La Petite Parade

This was a favorite cartoon from my youth. I not only remember seeing it on TV but also one night at our local drive-in. For years I feared that I'd never see it again. Just my memories of the little matchmaker in front of various officials, recreating the morning parade, "Every morning at 7, Rattatata rattatata, rattatata, tam Ze King, rattatam La premier, rattatatam the lord ministers, boom boom, ratatatam the army, ratatam navy, ratatatam, the department sanatair, boom plop, Filthy, disgusting".

Then about 8 years ago I got it when the Family channel had a daily showing of Harveytoons one. I taped it every morning, getting a bunch of Herman and Katnups, Little Audreys, and Casper's when one morning they showed, a modern Madcap called, "La Petite Parade". More recently I transfered this gem to DVD so I can always have it.

As a kid in the 60s, I would see this unusual cartoon pop up from time to time and I was mesmerized by it. From what I remember -- it's set in France, about a fussy little man who suffers the daily degradation of the King's parade passing his house and -- for one reason or another -- as the sweepers pass and clean up the debris -- a big pile of garbage lands in front of his house. No real dialogue to speak of -- just a parade soundtrack, & lots of faux French pomp and silliness. Great use of repetition as his frustration builds -- first trying official channels, where he describes (mimes) the daily parade and the unfortunate outcome -- and then resorting to his own ingenuity to try to outsmart the system. I have never forgotten this one. I can still hear the soundtrack and I find myself longing to see it again! Been digging around and haven't found it anywhere. If anyone knows of a source, please post! This is a treasure.

This is another Famous Studios cartoon written by Irv Spector that I found on Thad Blog. It concerns a French matchmaker who-at 7 every morning-suffers the indignity of having a parade come by his house ending with the garbage truck, which passes over a hole in front of that house and inadvertently dumps its contents there! So this matchmaker goes to several officials and tells his story (love always hearing his "bomp bomp" in the middle of that) before going to the top who dismisses that hole as a "dent". His wife doesn't like that result any better so the husband goes to the king...What a wonderful original cartoon to come from a cartoon studio that by this time had lost their most popular characters (either to Harvey Comics or in Popeye's case, back to King Features). The animation was fine but it's really the voices-particularly that of the matchmaker-that shines through. La Petite Parade is most highly recommended to any animation buff especially Famous Studios completetists.