Sittin' on a Backyard Fence

Sittin' on a Backyard Fence
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Airdate:	16 December 1933
Series:	Merrie Melodies
Vitaphone Number:	5988
Copyright Renewed:	12 March 1962
Crew
Director:	Earl Duvall
Producer:	Leon Schlesinger
Animated By:	Jack King Don Williams
Film Editor:	Bernard B. Brown (uncredited) Treg Brown (uncredited)
Musician:	Norman Spencer

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Sittin' on a Backyard Fence is a 1933 Merrie Melodies short directed by Earl Duvall.

Title

"Sittin' on a Backyard Fence" is a song written by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal from the 1933 WB musical "Footlight Parade".

Plot

It's the middle of the night, and everyone's asleep except for the girl house cat and boy alley cats on the fence competing for her attentions. A bull and three cows from ad posters on the fence sing "Sittin' on a Backyard Fence" and a cat band, using junk instruments play. Two boy cats, one drunk on catnip, fight each other over the girl, and get chased and knocked out by a dog. The girl cat leaves with another male cat, followed by kittens that are obviously theirs. The two fighting cats then shake hands before fainting.

Availability

(2008) DVD
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6, Disc 3 (unrestored)

(2009) DVD
Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Three (unrestored)

Notes

• This was Earl Duvall's first Merrie Melodies cartoon. This was also his first one-shot.
• This cartoon was used in the intro for Looney Tunes on Nick at Nite.
• An unreleased restored print aired on Movies! as well as on Saturday Morning Cartoons on MeTV on January 6, 2024.
• The "Bull Dernem" ad is a reference to Bull Durham Tobacco.
• The "Tarnation" ad is a reference to Carnation Evaporated Milk, and borrows the company's slogan "from Contented Cows".

Gallery