Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat (1941)

Director:

Walter Lantz

Writer:

Ben Hardaway (writer)

Release Date:

28 March 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Short | Musical

Plot:

Lazy black folks in Lazy Town (Pop. 123½) are napping and attracting flies. They are so lethargic they even fight in slow motion...

Plot Keywords:

Boogie Woogie | Cartune Special | Racial Stereotype | African American | Barber

Cast

(in alphabetical order)

Mel Blanc

...

Boat Captain / Fighter One / Fighter Two / Mammy Washing Clothes / Various Citizens (uncredited)

Runtime:

USA:7 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia) | UK:PG (video rating) (1990) | UK:U (original rating)

Company:

Walter Lantz Productions

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Black Entertainment: Comedians (2002) (TV)

"she keeps a-scrubbin' an' a scrubbin' right on down to de nub, yeah!"

Welcome to Lazytown! As you will see, the apeish denizens of the town can't seem to muster up too much stamina to get their chores done. Know why? Wellll shoooot! It's cause they aint got no RHYTHM! Never fear though, folks...a boat just pulled up in the bay, and a foxy beige boogie woman is gonna set things straight for these sleepy townsfolk. I think I hear a song coming on! "...scubbidy-ub-dub....scrubbidy-ub-dub...scrub me momma with a boo-oo-gie beat..." Well, that little ditty got some bootys shakin'!

Vile and reprehensible cartoon short that should be forever preserved as a reminder of how acceptable these types of racist attitudes really were within the 20th century...a hateful, hurtful slap to the African American face(did they really need another one?).