I’ll Do the Drawin’ Around Here

Forty-five Quick Draw McGraw cartoons were churned out between 1959 and 1961, assembled as part of a half-hour show for Kellogg’s. They later found their way to television stations to be used on cartoon compilations or live, hosted kids shows, and each cartoon featured a title card revealing who did the art and story work.

Somewhere along the way, the opening credits were chopped for time and out went the title card. So Quick Draw was broadcast for quite some time without anyone knowing who painted the backgrounds or rushed with their pencil to get their footage out. This fate befell pretty well all of the Hanna-Barbera shorts of that era but many have had their credits restored, especially for DVD release.

Recently, your favourite TV cartoon dog of the 1950s (certainly I must rank ahead of Chopper) happened upon almost full runs of Huckleberry Hound and Pixie and Dixie cartoons from Italian television. Most of them had full credits. I was hoping for the same Italo-TV discovery with Quick Draw McGraw and, indeed, it has happened. However, it’s disappointing that only about half of them have a title card with drawing and story credits. So that’s what I’m going to bring you.

The first 26 cartoons were originally broadcast on the first season, followed by 13 in the second season and the remaining six in the third. They’re in order of copyright though, as far as I can tell, they’re also in broadcast order; certainly the first season is. As you can see, the cartoons weren’t aired in the order they were produced.

Ex Warners’ layout man Bob Givens worked on at least two Quick Draws before vamoosing in the first season. It’s possible he also did layouts on others which don’t have credits available. Gerard Baldwin, who bolted for the Jay Ward studio in 1959, also animated a couple.

There were never any voice or music credits, but Hoyt Curtin’s underscores replaced the stock music for the third season, which is the reason four of that season’s cartoons are on DVD (though The Mark of El Kabong has the title cards for Lamb Chopped). And it took awhile for Joe Barbera to settle on new voices for his cartoons. The first Quick Draw in production featured Elliot Field, the original voice of Blabber Mouse; the second had Vance Colvig, who returned to the studio the following year to play Chopper, and the third had Peter Leeds, who lost the Doggie Daddy role to Doug Young. Young, Hal Smith, Julie Bennett and Jean Vander Pyl also provided incidental characters in the first season. And Don Messick, of course.

It’s a shame credits aren’t available for some of my favourite cartoons, including the first three in production. Another is the second-season closer El Kabong, Jr., where Daws digs up his Jerry Lewis voice for the title character. El Kabong is at his most stylised here and there are a couple of neat little dance scenes.

The backgrounds vary; most have a flat brown, blue or pinkish colour, occasionally with clouds, but my favourites are probably by Art Lozzi. In Ali Baba Looey, he indulges in various shades of purples in the sky. I think that’s Lozzi again in The Mark of El Kabong, where the sky is green. And he does some nice work on the background that’s panned in the opening of Chopping Spree, with Bick adding his flip-up branch trees in layout.

If anyone has a line on the actual cartoons with the credits—no web databases or wikis, please—let me know where I can find them. For now, this will have to suffice.

Late note: Rick G. has gone through some of the records of his friend, the late Earl Kress, and thoughtfully sent credits for Masking For Trouble. Earl got his information from Hanna-Barbera and is unimpeachable.

First Season, 1959-60

LAMB CHOPPED Show M-001, Production J-11
Animation – Ken Muse; Layout – Ed Benedict; Backgrounds – Bob Gentle; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

BAD GUY’S DISGUISE Show M-002, Production J-4
(No credits. Animation – Carlo Vinci; Voices – Daws Butler; Vance Colvig)

MASKING FOR TROUBLE Show M-003, Production J-10
Animation – Lew Marshall; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Fernando Montealegre; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Julie Bennett.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

BOW-WOW BANDIT Show M-004, Production J-30
(No credits. Animation – Ken Muse; Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young)

SCAT, SCOUT, SCAT Show M-005, Production J-5
(No credits. Animation – Ken Muse; Voices – Daws Butler, Peter Leeds)

SCARY PRAIRIE Show M-006, Production J-1
(No credits. Animation – Carlo Vinci; Voices – Daws Butler, Elliot Field)

EL KABONG Show M-007, Production J-43
Animation – Lew Marshall; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Dick Thomas; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Direction – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

CHOO-CHOO CHUMPS Show M-008, Production J-9
Animation – Ken Muse; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Fernando Montealegre; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

RIVERBOAT SHUFFLED Show M-009, Production J-20
(No credits. Animation – Carlo Vinci; Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick)

CATTLE BATTLE RATTLED Show M-010
(No credits. Animation – Dick Lundy; Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith)

DOUBLE BARREL DOUBLE Show M-011
Animation – Ken Muse; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Bob Gentle; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

SLICK CITY SLICKER Show M-012
Animation – Dick Lundy; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Bob Gentle; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Direction – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

EL KABONG STRIKES AGAIN Show M-013
Animation – Carlo Vinci; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Joe Montell; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

SIX-GUN SPOOK Show M-014
Animation – Gerard Baldwin; Layout – Bob Givens; Backgrounds – Dick Thomas; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

SAGEBRUSH BRUSH Show M-015, Production J-25
(No credits. Animation – Lew Marshall; Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith)

GUN GONE GOONS Show M-016, Production J-49
(No credits. Animation – Dick Lundy; Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young).

DIZZY DESPERADO Show M-017, Production J-21
Animation – Lew Marshall; Layout – Bob Givens; Backgrounds – Fernando Montelegre; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

DOGGONE PRAIRIE DOG Show M-018, Production J-42
Animation – Gerard Baldwin; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Joe Montell; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Direction – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1959 by H-B Enterprises, Inc.

TREASURE OF EL KABONG Show M-019, Production J-55
(No credits. Animation – Carlo Vinci; Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith, Jean Vander Pyl)

BRONCO BUSTIN’ BOOBS Show M-020, Production J-60
Animation – Ken Muse; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Dick Thomas; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Sketches – Dan Gordon; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1959 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

LOCOMOTIVE LOCO Show M-021, Production J-56
(No credits. Animation – Carlo Vinci; Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick)

ELEPHANT BOY OH BOY! Show M-022, Production J-66
(No credits. Animation – Ken Muse; Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith).
See note in the comment section.

THE LYIN’ LION Show M-023, Production J-61
(No credits. Animation – George Nicholas; Voices – Daws Butler)

BULL-LEAVE ME Show M-024, Production J-71
(No credits. Animation – Dick Lundy; Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Doug Young)

KABONG KABONG’S KABONG Show M-025, Production J-72
Animation – George Nicholas; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Bob Gentle; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1959 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

CHOPPING SPREE Show M-026, Production J-65
Animation – Lew Marshall; Layout – Dick Bickenbach; Backgrounds – Art Lozzi; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith, Jean Vander Pyl.
Copyright 1959 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

Second Season, 1960-61

EL KABONG MEETS EL KAZING Show M-027, Production J-79
Animation – George Nicholas; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Bob Gentle; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

BULLET PROOF GALOOT Show M-028, Production J-84
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young)

TWO TOO MUCH Show M-029, Production J-85
(No credits. Animation – Ed Love; Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Doug Young)

TWIN TROUBLES Show M-030, Production J-91
(No credits. Animation – Ken Muse; Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young)

ALI-BABA LOOEY Show M-031, Production J-89
Animation – Dick Lundy; Layout – Walt Clinton; Backgrounds – Art Lozzi; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

SHOOTING ROOM ONLY Show M-032, Production J-95
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young; Julie Bennett)

YIPPEE COYOTE Show M-033, Production J-101
(No credits. Animation – Dick Lundy; Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick)

WHO IS EL KABONG? Show M-034, Production J-113
Animation – Hicks Lokey; Layout – Paul Sommer; Backgrounds – Dick Thomas; Story – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

EXTRA SPECIAL EXTRA Show M-035, Production J-99 (or J-112)
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick)

SCOOTER RABBIT Show M-036, Production J-106
Animation – Bob Bentley; Layout – Paul Sommer; Backgrounds – Art Lozzi; Written by Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Hal Smith.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

TALKY HAWKY Show M-037, Production J-116 (or J-109)
Animation – Ed De Mattia; Layout – Tony Rivera; Backgrounds – Art Lozzi; Written By – Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

GUN SHY GAL Show M-038, Production J-100
Animation – Paul Sommer; Layout – Tony Rivera; Backgrounds – Dick Thomas; Written by Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young, Jean Vander Pyl.
Copyright 1960 by Hanna-Barbara Productions.

EL KABONG, JR. Show M-039, Production J-115
(No credits. Animation – Art Davis. Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl)

Third Season, 1961-62

BABA BAIT Show M-040, Production J-123
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick; Music – Hoyt Curtin)

DYNAMITE FRIGHT Show M-041, Production J-110
Animation – Hicks Lokey; Layout – Paul Sommer; Backgrounds – Vera Hanson; Written by Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Doug Young.
Music – Hoyt Curtin.
Copyright 1961 by Hanna-Barbera Productions.

EL KABONG WAS WRONG Show M-042, Production J-119
Animation – Hicks Lokey; Layout – Paul Sommer; Backgrounds – Vera Hanson; Written by Mike Maltese; Story Director – Alex Lovy; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl.
Music – Hoyt Curtin.
Copyright 1961 by Hanna-Barbera Productions.

MINE YOUR MANNERS Show M-043, Production J-130
Animation – Bob Bentley; Layout – Tony Rivera; Backgrounds – Art Lozzi; Written by Mike Maltese; Story Director – John Freeman; Titles – Lawrence Goble; Production Supervision – Howard Hanson.
Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick.
Music – Hoyt Curtin.
Copyright 1961 by Hanna-Barbera Productions.

THE MARK OF EL KABONG Show M-044, Production J-136
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl; Music – Hoyt Curtin)

BIG TOWN EL KABONG Show M-045, Production J-126
(No credits. Voices – Daws Butler,– Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl; Music – Hoyt Curtin)

If anyone has a line on the actual cartoons with the credits—no databases or wikis, please—let me know where I can find them. For now, this will have to suffice.

This brings to an end our little series of cartoons credits. There are some first- and second-season Yogis (from the Huck show without credits, but the Italian TV copies I’ve found have taken copies of American TV versions—not the originals—and substituted the language track, so they don’t have missing credits, either. Perhaps some day all these cartoons will be fully and completely restored for fans to enjoy, and to appreciate the artists who worked on them, knowing who they are.