We’re not exactly dealing with the brightest characters at times in the Ruff and Reddy cartoons. Witness the events in 11th part of the Muni Mula adventure, Crowds in the Clouds, which first aired on NBC on January 18, 1958 as the first of two R & R segments that morning (it was repeated on July 20, 1958).
Narrator Don Messick recaps the action in the 10th part, followed by brainiac Prof. Gizmo activating a smoke screen around his spaceship to hide from the Muni Mula army.
So far, so good. The camera operator appears to have been given some instruction to put a filter over one scene to make it look like the interior of the spaceship is filled with the smoke screen.
The cloud cover works!
“Meanwhile, back the ranch, uh, planet...” says the narrator as the cartoon switches scene. By the way, was the phrase “Meanwhile, back at the ranch” ever heard in a motion picture? Reddy and the Muni Mulas are animated running past some overlays.
Reddy “ducks into the nearest building” after pointlessly passing it, running back and running in. Maybe Hanna needed extra footage to fill. Note how the legs become wheels.
Reddy discovers he’s a room with flying Muni Mula men, who ascend to try to capture Reddy and the professor. They’re “taking off like a herd of birds.” Someone tell writer Charlie Shows that birds don’t come in herds. Or maybe that’s another of his forced rhymes.
Reddy decides to escape skywards. Still, so far, so good.
Ruff now shows he’s not so bright. He looks out the spaceship window sees Reddy in the stratosphere. “Professor, look! One of the Muni-Mula airmen!” He can’t tell his own buddy from a robot that’s a different shape and colour. Gismo activates his “big gun” and aims it at Reddy. Ruff then realises who it is, tells the professor, who doesn’t pay any attention, and fires. Gizmo was still adjusting his site when Ruff shouted the warning. Some smart guy he is.
“Maybe he’ll be lucky and land on his head,” says the encouraging Mr. Messick, as we’re urged not to miss the next episode.
This is a pretty good cliff-hanger. Can you guess what happens next?
The sound cutter puts three Capitol Hi-Q “D” series cues behind the action.
0:00 – No music – Title Card
0:05 – TC-15 CHASE-MEDIUM (Bill Loose-John Seely) – Start of recap, Muni Mula air force, Ruff and Gizmo at window.
0:53 – L-1203 EERIE HEAVY ECHO (Spencer Moore) – Rocket stops.
1:25 – TC-15 CHASE-MEDIUM (Loose-Seely) – Robots fly past cloud, Reddy chased, knocking.
1:57 – L-653 EERIE DRAMATIC (Moore) – Robots outside door, Reddy flies up, rocket, end of cartoon.
