The Bugster

A song-filled, action-packed clip, but the feature failed to set hearts aflutter.

President emeritus Tom Sito remembers a movie release from just before Pearl Harbor:

75 Years Ago - Dec 4, 1941- The animated film "Mr. Bug Goes to Town" opened.

Max Fleischer's last gamble to keep up with Walt Disney and keep his studio alive. Songs written by top pop song writer Hoagy Carmichael. However, the events of Pearl Harbor three days later not only sink the American Navy, but also Hoppity's box office and puts The Fleischers out of business. ...

Two years previously, the Fleischers' Gullvers' Travels had done relatively well at the box office. Gullver was released during Christmas of '39, coming out several weeks before Pinocchio.

This time around, Mr. Bug had no such luck. Paramount released MBGTT around the same time RKO launched Walt Disney's Dumbo into the marketplace. Dumbo flew. Mr. Bug Goes To Town did not.

The picture will be issued on Blu-ray in June '17.