A Tale of Two Kitties (1942) Restored

Warner Brothers theatrical cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. Features the first appearance of Tweety Pie and the Abbot and Costello inspired cats Babbit and Catstello.

The cartoon takes a direct shot at the then-censorship bureau known as the Hays Office. Catstello is atop a ladder trying to reach Tweety. Babbit is at the bottom of the ladder, yelling to his corpulent pal, "Give me the bird! Give me the bird!" Catstello turns to the audience and says in his Brooklynese way, "If da Hays Office would only let me... I'd give him 'da boid' all right"

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• A Tale of Two Kitties
• Warner Brothers
• Bob Clampett
• Tweety Pie
• Babbit and Catstello
• 1942 animation cartoons

[GavinThayer]

"Give me the bird! Give me the bird!"

"If the Hays Office would only let me, I'd give him the bird all right!"

[LilSippDaBoss]

BABBIT!!!!!!!!!!

[OldsVistaCruiser]

@GavinThayer - I was surprised to see such an early and such a thinly-veiled reference to the middle finger all the way back in 1942! Not only that, but they added a direct shot at the Hays Office as well.

[tfmercedez]

oh how much I searched for it! 5:25 when it says contact- contact, contact contact LOL!

[tfmercedez]

what is the name of that cartoon when he says " contact- contact"

[MrNEStalgia]

Ted pierce voiced catstello.

[sha11235]

TURN OUT THOSE LIGHTS!!!!!!! What a riot!

[sha11235]

I wonder how Bud and Lou felt about these cartoons?

[Gundamknight100]

defenseless he says.

[borbetomagus]

@pcostel1 It's too bad there wasn't a Bob Clampett directed sequel with Tweety, Babbit and Catstello, instead of the re-characterizations of the other cartoons.

[borbetomagus]

@pcostel1 Not exactly. There were a few other Abbott and Costello characterizations in following WB cartoons: 'A Tale of Two Mice' (1945) where they are mice instead of cats, a brief appearance as dogs in 'Hollywood Canine Canteen' (1946), and again as mice in 'The Mouse-Merized Cat' (1946).

My favorite is still 'A Tale of Two Kitties', but the others still have funny moments. I wish Tweety's character hadn't changed as much as he did in later cartoons.

[durece100]

Actually, It's Tweety Bird.