friday distractions...

Well I have to admit I was somewhat surprised by the results of our very unscientific Superman poll. Here are the results:
1. Dean Cain, Lois and Clark: 34%
2. George Reeves, 1950 TV series: 30%
3. Christopher Reeve, Superman, the Movie: 20%
4. Tom Whelling, Smallville: 8 %
5. Kirk Alyn, 1940's Serial: 6%
6. Timothy Daly, voice for 90's animated series: 2%
A couple of questions come to mind: Do 6% of the voters really know who Kik Alyn is? Have they seen the serial? How many have watched the George Reeves TV show? Nevertheless we have confidence in our loyal voters!

Shelfers, we present to you the best Superman according to Shelf voters:

Dean Cain

(sorry, I just had to have Teri Hatcher in the picture as well!)

A new poll is now up on the sidebar- scroll down and look on the right.
Who has been the best James Bond? Daniel Craig doesn't count. The poll will be part of a special James Bond feature on The Shelf in the near future, so don't forget to vote!

Here's a blog that I ran across listing all of the animated cartoons on YouTube. And amongst them I found a treasure trove of Tex Avery. Along with Chuck Jones, Tex Avery is perhaps my favorite animation director ever. His sense of timing and comedic nonesense was and has been unduplicated. He was a master. It is a crime that Droopy and the rest of Tex Avery's cartoons haven't been presented in a DVD collection in the US. Who owns the rights and why are they sitting on them? That is perhaps a question for esteemed animation historian and Shelf favorite, Jerry Beck.

Speaking of which, Jerry Beck helped identify a cartoon of Tex's over at Animation History Forum. It is one of my all-time Tex Avery favorites, but I couldn't remember the title. It is 1955's The First Bad Man. It is among Tex's last cartoons for MGM, but I believe it is one of his best. So we present for your viewing pleasure, not only that great cartoon, but also one of my favorite Droopy cartoons by Tex Avery, Wags to Richescourtesy of YouTube!
By the way, please visit Amid and Jerry over at Cartoon Brew, its one of my favorite daily visits. Also, for any animation history discussion or questions, visit the gang over at Animation History Forum (sign up for a membership- it's free!), moderated by Jerry Beck.

On to your Friday distraction!

First, The First Bad Man:


Next,Wags to Riches:


Enjoy!




You know what? I'm happy. Hooray.