Thugs with Dirty Mugs (1939)

Killer and his gang are robbing every bank in town in numerical order, except they skip the 13th National Bank. The police are unable to catch them, despite their predictability (and their ... See full summary »

Director:

Tex Avery

Writer:

Dave Monahan

Stars:

Tex Avery, Mel Blanc, John Deering

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Tex Avery	...	Ed. G. Robemsome as Killer Diller (voice) (uncredited)
Mel Blanc	...	Tattle-Tale Bank Clerk / Annoyed Mobster / Secret Agents / Man in Audience (voice) (uncredited)
John Deering	...	F.H.A. (Sherlock) Homes as Flat-Foot Flanigan with a Floy Floy (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

Killer and his gang are robbing every bank in town in numerical order, except they skip the 13th National Bank. The police are unable to catch them, despite their predictability (and their endless sight gags). Finally, they get help from an unlikely source: the guy in the front of the theatre who sat through the picture before. They capture Killer, and he gets a long sentence, which he has to write on the blackboard 1,000 times.

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Plot Keywords:

capture | bank robbery | jail | split screen | spoof | 

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Genres:

Animation | Crime | Family | Short | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 May 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le crime ne paie pas

Company Credits

Production Co:

Leon Schlesinger Studios, Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

8 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film short is available as a bonus on the Warner DVD of The Roaring Twenties.

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Goofs

They rob 2 different Worst National Banks.

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Crazy Credits

At the beginning of this cartoon, "F.H.A. (Sherlock) Homes" is credited with playing "Flat-Foot Flanagan with a floy-floy" and "Ed G. Robemsome" is credited with playing "Killer Diller."

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Connections

Spoofs Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

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Soundtracks

"Sing, You Son of a Gun"
(uncredited)
Music by Richard A. Whiting

User Reviews

Great Parody!

I never knew movie parody was developed this well in 1939, but this was a great send-up on gangster films of the era. This was shown on TCM before an airing of Edward G. Robinson's classic of 1931, Little Caeser. This cartoon complimented the film very well. Of course, this cartoon is a tour de force for Tex Avery. Very little of the humor seems dated in 2004, or is sophisticated enough to still have lots of appreciation. One exception was the imitation Fred Allen. However, this one needs to be seen more often as it is one of Tex Avery's best! It gets a 9/10. This is humour you didn't see in the 1970's, much less the late '30's.