Happy Harmonies is a series of animated short films produced by Harman-Ising Productions and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Produced in Technicolor, these cartoons were similar in tone to Walt Disney Productions' Silly Symphonies and Leon Schlesinger Productions' Merrie Melodies musical series, which Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising created. They occasionally featured Bosko, a character who starred in the first Looney Tunes shorts that the duo produced for Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros. Pictures. After the first two cartoons, the design of Bosko changed from an "inkblot" to a more realistic African-American boy."". www.bcdb.com, February 2, 2012
The two final titles in the series were originally produced by Harman and Ising as Silly Symphonies cartoons. Disney originally planned to outsource the production of three shorts to Harman-Ising, including a short planned at the studio (Merbabies). Two shorts planned at Harman-Ising, Pipe Dreams and The Little Bantamweight, were rejected due to Roy O. Disney's interference and sold to MGM, who released them as Happy Harmonies. Harman and Ising lost the contract to MGM's newly formed animation division under Fred Quimby the same year. After the failure of comic strip-based cartoons, Quimby was forced to hire Harman and Ising, causing the studio's output to be similar in tone to the Happy Harmonies series until both left in 1941 and 1942.Who's Who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film and Television's Award-Winning and Legendary Animators
Unlike other MGM cartoons, the original negatives to the Happy Harmonies series were not stored by MGM, instead remaining at Hugh Harman's possession while MGM was given a master positive. As a result, they were not destroyed in the 1978 George Eastman House fire. Harman sold prints of individual cartoons to external companies for home and non-theatrical distribution and was sued by MGM in 1946.
List of cartoons 1934 No.TitleDirected byNotesRelease date1The Discontented CanaryRudolf Ising The first non-black-and-white cartoon produced by Harman-Ising for MGM Oldest MGM cartoon to be owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment via Turner Entertainment Co. Extra on the DVD of Evelyn Prentice (1934).September 1, 19342The Old PioneerRudolf Ising First cartoon to label the name Happy Harmonies on the title card. Not shown on TV due to Native American stereotyping. Extra on the DVD of Manhattan Melodrama (1934).September 29, 19343Tale of the Vienna WoodsHugh Harman Extra on the DVD of Treasure Island (1934).October 27, 19344Bosko's Parlor PranksHugh Harman First appearance of Bosko, Honey, and Bruno in a color cartoon. Final appearance of Wilber (his only appearance in a color cartoon). Final appearance of the original Honey design. Extra on the DVD of Midnight Mary (1933).November 24, 19345Toyland BroadcastRudolf Ising Modern TV showings cut out any scenes involving minstrel show performances in blackface. This leads to an abrupt ending via cutting out the last minute or so of the cartoon on TV. Extra on the DVD of Sadie McKee (1934).December 22, 1934
1935 No.TitleDirected byNotesRelease date6Hey-Hey FeverHugh Harman Final appearance of the original Bosko and Bruno designs. Extra in the DVD of A Tale of Two Cities (1935), along with Honeyland.January 9, 19357When the Cat's AwayRudolf Ising Extra in the DVD of Night Flight (1933).February 16, 19358The Lost ChickHugh HarmanMarch 9, 19359The Calico DragonRudolf Ising Extra in the DVD of Roberta (1935).March 30, 193510Good Little MonkeysHugh Harman First appearance of the Good Little Monkeys.April 13, 193511The Chinese NightingaleRudolf Ising Not shown on American television due to Chinese characterizations.April 27, 193512Poor Little MeHugh Harman Extra on the DVD of David Copperfield (1935).May 11, 193513Barnyard BabiesRudolf Ising Final two-strip Technicolor cartoon released by MGM.May 25, 193514The Old PlantationRudolf Ising First cartoon in three-strip Technicolor not produced by Disney. Not shown on American television due to African-American characterizations.September 21, 193515HoneylandRudolf Ising Extra in the DVD of A Tale of Two Cities (1935), along with Hey-Hey Fever.October 19, 193516Alias St. NickRudolf Ising First appearance of Little Cheeser. Extra on the DVD of Sylvia Scarlett (1935).November 16, 193517Run, Sheep, Run!Hugh Harman First appearance of Bosko and Bruno's redesigns.December 14, 1935
1936 No.TitleDirected byNotesRelease date18BottlesHugh Harman Extra in the DVD of San Francisco (1936).January 11, 193619The Early Bird and the WormRudolf Ising The two lazy crows are voiced by (as well as caricatures of) then-famous blackface team Moran and Mack. Their dialogue is directly lifted from their hit 1927 comedy recording, Two Black Crows. Extra in the DVD of After the Thin Man (1936).February 8, 193620The Old Mill PondHugh Harman First appearance of the Jazz Frogs. Extra on the DVD of Born to Dance (1936).March 7, 193621Two Little PupsRudolf Ising First appearance of the Two Little Pups.April 4, 193622The Old HouseHugh Harman Featuring Bosko, Honey, and Bruno. First appearance of Honey's redesign.May 2, 193623The Pups' PicnicRudolf Ising Featuring the Two Little Pups.May 30, 193624To SpringWilliam Hanna William Hanna's directorial debut. Only Happy Harmonies cartoon to have fallen in the public domain in the United States. Extra on the DVD of Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935).June 4, 193625Little CheeserRudolf Ising Featuring Little Cheeser. Extra on the DVD of Romeo and Juliet (1936). Extra on the Blu-Ray of Libeled Lady (1936).July 11, 193626The Pups' ChristmasRudolf Ising Featuring the Two Little Pups.December 12, 1936
1937 After Circus Daze, the films are not billed as Happy Harmonies cartoons but are retroactively considered to be part of the series. No.TitleDirected byNotesRelease date27Circus DazeHugh Harman Featuring Bosko and Honey. Last cartoon billed as a Happy Harmonies.January 16, 193728Swing WeddingHugh Harman Featuring the Jazz Frogs.February 13, 193729Bosko's Easter EggsHugh Harman Featuring Bosko. Final appearance of Honey.March 20, 193730Little Ol' Bosko and the PiratesHugh Harman Features Bosko and the Jazz Frogs.May 1, 193731The Hound and the RabbitRudolf Ising Extra in the DVD of Double Wedding (1937).May 29, 193732The Wayward PupsRudolf Ising Final appearance of the Two Little Pups. Extra in the DVD of The Prisoner of Zenda (1937).July 10, 193733Little Ol' Bosko and the CannibalsHugh Harman Features Bosko and the Jazz Frogs.August 28, 193734Little Buck CheeserRudolf Ising Final appearance of Little Cheeser. Extra on the DVD of Captains Courageous (1937).December 15, 193735Little Ol' Bosko in BagdadHugh Harman Final appearances of Bosko and the Jazz Frogs.January 1, 193836Pipe DreamsHugh Harman Featuring the "Good Little Monkeys". Originally produced for Disney, but released by MGM. Rarely shown on television due to showings of tobacco.February 5, 193837The Little BantamweightRudolf Ising Originally produced for Disney, but released by MGM. Final MGM cartoon not to be produced in-house.March 12, 1938
Home media The only official home release to date containing a significant number of the Happy Harmonies shorts is the Happy Harmonies Cartoon Classics LaserDisc box set. The LaserDisc set was released in 1994 by MGM/UA Home Video, which predated the merger of Turner Broadcasting System with Time Warner in 1996. The four-disc set contains 17 of the 37 Happy Harmonies shorts while the remaining 25 shorts include one side of six Barney Bear cartoons, the 1939 short Peace on Earth and the 1940 animated short The Milky Way. In 1999, MGM paid Time Warner $225 million to end its lease of distributing content owned by Turner Entertainment Co. prior to 1996 (the cartoons are part of MGM's pre-May 1986 library which Turner had purchased). Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has occasionally released Happy Harmonies shorts as extras on Warner Archive Collection releases.
References