The Dover Boys | Looney Tunes Critic Commentary

[@BBBHuey]

3:27 When Dan places her picture on that poster, it first comes off as a gag. But it is acutally a foreshadowing xD

[@zaccaryvega]

The way Dan is animated when he talks about stealing the runabout is priceless. So fluid for such a simple line!

[@Steamer96]

I just love how Dan backslide became a meme.

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Not the first Chuck Jones character in purple to become a meme, though. I'm thinking of Bugs in the throne wearing the crown from 'A Connecticut Rabbit....' - trevor.

[@eatttheball]

YES

[@PieFights]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic Fun fact The Narrator of this cartoon is John Mcleash who did the Goofy How to Cartoons for Disney

[@racheln8563]

The *Rover* Boys. That's what Chuck was making fun of. There is a connection to the Hardy Boys, however, as Edward Stratemeyer created both book series. The villain of the Rover Boys series was Dan Baxter, by the way, so it's immediately apparent where Chuck got "Dan Backslide" from.

[@arnepianocanada]

You clear up my lifelong question: why this brilliant cartoon style was never replicated? Superbly creative visual language, and the storyline parody is incomparable. *Thank you.*

[@smokingcatcomicscollectibl2131]

4:29-- Possibly. Pierce caricatures turn up in "Wakiki Wabbit" and a Tweety short in which two badminton players appear, and he voiced a number of minor characters as well in a few pictures. The "damsel in distress" gag also turns up in a Three Stooges short, in which "helpless" Christine McInyre knocks out several of her captors while awaiting her rescue from the hero.

[@Yowazuptz]

The Dover Boys were also in an Animaniacs cartoon.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

Isn't it ironic that after almost getting fired for making a cartoon that inspired UPA, Chuck later went on to get fired for writing a UPA film.

[@canaisyoung3601]

D-man the captain Funny how things work.

[@warnerbrosanddisneyvhsdvdb9015]

D-man the captain hears is a fun fact did you know that work with a UPA film call gay purr-ee in (1962)

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Did either of you two ever see the rip off of this cartoon that was made by the guy who did the narration in this cartoon? Shawn and I didn't know that at the time of the recording, though, but Thud Kamikazi has a copy of it on his channel. It's horrible! The narrator literally worked on the thing, saw the cartoon when it came out, said, "I get it, I can make one," did so, put it out and it stunk! Funny how things work indeed. - trevor.

[@d-manthecaptain1382]

What was it called?

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I don't remember, sorry. - trevor.

[@Dstone1187]

Dan Backslide is the Joker. He has the purple suit all he needs is white skin, clown lips, lose the mustache, and a maniacal laugh and it’s complete

[@davidlafleche1142]

Snidely Whiplash

[@kylemorgan2301]

Not sure if it has been mentioned already, but this cartoon was a parody of the Rover Boys, a book series by the same company that produced both Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and actually codified how they did things. To clarify, The Rover Boys came before them, and set the template that the company would use going forward. Every character in this short is a parody of a character in the books: Backslide is a caricature of Dan Baxter, Dora is a parody of Dora Stanhope, and the Dover Boys are, obviously, parodies of the Rover Brothers. The joke with the Dover Boys being that they are interchangeable heroic archetypes without a lot going on upstairs.

[@Quincy_Morris]

I wouldn’t agree with the last part. The Rover Boys aren’t depicted as unintelligent. Just ordinarily heroic.

[@kylemorgan2301]

@@Quincy_Morris I meant that the Dover Boys are unintelligent, since they are meant to be a parody of the Rover Boys.

[@sf-dn8rh]

Good ol' P.U. love the commentary here.

[@vincentfranklin17]

Dear, rich Dora Standpipe! HOW I LOVE HER! (Father's money!) Love that line!

[@keshiaanders6452]

Did you saw the Re-Animted collaboration video of this cartoon? Some of the animators of the collaboration actually managed to out-do Chuck Jones. :O

[@stianthomassen6693]

Keshia Anders My favorite part in the reanimation is «Then Dora must be alone an unprotected!»

[@BardockSkywalker]

@@stianthomassen6693 *Moving Eyebrows*

[@YourCrazyDolphin]

True, but I suppose it is worth noting the difference between the episode, which was an animation made on a budget, and the re-animated project which was a pure passion project. I'd say it goes to show how well the original was animated that this one still holds up in comparison.

[@hyperpowerfulform5132]

Unhand her, Dan Backslide!

[@literally_a_crow]

Undan her, Hand Backslide!

[@mattdamutt5681]

Unback her, Dan Handslide!

[@hyperpowerfulform5132]

Hey, we're getting in a rut!

[@FirewolfRedfield]

Power B SAND UP AND FIGHT YOU COWERD BULLY THEIF CADIN

[@Im-BAD-at-satire]

そのうちを放して、ダン・バックスライド!

[@sandradermark8463]

Carrotblanca is the Looney Tunes parody of Casablanca. Another animated show I can't stop reccing.

[@gbtrat]

The narration is my favorite part of this cartoon and when Doris tosses Dan Backslide around

[@SpiderandMosquito]

The Rover boys that's what it was called that was the book series

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Thank you, yes! The Rover Boys! - trevor.

[@blukmage19typeR]

If memory serves me correctly, the "Rover Boys" book series has been in a run from late 19th century to the turn of the 20th century, including the implements of the automobile, flying an airplane, and even the events of World War 1. It mentions the daily lives of Tom, Sam, and Dick Rover (all brothers), Dora Stanhope, the occasional bully Dan Baxter, and other characters.

[@jamesoniris2647]

This need to be a tv show on its own.

[@Silverwind87]

I'm convinced this is secretly a harem anime with Dora Standpipe as the main character.

[@tomdegan6924]

The funniest of all the WB cartoons.

[@masterskrain2630]

I always thought that Dan Backslide was based on Friz Freling.

[@BardockSkywalker]

I Would Love To See More Dan Backslide, Cause Anything That Comes Out Of His Mouth Is Meme Worthy.

[@zebart]

The Narrator was John Mcleish who also narrated the Sport Goofy shorts.

[@kylebrown5101]

This short is a parody of the rover boys.

[@thehouseofwhatkivanders]

I'LL STEAL IT! NO-ONE WILL EVER KNOW!!!

[@curtisdavis4598]

Super Unusually And Creepily Weird But, Happy Halloween!

[@acbenepe]

I'm generally more of a Tex Avery guy but this one by C.J. is a masterpiece.

[@miscellania4263]

lol the Dover Boys was a parody of the “Rover Boys” a popular set of American adventure books published from the end of the 19th-Century into the early 20th with strong Victorian values 😂 Although you guys weren’t wrong to mention the Hardy Boys! The Hardy Boys borrowed a lot from the later editions of the Rover Boys in which they set the tone of adolescent aged youths independently solving the mysteries and strange happenings in their town Cedarville, military boarding school Putnam Hall, or college; Brill College. They also had the same romantic love interests from a fellow wealthy family that would reoccur throughout the books. Also fun fact, besides the fact both series books were from the SAME company, the “Stratemeyer Syndicate”, many libraries REFUSED for decades to carry any of these books believing they led to rebellious spirits against authority, and that series books in general were lazily written because they were so formulaic and would lead to a sort of intellectual stupor ‘dumbing down’ the kids. Some things never change 🙄

[@reimeioh]

Hi Ferris, I plan on doing a facts you-may-not-know type video of this cartoon to get more involved in doing videos. I imagine there are sites to look to for research, but which can you think of that might be beneficial?

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

I feel like all the facts that people know about Dover Boys are all on the websites I would recommend. Now, a facts you may not know? Well, that isn't out there, my friend. Because people don't know those facts. Best thing to do would be to look up "The Rocky Road to Ruin," a cartoon made by the guy who did the narration in The Dover Boys. He literally did the voice over, saw the cartoon, said, "I can make a better version of that," and then didn't. It's painfully bad, but is clearly a rip off. Thankfully, history has forgotten it. - trevor.

[@reimeioh]

Ferris Wheelhouse Thank you.

[@shoh1149]

The rover boys Chuck Jones baced it on

[@nobafan7515]

2:50 - what do you mean "like this"?

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Like this cartoon. Did you really not get that?

[@nobafan7515]

@@TheLooneyTunesCritic I know you mean this cartoon, but what about his cartoon that wasn't a problem with the other cartoons? The pacing? Subject matter?

[@Theomite]

I no longer feel alone in hating _Doug._ I was pure _Ren & Stimpy_ all the way. I also had no idea that Chuck was almost fired for this cartoon. How the hell did Robert McKimson get away with his shit and not Chuck?

[@ringkite]

Dan was not blue. He is pale mint green.

[@zdproductions3903]

Dan looks green

[@canaisyoung3601]

Is this a re-upload?

[@TheLooneyTunesCritic]

Yes. Can we still be friends? - trevor.

[@canaisyoung3601]

Ferris Wheelhouse Of course. I just wanted to know if this was a reupload or not.