"I'd tip my hat to you..."
1 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Directed by Friz Freleng, "I Haven't Got a Hat" is a great Warner Bros. cartoon of historical significance: it marks the very first appearance of our favorite stuttering pig Porky! In this cartoon, which involves a talent show for schoolchildren, Porky doesn't look anything like the Porky that we all know today, but he's still a real treat to watch. It took a little time, but Porky eventually became the first major star of the Warner Bros. cartoons.

The following are my two favorite moments from "I Haven't Got a Hat." First, Porky is so adorable as he struggles with his "Charge of the Light Brigade" recitation; as I watch him stutter, I really feel sympathetic towards him, and I WANT him to succeed. (Porky HAS succeeded; he became a star and is still well-known today.) And second, the two dogs, named Ham & Ex, sing a delightful little song together titled "I Haven't Got a Hat" (hence the title of the cartoon), with an occasional low-pitched "Bum-Bum-Bum-Bum" thrown in for good humor.

There is no doubt that "I Haven't Got a Hat" is an enjoyable cartoon. Friz Freleng was always a music lover, so the schoolhouse setting for a children's talent show proved to be a great idea. Aside from Porky and Ham & Ex, watch for a mischievous cat named Beans, a painfully shy cat named Kitty, a studious owl named Oliver, and the schoolteacher herself, a friendly, encouraging cow named Miss Cud.
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