Firstly, I want to apologize for not being as active on the blog as I used to be. I had final exams in college; but now they are done! So, I plan to spend more time on this blog working on this project and some other projects that I plan to do. So for now, let’s continue down our Forgotten/Minor Characters Project.
Next up is Disney’s 10th animated feature and 5th package film, “Melody Time”. Released in 1948, “Melody Time” is basically the exact same thing as “Make Mine Music” except with different shorts; so I won’t get into much detail explaining what it is.
The film is composed of a few segments and like “Make Mine Music”, some are more famous than others. The more popular ones are “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed”,
“Pecos Bill”,
and “Once Upon a Wintertime”.
The others include “Bumble Boogie”,
“Trees”,
and “Blame it on the Samba”.
But the chosen characters for today come from a segment entitled “Little Toot”.
The segment is sung by the Andrews Sisters just like the “Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet” segment of “Make Mine Music”. The segment is about a young tugboat who wants to be just like his hardworking father. The problem is he always ends up causing trouble, not on purpose though, mind you. It starts off because he’s too playful.
But when he realizes that he needs to be responsible, his actions ironically lead to the deaths of countless people, the destruction of buildings,
and the demotion of his father.
Yeah, that’s extremely dark! And to top it all out, Little Toot is taken into custody!
And ostracized!
Wow, this is an extremely dark Disney segment! Especially one revolving around a character who ACCIDENTALLY caused trouble. While being left out to sea, he finds a ship in distress and sends out an “SOS” and helps bring the ship back to safety; thereby making his dad and city proud with him again! Of course it had to have a happy ending!
But my characters of choice today appear while he’s ostracized! He ends up in a pretty frightening part of the ocean! So frightening that even the buoys come to life (somewhat) and scold Little Toot for his actions. You can actually hear them say, “Baaad Boooy!” (in a scary Andrews Sisters voice). Not only that, but the waves come out to form hands/claws that are trying to grab Little Toot. This is one of the darker Disney segments that I think wasn’t even meant to be dark. The way they buoys are situated and drawn are quite clever. And they’re only in the film for a few seconds. But, they are seriously quite frightening and that’s why they’re my pick for the forgotten/minor characters of this movie!
The Animation Commendation 
A very interesting choice for forgotten characters.
Of all of WDAS’s package features, MELODY TIME has always been one of my favorites (alongside FUN AND FANCY FREE and THE THREE CABALLEROS), with my favorite segments being “Johnny Appleseed,” “Pecos Bill,” “Bumble Boogie,” and, of course, “Blame It on the Samba.”
In regards to the former- i.e., “Johnny Appleseed”– whenever I listen to Dennis Day singing as John, something in his voice somehow reminds me of SESAME STREET cast member (and former SING ALONG WITH MITCH regular) Bob McGrath. Don’t see how? Well, listen to Johnny Appleseed singing “The Lord is Good to Me” first:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPs_zvWwNQU
And then listen to Bob’s rendition of “Good Morning, Starshine” (from HAIR):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnYt3KLFNUM
Sound pretty similar, don’t they?
I think I prefer Make Mine Music to Melody Time, but this one does have many good segments too!
You’re right, he does kinda sound like Bob McGrath!