MERRIE MELODIES / "Horton Hatches The Egg" - 1942

Well, here we are on New Years Day, 2021, and things are still extra coo coo in Stupid-Ville. So, why not check out this awesome WB cartoon directed by Bob Clampett. Michael Maltese wrote the story based on the Dr. Seuss book, with the voices of Sara Berner, Kent Rogers, Mel Blanc, Frank Graham and Bob Clampett. There were also 12 animators, a layout artist and a background artist on this project.

The story starts with Maysie, she's laid an egg and is totally bored with just sitting there, and wants to get back to doing whatever she wants...

Then, Horton comes wandering by, he's merrily singing the "Hut-Sut Song" that he can't remember the words to. Something funny, Horton's a pink elephant!

Maysie gets Horton's attention and tells him that he could do her a big favor by sitting on her egg while she takes a break. But Horton says, it doesn't make sense, your egg is so small and I'm so immense!

After buttering Horton up, Maysie convinces him to sit on the egg, says that she'll be back after a quick vacation and flies away with her suitcase, tennis racquet and golf bag in tow.

Cautiously making his way to the egg, Horton finally settles in.

And he sat, and he sat, and he sat, and he sat, waiting for Maysie to return.

And he sat all that night through a terrible storm.

Lazy Maysie's sunbathing on the beach, wondering if she'll ever go back...

Winter rolls in and Horton still repeats.. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful one-hundred percent. A-Choo!

In the spring all the animals laugh at him for the absurdity of the whole thing.

Then, three hunters quietly approach Horton with their elephant gun...

He heard the men's footsteps, he turned with a start! A rifle was aiming right straight at his heart!

The hunter's decide that Horton sitting on an egg was perfect for a sideshow attraction at a circus, so, it's off to the big city on a boat.

I have the Looney Tunes Golden collection which all their cartoons, on 24 discs, are the original uncut versions. Here, the Peter Lorre fish says after seeing Horton on the ship.. Well, now I've seen everything.. He pulls out a gun, puts it to his head and fires! Like on TV in the fifties and what I grew up with.

Horton's sweating under the big top as he continues to faithfully sit on the egg.

Maysie just happens to be flying by when she drops her ice cream cone and swoops down to see what's going on at the circus below. Inside, she sees Horton and realizes that he was the one sitting on her egg. And now that it's starting to hatch, she wants it BACK!

But, what breaks out of the shell is nothing less that an elephant bird! And the little thing definitely knows who it's pop is.

It's a totally happy ending, Maysie gets shut down and Horton and baby are sent back to the jungle, where they sing the "Hut-Sut Song" together!! So, tune in tomorrow when Eegah!! will have something for us!