Early To Bet (1951) - Merrie Melodies Theatrical Cartoon Series

I totally agree with the other reviewer, Early To Bet is easily one of the best and most original shorts that WB ever conceived. The penalty wheel is so ingenius, as are the actual card filed penalties themselves (The Roll Out The Barrel, The William Tell, The Post etc...) that I'm surprised this plot piece wasn't re-hashed over and over dozens of times in more cartoon shorts like so many other classic WB moments. I remember actually only seeing Early To Bet one time in my entire life back in the 70's on TV, and I literally ran home from the bus stop everyday praying that they'd play it again. I've only just recently seen it again for the second time here in 2002 thanks to Cartoon Network! The poor cat's pleading voice is still as every bit funny today as it was back then. "No no! Not that!"

Robert McKimson's Gambling Bug cartoon for Warner Brothers, was, I believe, and a lot of my friends agree, the sickest, most sadistic, most perverse, most warping thing any of us children had ever seen. Twisted. And of course, highly memorable. "No! NO!!! ~ Not Roll Out the Barrel."