Noveltoons is a series of animated cartoon short films produced by Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios from 1943 to the end of the studio during 1967. The series originated characters such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Herman and Katnip, Little Audrey, and Baby Huey, all of whom later became stars of Harvey Comics, which purchased the characters in 1959. The series was the successor to the series Color Classics produced by Famous’ predecessor Fleischer Studios. Several Noveltoons feature characters which originated in Color Classics, like Spunky or Raggedy Ann. This series was also similar to the two series from Warner Bros., Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, in that it features several recurring characters with one general title.
In 1956, Paramount sold all of the pre-October 1950 Noveltoons (ending with Saved by the Bell) to television distributor U.M. & M. TV Corporation. Shortly afterward, U.M. & M.'s assets were acquired by National Telefilm Associates. In the 1980s, NTA changed its name to Republic Pictures, and after a brief period of ownership by Spelling Entertainment in 1994, was acquired by Paramount's parent company Viacom, which placed the cartoons back in Paramount's control (Republic Pictures has been renamed to Melange Pictures since 2006, which in turn was placed in the revived Republic Pictures subsidiary).
In 1959, and again in late 1962, Paramount sold the post-October 1950 to pre-March 1962 Noveltoons (beginning with The Voice of the Turkey and ending with T.V. or No T.V.) to Harvey Films, which in turn was purchased by Classic Media in 2001. Classic Media was purchased by DreamWorks Animation in 2012 (and briefly renamed it DreamWorks Classics), which was purchased by Comcast's NBCUniversal in 2016 and currently distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios.
Paramount continues to own the post-March 1962 Noveltoons (beginning with Yule Laff).
Some pre-October 1950 Noveltoons, including Cilly Goose and Gabriel Churchkitten, had their copyrights renewed. The others have fallen into the public domain, including a few post-1950 ones that were owned by Harvey Comics.
Filmography 1940s {|class="wikitable sortable" !style="width:3em"|# !style="width:15em"|Title !style="width:12em"|Original release date !style="width:12em"|Reissue release date !style="width:12em"|Direction !style="width:18em"|Animation !style="width:12em"|Story !style="width:12em"|Scenics !style="width:12em"|Featuring !style="width:12em"|Lyrics !style="width:12em"|Narration !style="width:12em"|Music !style="width:12em"|Notes !Video if in the public domain |- |1 |No Mutton fer Nuttin''' |November 26, 1943 | |Dan Gordon (uncredited) |Dave TendlarJohn Walworth |Carl Meyer | |Blackie
|Sammy Timberg |First Noveltoon cartoon, only Noveltoon recorded with Western Electric Sound in Miami, Florida, and first appearances of Blackie the Lamb and Wolfie Wolf.First cartoon directed by Dan Gordon.
|2 |The Henpecked Rooster|February 18, 1944 | |Seymour Kneitel |Orestes CalpiniReuben Grossman |Jack WardJack Mercer | |Herman and Henry
|Winston Sharples |First appearances of Herman, Henry, and Bertha. First cartoon directed by Seymour Kneitel. First Noveltoon cartoon with directorial credit, and first Noveltoon recorded with RCA Sound System in New York City.
|3 |Cilly Goose|March 24, 1944 |March 10, 1950 |Seymour Kneitel |Graham PlaceAbner Kneitel |Joe Stultz
|Winston Sharples |Copyright renewed in 1972 by National Telefilm Associates.
|4 |Suddenly It's Spring|April 28, 1944 |December 2, 1949 |Seymour Kneitel |Orestes CalpiniOtto Feuer | |Shane Miller |Raggedy Ann
|Winston Sharples |Second cartoon based on Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann character, after the Fleischer Studios cartoon Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy.
|5 |Yankee Doodle Donkey|October 27, 1944 |May 5, 1950 |Isadore Sparber |Nick TafuriTom Golden |Jack MercerJack Ward
|Sammy Timberg |Featuring Spunky, an alumnus from the Color Classics series produced by Fleischer Studios. First cartoon directed by Izzy Sparber.
|6 |Gabriel Churchkitten|December 15, 1944 | |Seymour Kneitel |Graham PlaceLou ZukorGeorge CannataJoe Oriolo | |Robert Little
|Winston Sharples |Based on three books by Margot Austin. Copyright renewed in 1971.
|7 |When G.I. Johnny Comes Home|February 2, 1945 | |Seymour Kneitel |Al EugsterOtto Feuer |Jack WardBill Turner |Robert Little
|Winston Sharples |First use of the Bouncing Ball in an animated cartoon since 1938.
|8 |Scrappily Married|March 30, 1945 | |Seymour Kneitel |Orestes CalpiniOtto Feuer |Carl MeyerJack Ward |Anton Loeb |Herman and Henry
|Winston Sharples |First use of the "Featuring" card and fanfare.
|9 |A Lamb in a Jam|May 4, 1945 | |Isadore Sparber |Dave TendlarJohn Gentillela |Joe StultzCarl Meyer | |Blackie
|Winston Sharples
|10 |A Self-Made Mongrel|June 29, 1945 | |Dan Gordon (uncredited) |Dave TendlarJohn Walworth |Carl Meyer | |Dog Face
|Winston Sharples |First appearance of Dog Face.Second and final Noveltoon directed by Dan Gordon.
|11 |The Friendly Ghost|November 16, 1945 |October 1, 1954 |Isadore Sparber |Nick TafuriJohn WalworthTom Golden |Bill TurnerOtto Messmer |Shane Miller |Casper the Friendly Ghost | |Frank Gallop |Winston Sharples |First appearance of Casper the Friendly Ghost, and also his first short in the Noveltoon series, and the only short based on the 1939 book of the same name.First Noveltoon short to have a separate "Famous Studios Production" logo card.
|12 |Old MacDonald Had a Farm|December 28, 1945 | |Seymour Kneitel |Orestes CalpiniOtto Feuer |Bill TurnerOtto Messmer |Robert Little
|Winston Sharples |A sing-a-long with the Bouncing Ball.
|13 |Cheese Burglar|February 22, 1946 |October 2, 1953 |Isadore Sparber |Jim TyerBen SolomonWilliam Henning |Carl MeyerJoe Stultz | |Herman
|Winston Sharples |Herman's first solo appearance.Clips of the episode were featured on the 2013 Brooklyn Puppet Conspiracy reboot of The Fuzz.
|14 |Sheep Shape|June 28, 1946 | |Isadore Sparber |Dave TendlarJohn Gentilella |Joe Stultz | |Blackie
|Winston Sharples
|15 |The Goal Rush|September 27, 1946 | |Isadore Sparber |Dave TendlarGeorge Germanetti |Isadore KleinJack Ward |Robert Little
|Ward Wilson |Winston Sharples |A sing-a-long with the Bouncing Ball.Final Noveltoon short to have "Paramount presents A NOVELTOON" and "A FAMOUS STUDIOS PRODUCTION" sharing the same opening card.
|16 |Spree for All|October 4, 1946 | |Seymour Kneitel |Jim TyerWilliam Henning |Bill TurnerOtto Messmer | |Snuffy Smith
|Winston Sharples |Featuring Snuffy Smith from the comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith, licensed by King Features Syndicate. Previously considered a lost film, only one black-and-white print is available. One of two Noveltoons produced in Cinecolor.Only King Features Syndicate-licensed cartoon released under the Noveltoon series.
|17 |Sudden Fried Chicken|October 18, 1946 |October 1, 1954 |Bill Tytla |Orestes CalpiniOtto Feuer |Carl MeyerJack Ward |Anton Loeb |Herman and Henry
|Winston Sharples |Final Herman and Henry cartoon. First cartoon directed by Bill Tytla.
|18 |The Stupidstitious Cat|April 25, 1947 |October 2, 1953 |Seymour Kneitel |Graham PlaceJohn Walworth |Carl MeyerJack Ward |Anton Loeb |Buzzy
|Winston Sharples |First appearance of Buzzy the Crow.
|19 |The Enchanted Square|May 9, 1947 |October 2, 1953 |Seymour Kneitel |Orestes CalpiniAl Eugster |Shane MillerOrestes Calpini |Shane Miller |Raggedy Ann
|Winston Sharples |Third and final cartoon based on Johnny Gruelle's Raggedy Ann character.
|20 |Madhattan Island|June 27, 1947 | |Seymour Kneitel | |Isadore Klein |Robert Little
|Kenneth Roberts |Winston Sharples |A sing-a-long with the Bouncing Ball, first Noveltoon without animation credits.
|21 |Much Ado About Mutton|July 25, 1947 |October 2, 1953 |Isadore Sparber |Dave TendlarTom Golden |Joe StultzCarl Meyer |Anton Loeb |Blackie
|Winston Sharples |Last appearance of Blackie the Lamb and Wolfie Wolf together in the Noveltoon series. Blackie would later appear in the Screen Song The Circus Comes to Clown.
|22 |The Wee Men|August 8, 1947 |October 2, 1953 |Bill Tytla |Al EugsterSteve MuffattiGeorge Germanetti |Ewald LudwigIsadore KleinJack Ward |Robert Little |Paddy the Leprechaun |Buddy KayeDick Manning | |Winston Sharples
|23 |The Mild West|August 22, 1947 | |Seymour Kneitel |Tom JohnsonGeorge Germanetti |Bill TurnerLarry Riley |Anton Loeb
|Winston Sharples |A sing-a-long with the Bouncing Ball.
|24 |Naughty but Mice|October 10, 1947 | |Seymour Kneitel |Dave TendlarAl Eugster |Bill TurnerLarry Riley |Robert Owen |Herman
|Winston Sharples
|25 |Santa's Surprise|December 7, 1947 |October 1, 1954 |Seymour Kneitel |Myron WaldmanWm.B. Pattengill |Larz Bourne |Robert Little |Little Audrey |Buddy Kaye | |Winston Sharples |First appearance of Little Audrey and also her first short in the Noveltoon series.
|26 |Cat O' Nine Ails|January 9, 1948 | |Seymour Kneitel |David Tendlar Marty Taras |Carl MeyerJoe Stultz |Robert Connavale |Buzzy
|Winston Sharples |Only pre-1950 Noveltoon not sold to National Telefilm Associates. Soundtrack lost; picture still exists. A 4K remaster sourced from the original negatives with subtitles in place of the missing audio was released on Blu-ray in April 2026.https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/presenting-the-famous-studios-champion-collection-on-blu-ray/
|27 |Flip Flap|February 13, 1948 | |Isadore Sparber |Myron WaldmanWm.B. Pattengill |Bee LewiMickey Klar MarksJoe StultzLarry Riley |Robert Little
|Ken Roberts (uncredited) |Winston Sharples |Only Noveltoon produced in Polacolor.
|28 |We're in the Honey|March 19, 1948 |October 1, 1954 |Bill Tytla |George GermanettiSteve Muffatti |Isadore KleinJack Mercer |Anton Loeb | |Buddy Kaye | |Winston Sharples
|29 |The Bored Cuckoo|April 9, 1948 |October 1, 1954 |Bill Tytla |George GermanettiSteve Muffatti |Bunny GoughBill TurnerLarry Riley |Robert Connavale
|Winston Sharples
|30 |There's Good Boos To-Night|April 23, 1948 | |Isadore Sparber |Myron WaldmanMorey RedenNick Tafuri |Bill TurnerLarry Riley |Anton Loeb |Casper the Friendly Ghost | |Frank Gallop |Winston Sharples |Second appearance of Casper in the Noveltoon series.
|31 |The Land of the Lost|May 7, 1948 | |Isadore Sparber |Myron WaldmanNick Tafuri |Larz BourneBill Turner |Anton Loeb
|Winston Sharples |First of three animated shorts based on the then-popular children's fantasy adventure radio series of the same name by Isabel Manning Hewson.
|32 |Butterscotch and Soda|June 4, 1948 |October 1, 1954 |Seymour Kneitel |Al EugsterBill HudsonIrving Spector |Larz BourneBill Turner |Robert Owen |Little Audrey |Buddy Kaye | |Winston Sharples
|33 |The Mite Makes Right|October 15, 1948 |September 30, 1955 |Bill Tytla |George GermanettiSteve Muffatti |Isadore Klein |Anton Loeb
|Winston Sharples
|34 |Hector's Hectic Life|November 19, 1948 | |Bill Tytla |George GermanettiSteve Muffatti |Joe StultzLarry Riley |Robert Connavale
|Winston Sharples
|35 |The Old Shell Game|December 17, 1948 |September 30, 1955 |Seymour Kneitel |Dave TendlarTom Golden |Joe StultzLarry Riley |Robert Connavale
|Winston Sharples |Wolfie’s first solo appearance.
|36 |The Little Cut-Up|January 21, 1949 |September 30, 1955 |Isadore Sparber |Myron WaldmanGeorge Whittier |Isadore KleinM. Marks |Anton Loeb
|Winston Sharples
|37 |Hep Cat Symphony|February 4, 1949 |September 30, 1955 |Seymour Kneitel |Dave TendlarMarty Taras |Carl MeyerJack Mercer |Tom Ford
|Winston Sharples
|38 |The Lost Dream|March 18, 1949 | |Bill Tytla |George GermanettiHarvey Patterson |Steve MuffattiBill TurnerLarz Bourne |Shane Miller |Little Audrey
|Winston Sharples
|39 |Little Red School Mouse|April 15, 1949 | |Isadore Sparber |Tom JohnsonJohn Gentilella |Carl MeyerJack Mercer |Robert Connavale
|Winston Sharples
|40 |A Haunting We Will Go|May 13, 1949 | |Seymour Kneitel |Myron WaldmanIrving Dressler |Larz Bourne |Anton Loeb |Casper the Friendly Ghost | |Frank Gallop |Winston Sharples