To ring in the new year on this new domain, I’m introducing a completely new section I’ve been working on for several months. In spite of what my presently indisposed B.F.F. Tom Stathes says, you can never have enough Warner Bros. cartoon research. I’m therefore pleased to unveil The WB Production Number Project. What’s so noteworthy about this? Why should you care? Click over and take a look.
Glad you mentioned the release dates. I’ve found in going through newspaper ads that theatres were, at times, showing the cartoons before the release date mentioned in contemporary trade publications.
Looking at the list I speculate that “Acrobatty Bunny” was originally designated to be a Merry Melody. Its 3-15 LT production number doesn’t fit in with the timeline with Frank Tashlin leaving the studio and being replaced by Bob McKimson. Also McKimson said in his interview with Michael Barrier that “Daffy Doodles” (production no. LT 13-15) was the first cartoon he directed, so unless “Acrobatty Bunny” was a story developed under Tashlin, abandoned and then picked up again by McKimson it doesn’t really make sense that it would be in production before Tashlin’s last directed cartoons at the studio. Plus if you look at the film there doesn’t seem to be much to suggest that Tashlin had anything to do with it.
As usual, Thad, you did a great job! While I was aware that there was usually film backlogs for short subjects, I had no idea that it was up to nearly 2 years!!