One Froggy Evening (1955)

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Chuck Jones

Writer:

Michael Maltese (story)

Release Date:

31 December 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Plot:

A man futilely struggles to make his fortune with a frog that sings and dances, but only when it is alone with the owner.

Plot Keywords:

Frog | Theater | Singing Frog | Talent Agent | Top Hat

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bill Roberts

...

Michigan J. Frog (singing voice) (uncredited)

Runtime:

7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #16892)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

"Come Back To Erin", the sentimental tune song by the frog about a lover longing for his Colleen, who is far away in England), was written by "Claribel", the pseudonym of Charlotte Alington Barnard. She was a prolific and successful English poet and composer of ballads and hymns during the 19th century. In 1868, she had two popular hits: "I Cannot Sing The Old Songs" and "Come Back To Erin" ("Erin" is a traditional name for Ireland). "Erin" was her most popular song. Over time, it became thought of as an Irish folk song, and a generation later, it become popular on the American vaudeville stage where such Irish songs were common.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the owner of the frog gets thrown out of the talent agency, there's a hand-print on the wall to the side of the door he is thrown from. In the next shot it's gone.

Quotes:

Michigan J. Frog: [singing] Hello, my baby / hello, my honey / hello, my ragtime gal. / Send me a kiss by wire / baby, my hearts on fire / if you refuse me / honey, you'll lose me / then you'll be left alone / Oh baby, telephone and tell me I'm your own.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Behind the Tunes: Animal Quackers (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Won't You Come Over To My House?

Must watch.

You know, I would virtually tell everyone to watch EVERY short that Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese collaborated on. They are icons in creating some of the best storytelling animation in our time. EVERYONE looking to get into screen writing or story board writing should study their storytelling. But the two most important ones, the first ones that everyone should watch when beginning their curiosity should be Feed the Kitty, which inspired Joe Dante and Chris Columbus, and this short, One Froggy Evening, which influenced Steven Spielberg.

A laborer at a demolition site discovers a frog that can sing and dance. Seeing a world of opportunity, he leaves, and gets more than he ever bargained for.

There are too many elements in this short to count. But it's great. The frog doesn't even need to sing for you to appreciate the hilarity of it all. But if you do listen to the frog, I guarantee you at one point in your life you will sing that song in your head. When people at my work ask me to try to tune out some song in their head, I pop out, "Hello My Baby," or, "Michigan Rag." They end up having one of those songs permanently stuck in their head. Try it! You'll go through work faster and have a good memory stuck in your head. And if you haven't watched this cartoon, I suggest you find it. Now.