Wilder than a Zulu
Paramount’s Little Lulu cartoons were produced in Times Square in New York City. Lulu, and a new series of miscellaneous cartoons, called NOVELTOONS (a play on the word “novelties”), joined the POPEYE on the Paramount short subject release schedule in 1943.
This was part of a new begining for Paramount’s cartoon studio - formerly the Max Fleischer studio - now dubbed FAMOUS STUDIOS (after Paramount’s Famous Music and Famous Players subsidiary businesses). Paramount moved the operation back up to New York City from Miami - and demanded a fresh start. Only Popeye remained a holdover from the last regime - and now those cartoons would be produced in color.
Paramount bought the rights to Little Lulu, a popular Saturday Evening Post panel cartoon, an created a very funny, very appealing series around her. Audiences loved the cartoons and animators loved the character. Feminists still consider her (along with Wonder Woman) an cartoon icon.
When the Lulu deal ended in 1947, Famous continued making similiar cartoons under the name “Little Audrey”. When Paramount sold the rights to Little Audrey (and Casper, Baby Huey and Herman & Katnip) in the late 50s to Harvey Comics, the studio actually went back to creator Marjorie Henderson Buell (”Marge”) and licensed the rights to make two more Lulu cartoons in 1961.
But by then, the magic was gone. The 1940s Lulu cartoons are a special series. One that has been overshadowed, forgotten and neglected by time. Check out todays cartoon and re-discover a classic.
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On April 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Hey Jerry! Nice write-up. I always thought the lyric was “Wild as any Zulu.” In any case, that theme song has always enchanted me and that line never fails to leave me shaking my head and smiling at the strangeness of the pre-PC era.
On April 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Hey, let’s post the lyrics!
“Little Lulu, Little Lulu, with freckles on your chin,
Always in and out of trouble, but mostly always in.
Using Daddy’s necktie for the tail on your kite,
Using Mommy’s lipstick for the letters you write.Though the clock says 7:30, it’s really after 10;
Looks like Lulu’s been repairing it again.
Though you’re wild as any Zulu,
And you’re just as hard to tame,
Little Lulu, I love you-Lu just the same, just the same,
Little Lulu, I love you-Lu just the same.” (written by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise, and Sidney Lippman)
On April 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Thanks Jerry! Although it’s written as “Just the same, just the same” I’m ALMOST certain it Little Lulu I love You -Lu just the same, LITTLE DAME”. Again, I could be mistaken, but give it a listen next time and see if that’s what they’re singing.
On April 29th, 2006 at 12:00 am
The thing that stands out for me in the Paramount cartoons is Jackson Beck’s voice work. No matter how cheesy the animation got (moreso in the later Popeyes), Jackson always gave a good performance.