Clutch Cargo took the term limited animation literally. In fact, in a creative cost-cutting measure, there was almost no real animation at all. But it didn't matter to the viewers. This cleverly written, and beautifully drawn series is fondly remembered by many of it's original fans.
Clutch Cargo was produced by Dick Brown's Cambria Productions and first
appeared in syndication in March, 1959. It was created by artist/writer Clark Haas, who
had illustrated the newspaper comic strip Buzz Sawyer. The series was the first to utilize
the patented Syncro-Vox system, which had been invented by cameraman Edwin Gillette for
"talking animal" commercials in the 1950's. A few years ago he left an entry in my guest book. His entry read:
"I am the fellow who invented the Syncro-Vox system used in the Clutch Cargo series. Yes, I am still around. I am turning 90 this summer. You may reach me via my daughter's site at prilou@aol.com".
Mr. Gillette passed away on
September 30, 2003 at the age of 94. Mr. Gillette's daughter,
April, informed me of his passing in an email message. The message is as follows:
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You can view Mr. Gillette's obituary, in PDF format, by clicking HERE.
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Those Crazy Clutch Cargo Lips! |
Spinner Has Them Too! |
Mr. Gillette's Synchro-Vox system was used in Clutch Cargo to combine live-action human lips with animated drawings. To make the characters speak, the lips of a live human actor were filmed and then superimposed over the motionless drawings of the character's face. To further cut costs, action was simulated using clever wiggling of the camera or the drawing itself. Walking or running was accomplished by showing the character from the waist up, to eliminate complicated leg animation. The use of real live objects, again superimposed, also helped to keep costs down. Real smoke was used for explosions and an actual balloon substituted for a bubble-gum bubble (see pictures below).
The stories involved the adventures of Clutch Cargo, a writer and pilot with a muscular build, white hair and rugged good looks. He flew his plane around the world on assignments that took him to exotic locales where he usually faced impossible obstacles and deadly perils. He was accompanied by his young, freckle-faced ward, Spinner and his floppy-eared pet dachshund Paddlefoot.
John M. Uscian wrote me to say:
" the title character flew one of my favorite airplanes, the 1929 Bellanca C-27A Airbus. Only about 20 or so of these planes were actually ever made and the fact that Clutch Cargo flew this plane is testimony that the person who made the cartoon sure knew his planes."
Richard Cotting provided the voice of Clutch, and Margaret Kerry was the voices of both Spinner and Paddlefoot.
Hal Smith, who portrayed drunk Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show. supplied the voice of Clutch's grizzly-bearded pal Swampy.
There were 52 Clutch Cargo adventures. Serialized in five five-minute chapters, they made up 26 half hour shows. The first four chapters ended in cliff-hangers, with the fifth chapter wrapping up the adventure.
EPISODES:
| 1. The Friendly Head Hunters 2. The Arctic Bird Giant 3. The Desert Queen 4. The Pearl Pirates 5. The Vanishing Gold 6. The Race Car Mystery 7. The Rocket Riot 8. Mystery in the Northwoods 9. Twaddle in Africa 10. The Lost Plateau 11. The Ghost Ship 12. The Rustlers 13. The Missing Train 14. The Devil Bird 15. Pipeline to Danger 16. Mister Abominable 17. Operation Moon Beam 18. Air Race 19. The Haunted Castle 20. The Elephant-Nappers 21. Dragon Fly 22. Sky Circus 23. The Midget Submarine 24. Cliff Dwellers 25. Jungle Train 26. Space Station |
27. The Swamp Swindlers 28. The Dinky Incas 29. Kangaroo Express 30. The Shipwreckers 31. The Ivory Counterfeiters 32. Dynamite Fury 33. Alaskan Pilot 34. Swiss Mystery 35. Pirate Isle 36. Crop Dusters 37. The Smog Smuggler 38. Global Test Flight 39. Dead End Gulch 40. The Missing Mermaid 41. Flying Bus 42. Road Race 43. Feather Fuddle 44. Water Wizards 45. The Terrible Tiger 46. The Circus 47. Bush Pilots 48. Cheddar Cheaters 49. The Blunderbird 50. The Case of Ripcord Van Winkle 51. Fortune Cookie Caper 52. Big "X" |
CLUTCH CARGO WITH HIS PALS, SPINNER AND PADDLEFOOT. . .
Click HERE
to see
the Clutch Cargo opening in RealVideo!
Or see a clip, in RealVideo, of
Cambria Productions (syndicated) 1959
Visit Ron Kurer's TOON TRACKER Home Page
Also check out Toon Tracker's Space Angel Page.
SINCE JANUARY 3, 1997
