George McManus

Cartoon figures announce, via comic strip balloons, that they will move - and move they do, in a wildly exaggerated style. Also known as "Winsor McCay, the Famous Cartoonist of the N.Y. Herald and His Moving Comics".

Although not the first feature-length animated film, as is sometimes thought, it was the first cartoon to feature a character with an appealing personality. The appearance of a true character distinguished it from earlier animated "trick films", such as those of Blackton and Cohl, and makes it the predecessor to later popular cartoons such as those by Walt Disney. The film was also the first to be created using keyframe animation.

Monogram's Bringing Up Father series, based on the popular comic strip by George McManus, hit a high point of sorts with 1950's Jiggs and Maggie Out West. Joe Yule Sr. (Mickey Rooney's father) and Rene Riano are perfectly cast as nouveau riche Jiggs and Maggie, who head thataway when Maggie inherits a goldmine. As usual, Maggie spends her time trying to climb the frontier social ladder, while down-to-earth Jiggs is more interested in finding a plate of corned beef and cabbage.

Maggie is resentful of being pointed out and laughed at in public because she resembles the cartoon character in the George McManus comic strip "Bringing Up Father." She visits McManus in his studio office and tries to persuade him to stop drawing the syndicated comic-strip. He tells her he will...in 1959. Maggie, not getting any younger, retains counsel and takes McManus to court.

With Maggie laid low with sneezing fits, Jiggs spends his time listening to radio trivia contests. Maggie, an inveterate social climber, wants to join the prestigious Northchester Hunt Club, and sends them a check for the $38,000 membership fee. When Jiggs finds out, he manages--after a struggle with Maggie--to take care of the check. Consoling himself at his favorite bar, he's convinced by his drinking buddies that the way to make up with Maggie is to buy her a racehorse that is coming up for auction. He does, only to discover that a doctor has told Maggie that her sneezing fits are due to a rare allergy she has--to horses. Complications ensue.