katnip"

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Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 04-18-2003, 10:30 AM:

Has any body ever seen any of these cartoons and were they any good? I,ve read about it on the cartoon database but it didnt have any comments on any of them. They were apparently produced through Famous Studios as to which I haven't seen a whole lot of there stuff. Also, how good is the animation? From what I can tell they tried to copy Tom and Jerry but sinse I haven't seen any of them I couldn't tell.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 04-21-2003, 07:52 AM:

Herman and Katnip were on TV as Harveytoons. Herman had a brash New York-ish voice, and Katnip was a more dumb-sounding cat.

Many of the cartoons featured Herman protecting his relatives from Katnip, who could be talked into doing alot of dumb things. Unlike Tom and Jerry, these cartoons had alot of talking. A typical line was from Katnip, after hearing another of Herman's suggestions was: "Hmm. That sounds logical!"

The animation was typical Famous Studios work, with "It's a Hap-Hap-Hap-py Day" heard alot on the soundtrack. This tune was penned by Winston Sharples, the music director on these toons.

They had nothing on the original Hanna-Barbera Tom and Jerry toons, but were much better than the Gene Dietch Tom and Jerry's of around 1961. (Saw one yesterday... Aack!) All in all, they were light entertainment.

EDIT: I changed the music directors name. It is now right--Thanks KEN!

[ 04-21-2003, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: Bruce McGee ]

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 04-21-2003, 10:36 AM:

Aha! Famous Studios expert here. I have a fairly complete episode guide to all the Famous Studios cartoons that I have written in Microsoft Works format (compiled over a 30 year period!).

Herman the mouse first appeared in "The Henpecked Rooster" (released February 18, 1944) and co-starred with Henry the Rooster. The duo appeared again in "Scrappily Married (March 30, 1945). Herman appeared again in "Cheese Burglar (Feb. 22, 1946) minus the rooster. It was the next Herman cartoon, "Naughty But Mice" (October 10, 1947) that established the formula of big city cousin Herman going out to visit his country cousin mice to help them get rid of the evil cat, Katnip. Starting with Naughty But Mice, Arnold Stang was the voice of Herman the Mouse and Sid Raymond was the voice of the big, dumb, Katnip the cat. Sid Raymond is still alive and kicking at 90 years old and Arnold Stang is still around too. More info on these guys can be found at the number one Famous Studios cartoon fan, Jerry Beck's website, www.cartoonresearch.com and tell him Ken Layton sent you. Be sure to check out the section of his website called "Original titles" and click on Paramount for the story of Paramount's "Noveltoons" series eventually became "Harvetyoons".

Oh, and the musical director on the Herman and Katnips (as well as most of the Famous Studios cartoons) was Winston Sharples Sr. (his son Win jr did the music on Hal Seeger's Batfink tv series).
The uncredited opening title music of the Herman and Katnip series was "Skiddle Diddle Dee - Skiddle Diddle Dey" words and music by Hal David and Leon Carr copyright 1951 by Paramount Music Corp.

Oh, and I've seen some of Jerry Beck's 35mm Technicolor prints (with original Paramount titles) of Herman and Katnip cartoons and they rival Disney---top notch animation, beautiful color, great sound. The only drawback is sometimes the story wasn't too hot, though.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 04-21-2003, 12:11 PM:

Thanks KEN. I fixed my previous post.

I've only seen the TV Harveytoons in Eastmancolor. I bet an original 35mm is stunning.

Skiddle diddle dee
Skiddle diddle day
It's just like a holiday...

(this could be wrong)
Skiddle diddle dee
Skiddle diddle day
Herman's come to town

(another verse goes here)

When Katnip, the Cat,
Sees Herman, the Mouse,
Katnip, the cat, packs his bags and leaves the house!

Skiddle diddle dee
Skiddle diddle day
It's just like a holiday

Skiddle diddle dee
Skiddle diddle day,
Herman's come to stay!

--That's alot of 'diddlin' [Big Grin]

BTW: I never really thought that Disney had all the best cartoons... Warners beat them regularly, IMHO.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 04-21-2003, 05:07 PM:

Boy the difference between an Eastman Harveytoon print and an original Technicolor 35mm print is night and day. The 35 of "Winner By A Hare" (Moe Hare-Tommy Tortoise) was uncut and had the end scene intact where Moe loses his bet and blows his brains out! The Harveytoon print has this scene cut out.

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 04-21-2003, 10:43 PM:

Mighty interesting story Ken!
The reason I asked was that I found a Technicolor print of one on Ebay but I lost out because it was pulled and since I had it on watch but didn't get the sellers name I lost it. [Frown]

Oh well, better luck next time.
Thanks for the info though.