Devon Baxter

Happy holidays to you all! As a special Yuletide gift, here’s a peek into my upcoming digital e-booklet, “Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies: 1945”! A lot of wonderful folks have helped make this come alive. I promise you, it'll be worth it for you cartoon fans...

Unbelievable loss. An amazing talent, and just a really, really good person. www.instagram.com/p/De8RFy4pyov/

Berny Wolf animation.

Next Saturday, on Halloween, I’m presenting an animator breakdown of Disney’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (1949) on Patreon. Here’s a special treat: a music-only version of Ichabod Crane’s introductory song—you can tell how much it relies on Bing Crosby and the girl singers.

A new Fleischer animator breakdown, as we join Betty Boop and Pudgy in THE SWING SCHOOL (’38)! This post is offered to Patrons at the $3 level and up, or as a separate $3 product to non-subscribers. www.patreon.com/devonbaxter/...

Season 3 Episode 18 - Frame 934 out of 2648

What I feel is Bob McKimson’s most overlooked piece of animation for Warners, from TORTOISE BEATS HARE (’41). Tex Avery’s staging, McKimson’s beautifully crafted draftsmanship, and Mel Blanc’s brilliant vocal performance of the winded rabbit make it all stick together.

You read right, folks! ALL of Tex Avery’s MGM cartoons to own just in time for the holidays!! (It was hard to keep shut about it…)

Today on Patreon, we are live on the air with Mickey and the gang in this animator breakdown video of 1931’s THE BARNYARD BROADCAST! This post is offered to Patrons at the $5 level and up, or as a separate $5 product to non-subscribers. www.patreon.com/devonbaxter/...

Dave Tendlar animation. (SHIVER ME TIMBERS, 1934.)

This familiar cat yowling/screeching SFX originated in PLUTO’S JUDGMENT DAY (’35), provided by Clarence Nash (and possibly another Disney staffer). It became part of a huge stock library of sound effects used everywhere afterward. One of Ward Kimball's first big sequences.

16mm print on the left (via Thunderbean Animation), and 35mm master positive on the right (via the Library of Congress MBRS).

Lookee here, folks—a rare look at an early sound Van Beuren cartoon from a 35mm print! (Compared to other theatrical animation studios’ output, original 35mm elements of VB cartoons are exceedingly rare.) Offered at the $3+ level - if you're interested in having a look, consider subscribing!

Dick Huemer! (LONESOME GHOSTS, 1937.)

I am angry tonight. Because tonight ICE shot a New Yorker. They shot a New Yorker while his five year old child was in the car. ICE makes this city less safe. We want them out. Now.

Bill Cipher fan-art from a decade ago.

Skydance now owns Nick, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Comedy Central, and MTV, effectively ending US TV animation as we know it. Countless jobs will be lost, and fewer new shows will be created. An apocalyptic scenario for cartoons, yet it's maybe the 5th-worst thing about the Paramount-WB merger!

Here's the latest sneak peek of the "LT&MM: 1945" booklet!

I rewatched the ‘95 CASPER for the first time since childhood. Besides the cool set design, this is just a big ol’ meh.

That makes no fucking sense. This is what happens when big companies rely on computerized quality assurance algorithms.

A payoff/punchline right out of burlesque theater. (Virgil Ross animation.)

My GF and I are hyped!! All 3 BTTF movies in 35mm at the Manhoning Drive-In at Lehighton, PA.

Hard to believe it's been 10 years since Clay Martin Croker passed away. It still hurts like it happened yesterday. A truly talented actor, artist and a human being. R.I.P. Clay. We miss you!

Love it!

I found this at a collectibles shop in Wildwood, NJ. Adding this evil motherfucker to the collection, for sure.

Popular Roaring Twenties tune “Nagasaki” on the soundtrack—its opening lyrics are “Hot ginger and dynamite…”

Animator/director par excellence Bob Jaques has a new video podcast! Looking forward to more!

Labor Day BBQ.

Mike Lah!

My favorite WB cartoon-maker? Tex. Friz. Chuck. Clampett. Tashlin. McKimson. Even the interim directors like Davis & McCabe. Their directorial flourishes all played a vital role in LT&MM’s powerful track record in the era of theatrical animated shorts. So yes, it’s hard for me to rank or decide.

Patreon news!

Not many people have gone over this, but the concentric circles of LT&MM's main title sequences are supposed to resemble a bandshell.

I, too, am extremely frustrated that the prices of external hard drives have increased by 200% this year alone, due to the demands of AI data centers. It’s rumored that prices aren’t expected to drop until at least late 2027 or early 2028. Fan-fucking-tastic.

COYOTE v ACME just made me think of this bit from the TV show NEW GIRL.

Got this at the Punk Rock Flea Market—I couldn’t say no…

Barnyard Bunk (1932)

This is a bad week. Here’s an amazing scene of Tim Curry in Freakazoid:

The final weeks of summer are here, so let’s join Mickey, Minnie, Horace, Clarabelle, and Pluto by the beautiful sea in this animator breakdown of 1931’s THE BEACH PARTY! (Patrons at the $5 level and up can view the video, and non-subscribers can purchase the post for $5.)

This hits me right in the childhood.