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A Day at the Zoo

  • 1939
  • Approved
  • 7m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
610
YOUR RATING
A Day at the Zoo (1939)
AdventureAnimationComedyFamilyShort

A tour of the zoo, in typical Tex Avery style: a series of one-liners and sight gags, punctuated by Elmer Fudd teasing a lion at intervals, despite the admonishments of the narrator.A tour of the zoo, in typical Tex Avery style: a series of one-liners and sight gags, punctuated by Elmer Fudd teasing a lion at intervals, despite the admonishments of the narrator.A tour of the zoo, in typical Tex Avery style: a series of one-liners and sight gags, punctuated by Elmer Fudd teasing a lion at intervals, despite the admonishments of the narrator.

  • Director
    • Tex Avery
  • Writer
    • Melvin Millar
  • Stars
    • Danny Webb
    • Tex Avery
    • Mel Blanc
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    610
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Tex Avery
    • Writer
      • Melvin Millar
    • Stars
      • Danny Webb
      • Tex Avery
      • Mel Blanc
    • 11User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos4

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    Top cast4

    Edit
    Danny Webb
    • Other Elk Named Bill
    • (voice)
    • …
    Tex Avery
    Tex Avery
    • Other Elk Named Bill
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Mel Blanc
    Mel Blanc
    • Egghead
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Gilman Rankin
    Gilman Rankin
    • Narrator
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Tex Avery
    • Writer
      • Melvin Millar
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    6.9610
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    Featured reviews

    6tavm

    A Day at the Zoo is amusing Tex Avery entry of Warner cartoons

    A Day at the Zoo is a typically amusing Warner Bros. cartoon directed by Fred "Tex" Avery. You'll see pink elephants, a pack of camels smoking cigarettes, a monkey admonishing a lady trying to feed him when the sign says not to, and a human baboon switching places with an actual one. Some gags are now too dated (like the two panthers walking around and constantly saying, "Bread and butter", or two (human) Elks greeting each other), and the typical speed of Avery has not been fully developed yet (that would come when he moves to MGM). However, there is a historical interest here as this has a recurring gag appearance of Egghead, a precursor to Elmer Fudd, who keeps teasing a caged lion even after the narrator tells him not too. Egghead keeps saying, "I'm a bad boy" impersonating it's originator, Lou Costello. So to any fan of Avery and Warner cartoons, A Day at the Zoo is worth a look.
    Michael_Elliott

    Follow the Rules

    A Day at the Zoo (1939)

    *** (out of 4)

    Tex Avery directed short gives us exactly as the title says. The narrator introduces us to various animals at a local zoo but there's often a twist in the story.

    A DAY AT THE ZOO is a rather clever short from Avery who, as you'd expect, gives us the high quality animation but he mixes it with a certainly smart aleck attitude that is rather funny. There's a running gag throughout the running time dealing with a man who keeps picking on a lion. The narrator warns him to leave the lion alone several times but the pay off is rather funny. There are also a few nice gags aimed around people feeding the monkeys including one poor woman who should have listened to the sign. Fans of Avery's humor will certainly get a kick out of this one.
    7theowinthrop

    Sweet Little Merrie Melodie - Typical

    A nice little set of jokes concerning various animals at the zoo. For example a Rocky Mountain wildcat that is upset for missing a prize on "bank night" (hence his behavior). Or a pair of well behaved elks (who are two gentlemen - obviously members of the "Elks" Lodge - who are greeting each other (and both are named Bill). A monkey is surprised at his resemblance to a man at the zoo, and convinces the zoo keeper that there must be a mistake here. And another monkey gets angry about a woman who disobeys a simple zoo regulation on a sign. There is also a running joke, with overtones of Lou Costello's running tag line on radio "I'm a baaad boy!" dealing with "Egghead" (the predecessor of "Elmer Fudd") and a Lion. An easy to take cartoon. One problem about using the "You Tube" versions (which, for all I know, is true about the quality of the actual cartoons) is that the sound track is not in sync with the cartoon images. Hopefully someone can fix that.
    9TheLittleSongbird

    Tex Avery at the zoo

    Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.

    Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best cartoons ever made. While the ending is an easily foreseeable one, 'A Day at the Zoo' is one of Avery's best early cartoons to me. Sometimes there was the sense that he was still finding his style at this point, but the visual and verbal humour were in classic Avery style in 'A Day at the Zoo' and there was evidence of the wild wackiness he was famous for (if not done as imaginatively as later).

    It is no surprise that the animation is superb, being rich in colour and detail, the meticulousness is also noticeable. The character designs are fluid and well drawn, if not quite the creative ones of his very best cartoons. Carl Stalling's music is lush and characterful, with clever orchestration and a mastery of not just adding to the action but enhancing it as well (Stalling was a near-unequalled master at this, though Scott Bradley gave him a run for his money).

    'A Day at the Zoo' is great fun and never less than amusing, the running gag never outstays its welcome and is executed with enough variety to stop it from becoming predictable and repetitive. The characters carry the cartoon beautifully and the pace is always lively without being so relentless that it feels rushed.

    Mel Blanc shows once again his unrivalled ability to voice multiple characters and give each of them an individuality rather than giving them all the same personality and voice.

    In summation, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
    9Hitchcoc

    They Called My Name at Bank Night, and I Wasn't There

    This is a mass of puns, related to the animal kingdom. We are taken on a trip to the zoo where each animal represents a stereotype or plays into an obvious pun. Because it is fast paced and full of colorful vignettes, it works very well. It also includes on ongoing event. A little man with a stick is taunting the lion in his cage. The narrator warns him over and over. We all know what will happen, but it doesn't matter. A lot of fun. I remember this particular cartoon from when I was very young.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Rocky Mountain wild cat laments, "What made me wild? What made me wild? Well I'll tell ya: They called my name out in bank night, and I wasn't there!" "Bank night" was a popular lottery game during the Great Depression where a person could win a monetary prize if their name was called at a theater.
    • Quotes

      [a woman sees a monkey, but notices a sign that says "Do Not Feed the Monkeys," and looks both ways to make sure nobody's looking; she takes out a bag of peanuts to give to the monkey, but the monkey throws it at her face]

      Monkey: Hey, sister!

      [grabs the sign]

      Monkey: Can't you read?

      [puts down the sign and leaves]

    • Connections
      Featured in Glass (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      She Was an Acrobat's Daughter
      (uncredited)

      Music by Harry Ruby

      [Plays during the headless lion tamer gag.]

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    FAQ2

    • Which series is this from: Merrie Melodies or Looney Tunes?
    • Watch this film online

    Details

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    • Release date
      • March 11, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Un día en el zoológico
    • Production company
      • Leon Schlesinger Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      7 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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