Weasel Stop

One thing that strikes me about Robert McKimson's Foghorn Leghorn short "Weasel Stop" is the absence of Barnyard Dawg (who has on ongoing feud with FL). In his place there's an inattentive mutt whom a weasel - one of the recurring characters in FL cartoons - plans to trick in order to steal chickens. Foggy is only too happy to help the little guy (just to play his usual practical joke on the barely reactive hound). However, things don't go quite as planned...

This was far from my favorite Foghorn Leghorn cartoon; I usually like it when FL and BD get to carry out their regular shenanigans. But in the grand scheme of things, just about any, I say just about any Foghorn Leghorn is good Foghorn Leghorn. Worth watching, that is.

This particular Foghorn Leghorn is my favorite one and that's largely because of a dog that that strikes me as part Andy Griffith and part Bugs Bunny. Old Foggy (who is, I admit, a bit of a blowhard and worse than usual in this one) doesn't stand a chance! The script is particularly good here, although the dog's folksy sayings wll not suit everyone's taste. I think they're great! There are some good sight gags here and it's well worth your time, especially if you like to see Foghorn take his lumps now and then.

I get real pleasure from watching nearly all these 1956-57 Bob McKimson shorts. He'd just assembled a brand-new animation staff,after the Warner cartoon studio reopened (briefly having closed down on account of the short-lived 3D boom). He inherited animator Ted Bonnicksen from Freleng's unit, Keith Darling from Jones's unit, and adding veteran Russ Dyson. Background/layout artist Richard H. Thomas was the only member of the unit to return.

Teamed with writer Tedd Pierce, McKimson turned out some very good-to-excellent cartoons. The dog in this Foghorn episode is a shaggy, mid-southern hick who does little or nothing to outsmart Foggy and the weasel (that little guy's always awesome!). Wisely, McKimson would bring back the usual potbellied Brooklyn hound to do battle with Foggy.

While Foghorn Leghorn is not my favourite of the Looney Tunes characters, he is always fun to watch and I take much pleasure in his cartoons. Foghorn himself is an interesting and distinctive character and while the stories are fairly routine they are brightened by the humour and the rapport between Foghorn and his supporting characters(Barnyard Dog and Henery being the popular ones). Weasel Stop is very entertaining, I prefer Weasel While You Work, but a lot of what I liked about that cartoon is here as well. The animation quality has some lovely colours but generally could have been sharper. However, the music is characterful, with a mix of arrangements of familiar tunes and original themes as always with Looney Tunes, and beautifully orchestrated. Weasel Stop is very funny. The dialogue is very witty, sharp and precise, not the most quotable but I had a good laugh and smile throughout. I liked the folksy sayings too, though some may find they might go over their heads. The gags come by thick and fast and have a good deal of imagination and freshness. Of the characters, Foghorn of course steals the show, even worse in his treatment of those around him than usual but also gets his just desserts in the end. The dog is a nice addition, and the weasel- looking more like a squirrel rat if I may say so- likewise. Mel Blanc is faultless as usual. In conclusion, not Foghorn's best for me but much fun to be had. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Decent Foghorn Leghorn short, directed by Robert McKimson. The story has Foghorn helping a weasel try to get into the chicken coop, for no other reason than to tick off the guard dog. The dog, by the way, is not Barnyard Dog but a new one voiced by Lloyd Perryman. The weasel (and this basic plot) was used more than once in Foghorn cartoons. It always seemed like the Looney Tunes version of a crackhead jonesing for a fix. This one also includes the famous "numbered feathers" bit. Solid voice work from Mel Blanc and Lloyd Perryman. Lively music from Milt Franklyn. The animation is nice and colorful. Can't say I care for the character design for the dog, though. It looks like an old dirty carpet or something. It's not a great Foghorn cartoon but it is enjoyable enough. The weird country dog and the crackhead weasel keep things interesting and Foghorn gets some funny lines.