Pietro Shakarian has posted, for a limited time, a RealPlayer version of the 1952 Mister Magoo short HOTSY FOOTSY. It can be found on his site’s right-hand column. This is a seldom seen, but very funny entry in the Magoo series. The animators, Phil Monroe and Pat Matthews, have a particularly solid handle on the character of Magoo, and they provide excellent animation throughout. Especially terrific are Magoo’s little dance moves and some of the action scenes in the boxing ring. Also notable is the animation of Magoo’s school chum Charlie, which is an example of how to achieve maximum expressiveness with a minimal number of drawings.

An element of the film that is much more difficult to appreciate in this print is the background design of Paul Julian and Bob Dranko. Julian, in particular, did superb work on this film, but the colors are so muddy here that it’s almost impossible to get any sense of his work. Not to worry, because there’s an incredible Julian bg from this film in my book. But somebody really needs to get on Columbia’s case and persuade them to restore and release these classic films in their vaults because the UPA shorts deserve better than this.

Below is a one-page UPA inter-office memo, dated Sept. 2, 1952, wherein UPA prez Steve Bosustow explains how the film went over budget. Lots of interesting facts revealed here including the fact that it took, rather unbelievably, two directors, two assistant directors and six storymen to make this short. Add a few more writers and it may as well be a modern-day animated production. Fortunately, it’s a cohesive film despite all the cooks fumbling around in the kitchen. And while the overages may not seem like much, if adjusted for inflation, the $4,500 overage on HOTSY FOOTSY would amount to over $33,000 today, and the $24,600 overage on UPA’s prior dozen films would be $177,000 today (thanks, Darrell). And for additional perspective, consider this: in 1952, lead animators at UPA were being paid in the range of $125 per week and background painters were making $100 per week.

(click on image for larger version)
Hotsy Footsy memo