El Sabueso Tonto

This short is an early look at Droopy. He's drawn a bit differently, but is recognizable all the same. In many ways this is the archetypical Tex Avery short-the visual gags are among his most outrageous ever, all the trademarks are here-signs, asides to the audience, the lot. Avery would re-visit this theme again, more than once. An incredible cartoon. Glad to see it's in print. A must-see for anyone interested in animation. Most highly recommended.

The Wolf has escaped from prison, and the cops have set the blood hounds on his trail. Also Droopy. No matter where the Wolf runs to, Droopy is always there.

Tex Avery was not a fan of series characters, but there is something in Droopy's stoic passivity that kept him going for 19 cartoons. Of course, the outsized reaction of the Wolf to Droopy's monotone made the cartoons work, but that's not all there is to it. There's Avery's wild gags, including one when the Wolf runs off the film. Anyway, lots of fun!

In March 1943's "Dumb-Hounded," the MGM Tex Avery-directed cartoon introduced the character Droopy, a sleepy-eyed basset hound who wasn't christened by his well-known name until his fifth film, 1949's 'Senor Droopy.' The dog was a departure to Avery's earlier more energetic personalities such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, with Droopy possessing a slow, lethargic manner, including his distinctive monotonic voice. Droopy was first spoken by actor Bill Thompson, whose distinctive voice was the character Wallace Wimple's in the popular radio comedy 'Fibber McGee and Molly.' After Thompson enlisted in WW2, several actors, including Avery, assumed the voice of the hound in Droopy's 24 original cartoons.

In "Dumb-Hounded," Droopy's introduction sees him trailing a pack of bloodhounds chasing an escaped convict in the form of a wolf. Droopy's first words, spoken into the camera, are "Hello, all you happy people-you know what? I'm the hero." The hound continually frustrates the wolf by turning up at the world's most remotest locations, including the North Pole, before the escapee does. Film reviewer Dave Sindelar observed, "Most of the humor involves the juxtaposition of Droopy's terse one-liners with the wolf's extreme reactions and reality-bending attempts to get away." Droopy's appearances in MGM cartoons ended in 1957 when the studio shuttered its animation department. But incarnations of Droopy continued to be seen on television, appearing on the Cartoon Network and in 'The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show.' Droopy also has had a number of feature film cameos, including 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

This is the first Droopy cartoon, though he was referred to as 'Happy Hound' and he looks slightly different. However, his voice is Droopy (Bill Thompson) and the film is pure Droopy in style. If you get the 2-disk DVD set, it naturally is the first film in the collection.

The short begins with the wolf escaping from prison. Soon after, the dogs are released to look for him. However, the entire episode consists of Droopy in particular chasing the wolf--and magically appearing where ever the wolf goes. Many of the gags are exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from Tex Avery and the silly way the cartoon pokes fun of the genre makes it a great cartoon. So, despite the Droop-meister not being exactly what you'd expect, it's great. Well written and wonderfully animated.

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 he ever did. Generally like the Droopy cartoons and the character himself a lot, his best cartoons are classics and among Avery's best. 'Dumb-Hounded' is a remarkable debut for Droopy and to this day is among his better cartoons. Droopy looks different in 'Dumb-Hounded, but for so early on his personality is so well established and he has everything that makes him a great character in the first place.

Luckily the Wolf is a very worthy foil, with just as interesting and funny a personality as Droopy. What could have been a tired one-joke cartoon turned out to be an endlessly inventive and hysterically funny in typical Avery-style cartoon.

Tex Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it once again.

'Dumb-Hounded' is over-the-top in a wonderful way, a long way from dumb (in fact very clever), creative and full of inspired visual gags and hilariously droll asides and puns. There is enough variety to stop it from being repetitious.

It's beautifully and brilliantly animated as usual. The character designs are unique, Avery always did have creative character designs, and suitably fluid. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.

Voice acting is very good from Bill Thompson and Frank Graham.

Overall, classic Droopy debut that makes one happy, that always entertains and never insults the viewer. 10/10 Bethany Cox