Title - The Three Little Bops
Director - Friz Freleng
Released - 1957
Interesting Fact -- This was the only time another voice actor (Stan Freberg) was given solo screen credit other than Mel Blanc.
Reason for Placement --
The directors at Termite Terrace were famous for putting their own spins on classic stories and fables, but this is probably the most unique and famous of them all. Freleng's The Three Little Bops takes the story of the Three Little Pigs and updates them to jazz musicians. The pigs are now in a band, and the Big Bad Wolf actually just wants to join them... except that he is probably the worst trumpet-player in the history of music! So that's where we get the original story pulled in: each time the Wolf is kicked out of the club the pigs are in, he huffs and puffs and- you know what, you all know the story, you know what happens.
Freleng really gives us a brilliant short, with all of the sound (including the sound effects) provided by an actual jazz combo. Freburg also proves himself as one of the most talented voice actors ever to work at Termite Terrace by providing the voices of every character in the short, including the singning narrator (Blanc had a contractual agreement that only his name would appear in the shorts, but Freleng gave this one to Freburg as Blanc did not provide any of the voice work).
Great music, clever twist on a classic story, terrific voice work, impressive style... it's easy to see why The Three Little Bops remains one of Freleng's best pieces of all time, and more than earns it's spot on the countdown.
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