The Shooting of Dan McGoo is a 1945 cartoon directed by Tex Avery starring Droopy, the Wolf, and Red.
The short shares the same setting and premise as Avery’s earlier 1939 Dangerous Dan McFoo, released by Warner Bros. Both shorts parody Robert W. Service’s poem The Shooting of Dan McGrew, with Service being credited in the cartoon's opening credits.
Plot[]
This starts off as an adaptation of Robert W. Service's poem in spoof of The Shooting of Dan McGrew, complete with a literal depiction of a man with one foot in the grave, but when Dan McGoo turns out to be Droopy, it turns into another Droopy-versus-the Wolf/Wolf-goes-ape-for-the-girl gagfest.
The story begins in Coldernell, Alaska—Population 320 and getting smaller—a wild, rough town where gold is king and gambling, drinking and shooting each other are the major activities. Droopy is Dangerous Dan McGoo, a lone gambler, whose only love is the girl they call "Lou", played by Red (from Red Hot Riding Hood). The wolf drags himself into the Malamute Saloon from the 50-below cold and immediately pays for "drinks on the house".
In a gag, the wolf wants a drink of whiskey (Old Panther). After he chugs it down, the film shows his stomach being blasted from the drink. His eyes go red, and smoke comes out of his ears. He flies around the room and comes back to the bar. Leaning over to the bartender, he complains, "This stuff's been cut!"
As always, the wolf falls for Lou and tries to drag her off, when the lights went out! A woman screamed and two guns blazed in the dark!" And when the lights go back up, Droopy is victorious, which makes one wonder why the picture is called The Shooting of Dan McGoo since he isn't the one getting shot!
Reissue[]
Differences[]
- There are two gags that were officially removed or modified when the cartoon was reissued.
- When the Wolf drives his long limousine up to the tavern, there was a sign on the building reading “Cigarettes” crossed out and “Are you kiddin’?” written underneath it (as cigarettes were rationed during World War II, which was on its last legs in 1945).
- The Wolf originally offered Red some rare cigarettes during her show. The reissue version changed the box of cigarettes to a jewelry case with a pearl-beaded diamond necklace inside.[3]
Gallery[]
References[]
| Droopy Cartoons | |
|---|---|
| 1943 | Dumb-Hounded |
| 1945 | The Shooting of Dan McGoo • Wild and Woolfy |
| 1946 | Northwest Hounded Police |
| 1949 | Señor Droopy • Wags to Riches • Out-Foxed |
| 1950 | The Chump Champ |
| 1951 | Daredevil Droopy • Droopy's Good Deed • Droopy's Double Trouble |
| 1952 | Caballero Droopy |
| 1953 | The Three Little Pups |
| 1954 | Drag-a-Long Droopy • Homesteader Droopy • Dixieland Droopy |
| 1955 | Deputy Droopy |
| 1956 | Millionaire Droopy |
| 1957 | Grin and Share It • Blackboard Jumble • One Droopy Knight |
| 1958 | Sheep Wrecked • Mutts About Racing • Droopy Leprechaun |