Where To Watch
10 classic red and green cartoons
Why are some cartoons red and green?
There are black and white cartoons, and then there are color cartoons, but from 1934 to 1935, the world of animation experienced a unique transition period from black and white to color. There were two methods to add color to cartoons. The first was the 3-strip Technicolor method, which incorporated a full range of color, or the 2-strip, which only provided a red and green spectrum.
Most would look at those two options and choose 3-strip Technicolor, but there was a hiccup for early cartoonists: Disney. At the encouragement of Technicolor, Walt Disney took a risk and created Flowers and Trees (1932) in the 3-strip process. Disney saw Technicolor's full potential and negotiated a contract for his studio to have exclusive use of 3-strip Technicolor until September 1935.
Disney's exclusive contract with Technicolor meant the other animation studios were out of luck and had to settle for the 2-strip option provided by Cinecolor and Technicolor. While Disney got to create vivid masterpieces, everyone else had to figure out how to make cartoons that were just as mesmerizing with just red and green, or be stuck behind in black and white.
Once Disney's exclusive contract was up, all the animation studios adopted the 3-strip process, but not before Warner Bros. had experimented using 2-strip color. They began by producing their Merrie Melodies series in red and green, while leaving Looney Tunes in black and white. Let's take a look at some of the nostalgic 2-strip cartoons from Merrie Melodies (and a surprise honorable mention at the end!).
Honeymoon Hotel (1934)
Directed by Earl Duvall, this romantic tale of two lovebugs holds the distinction of being the first Warner Bros. cartoon produced in color.
Pop Goes Your Heart (1934)
Director Friz Freleng took advantage of Cinecolor's green hues by setting this springtime cartoon in a forest,complete with lush greenery and green animals, such as frogs and turtles.
Country Boy (1935)
Another Friz Freleng classic, this cartoon was loosely inspired by Beatrix Potter's The Tales of Peter Rabbit.
I Haven't Got a Hat (1935)
This cartoon was inspired by the Our Gang shorts and introduces many Looney Tunes characters, but most importantly, it is Porky Pig's first cartoon!
My Green Fedora (1935)
Another Peter Rabbit-inspired cartoon, Peter Rabbit tries to keep his baby brother from crying by wearing a green fedora and dancing around.
Country Mouse (1935)
A country mouse dreams of becoming a champion prize fighter, but his grandma tells him to stay home.
The Merry Old Soul (1935)
This cartoon is a mashup of classic nursery rhymes. What happens when Old King Cole and the Woman in the Shoe get married? She finally gets some help with her large brood of children.
The Lady in Red (1935)
When a restaurant closes for the day, a secret society of cockroaches takes over and builds a town, with a nightclub featuring a lady in red cockroach dancer.
Little Dutch Plate (1935)
This cartoon feels like a precursor to Toy Story. At night, all of the characters in the kitchen come to life - the salt shakers, the vinegar bottle, and the girl drawn on the little Dutch plate.
Billboard Frolics (1935)
The last Merrie Melodies cartoon in 2-strip Technicolor, this cartoon shows billboards come to life and sing "Merrily We Roll Along," which would eventually become the theme song of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies.
Poor Cinderella (1934)
We have an honorable mention! This is the only Fleischer Studios cartoon on this list, and it's Betty Boop's only cartoon in color. Poor Cinderella tells the Cinderella story with Betty Boop as the star, and the Fleischer team also leaned into the red-green hues by making Betty's hair red.
