Quick Draw McGraw in “Scat, Scout, Scat!” (1959)

When in doubt, post another early Hanna-Barbera cartoon, I always say. They tend to get favorable comments, and they keep this Blog from going dormant during busy times.

With Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear already represented at TIAH Blog, here’s H-B’s third early star, Quick Draw McGraw, in one of his earliest cartoons. Maybe the first. If not, certainly among the first two or three.

As for why I think it may be the first: The animation is a littler “rougher” than it would become. Quick Draw is a bit more cagey than his character usually is. And Baba Looey has a slightly different voice than would become his norm.

Quick Draw is said to have been based on Red Skelton – combining his characters of Clem Kadiddlehoper and Sheriff Deadeye. Maybe, maybe not… you decide.

Our guest-starring character is the wonderful one-shot adversary Big Chief Little Runt, who is clearly based on comic actor Joe Besser. Besser was popular at the time as the “Third Stooge” following Shemp Howard, and for his appearances on the Abbott and Costello TV show.

So, enjoy the great Daws Butler as Quick Draw, Baba Looey and Big Chief Little Runt, and Doug Young as the Narrator – and one of the first cartoon scripts for Hanna-Barbera by the legendary Michael Maltese.