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The fascinating reason why retro cartoon characters all wore this single clothing item

How did we not know this?!

Giphy, Giphy

Stills from The Flintstones and Yogi Bear

Ever notice how so many classic cartoon characters from your childhood had one oddly consistent fashion choice?

Fred Flintstone had that bright blue tie. Yogi Bear had his iconic green one, which, given that Yogi is indeed a bear with zero use for business-casual, he certainly didn’t need. Similarly, there was Huckberry Hound’s red bow tie, Quick Draw McGraw’s bandana, and so on…

It’s not that animators in the ‘60s were weirdly passionate about men’s neck accessories. Nope, these were all part of a clever animation hack.

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney Like Yogi, Hanna-Barbera animators were smarter than the average bear. media4.giphy.com

Back in the mid-20th century, studios like Hanna-Barbera were churning out TV cartoons on tiny budgets and impossible schedules. While Disney made a name for itself enlisting entire armies of artists to work on ultra-smooth, hyper-realistic feature films that took years to perfect, Hanna-Barbera had to produce weekly TV shows with a fraction of the time, money, and people.

That’s where “limited animation” came in, a revolutionary technique first pioneered by animators Chuck Jones and John Hubley. While Jones and Hubley approached limited animation as more of a style choice, heads of Hanna-Barbera saw it as a way to save time without sacrificing personality.

Instead of redrawing an entire character for every frame (like Disney did, but more on that later), animators would reuse as much of the drawing as possible, usually by keeping the body still and only moving the mouth, eyes, or head.

But there was one small problem: if a character’s head was moving and their body stayed still, how could you hide that awkward line where the two met? Enter the humble necktie, collar, scarf, or necklace. Basically any neck covering that created a distinct visual separation would do. This made it easy to swap in the actual moving parts without it looking weird.

Even though these creative choices were primarily for practical reasons, they nonetheless gave Hanna-Barbera cartoons a signature aesthetic…one that you simply can’t unsee once you know it’s there

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney Yep, this checks out. media0.giphy.com

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney So does this one. media2.giphy.com

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney And this one. media3.giphy.com

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney And this one. media0.giphy.com

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney And this one! media0.giphy.com

Take a look a Tom and Jerry, who seem to be the outliers, but really just have no necks to speak of.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Limited animation would expand beyond Hanna-Barbera as well. The style became very popular in Japanese anime, which certainly complimented the comic book (aka manga) vibes that make anime so distinct. Here’s an example from Miyazaki's 2001 film, Spirited Away.

hanna barbera, animation, cartoons, vintage cartoons, drawings, cartoon network, history, disney A clip from Spirited Away media1.giphy.com

Even Disney would end up using this trick on occasion. Many think this is the reason why so many classic Disney characters wear gloves. This is only part of the story, however. Gloves also made it easier for animators to make their characters’ hand movements visible against dark backgrounds. (Remember, OG cartoons were black and white.) Not to mention that hands are famously tricky to draw. Gloves solved this issue, while also making the characters feel a little more human.

Plus, no one needs to see Mickey Mouse with bare hands.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

So, next time you spot Mickey’s bright white gloves or Yogi Bear’s jaunty green tie, remember: they weren’t just accessories. Both of these feats show that sometimes necessity really is the mother of invention. A little ingenuity can turn the steepest budget cuts into something iconic. Especially when you don’t include AI slop.

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This 7-minute cartoon from the 70's about greed and racism in America still resonates today

"Freedom River" features the incredible voice of Orson Welles.

via Cartoon Crazys/YouTube

"Freedom River" a 1971 cartoon parable.

An interesting historical document from 1971 has resurfaced online because people believe it is as relevant today as it was 53 years ago. “Freedom River,” a 7-minute cartoon parable, shows that no matter how much time passes, Americans continue to contend with the same destructive forces.

“Freedom River” was directed by Sam Weiss for Bosustow Productions. The cartoon features narration by the great actor-writer-director Orson Welles. Welles directed what many call the greatest film of all time, “Citizen Kane,” as well as other classics such as “A Touch of Evil” and “The Magnificent Ambersons.”

The story of “Freedom River” mirrors that of America’s founding. Settlers from foreign lands find a river that promises liberty and abundance. The settlers fall in love with their new home and a world where they are finally free to pursue their own happiness.

However, the settlers began to take paradise for granted. They exploit the river they love while forgetting what drove them to discover it in the first place.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

“And so it happened that because they so coveted the river, they barred from it people who looked unfamiliar or talked differently in the false belief that strangers were not deserving – little remembering that not long ago they too were strangers,” Welles’ Narrator says. “And when some among them arose and selfishly took more than their share, the people did not stop them but instead resolved to do the same, instead of helping those that were ill and weak. They despised them and chastised them for their idleness. And even as the river grew weak and muddy, glib leaders said it was strong and clear. The people became confused. They did not know what to do.”

Fifty-three years after “Freedom River” was released, it still resonates with many because America still grapples with destructive greed. The country also has to contend with waves of xenophobia that crop up every time a new group of people attempts to establish themselves in the Land of the Free.

The film also addresses the perils of environmental destruction, a problem that first entered the public consciousness in the late ‘60s and is now one of the most critical issues we face as a species.



Many may feel defeated that America hasn’t overcome the problems of greed and xenophobia over the past 5 decades. However, the parable comes with a powerful solution: these problems can be overcome if we work together.

Ultimately, the Freedom River settlers have a decision to make. They can cower to authority, abandon the river and their freedoms, or clean up their mess, mend their ways, and start again.

“Let us work to make the waters of freedom flow fresh and strong again where it has been fouled by our foolishness,” the cartoon concludes. “It can be made clear by our wisdom where it has grown stagnant from our neglect. It can be kept fresh by our vigilance. And the people listening said, ‘The life or death of the river of freedom is in our hands.’”

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Heartwarming comics break down complex parenting issues with ease

Lunarbaboon comics tackle huge, important subjects with an effective, lighthearted touch that you can't help but smile at.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Writing comics helped a father struggling with anxiety and depression.

Christopher Grady, a father and teacher from Toronto, was struggling with anxiety and depression. That's when he started drawing.

He describes his early cartoons and illustrations as a journal where he'd chronicle everyday moments from his life as a husband, elementary school teacher, and father to two kids.

"I needed a positive place to focus all my thoughts and found that when I was making comics I felt a little bit better," he says.

He began putting a few of his comics online, not expecting much of a response. But he quickly learned that people were connecting with his work in a deep way.

The comics series called Lunarbaboon was born, and the response to the first few was so powerful that Grady was inspired do more with his comics than just document his own experience.

"I began getting messages from many people about how they connected to the comics and it gave them hope and strength as they went through their own dark times," he says.

"When they look back…they probably won't remember what was said…or where you were when you said it. They may not remember any details of your time together. But they will remember that you were there…and that's what matters most."

"Usually the circle of people we can support, help, influence is limited to our families, friends, coworkers, random stranger at the bus stop, but with my comic I suddenly found my circle of power was much much larger," Grady explains. "I guess I decided to use this power for good."

Grady continued to draw, making a point to infuse the panels with his own special brand of positivity.

"Kids are always watching adults and they look to the adults as role models," he says. "I try to show (my kids and students) that even with all my flaws and weaknesses I am still a good person and I can still make a positive change in the world."

Lunarbaboon comics tackle huge, important subjects with an effective, lighthearted touch that you can't help but smile at.

Check out Grady's take on teaching his son about consent. (All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission.)

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A comic about listening and respecting your partner.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Here's one about parents being supportive of a gay son or daughter.

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Parents being supportive of their gay son.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

On raising girls in a patriarchal world.

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Comic encourages girls to chase all their dreams.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

And here's a sweet one about appreciating the heck out of his wife.

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Mom one ups dad easily.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

Big topics. Important issues. Grady tackles them with humility and ease.

As Lunarbaboon has continued to grow, Grady says the messages of support he gets have become increasingly powerful.

He certainly doesn't claim to have all the answers to all the complexities of parenting, but he does say that "people like knowing they aren't alone in life's daily struggles. Most people who contact me just want to say thank you for putting something positive into the world."

Grady doesn't expect his Lunarbaboon comics to fix rape culture or end bigotry. He just hopes his message of love, inclusion, and positivity continues to spread.

inclusion, gender roles, social anxiety, happy

Teaching children to accept what might be different.

All images by Christopher Grady/Lunarbaboon, used with permission

"My hope is that for the short time people read it they smile and feel good," he says. "Then I hope they take that good feeling and smile into the world and make it slightly brighter."

You can check out even more of Grady's awesome work over on his website or in his newly published book.


This article was originally published on 11.30.17

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Incredible video shows the genius that went into creating sounds for old-school cartoons

I'll never watch 'Snow White' the same way again.

en.wikipedia.org

Sound effects sound much different today than when we were kids.

I remember as a kid thinking I knew everything there was to know about how sound effects were made because I watched some guy on PBS show how to make the sound of thunder with sheet metal. Obviously, you needed more than one piece of sheet metal to make all the different sound effects and calamity in those old cartoons, but the gist of it was the sounds were made with imagination and by human operators.

Today, the sounds found in cartoons and movies are different. They're not necessarily worse, but they're certainly different to the created-for-the-moment sounds of yesteryear.

A rediscovered video demonstrates exactly how the sounds of old Disney movies were made and it's truly fascinating. The video is presented side by side, showing the elaborate setups that made the sounds next to the parts in the cartoon they coincided with. Interestingly, many of the sounds you hear in today's animated movies are created similarly to the way they were made back in the day, so why do they sound so different?

The sound effects you hear in animated movies now are enhanced using better quality recording devices and also by additional layers that are added by the sound editors as well as digital effects that alter the sound, making it sound more rounded and complete. Foley artists are in charge of creating and recording the sound effects, and they're made one at a time and then layered on top of each other in a process that is similar but different than the old-school ways.

Sound effects back in the day relied solely on the people who made the sounds. There weren't computers to layer additional noises to fill it out, yet they made it work. Check out the fascinating side-by-side video below.

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