Old Glory (Merrie Melodies)

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Old Glory Merrie Melodies series
Directed by	Charles Jones
Produced by	Leon Schlesinger
Story by	Robert Givens Richard Hogan Dave Monahan
Voices by	Mel Blanc John Deering John Litel
Animation by	Robert McKimson
Studio	Leon Schlesinger Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date(s)	July 1, 1939 (USA premiere)
Color process	Technicolor
Running time	9 min (one reel)
IMDb profile

Old Glory (1939) is a Merrie Melodies animated cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, and released to theatres by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation. It premiered at the famed Carthay Circle Theater at Los Angeles on July 1, 1939.

The cartoon is essentially a retelling of the origins of the United States of America; a special, more serious, entry in the Schlesinger cartoon library. Old Glory features Porky Pig as a young child, forced to learn the Pledge of Allegiance. Porky becomes quickly bored with learning the Pledge of Allegiance and falls asleep. In his dreams, Uncle Sam (voiced by John Deering) comes to life, and teaches Porky about the history of the United States, from the history of Colonial America, to Paul Revere's ride, to the American Revolutionary War, to the expansion to the American Old West. Upon awakening, Porky immediately memorizes the Pledge, and snapping into a salute, recites the pledge as the Flag of the United States waves overhead and the Merrie Melodies ending panned over the waving flag.

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Unlike the usual Warner Bros. style, the animation in Old Glory is very realistic and heavily based in rotoscope. Director Chuck Jones was known for his Disney-like style during this period, and Schlesinger assigned him to make this cartoon for that reason. Old Glory is Jones' first short to feature Porky Pig.
Note that the Flag of the United States has only 48 stars, as this short was made before Hawaii and Alaska's admittances to the Union. Also, this Pledge of Allegiance does not yet include the phrase "under God". That phrase was not added until 1954.
Also unlike most Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes it does not end with the Merrie Melody rings, instead it ends with the Merrie Melody ending panned over the waving American flag. This ending was cut out when the cartoon was reissued.
The scene with Patrick Henry saying his "Give Me Liberty" speech was rotoscoped from the Warner Bros. color 2-reel historical short, Give Me Liberty. That short won the Academy Award for Best Short Subject - Color of 1936.
Legend has it that during the late 60s, Old Glory was regularly screened between rock acts at the Fillmore in San Francisco. Supposedly the Fillmore's patrons drew great amusement from a pig (or "cop" in 60s slang) saluting the American flag.^{[verification needed]}
This cartoon is on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 2 with the Blue Ribbon opening but the original waving flag ending restored, however the original opening music appears to be intact, unlike most Blue Ribbon Reissues.