I’m back, everyone, and today, I post my first samples! Today, we’re going to go back to the beginning.
Well, the beginning as far as I know anyway.
So, throughout all of my collection, the first example of furry diving that involves anything resembling diving gear of today that I am aware of involves a bear’s attempts to go ‘goggle fishing’, which was a very old-timey term for spearfishing.
Today, I will showcase Barney Bear’s Goggle Fishing Bear, released by MGM in January 1949. In this just over seven minute short cartoon, the titular character decides to try his paw at spearfishing with a massive trident and a garish swimsuit.
Of course, he is a miserable failure at said activity, only succeeding at making audiences everywhere laugh at his ineptitude.
Which, I suppose, was the point.
Bear-Wear will make a comeback someday. Just you watch.
Throughout the cartoon, he has the help of a sea lion. In this case, ‘help’ is a relative term, as he largely causes trouble for the already inept bear.
So of course, right after Barney shoos him away, he runs into a very large and very angry shark.
Barney is a stupid bastard.
So of course, who else can save him from being turned into fish food but our sea lion from a few sentences ago?
A person almost feels sorry for the shark, ending on this indignity. The seal wearing Barney’s equipment is damn adorable, though.
Here’s a few production drawings from the cartoon.
So this brings a close to my first real entry into this blog. What did you all think? If you want to watch the cartoon in full, a quick search should still turn it up pretty quickly.
If you have any requests, let me know, and I’ll take it under consideration.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you all next time!
P.S. And remember, if you befriend a sea lion, you too can have a shark as a motorboat!
The Furry Waves 