Title - Bartholomew Versus the Wheel
Director - Bob McKimson
Released - 1964
Reason for Placement --
This toon focuses on a lovable dog named Bartholomew, who grows to hate wheels of all shapes and sizes after his tail is run over by a child's scooter. Bartholomew runs down and attacks every wheel he sees (and we get some pretty funny shots of him chasing down bikes, cars, and trucks), but when he goes after an airplane's landing gear, well, the narrator says it best: "...Bartholomew got a big surprise!"
Though this short may not have had the best animation in the world (in fact, it was extremely 2-dimensional, resembling the UPA-influenced work that would come in later years), it had a great story and feel to it. While Mel Blanc provides the voices of Bartholomew and a few others, the narrator of the short is actually Bartholomew's owner, voiced by Leslie Barringer. The whole thing feels like a story that your kids tell you when they get home from school, and it really gives you a warm feeling inside. It's not hilarious, and it's not revolutionary, but it is sweet, and sometimes, that's all you need.
This cartoon is supposed to be done in the style of James Thurber - a popular illustrator at the time.
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