Cracked Ice

Cracked Ice
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Airdate:	10 September 1938
Series:	Merrie Melodies
MPAA Number:	4464
Vitaphone Number:	8507
Runtime:	7 minutes, 42 seconds
Copyright Renewed:	10 January 1966
Starring:	W.C. Squeals
Crew
Voice Characterizations:	Tedd Pierce Danny Webb Mel Blanc Paul Taylor Choristers (all uncredited)
Director:	Frank Tashlin
Written By:	Jack Miller
Producer:	Leon Schlesinger
Animated By:	Bob McKimson Volney White (uncredited) Phil Monroe (uncredited) Ken Harris (uncredited)
Background Artist:	Art Loomer (uncredited)
Film Editor:	Treg Brown (uncredited)
Musician:	Carl W. Stalling

Cracked Ice is a 1938 Merrie Melodies short directed by Frank Tashlin.

Plot

A black bird is ice skating over barrels until it trips on one and falls into a hole. A pig named Mr. Squeals is ice skating with a cigar until it hears the bird cry for help. Soon, they both start calling for assistance. A St. Bernard dog comes out of its doghouse, putting on a sign reading "Gone with the gin", and assists with the cries for help. The St. Bernard gets out the bird (which is frozen solid in an ice cube) and thaws the bird out. The dog gives it a margarita and the bird warms up. Mr. Squeals is envious and pretends to drown. The St. Bernard makes a margarita but gives it to himself. Mr. Squeals then attempts to trick the St. Bernard by using a magnet to attack a bowl of bones but the dog crashes into Mr. Squeals and the magnet hits a fish. The margarita leaks out of the dog's barrel and the fish drinks it, only to get drunk. The fish swims around doing weird activities when the magnet attracts the roller skates on Mr. Squeals. The fish soon leads Mr. Squeals to an ice skating contest. The fish makes Mr. Squeal do amazing tricks. The judge declares Mr. Squeals is the winner of the ice skating contest and wins a trophy. Mr. Squeals is happy until the fish with the magnet attracts the trophy and swims away.

Caricatures

• W.C. Fields - W.C. Squeals
• Charlie McCarthy - heckler
• Hugh Herbert - fish "Woo Hoo"

Availability

(1992) LaserDisc
The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2, Side 3: Frank Tashlin

(2006) DVD
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 4, Disc Two

(2011) DVD
Porky Pig

Streaming

iTunes ( - ) (restored)

Gallery

Lobby card

Lobby card

Notes

• Mr. Squeals is the same con man from "At Your Service Madame".
• The scene with the Cossack-dancing Borzoi/Russian Wolfhounds is reused from "Dog Daze".
• This cartoon has a special opening rendition of "Merrily We Roll Along".
• Photography for this cartoon finished on 29 July 1938.
• Towards the end of the cartoon, Mr. Squeals goes "Yes, my little termite terrace", referencing the nickname given to Warner Bros.' cartoon studio.