Judge Rummy (1920-1922)
by David Gerstein, ©2011
When one thinks of cartoon character divorce stories, Warner Bros' inimitable HENPECKED DUCK (1941) comes to mind. "Razzamatazz, and alakazam!" Thirty years earlier, though, a different famous gang of funny animals spent time trying to untie the knot.
Cartoonist Thomas "Tad" Dorgan (1877-1929) was a one-man cottage industry in his day, producing a long-lived group of newspaper strips that included "Indoor Sports," "Daffydils," and "Silk Hat Harry's Divorce Suit." The latter, one of the more unusual strips ever to become a hit, featured the eponymous top-hatted dog in comedic courtroom drama. Several years were milked from the back-and-forth between henpecked Harry, his domineering wife, and the real star of the strip, wisecracking Judge Rummy - who, when away from the bench, had his own battleaxe spouse to deal with.
As early as 1911, Harry was granted his divorce; not long after, Judge Alexander Rumhauser became the strip's official lead character, with domestic stories turning on his philandering and other bad habits. Harry, as the Judge's too-clever-by-half best buddy, dropped in to make situations worse.
Bray's Judge Rummy cartoon series followed the pattern - but did it with style, structuring its plots as catastrophes that built. In HIS LAST LEGS, Harry has opened a women's shoe store and has a "fitting screen" through which modest ladies can anonymously stick their legs. When Harry entices the Judge to come check out the view, it's hard to know where Rummy receives more punishment: from the modest ladies themselves, or from his wife - who inevitably drops by to see how his eye is wandering. In YES, DEAR, Rummy builds a ventriloquist's dummy of himself with a parrot stowed inside - the idea that while he goes out to chase single women, the dummy can talk back to his wife at home. While Mrs. Rumhauser might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, she knows "Alecthander" isn't quite himself today.
Judge Rummy cartoons only lasted a couple of years, but represent cleverly animated sitcom situations - as well as an early example of entirely humanized funny animal characters.
"Hocus-pocus, slippety-slam..."
Above: Production drawing most likely from Beach Nuts (1922). Special thanks to ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive.
Cartoonist Thomas "Tad" Dorgan (1877-1929) was a one-man cottage industry in his day, producing a long-lived group of newspaper strips that included "Indoor Sports," "Daffydils," and "Silk Hat Harry's Divorce Suit." The latter, one of the more unusual strips ever to become a hit, featured the eponymous top-hatted dog in comedic courtroom drama. Several years were milked from the back-and-forth between henpecked Harry, his domineering wife, and the real star of the strip, wisecracking Judge Rummy - who, when away from the bench, had his own battleaxe spouse to deal with.
As early as 1911, Harry was granted his divorce; not long after, Judge Alexander Rumhauser became the strip's official lead character, with domestic stories turning on his philandering and other bad habits. Harry, as the Judge's too-clever-by-half best buddy, dropped in to make situations worse.
Bray's Judge Rummy cartoon series followed the pattern - but did it with style, structuring its plots as catastrophes that built. In HIS LAST LEGS, Harry has opened a women's shoe store and has a "fitting screen" through which modest ladies can anonymously stick their legs. When Harry entices the Judge to come check out the view, it's hard to know where Rummy receives more punishment: from the modest ladies themselves, or from his wife - who inevitably drops by to see how his eye is wandering. In YES, DEAR, Rummy builds a ventriloquist's dummy of himself with a parrot stowed inside - the idea that while he goes out to chase single women, the dummy can talk back to his wife at home. While Mrs. Rumhauser might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, she knows "Alecthander" isn't quite himself today.
Judge Rummy cartoons only lasted a couple of years, but represent cleverly animated sitcom situations - as well as an early example of entirely humanized funny animal characters.
"Hocus-pocus, slippety-slam..."
Above: Production drawing most likely from Beach Nuts (1922). Special thanks to ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive.
Judge Rummy Filmography (28)
Green: Project Print or Video
Gray: Print Known Elsewhere
Red: No Known Print
Shimmie Shivers 4/21/1920
A Fitting Gift 5/7/1920
His Last Legs 5/25/1920
Turn to the Right Leg 6/2/1920
Smokey Smokes 6/6/1920
One Good Turn Deserves Another 6/17/1920
Doctors Should Have Patience 6/19/1920
His Country Cousin 7/3/1920
Rotisserie Brothers 7/24/1920
Shedding a Profiteer 9/5/1920
The Sponge Man 9/22/1920
The Prize Dance 10/3/1920
Hypnotic Hooch 10/26/1920
The Hooch Ball 11/3/1920
Kiss Me 11/3/1920
Snap Judgement 11/22/1920
Why Change Your Husband 11/22/1920
Bear Facts 12/10/1920
Yes Dear 12/12/1920
Too Much Pep 1/4/1921
The Chicken Thief 1/17/1921
The Skating Fool 3/15/1921
Home Sweet Home 1/1/1922
The Matinee Idlers 3/26/1922
Beach Nuts 5/7/1922 [clip only]
A Joy Ride 6/18/1922
A Dry Tip ??/??/????
On With the Dance ??/??/????
Gray: Print Known Elsewhere
Red: No Known Print
Shimmie Shivers 4/21/1920
A Fitting Gift 5/7/1920
His Last Legs 5/25/1920
Turn to the Right Leg 6/2/1920
Smokey Smokes 6/6/1920
One Good Turn Deserves Another 6/17/1920
Doctors Should Have Patience 6/19/1920
His Country Cousin 7/3/1920
Rotisserie Brothers 7/24/1920
Shedding a Profiteer 9/5/1920
The Sponge Man 9/22/1920
The Prize Dance 10/3/1920
Hypnotic Hooch 10/26/1920
The Hooch Ball 11/3/1920
Kiss Me 11/3/1920
Snap Judgement 11/22/1920
Why Change Your Husband 11/22/1920
Bear Facts 12/10/1920
Yes Dear 12/12/1920
Too Much Pep 1/4/1921
The Chicken Thief 1/17/1921
The Skating Fool 3/15/1921
Home Sweet Home 1/1/1922
The Matinee Idlers 3/26/1922
Beach Nuts 5/7/1922 [clip only]
A Joy Ride 6/18/1922
A Dry Tip ??/??/????
On With the Dance ??/??/????