View source for Bubble and Squeek

{{distinguish|text=the food [[Bubble and squeak]]}}
{{short description|British series of short animated films}}
{{italic title}}
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[[File:The title card of Bubble and Squeek.png|thumb|253x253px|The title card of ''Bubble and Squeek.'']]
'''''Bubble and Squeek''''' is a British [[animated cartoon]] [[cartoon series|series]] created in 1946 by George Moreno Jr. It was released by British Animated Productions in [[Harringay]], and was distributed by [[Pathé|Pathe Pictures]]. The films revolve around the adventures of the two main characters: Bubble and Squeek. Their names are derived from the British dish [[bubble and squeak]]. All shorts were produced in [[Technicolor]].

The series contained 4 films and 1 spin-off which were produced between 1946-1948. The cartoons have faded into obscurity and the only copies online are poor-quality copies from videotapes.

== History ==
George Moreno Jr. was an animator for [[Universal Pictures|Universal/]][[Walter Lantz Productions|Lantz]] and [[Fleischer Studios]] from 1938 to 1940, where he worked on ''[[Gulliver's Travels (1939 film)|Gulliver's Travels]],'' among other series. During [[World War II]] he  befriended Richard Smith, showing him the concept of two characters, Bubble and Squeak. After the war Moreno Jr. and Smith developed British Animation Productions studio, and produced the characters and cartoons.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-356/|title=Animation Anecdotes #356 {{!}}|website=cartoonresearch.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-30}}</ref> Initially being planned as a full theatrical series, the company soon collapse after the United Kingdom lifted its restriction on foreign products, thus bringing in a flood of American-made cartoons to the market.<ref name=":0" />

==Plot==
The cartoons revolve around the adventures of its two main characters. Bubble is a [[Taxicab driver|taxi driver]]. Squeek is the taxi whom Bubble drives. The cartoons visit a variety of places, from the [[Traveling carnival|funfair]] to a haunted house. Their adventures are light-hearted.

== Characters ==

[[File:Bubble and Squeek, from the cartoon.png|thumb|229x229px|The two main characters: ''Bubble'' (driver) and ''Squeek (taxi).'']]

=== Bubble ===
Bubble is a taxi driver who drives Squeek. He wears a green [[scarf]], blue [[trousers]], a yellow [[t-shirt]], brown [[jacket]] and a [[hat]].

=== Squeek ===
Squeek is the taxi that is driven by Bubble. He has a blue body and yellow wheels.

=== Recurring characters ===
'''Colonel Rat''' is featured in Old Manor House and also in Loch Ness Legend as he tries to get the [[Loch Ness Monster]].

'''Willie the Worm''' is only featured in Loch Ness Legend. Willie helps Colonel catch the monster by using himself as bait.

==Shorts==
{| class="wikitable"
! width="30" |Year of release
! width="200" |Short title
! width="100" |Producer
! width="160" |Direction
! width="160" |Animation
! width="160" |Layouts and backgrounds
! width="160" |Music
|-
|1946
|'''''The Big City'''''
|George Moreno Jnr.
|N/A
|George Moreno Jnr.
H.F. Mack
|N/A
|José Norman
|-
| colspan="7" |Bubble and Squeek set off to [[London]] to find work. However, Squeek is terrified of the busy traffic and potential customers are being stolen by other taxis. They set off back home until Bubble has an idea. Bubble and Squeek are now picking up customers at a fast rate when their customers' tires mysteriously burst. We find out why their customers tires are bursting in the final shot when Bubble sees a car coming and throws a [[thumbtack]] on the road; hence the mysterious bursting.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Big City (1947)|url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/60108-Big-City|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref>
|-
|1947
|'''''Fun Fair'''''
|George Moreno Junior
|Mack
|Pam
Hugh

Jimmie
|Claude
|José
|-
| colspan="7" |Bubble is awoken by a [[newspaper]] which features an advert for a [[Traveling carnival|funfair]]. Bubble is intrigued and seems eager; but Squeek would rather work. However, Squeek quickly changes his mind when he sees a shining three-tone [[Vehicle horn|horn]] for grand prize. They can't get knock the [[coconut]] down, which is how they will get the horn. Until, a fortune-teller gives them another ball to knock it down, but that does not work. Ashamed and empty-handed, Bubble tries to kill himself via a self inflicted gunshot in the head, but Squeek diverts the gun and ends up destroying the funfair and the coconut, which makes them win the grand prize.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DataBase|first=The Big Cartoon|title=Fun Fair (British Animated Productions.)|url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon-story/60109-Fun-Fair|access-date=2018-02-06|website=Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB)|language=en-US}}</ref>

* The staff that worked on the cartoon are credited via caricatures, and were referred to in first name only (with the exception of Moreno).
|-
|1947
|'''''Old Manor House'''''
|George Moreno Jr.
|Harold F. Mack
|Hugh Gladwish
Pam French

Jimmie Holt

H. Mack
|Claude A. Lipscombe
|José Norman
|-
| colspan="7" |Caught between a storm. Bubble and Squeek take refuge in an abandoned [[mansion]], which is owned by Colonel Rat. Colonel Rat is determined to catch the intruders. Both Bubble and Squeek think the mansion is haunted and hide when Colonel Rat is firing cannonballs at them. During the battle, Colonel gets tangled in a net which makes him look like a ghost. Squeek gets caught on armor. Bubble tries to be heroic by going after the 'ghost' but is surprised to find that he was just a little rat.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DataBase|first=The Big Cartoon|title=Old Manor House (British Animated Productions)|url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/60110-Old-Manor-House|access-date=2018-02-07|website=Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB)|language=en-US}}</ref>

* First short to introduce Colonel Rat.
|-
|1948
|'''''Home Sweet Home'''''
|George Moreno Jr.
|Harold F. Mack
|Hugh Gladwish
Pam French

Jimmie Holt

H. Mack
|Claude A. Lipscombe
|José Norman
|-
| colspan="7" |A flea-bitten tramp visits the Bubble household and takes over Little Squeeker's chair, so she devises a plan to get rid of him. Her plans don't work and she changes her mind when she thinks of what will happen if the tramp is out of the house and welcomes the tramp into the house.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DataBase|first=The Big Cartoon|title=Home Sweet Home (British Animated Productions)|url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/60111-Home-Sweet-Home|access-date=2018-02-07|website=Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB)|language=en-US}}</ref>

* First short to introduce Squeeker and Rags the Tramp.
|-
|1948
|'''''Loch Ness Legend'''''
|George Moreno Jr.
|George Moreno Jr.
|Hugh Gladwish
Fag Thompson
|Claude A. Lipscombe
|José Norman
|-
| colspan="7" |Colonel Rat and Willie the Worm turn detective. They set off to find if the [[Loch Ness monster]] is genuine after it ruins his meal. He ends up finding it in a river with the help of Willie the Worm as bait, where the monster informs the rat that she is a legend. After telling Colonel, the monster then skips off the mountains.<ref>{{Citation|last=pebey|title=Bubble and Squeek present Loch Ness Legend|date=2013-02-10|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5gosaC07aA|accessdate=2018-02-07}}</ref>

* The shorts a spinoff and mainly stars Colonel Rat and Willie.
* Last short produced by the studio before closing.
|}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nur0U1Gcs4I Bubble and Squeek - Big City]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX4MNNssEI4 Bubble and Squeek - Fun Fair]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_tFitADSCA&index=3&list=PL4SyhCOS9e4lQE3w-bNuPPTGE7ShPffpk Bubble and Squeak - Old Manor House]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QMsqAFek-0&list=PL4SyhCOS9e4lQE3w-bNuPPTGE7ShPffpk&index=4 Bubble and Squeak - Home Sweet Home]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5gosaC07aA&index=5&list=PL4SyhCOS9e4lQE3w-bNuPPTGE7ShPffpk Bubble and Squeak - Loch Ness Legend]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1947 animated films]]
[[Category:British animated films]]
[[Category:1947 films]]
[[Category:Animated film series]]
[[Category:Film series introduced in 1947]]
[[Category:Short film series]]
[[Category:Male characters in animation]]
[[Category:Fictional taxi drivers]]
[[Category:Fictional cars]]
[[Category:British films]]