As Dreamers Do: American Magic Redux

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True Life Adventures
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    • OldNavy1988

    Nature's Half Acre
    03.20.1952-natures-half-acre-01.30.1952-780x440.jpg


    Nature's Half Acre was the third of Walt's two-reel nature shorts, part of the growing True Life Adventure series. The first two entries in the True Life series were Seal Island (1948) and In Beaver Valley (1950). Nature's Half Acre was released along with Bongo during its original theatrical run.

    There are more True Life Adventure projects on the way, but United Artists, who has been distributing Disney's product through the Depression and World War II, has shown little to no enthusiasm for this new series.

    780x463-true-life-adventures.jpg
     
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    • Animation Studio Power Rankings for 1951-52
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    • OldNavy1988

    Very quickly, here are the power rankings for each animation studio leading up to 1952.

    1) Warner Bros. Cartoons
    CEO: Fred Quimby
    After Clampett left, the WB cartoon studio is down to three directors; Jones, McKimson and Freleng. Bugs still ranks as the #1 cartoon character over Mickey and Popeye, but the Looney Tunes as a whole have become less and less Looney as the Fifties dawned.

    2) Walt Disney Productions
    Distributor: United Artists
    Bongo had its moments, but lacked the charm of Cinderella. Walt's next animated feature Peter Pan will arrive in 1953.

    3) Harman-Ising
    Distributor: 20th Century-Fox
    Tex Avery proved to be the shot-in-the-arm Fox needed to push its cartoon department past Fleischer-Terry and Lantz. A survey of theatre owners found that moviegoers found Little Audrey to be a funnier character than the former Fleischer-Terry Little Lulu series. But as Screwy Squirrel starts to wear thin on exhibitors and audiences, you can expect Casper, Baby Huey and Herman and Katnip to keep Fox's Movietoons engine running.

    4) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
    CEO: Dave Fleischer
    With Tex Avery's departure a few years back, MGM is now down to three units; Tom and Jerry, Droopy and Barney Bear.

    5) UPA
    Distributor: Columbia Pictures
    Out of the ashes of Columbia's shuttered Screen Gems studio comes the United Productions of America, or UPA for short. Formed by former Disney artists who had grown frustrated with Walt's push towards realism, the UPA crew hopes their abstract styles can become a game changer for the medium.

    6) Fleischer-Terry
    Distributor: Paramount Pictures
    Once a powerhouse that equaled Disney, the Fleischer-Terry studio has hit the skids in recent years. Budget cuts and layoffs along with the rise of Harman-Ising and UPA have dealt numerous blows to the Miami-based studio during the postwar period. A licensing dispute brought the Little Lulu series to an abrupt end. The screen rights for Superman and Batman have now reverted back to National Comics after more than a decade. The Screen Song series could be on the chopping block next year due to sagging box office numbers. Now, with the exception of the occasional one-shot cartoon, Fleischer-Terry has streamlined its cartoon output with units for Popeye, Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle and Gandy Goose and Sourpuss.

    7) Walter Lantz Productions
    Distributor: Universal Pictures
    CEO: Walter Lantz
    Lantz funded part of Hans Brinker by selling the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit library and character back to Walt Disney. But Hans still turned out to be a box office disaster. Thanks to the resulting layoffs, Lantz is now down to a skeleton crew focused solely on Woody Woodpecker, but Chilly Willy is still on the way.
     
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    • Kara0616

    OldNavy1988 said:
    Once a powerhouse that equaled Disney, the Fleischer-Terry studio has hit the skids in recent years. Budget cuts and layoffs along with the rise of Harman-Ising and UPA have dealt numerous blows to the Miami-based studio during the postwar period. A licensing dispute brought the Little Lulu series to an abrupt end. The screen rights for Superman and Batman have now reverted back to National Comics after more than a decade. The Screen Song series could be on the chopping block next year due to sagging box office numbers. Now, with the exception of the occasional one-shot cartoon, Fleischer-Terry has streamlined its cartoon output with units for Popeye, Mighty Mouse, Heckle and Jeckle and Gandy Goose and Sourpuss.
    Click to expand...
    Damn I was kind of hoping Fleischer would make a Wonder Woman film before the contract with National expired. I don't know, I just think that having the DC Trinity each have their own movie would have been nice.
     

    TheFaultsofAlts

    Kara0616 said:
    Damn I was kind of hoping Fleischer would make a Wonder Woman film before the contract with National expired. I don't know, I just think that having the DC Trinity each have their own movie would have been nice.
    Click to expand...

    Well, if Fleischer can't do it, then maybe WB can pull their weight in the superhero genre before their OTL purchase of the DC Trinity and the company that owns them. Who knows?
     
    Entertainment News for January 1952
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    • OldNavy1988

    FLEISCHER-TERRY NEGOTIATE MERGER WITH LANTZ

    If federal regulators approve, the Fleischer-Terry studio will enlarge its cartoon empire with a merger with Walter Lantz Productions. However, there are tons of kinks that must be ironed out before the deal can be sealed. Fleischer-Terry's current distribution deal with Paramount expires in 1955. Meanwhile, Walter Lantz's partnership with Universal Pictures has fallen apart as of late, in large part because of the box office failure of Lantz's 1949 cartoon feature Hans Brinker. Prior to the start of merger talks, Lantz's contract with Universal was set to expire in 1956.

    The issue of distribution will need to be resolved before the merger can go through. But even that will be a challenge as television threatens to sway audiences away from movie theatres, coupled with Paramount management's concerns of television to be a threat to their business model.

    Another issue needing to be resolved is the rights to the Woody Woodpecker character. Universal Pictures has been trying for six years to acquire licensing and merchandising rights from Walter Lantz, but to no avail. Five years ago, Lantz sold the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back to Walt Disney to partially finance the ill-fated Hans Brinker film.

    The Miami Herald
    January 11, 1952​
     
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    • nick_crenshaw82

    nick_crenshaw82

    OldNavy1988 said:
    FLEISCHER-TERRY NEGOTIATE MERGER WITH LANTZ

    If federal regulators approve, the Fleischer-Terry studio will enlarge its cartoon empire with a merger with Walter Lantz Productions. However, there are tons of kinks that must be ironed out before the deal can be sealed. Fleischer-Terry's current distribution deal with Paramount expires in 1955. Meanwhile, Walter Lantz's partnership with Universal Pictures has fallen apart as of late, in large part because of the box office failure of Lantz's 1949 cartoon feature Hans Brinker. Prior to the start of merger talks, Lantz's contract with Universal was set to expire in 1956.

    The issue of distribution will need to be resolved before the merger can go through. But even that will be a challenge as television threatens to sway audiences away from movie theatres, coupled with Paramount management's concerns of television to be a threat to their business model.

    Another issue needing to be resolved is the rights to the Woody Woodpecker character. Universal Pictures has been trying for six years to acquire licensing and merchandising rights from Walter Lantz, but to no avail. Five years ago, Lantz sold the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back to Walt Disney to partially finance the ill-fated Hans Brinker film.

    The Miami Herald
    January 11, 1952​
    Click to expand...
    You could let the distribution contracts run out for both companies set up a new one with RKO.
     

    Goldwind2

    Does anybody like the idea of warner brother aniamtion scoring another hit animated feature film or 2 and thes film result in termite terrenace not clossing down in 1962. As a result in DePatie–Freleng ends up making cartoons for universal, united artist or paramount.
     

    myuacc1

    Goldwind2 said:
    Does anybody like the idea of warner brother aniamtion scoring another hit animated feature film or 2 and thes film result in termite terrenace not clossing down in 1962. As a result in DePatie–Freleng ends up making cartoons for universal, united artist or paramount.
    Click to expand...
    Considering that the last film they made ITTL is almost 10 years old, it's a possibility. Also, DePatie–Freleng Enterprises was created as a cause of the 1963 shutdown of Warner Bros. Cartoons IOTL, located in the same place the latter was, so IDK if DePatie-Freleng will exist ITTL.
     

    OldNavy1988

    nick_crenshaw82 said:
    You could let the distribution contracts run out for both companies set up a new one with RKO.
    Click to expand...

    I could, but United Artists might open up once Walt Disney cuts ties with UA and starts Buena Vista.

    Goldwind2 said:
    Does anybody like the idea of warner brother aniamtion scoring another hit animated feature film or 2 and thes film result in termite terrenace not clossing down in 1962. As a result in DePatie–Freleng ends up making cartoons for universal, united artist or paramount.
    Click to expand...

    myuacc1 said:
    Considering that the last film they made ITTL is almost 10 years old, it's a possibility. Also, DePatie–Freleng Enterprises was created as a cause of the 1963 shutdown of Warner Bros. Cartoons IOTL, located in the same place the latter was, so IDK if DePatie-Freleng will exist ITTL.
    Click to expand...

    Remember, Warner Bros. made Alice in Wonderland during the war and it'll likely be part of the pre-1950 WB library that gets sold to AAP unless something changes.
     
    Entertainment News for February 1952
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    • OldNavy1988

    Universal Pictures offers to acquire Woody Woodpecker and other characters from Walter Lantz as the embattled animator faces pressure from Congress to divest some of his holdings in his bid to merge his studio with Fleischer-Terry.
    - The Los Angeles Times

    A shareholder revolt leads to Howard Hughes's ouster from RKO Radio Pictures' board of directors. CBS, Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, General Tire and General Electric are among dozens of corporations interested in purchasing the struggling studio.
    - The LA Examiner

    If Congress approves the Fleischer-Terry merger with Walter Lantz Productions, the newly combined company could be renamed Famous Studios.
    - The Miami Herald

    Walt Disney ends distribution partnership with United Artists after nearly 25 years.
    - The Hollywood Reporter
     
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  • Index
    • nick_crenshaw82

    nick_crenshaw82

    OldNavy1988 said:
    Honestly, I am not sure if it is too late to save RKO from being bought by Howard Hughes, or if RKO was already in trouble by the time Hughes made the purchase.
    Click to expand...
    At this point in your TL it to late to prevent Hughes from buying RKO (I think, he did so in 1948). The best thing is to ASBs cure Hughes of his OCD (or have him not develop it in the first place). Or maybe have J. Arthur Rank put in a second higher bid.
     

    OldNavy1988

    nick_crenshaw82 said:
    At this point in your TL it to late to prevent Hughes from buying RKO (I think, he did so in 1948). The best thing is to ASBs cure Hughes of his OCD (or have him not develop it in the first place). Or maybe have J. Arthur Rank put in a second higher bid.
    Click to expand...

    Or could a shareholder revolt lead to Rank making another bid to buy RKO?
     
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