The Major Lied 'Til Dawn

The Major Lied 'Til Dawn
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Airdate:	13 August 1938
Series:	Merrie Melodies
MPAA Number:	4408
Production Number:	8488
Copyright Renewed:	10 January 1966
Crew
Voice Characterizations:	Mel Blanc (uncredited) Tedd Pierce (uncredited) Tommy Bond (uncredited) Danny Webb (uncredited) (archive footage)
Director:	Frank Tashlin
Written By:	Richard Hogan
Producer:	Leon Schlesinger
Animated By:	Philip Monroe Ken Harris (uncredited) Robert McKimson (uncredited) Volney White (uncredited)
Film Editor:	Treg Brown (uncredited)
Musician:	Carl W. Stalling

The Major Lied 'Til Dawn is a 1938 Merrie Melodies short directed by Frank Tashlin.

Plot

The son of retired Major Twombly is curious of how the major hunted all of his big game in Africa, asking if they were stuffed and bought. The major tells him otherwise, and tells the tale of his safari in midwestern Africa. Major Twombly was leading the safari aboard his elephant Tululah, bringing along a mobile home and several African natives carrying Twombly's baggage.

Twombly enters a roundabout with various interstate crossings. When his map doesn't make it easier to decide where to go, Twombly spins the signs in a roulette until he lands on Africa 50. After running up a tall hill, the major spots pogo-sticking deer, another elephant that keeps forgetting what it wants to say, and a lion crossing where several natives dwell. After a lion is forced out of a bush by a native, the major tries to shoot it, but ends up missing and spinning around his elephant due to the force of the rifle.

The lion flees to a boxing ring, where Twombly fights it and succeeds. However, this brings outrage towards Tarzan, who calls in his animal troops to attack the major. When Twombly is booted out of the boxing ring, he eats a can of spinach to easily defeat Tarzan's allies. "If it's good enough for that sailorman, it's good enough for me." Ending the tale, the son asks what ever happened to the elephant. Twombly responds that the elephant finally realizes what it was going to say - "That's all Folks!"

Caricatures

• Freddie Bartholomew
• Stephin Fetchit
• Johnny Weissmuller

Availability

(1992) LaserDisc
The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2, Side 3: Frank Tashlin

Notes

• A running gag in this cartoon is an elephant struggling to remember something that he was going to say. For the final shot, his memory catches up to him and he says "That's All Folks!" Then the words, title and producer's name appear on top and bottom of him. However, the "That's All Folks!" script does not appear and the closing cue is of a higher pitch and faster than usual.
• When the major eats some spinach and grows stronger, he references Popeye the Sailor from the cartoons of the same name. He also references Popeye by saying, "Well, if it's good enough for the sailor man, then it's good enough for me."
• This was the first cartoon to use the late-1938 "Merrily We Roll Along" theme. This version of the theme was used until "Dog Gone Modern".
• This cartoon seldom airs on American television because of several scenes involving stereotypical African natives.
• It is currently the only color Frank Tashlin-directed cartoon to not have a known restored print.

Gallery

Title card

The English major and the young boy

Lobby card

Lobby card

Production drawing