Meatless Flyday

Meatless Flyday

January 29, 1944 Theatrical Series Merrie Melodies

Studio
Leon Schlesinger Studios
Distributor
Warner Bros.

Synopsis

A housefly is buzzing near the ceiling. On a table below, a hungry spider plans his trap. He tries everything- except building a web- to catch the fly. The spider tries to catch the fly with a sugar cube, but no luck. The fly performs a trapeze act in the air to taunt the spider, and the spider says "Look at him! A poor man's Bugs Bunny!" The spider tries to join him, but the fly shoots him down in flames. "Look, I'm a Zero!" says the spider, referring to the Japanese suicide fighter plane. The ensuing warfare contains a reference to civil defense: the chase ends up inside a giant, outdoor sign... which a Civil Air Patrol guard, on duty, promptly orders shut off (an obvious reference to air raid warnings during the early part of the war). The spider paints buckshot like candy and tries to draw the fly in with a magnet after he eats the buckshot, but instead, every sharp knife, etc. in the kitchen is attracted and flies at the spider. The fly pretends to be the bride on a wedding cake, but the spider shows up as the groom, and the fly leaves a stick of dynamite in his place and the spider blows up. They chase around some more. Finally, the spider catches the fly, and is about to carve him up when the fly points out the date and that it is "Meatless Friday" (a reference to food rationing on "Meatless Friday"). The spider goes running to Washington, D.C. yelling, "You can't do this to me!"

Characters

Spider, Fly, Air Raid Warden

Credits

Directing

Director
Isadore Freleng (as I. Freleng)

Producing

Producer
Leon Schlesinger

Writing

Writer
Michael Maltese

Animation

Animator
Jack Bradbury
Animators, uncredited
Ken Champin, Gerry Chiniquy, Manuel Perez

Voices

Voice
Cyrus Kendall (Spider), Mel Blanc (Spider's Yell, Air Raid Warden)

Music

Music
Carl W. Stalling

Crew

Inbetween Artist
Lloyd Turner
Background Artist, uncredited
Lenard Kester

Production notes

Tex Avery claimed to have done the voice of the spider, but he had left Warner Bros. by the time that this film was recorded.

Pictures

Reviews

meatless flyday

mikericottaMarch 3, 2006

I am 52 years old and I STILL remember "o-o-o-will you take a little walk" while the spider sharpens his knife, while the fly struggles in the web. And then the fly points to the calendar and it is FRIDAY!!! and the spider goes running for DC. I STILL tell my kids about this cartoon. One of my favs!