Tom Turkey & His Harmonica Humdingers

[Blakefe]

why dont they show this any more?

[tkhering]

The characters actually aren't too far removed from the antics of the actual band, Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals. The turtle is obviously a caricature of Johnny Puelo, the short member of the Rascals. Minevitch made several movie shorts in the 1930s. Check 'em out.

Surely this group inspired Spike Jones when he was working out his musical stage shows in the late 1940s.

[castper]

i cant get over the music

[skurvay]

my favorite part was the TRAIN gag, I sure wish I could get some friends together and recreate that scene in real life.

[megadork456]

Those "harmonicas" sound an awful lot like accordians...

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@megadork456

One of those is a rare bass harmonica or chord harmonica, like what you'd hear on the Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" and the Who's "Join Together."

[nacoran]

@megadork456 Could be, but you can certainly make those noises on harmonicas too. Harmonicas and accordions are both free reed instruments so their tone can be very similar. I didn't hear any notes in there that couldn't be made by harmonicas and the antics were pretty similar to old recordings I've seen of harmonica bands. It could be a mix too.

[shaunWOH]

Twitter followers - Tom Turkey & His Harmonica Humdingers

[ellifeedn]

1:34 to 1:45, smoothest coin-toss I've ever seen.

[foxnbccbsabc]

That sheriff is good for nothing. Just stand there eating crackers as the poor guy's store got destored

[LilyCullen101]

This is a wonderful cartoon.

Thanks for the posting.

[TL250Rider]

This is the Best Cartoon Ever.

[heydude2006]

it look like running man train :)

[ESLinstructor1]

For those who asked the songs are in the following order:

1. Turkey in the Straw

2. Darktown Strutter's Ball

3. Marching Through Georgia

4. Dixie

5. Here Comes the Showboat

6. Strollin' Through the Park

[SgtGFHoward]

@ESLinstructor1

... you forgot "There's a Tavern in the town," as the three ill-tempered wives fetch out their errant husbands... none of whom were doing any harm to their respective marriages, beyond an obscene dry goods bill. The one tobacco chewing slow-motion expert reminds me of an Uncle long past of similar disposition- he was also a fiend on the mouthharp. ShinoShinnChannel- what is actually played by Tom Turkey is a Honner Chromatica 64- everything is in the key of "C"

[spidrawebster]

@ESLinstructor1 Thanks for the rundown! I didn't know #3 or #5. They also do the Sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor in there.

[vmpickle123]

@ESLinstructor1 There's also the sextet from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lamermoor" played at 4:00.

[MrLogoman007]

Audio and video are out of sync.

[ShinoShinnChannel]

Hey what type of harmonica,the main character is playing?

Please tell me!!

[GoaKid]

Ok, what is the first song they all play together? Although audio is off, it seems right on at times just by the music that ironically happens, like at the end when they get dragged out by their wives.

[baxterfilms]

Yeah, this was before Blanc went exclusive to WB in 1941 - he did voices for MGM, Lantz, and Columbia beforehand.

[PayoFyah]

mel blanc is my hero...

[ESLinstructor1]

@baxterfilms Maybe this technically wouldn't count since his recordings were cut from the final film, but Blanc did voice Gideon the cat in Disney's PINOCCHIO.

[Blakefe]

i remember seeing this every thanksgiving on toonheads

i wish they would make a classic cartoon show now a days

[TL250Rider]

The sound and sight are off

Still great

[soloyolk]

does anybody know the name of the second song he play? when he pass near the girl? thank you

[fromthesidelines]

Mel Blanc is the voice of "Tom"...

[tobar1p]

Oh man, one of my favorites of all time!

[CyrussMasters]

This has got to be my favorite MGM cartoon from when I was a kid! I went out and bought a harmonica hoping I could get that good, but it never happened...^_^; Great posting!

[NODISCOonkrth]

One Of the Best Cartoons ever done in the History of Culver City California

[1947Desoto]

I concur.

[tmesa]

Harmonica Hijinks from the Heart of Screamland!