Slappy Squirrel Animation Smear -- "Bumbie's Mom"

Here's a beautiful animation smear of Slappy Squirrel from Jon McClenahan, Barry Caldwell and the Startoons crew in Chicago.  

The series:  Animaniacs.  The episode:  "Bumbie's Mom."  

At the local multiplex, Slappy's nephew Skippy is enjoying the movie -- "Bumbie" -- until there's an onscreen gunshot and it appears that Bumbie's mom has been killed by a hunter.  Skippy burst into tears, waking Slappy from a sound sleep and resulting in the one frame Slappy smear featured below.  

Spoiler Alert:  The episode has a happy ending.  

Startoons's brilliant creative team animated and produced many of the very best Slappy and Skippy Squirrel cartoons during the entire Animaniacs run (1993-1998).   The Startoons Slappy cartoons include:  "Slappy Goes Walnuts," "Guardin' the Garden," "Critical Condition," "...And Justice For Slappy," "Scare Happy Slappy," "Soccer Coach Slappy" and "Bully for Skippy," among others.   All feature the brilliant voice performances of Sherri Stoner as Slappy and Nathan Ruegger as Skippy Squirrel.  And many of the Slappy cartoons are written by Sherri, as well as John P. McCann, Earl Kress, Nick Hollander, Nick Dubois and me...   

Animation Smears, Wild Takes and Strong Poses from "Woodstock Slappy"

Animation Lesson:

 

1.  Here are some in-between smears that intensify the acting and animation in "Woodstock Slappy."

Slappy leans in on Skippy with a smear face stretch.    

 

Slappy makes a fast, single-frame gestures toward the stage... 

 

Slappy uses her arms to beseech Skippy to answer the question that's driving her crazy:   "Who's on stage?"

Skippy stretches up then goes down into a squash and freaks out as Slappy sings along with her accordion.

  

2.  Some wild takes from "Woodstock Slappy." 

Slappy wakes up to the song stylings of a screaming Janis Joplin... 
 

 

 

3.  And here are some excellent strong poses and acting from director Audu Paden and his brilliant crew of artists, story-boarders and animators on "Woodstock Slappy,"  helped by some great vocal performances by Sherri Stoner, Nate Ruegger and the rest of the cast.

 

  

"WOODSTOCK SLAPPY" PAN -- 5OTH ANNIVERSARY OF WOODSTOCK

IN CELEBRATION OF THE 5OTH ANNIVERSARY OF WOODSTOCK...

Here's a pan of the Woodstock crowd as Slappy Squirrel tries to shoo them away form her summer treehouse in "Woodstock Slappy" from "Animaniacs" (1994).  

And here's Slappy grabbing Jimi Hendrix guitar in an attempt to bring the concert to a close.  

 










 

The People Who Made "Tiny Toons" and "Animaniacs" -- Part Four

Above, left to right:  Colin Wells, who provides the voice of Colin, the kid who tells us about Randy Beaman on Animaniacs; the Executive Producer of Animaniacs, Tiny Toons, and Pinky & the Brain, Steven Spielberg;  and Nate Ruegger, the voice of Baby Plucky on Tiny Toons, Skippy Squirrel on Animaniacs, and Froggo on Histeria!   (Photo circa 1994)

On the right, Paul Strickland, Tiny Toon Adventures' Production Manager, with his wife Robin Carmichael Strickland, on the left.  Paul, Robin and I worked together at Hanna-Barbera in the 80's.  (Circa 1993)

Above, our fearless Executive Producer, Steven Spielberg, center, at one of our yearly wrap parties.  Behind him, standing, is Luke Ruegger, the voice of "The Flame," Bumpo the bassett and "The Brave Little Trailer" on Animaniacs and the voice of Big Fat Baby and Billy the Kid on Histeria!  Flanking Steven are two of Luke's closest childhood pals, Wesley and Ryan Hasting. (Circa 1995)

From 1996:  Charles Visser went from storyboard artist to series director on Animaniacs and Pinky & the Brain.  Today, along with Alfred Gimeno and Jeff Gordon, Charles is a director of Disney's  new animated series, The 7D.

 
Visiting the Animanics/Pinky and the Brain/Histeria composers at the Warner Bros. Studio Clint Eastwood Sound Stage.  Left to right:  that's me next to series composer The Great Stonini, Richard Stone, and two of his closest and most talented musical collaborators, composers Julie and Steve Bernstein.  

Above, four more stars from Warner Bros. Animation, circa 1997.   Top left:  Bob Doucette -- designer, artist (Animaniacs, Tiny Toons),  show creator (Detention), director and producer (Road Rovers and Histeria).  Top right:  Harry Andronis --  the brilliant and beloved recording engineer of Animaniacs, Pinky & the Brain, Batman: the Animated Series, Histeria and most other series produced by Warner Bros. Animation in the 90's.  In the center:  the one and only Tress MacNeille -- the voice of Babs Bunny, Dot Warner, Hello Nurse and countless other characters at Warner Brothers animation, at Disney, on The Simpson and everywhere in the cartoon universe.  And standing in front:  Cody Ruegger, the inspiration for all the Baby Plucky cartoons ("Water go down the hole"), the voice of The Little Bluebird on Animaniacs, and the voice of Loud Kiddington on Histeria!

ANIMANIACS: "Smell Ya Later" with Jonathan Winters

Here's one of my favorite Slappy Squirrel cartoons, directed by Rich Arons and Lenord Robinson, written by Earl Kress and yours truly, and starring Sherri Stoner as Slappy, Nate Ruegger as Skippy, and guest starring Luke Ruegger as Bumpo Basset and the one-and-only comedy genius Jonathan Winters as Stinkbomb D. Basset.  

Bumpo and Stinkbomb D. Basset planning an attack on Slappy and Skippy Squirrel in "Smell Ya Later" from Animaniacs

 Watch "Smell Ya Later" here.

A major highlight of my career in cartoons was getting to work with Jonathan Winters -- and one of the highlights of being a dad was being able to introduce my sons to one of the greatest comedians of all time.   I am still thrilled that they had the chance to work alongside Sherri Stoner and Jonathan Winters in the same cartoon.  "Smell Ya Later" is one of my all-time favorite segments from Animaniacs. 

Happy 4th of July from Skippy and Slappy Squirrel

"In the land of the free, now that's com-e-dy!"

Cel set-up from the final scene of the Animaniacs episode entitled "Woodstock Slappy," directed by Audu Paden, written by John P. McCann and me, and featuring the "Who's on Stage?" sketch performed by Slappy (Sherri Stoner) and Skippy (Nathan Ruegger).  

"HISTERIA!" Animating Crew Photos -- #2

Here's the second pair of "animating" crew photos from the "Histeria!" series.  Flip the two photos back and forth to create "the illusion of life" -- and to see members of the cast make funny faces.   These two photos feature some of the wonderful voice actors who performed regularly on "Histeria!"  Can you name them all? 

Spider-Man: the Musical Video

Here's a music video written and performed by Cody Ruegger, and filmed and edited by Nate Ruegger.

It lampoons the current Broadway musical "Spider-Man:  Turn Off the Dark" as well as that show's composer, Bono of U2.

Spider-Man:  the Musical Video...enjoy!

The Last "Pinky and the Brain" Script: "Star Warners"

Here's the cover page from the last "Pinky and the Brain" script:  "Star Warners."  You can see that it was quite the group effort.  At the recording session, I asked the cast and crew members on hand to sign my script...for posterity.

Cast Members from "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Animaniacs"

In the mid-90's, we made a few "Tiny Toon Adventures" primetime specials while we were producing the "Animaniacs" series.  This photo was taken during a day when we were recording segments from both "Tiny Toons" and "Animaniacs."  Many of the voice actors performed roles on both shows. 

1st row, left to right:   Maurice La Marche (Dizzy Devil, Squit, the Brain),  Sherri Stoner (Slappy Squirrel, series writer, producer),  Nate Ruegger (Baby Plucky, Skippy Squirrel),  Andrea Romano (voice director),  me.  

2nd row:  Paul Rugg (voice of Mr. Director, series writer), K.C. (Sound Castle engineer),  Kelly Foley (recording editor), John Kassir (Buster Bunny).  

3rd row:  Jeff Bennett (Baloney, Charlton Woodchuck),  Jess Harnell (Wakko Warner, Walter Wolf),  Jim Cummings (Narrator, Daniel Boone),  Tress MacNeille  (Babs Bunny, Dot Warner),  Rob Paulsen  (Fowlmouth, Yakko Warner, Pinky). 

Back row:  Rich Freeman (production associate),  Harry Andronis (engineer),  Leslie Lamers (casting director),  Frank Welker (Furrball, Little Beeper, Ralph the Guard, Runt, Chicken Boo).

 

Slappy and Skippy -- Circa 1994

                              Slappy Squirrel and Skippy Squirrel plug "Branimaniacs." 

                                                   The voices behind the squirrels:  
                                  Sherri Stoner as Slappy and Nate Ruegger as Skippy.

The Randy Beaman Kid, Skippy and Steven

Pictured at an "Animaniacs" wrap party from the mid-90's:  Colin Wells (the voice of Colin, the kid who tells all the Randy Beaman stories), Steven Spielberg (the big kid who tells lots of other stories), and Nate Ruegger (the voice of Skippy Squirrel).

Colin is the son of "Animaniacs" writer Deanna Oliver.  Colin just returned from two years of active duty in Afghanistan.  Welcome back, Colin!

Animaniacs and the Nostalgia Critic

Recently, the Nostalgia Critic (AKA That Guy In The Glasses) conducted interviews with some of the mixed nuts behind Animaniacs (including John McCann, Paul Rugg and both Slappy and Skippy -- Sherri Stoner and Nate Ruegger).  In honor of that, I cleaned up this Slappy and Skippy cel set-up from the first season's promotional campaign -- and made sure it had that nostalgic sepia tone coloring.

That Guy in the Glasses told me that the Animaniacs piece will be broadcast  on August 10th.  (Hopefully, I can figure out how to send the video clips from the interview to his FTP site by then.) 


                                                                                                                       Animaniacs (C) 2010 Warner Bros.

Here's a Rarity... .

"Histeria!" on the cover of Daily Variety. Unfortunately, most kids in our target audience did not subscribe to Variety.