"A Goofy Cartoon"

Release Date July 30, 1943

Running Time 8:03

Synopsis

Goofy demonstrates different modes of transportation for wartime travel.

Characters

Goofy

Pluto (cameo)

Credits

Director : Jack Kinney

Animation : Ward Kimball

Inside Jokes

In one scene where Goofy is dressed as a cowboy he is shown in front of the "Gower Gulch Pharmacy." Gower Gulch was the nickname of the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street in Hollywood where silent movie cowboys used to hang out looking for work. Reportedly, a pharmacy at that location gave birth to the phrase "drug-store cowboy."

Videos

France

Goofy Fait le Fou

Italy

Il Mondo di Pippo

Le Radici di Pippo

Laserdiscs

Japan

It's a Goofy World

DVD

United States

Disney Treasures : The Complete Goofy

Disney Treasures : On the Front Lines

Music

mp3 of "Hop on Your Pogo Stick" (1:12 minutes, 1.13meg)

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #56 : Wartime Disney

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.

Gallery

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Lyrics

Hop on your pogo stick
Your pogo stick
Your pogo stick
Hop on your pogo stick
And hop right through the day.

Who cares if rubber's short
Just laugh it off
And be a sport
Hop on your pogo stick
Just like a kid at play.

No stopping or red lights
No worry over headlights
No fenders or bumbers
Nor monthly notes on puddle jumpers.

Who needs a limosine
That's always out
Of gasoline
Hop on your pogo stick
And laugh your cares away!

Hop on your pogo stick
Your pogo stick
Your pogo stick
Hop on your pogo stick
And hop right through the day.

Don't need a bit of gas
The traffic cops
To give you sass
Hop on your pogo stick
And then let come what may.

Don't slobber and blubber
Because you can't get rubber
Don't act like a martyr
Just smile and be your own self-starter.

Don't be a fuddy-dud
Let Uncle Sam
Get in your blood
Hop on your pogo stick
And laugh your cares away!

Comments

From Jerry Edwards : Goofy demonstrates various forms of transportation - most of them very impractical - that require no gasoline or rubber, which are in short supply due to the war. He manages to learn to travel quite well on a pogo stick.

This short contains numerous comments on the war and war shortages. The start and end of the short contains the song "Hop On Your Pogo Stick" with lyrics like "Who cares if rubber's short Just laugh it off and be a sport," and "Who needs a limousine that's always out of gasoline?" One of the billboard signs along the highways says "Buy Defense Bonds." It is suggested that the concrete saved from highways only using pogo sticks be dropped on Tokyo and Berlin.

An odd, unusual wartime short - with Goofy playing the multiple roles of "everyman" he often does in the shorts. The short isn't that interesting viewed now, but I imagine it tickled many a funny bone back then.

From Ryan : This is another one of those many Goofy cartoons that features Goofy look-alikes. This is considered a wartime cartoon (aside from the fact that it was produced during WWII) because it demonstrates alternative modes of transportation to cars (people needed to use those rubber tires for the war effort and to save $$$ on gasoline). There is the vehicle that is powered by a dog (who is none other than Pluto). All you need to do to start it is put a cat (who is none other than Figaro) in front of the dog's face. This causes the dog to chase after the cat. Another funny part I enjoyed was a "roller skate" vehicle. The person would wear a metal helmet and hold a magnet at it so that it would attract the metal and move the person to his/her destination. This was a good cartoon, but I wouldn't call it one of my favorites.

From Serita Fei : I loved this short. Rubber and gasoline is short, so Goofy shows us numberous ways to get around town taking on the roles of various townsfolk. The most successful turns out to be the pogostick and we are then treated to its benefits and advantages. It has a rather catchy jingle with it as well.

Certainly not the best short, but it's a joy to watch and I've always loved those "everyman" Goofy cartoons.

From Nick : I love this cartoon, all of the alternative vehicles are funny, especially the air raid warden. There's some very nice backgrounds and music to go along with it. The "Hop On Your Pogo Stick" song is very catchy.

From Christian : I like how Pluto made a cameo in this cartoon, but mostly, the song, "Hop on Your Pogo Stick" which is a very hard to forget song.

From Baruch Weiss : This is an excellent cartoon made during World War 2 with different methods of transportation as there was a rubber shortage at the time. Therefore, people had to find other methods of transportation.