"Any Bonds Today" - Leon Schlesinger (1941)

Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of Treasury under Franklin Roosevelt; had a problem. He had come up with the idea of the Lend Lease program to help the British with the Battle of Britain in 1940 against the Nazi’s, but he needed to come up with a plan to pay for the goods being lent. There was also a possibility that we would not be paid back. Struggling; as we were to come out of the Depression; we could ill afford to lose the any money. The plan called for the creation of a public campaign to champion the cause.

To that end, he put together the idea of a promotion along the lines of what Al Jolson and Charlie Chaplin had done in the Liberty Bond program in the First World War in 1917. Even Irving Berlin got involved in the effort, penning the song “Any Bonds Today?” and copyrighting it to the US Treasury; ensuring that the royalties would go to the government rather than himself.  The song was based on his own song "Any Yams Today?” which had been sung by Ginger Rogers in 1938. That song was also a version of "Any Love Today?” which he wrote in 1931 but never recorded. By now it was July of 1941.

“Any Bonds Today?” became the theme of the CBS program “The Treasury Night”. On those nights the network would host various celebrities who would perform and ask for people to buy the War Bonds to finance the Lend Lease program. In the first month alone Americans bought over $440 million dollars of the bonds, which were the same as Savings Bonds. The song was also recorded by by the Andrews Sisters, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Dick Robertson and Kay Kyser and even and Gene Autry in the film "Home in Wyoming."

By July of 1942 the song was being used in a short film to promote the Bond Drive. It was called “Any Bonds Today?” and featured many big name performers, as well as a new cartoon character named Bugs Bunny, who caused quite a stir when he did a black face imitation of Al Jolson.  The cartoon was actually just about 1 minute long.  At the end Bugs is joined by Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig. The cartoon is independent of the Merrie Melodies series and also not listed in the complete catalogue of the Looney Tunes series. It is an independent production done exclusively for the War Department. The entire film took 3 weeks to film and distribute.

"Cleaning House" - The Captain and the Kids (1938)

Here we go again with the Captain and the Kids. This time the whole family gets in on the action as Mama tries to get the house cleaned up a bit. If she’s expecting any sincere help from either the Captain or the Kids, she’s going to be sorely disappointed.

As the children fool around and try to convince Mama that they are the two little angels she thinks they are, the Captain is busy trying to do as little work as possible. This proves to be harder than “factually” working, and when faced with the 2 choices; working or faking it; he decides to fake a heart attack instead. Mama is beside herself with concern, but the boys are wise to the Captains trick.

Dr. Quack; from Dr. Quack and Stork; is summoned and turns out to be an imitation of W.C. Fields along with a little mannequin who is unmistakably Charlie McCarthy. That’s what I like about these old cartoons; they take license to poke fun at other entertainers of the time. And guess what? Nobody sued one another over it. There was still a sense of humor in the entertainment world.

Anyway, Dr. Quack hurries over and Dr. Stork follows with a Bundle of Joy, thinking a baby is coming. Mama slams the door in Dr. Stork’s face- she doesn't want any more kids, thank you. Meantime the boys have gotten the Captain into bed just in time for Dr. Quack to check him out. What follows is a series of antics all designed to get the Captain to admit his slacking and beg for relief from Dr. Quack.

Dr. Stork gets past Mama and delivers the baby; who turns out to be the Charlie McCarthy mannequin; the Captain is horrified that he has had a child. He confesses all to Mama and she puts him to work doing everyone’s chores. The boys never do get “found out” in this one. The cartoon closes out with everyone but the Captain eating dinner to the strains of “There’s No Place Like Home.”

"Petunia Natural Park" - Captain and the Kids (1939)

Continuing on with another of the Captain and the Kid’s cartoons, in this one we find the entire Katzenjammer family on an outing in Petunia Natural Park. Lots of sight gags and double entendre stuff to laugh at. At one point, when Mama takes a picture of a bear, she ends up on the other end of the camera and then goes on to run afoul of the law when she picks a flower.

  

Meantime the Captain falls victim to an undercover ranger while feeding a bear. And the boys have their own experiences with the natural geysers when they use it for the car radiator; causing an unexpected reaction; and also give some to the Captain to drink!

This is one of the few color cartoons of the Captain and the Kids series. The artwork is excellent and the story is funny enough to hold the interest of even the most uninterested adult. And, to top it off the humor is timeless.

"The Ducktators" - Looney Tunes (1942)

In the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States found itself involved in a war with Italy and Germany, as well as the Japanese, who had attacked us at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. By early 1942 the propaganda machine was in full gear, and children’s cartoons were an ideal place to begin.

In this cartoon, producer Leon Schlesinger has pulled out all the stops in an effort to identify, and ridicule, the three dictators we were facing on the battlefield. Melvin Millar wrote the script for this one with a very deft hand and a wry sense of humor. He has pretty much captured the personalities and quirks of the leaders of the Axis Powers in this funny; yet somehow sad; depiction of human beings at their worst. Sometimes; and I hate to say it; propaganda can be a good thing.

"Donald's Happy Birthday" with Donald Duck (1949)

In this classic from 1949, Donald really screws things up when he takes too strict a stance with his nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. When the three devoted nephews take on extra chores in order to buy him a birthday present, he thinks they are going to squander the money. So, he takes it from them, only to have them take it back. But, boys being boys, the money is recovered just in time to get Uncle Donald something special for his birthday; and Donald Duck, being Donald Duck, manages to misconstrue the whole affair, finally looking for a hole to crawl into. A great cartoon which speaks to the issue of “trust” with the ones whom you love.