Merrie Melodies - Horton Hatches the Egg (1942)

Horton Hatches the Egg is a 1942 ten-minute animated short film based on the 1940 book of the same name by Dr. Seuss (and the first cartoon based on Dr. Seuss' work), by Leon Schlesinger Productions, released as part of Warner Bros.' Merrie Melodies series. The short, like many cartoons at the time, and in contrast to the original children's book, was more adult-oriented and was directed by Bob Clampett. Kent Rogers voiced Horton as well as the Peter Lorre fish, Sara Berner voiced Mayzie and the elephant bird, Frank Graham narrated, and Mel Blanc performed most of the other voices.

Voice Cast:
Kent Rogers as Horton the Elephant, Peter Lorre Fish, Giraffe
Sara Berner as Mayzie Bird, Elephant Bird, Audience Member
Frank Graham as Narrator, Hunter, Audience Member
Mel Blanc as Horton Sneezing, Small Hunter, Rosebud the Mouse, Audience Member
Bob Clampett as Third Hunter
The Sportsmen Quartet as Vocalists

Notes:
This is the only Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies short based on a Dr. Seuss book.

This cartoon is the longest Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies short ever made in the Golden Age of Animation, clocking in at 9 minutes and 48 seconds (in the Blue Ribbon version), edging out You Ought to Be in Pictures by 3 seconds.

The LaserDisc print changes the ending title to that of a 1949 or 1953–54 season ending Color Rings scheme plastered with the 1946–55 Looney Tunes music.

The Turner "dubbed version" print retains the 1941–55 MM end music (applies to both the USA and EU prints).

In the book from Dr. Seuss Horton's skin is gray, but in this Merrie Melodies short, his skin is pink.
The version of this cartoon shown on the TNT special In Search of Dr. Seuss re-edits the entire short, and also removes the opening and ending title cards from the Blue Ribbon reissue. The featured dialogue is dubbed by voice actor Frank Welker.

This is the first cartoon that Clampett directed in Tex Avery's unit that Tex Avery did not start.

Production on this cartoon began in August of 1941 just a few weeks after Avery's unit was turned to Clampett.