Associated Artists Productions

Associated Artists Productions (a.a.p.) was a distributor of theatrical feature films and short subjects for television.

History

a.a.p. was founded in 1953 and headed by Elliott Hyman.

In 1956, a.a.p. purchased the pre-1948 Warner Bros. film library which included every feature film and most short subjects the studio released prior to 1948 including "Casablanca", "Rope" (later reverted to director Alfred Hitchcock), all "Merrie Melodies" (except "Lady, Play Your Mandolin!") and color "Looney Tunes" cartoons released prior to August 1948. Former Warner cartoon director Bob Clampett was hired to catalog the Warner cartoon library. [http://www.toontracker.com/matty/matty.htm] Also in 1956, a.a.p. bought the black and white Popeye theatrical cartoons from Paramount Pictures through Popeye owner King Features which were produced by the Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios. Also a part of this package were a few post-1948 features originally released by WB, such as the 1956 version of "Moby Dick". The following year, a.a.p. also acquired the color Popeye cartoons.

On the WB productions, a.a.p. simply inserted their logo at the head of each reel (on feature films, the logo featured an atom spelling out the company's initials set to a bongo piece, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak-B3op5DP4] while at the beginning of cartoons, the logo featured the initials in the center, between the full name of the company, with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd above or below the company name). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTD4bdgiShA] On the Popeye cartoons, a.a.p. was told by Paramount to remove any references to the studio (since at the time, Paramount did not want to be associated with television). As such, the a.a.p. logo would plaster over the Paramount logos, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc5YjeZmNpw] while leaving in the copyrights on the actual title cards (on the color cartoons, a.a.p. created a new card to show that Popeye was a Famous Studios production while on the black-and-white cartoons, a.a.p. retained the title cards not bearing the Paramount name and made new cards which credited either Max Fleischer or Famous Studios replacing the title cards which bore "Paramount presents..."). However, a.a.p. did slip on a few occasions, where part of the Paramount opening could still be seen for a few seconds, such as on "Private Eye Popeye" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLhJelTm1VA] and "Cooking with Gags" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO-h2SCKvv0] (both of which the copyrights lapsed in the U.S.). The color cartoons had the same opening and closing music, so, on each cartoon, the music would make an abrupt jump because the original opening (and closing) music was different (the music used on this logo was actually the 1943-52 version of the Popeye theme). A peculiarity resulted from the use of the color opening on the "Popeye Color Specials", which at the beginning were said to be produced by Famous Studios, but were actually produced by Fleischer.

The company was acquired by United Artists in 1958 and absorbed into United Artists Television (UATV). In 1981, the library was incorporated into the merger of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists. Rights of "Rope" were sold to Universal Pictures, although UA continues to hold the film's copyright. Turner Entertainment took over the library in 1986 after Ted Turner's short-lived acquisition of MGM/UA. When Turner sold back the MGM/UA production unit, he kept the a.a.p. library for his own company.

The WB film libraries were reunited when the studio's parent company Time Warner bought Turner in 1996. Warner Bros. holds the a.a.p. properties today, although technically they are under the ownership of Turner, with WB handling distribution. However, "Moby Dick" would be the only film in the a.a.p./UATV package that would be retained by United Artists, and thus UA (via sister company MGM) continues to own this film today.

In recent years, many of the shorts in question have now excluded the a.a.p. logo in order to bring them closer to what they looked like when they were originally released. For the DVD release by Warner on July 31, 2007 of the first set of ), they were restored to include the original Paramount logos. [http://www.cartoonbrew.com/classic/popeye-dvd] However in the second volume, , two of the cartoons in the initial batch of discs bear a.a.p.-created Popeye title cards by mistake. [http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Popeye-Volume-2/9862]

Dominant Pictures Corporation

Dominant Pictures Corporation was a subsidiary of a.a.p. which distributed the features that the company purchased to theaters. It re-released a number of films from the pre-1948 WB library, as well as a number of British films which a.a.p. bought the rights to.

The subsidiary was later dissolved into UA's main theatrical distribution arm after the company was sold to UA.

Popeye cartoons sold to a.a.p.

234 "Popeye the Sailor" cartoons were produced for theatrical release by Paramount Pictures between 1933 and 1957.
*List of Popeye the Sailor theatrical cartoons (Fleischer Studios)
*List of Popeye the Sailor theatrical cartoons (Famous Studios)

List of Warner Bros. Cartoons sold to a.a.p.

:"Note: All cartoons listed under 1931-41 are Merrie Melodies. Titles in boldface are (or will be) available on DVD as part of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection."

1931

*"Hittin' the Trail to Hallelujah Land"
*"One More Time"
*"Red-Headed Baby"
*"Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!"
*"You Don't Know What You're Doin'"

1932

*"Crosby, Columbo and Vallee"
*"Freddy the Freshman"
*"Goopy Geer"
*"A Great Big Bunch of You"
*"I Love a Parade"
*"I Wish I Had Wings"
*"It's Got Me Again"
*"Moonlight for Two"
*"Pagan Moon"
*"The Queen Was in the Parlor"
*"Three's a Crowd"
*"You're Too Careless with Your Kisses!"

1933

*"The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon"
*"I Like Mountain Music"
*"I've Got To Sing a Torch Song"
*"One Step Ahead of My Shadow"
*"The Organ Grinder"
*"The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives"
*"Sittin' On a Backyard Fence"
*"Shuffle Off to Buffalo"
*"Wake Up the Gypsy in Me"
*"We're in the Money"
*"Young and Healthy"

1934

*"Beauty and the Beast"
*"The Girl at the Ironing Board"
*"Goin' To Heaven on a Mule"
*"Honeymoon Hotel"
*"How Do I Know It's Sunday?"
*"The Miller's Daughter"
*"Pettin' in the Park"
*"Pop Goes Your Heart"
*"Shake Your Powder Puff"
*"Those Beautiful Dames"
*"Those Were Wonderful Days"
*"Why Do I Dream Those Dreams"

1935

*"Along Flirtation Walk"
*"Billboard Frolics"
*"The Country Boy"
*"The Country Mouse"
*"Flowers for Madame"
*"I Haven't Got a Hat"
*"Into Your Dance"
*"The Lady in Red"
*"Little Dutch Plate"
*"The Merry Old Soul"
*"Mr. and Mrs. Is the Name"
*"My Green Fedora"
*"Rhythm in the Bow"

1936

*"At Your Service Madame"
*"Bingo Crosbyana"
*"Boulevardier from the Bronx"
*"The Cat Came Back"
*"The Coo Coo Nut Grove"
*"Don't Look Now"
*"I Love to Singa"
*"I Wanna Play House"
*"I'd Love to Take Orders From You"
*"I'm a Big Shot Now"
*"Let It Be Me"
*"Page Miss Glory"
*"Sunday Go to Meetin' Time"
*"Toytown Hall"
*"When I Yoo Hoo"

1937

*"Ain't We Got Fun"
*"Clean Pastures"
*"Dog Daze"
*"Egghead Rides Again"
*"The Fella with the Fiddle"
*"He Was Her Man"
*"I Only Have Eyes For You"
*"I Wanna Be a Sailor"
*"Little Red Walking Hood"
*"The Lyin' Mouse"
*"Pigs Is Pigs"
*"Plenty of Money and You"
*"September in the Rain"
*"She Was an Acrobat's Daughter"
*"Speaking of the Weather"
*"Streamlined Greta Green"
*"A Sunbonnet Blue"
*"Sweet Sioux"
*"Uncle Tom's Bungalow"
*"The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos"

1938

*"A-Lad-In Bagdad"
*"Cinderella Meets Fella"
*"Count Me Out"
*"Cracked Ice"
*"Daffy Duck and Egghead"
*"Daffy Duck in Hollywood"
*"A Feud There Was"
*"Have You Got Any Castles?"
*"The Isle of Pingo-Pongo"
*"Johnny Smith and Poker-Huntas"
*"Jungle Jitters"
*"Katnip Kollege"
*"Little Pancho Vanilla"
*"Love and Curses"
*"The Major Lied Till Dawn"
*"The Mice Will Play"
*"My Little Buckaroo"
*"The Night Watchman"
*"Now That Summer Is Gone"
*"The Penguin Parade"
*"The Sneezing Weasel"
*"A Star Is Hatched"
*"You're an Education"

1939

*"Bars and Stripes Forever"
*"Believe It or Else"
*"The Curious Puppy"
*"Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur"
*"Dangerous Dan McFoo"
*"A Day at the Zoo"
*"Detouring America"
*"Dog Gone Modern"
*"Fagin's Freshman"
*"Fresh Fish"
*"Gold Rush Daze"
*"The Good Egg"
*"Hamateur Night"
*"Hare-um Scare-um"
*"Hobo Gadget Band"
*"Land of the Midnight Fun"
*"Little Brother Rat"
*"Little Lion Hunter"
*"Naughty But Mice"
*"Old Glory"
*"Prest-O Change-O"
*"Robin Hood Makes Good"
*"Screwball Football"
*"Sioux Me"
*"Sniffles and the Bookworm"
*"Snow Man's Land"
*"Thugs with Dirty Mugs"

1940

*"The Bear's Tale"
*"Bedtime for Sniffles"
*"Busy Bakers"
*"Ceiling Hero"
*"Circus Today"
*"Confederate Honey"
*"Cross-Country Detours"
*"The Early Worm Gets the Bird"
*"The Egg Collector"
*"Elmer's Candid Camera"
*"A Gander at Mother Goose"
*"Ghost Wanted"
*"Good Night, Elmer"
*"The Hardship of Miles Standish"
*"Holiday Highlights"
*"Little Blabbermouse"
*"Malibu Beach Party"
*"The Mighty Hunters"
*"Of Fox and Hounds"
*"Shop, Look and Listen"
*"Sniffles Takes a Trip"
*"Stage Fright"
*"Tom Thumb in Trouble"
*"Wacky Wildlife"
*"A Wild Hare"

1941

*"All This and Rabbit Stew"
*"Aviation Vacation"
*"The Brave Little Bat"
*"The Bug Parade"
*"The Cagey Canary"
*"The Cat's Tale"
*"The Crackpot Quail"
*"Elmer's Pet Rabbit"
*"Farm Frolics"
*"The Fighting 69th ½"
*"Goofy Groceries"
*"The Heckling Hare"
*"Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt"
*"Hollywood Steps Out"
*"Inki and the Lion"
*"Rhapsody in Rivets"
*"Rookie Revue"
*"Saddle Silly"
*"Sniffles Bells the Cat"
*"Snowtime for Comedy"
*"Sport Chumpions"
*"Tortoise Beats Hare"
*"Toy Trouble"
*"The Trial of Mister Wolf"
*"Wabbit Twouble"
*"The Wacky Worm"

1942

Looney Tunes

*"The Hep Cat"
*"My Favorite Duck"

Merrie Melodies

*"Aloha Hooey"
*"The Bird Came C.O.D."
*"Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid"
*"Case of the Missing Hare"
*"Conrad the Sailor"
*"Crazy Cruise"
*"Ding Dog Daddy"
*"Dog Tired"
*"Double Chaser"
*"The Dover Boys"
*"The Draft Horse"
*"Foney Fables"
*"Fox Pop"
*"Fresh Hare"
*"The Hare-Brained Hypnotist"
*"Hold the Lion, Please"
*"Hop, Skip, and a Chump"
*"Horton Hatches the Egg"
*"Lights Fantastic"
*"The Sheepish Wolf"
*"The Squawkin' Hawk"
*"A Tale of Two Kitties"
*"The Wabbit Who Came to Supper"
*"The Wacky Wabbit"

1943

Looney Tunes

*"Daffy - The Commando"
*"To Duck or Not to Duck"
*"The Wise Quacking Duck"
*"Yankee Doodle Daffy"

Merrie Melodies

*"The Aristo Cat"
*"Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs"
*"A Corny Concerto"
*"Falling Hare"
*"Fifth Column Mouse"
*"Fin n' Catty"
*"Flop Goes the Weasel"
*"Greetings Bait"
*"Hiss and Make Up"
*"Inki and the Minah Bird"
*"An Itch in Time"
*"Jack-Wabbit and the Beanstalk"
*"Pigs in a Polka"
*"Super-Rabbit"
*"Tin Pan Alley Cats"
*"Tortoise Wins by a Hare"
*"The Unbearable Bear"
*"Wackiki Wabbit"

1944

Looney Tunes

*"Angel Puss"
*"Booby Hatched"
*"Brother Brat"
*"Buckaroo Bugs"
*"Duck Soup to Nuts"
*"From Hand to Mouse"
*"I Got Plenty of Mutton"
*"Plane Daffy"
*"The Stupid Cupid"
*"The Swooner Crooner"
*"Tick Tock Tuckered"
*"Tom Turk and Daffy"

Merrie Melodies

*"Birdy and the Beast"
*"Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears"
*"Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips"
*"Goldilocks and the Jivin' Bears"
*"Hare Force"
*"Hare Ribbin'"
*"Little Red Riding Rabbit"
*"Lost and Foundling"
*"Meatless Flyday"
*"The Old Grey Hare"
*"Russian Rhapsody"
*"Slightly Daffy"
*"Stage Door Cartoon"
*"The Weakly Reporter"
*"What's Cookin' Doc?"

1945

Looney Tunes

*"Ain't That Ducky"
*"The Bashful Buzzard"
*"Behind the Meatball"
*"Draftee Daffy"
*"Hare Conditioned"
*"Hare Tonic"
*"Odor-able Kitty"
*"A Tale of Two Mice"
*"Trap Happy Porky"

Merrie Melodies

*""'Fresh Airedale"
*"A Gruesome Twosome"
*""'Hare Trigger"
*""'Herr Meets Hare"
*"Life with Feathers"
*"Nasty Quacks"
*"Peck Up Your Troubles"
*"The Unruly Hare"
*"Wagon Heels"

1946

Looney Tunes

*"Acrobatty Bunny"
*"Baby Bottleneck"
*"Baseball Bugs"
*"The Big Snooze"
*"Book Revue"
*"Daffy Doodles"
*"The Great Piggy Bank Robbery"
*"Hush My Mouse"
*"Kitty Kornered"
*"Mouse Menace"
*"Of Thee I Sting"
*"Racketeer Rabbit"
*"Roughly Squeaking"

Merrie Melodies

*"Bacall to Arms"
*"The Eager Beaver"
*"Fair and Worm-er"
*"Hair-Raising Hare"
*"Hare Remover"
*"Holiday for Shoestrings"
*"Hollywood Canine Canteen"
*"Hollywood Daffy"
*"The Mouse-Merized Cat"
*"Quentin Quail"
*"Rhapsody Rabbit"
*"Walky Talky Hawky"

1947

Looney Tunes

*"Along Came Daffy"
*"Birth of a Notion"
*"Easter Yeggs"
*"The Goofy Gophers"
*"A Horse Fly Fleas"
*"Little Orphan Airedale"
*"Mexican Joyride"
*"Rabbit Transit"
*"Scent-imental Over You"

Merrie Melodies

*"Catch as Cats Can"
*"Crowing Pains"
*"Doggone Cats"
*"The Foxy Duckling"
*"The Gay Anties"
*"A Hare Grows in Manhattan"
*"Hobo Bobo"
*"House Hunting Mice"
*"Inki at the Circus"
*"One Meat Brawl"
*"A Pest in the House"
*"Slick Hare"
*"Tweetie Pie"

1948

Looney Tunes

*"Buccaneer Bunny"
*"A Feather in His Hare"
*"Gorilla My Dreams"
*"Haredevil Hare"
*"Hop, Look and Listen"
*"The Rattled Rooster"
*"The Shell Shocked Egg"
*"The Up-Standing Sitter"
*"What Makes Daffy Duck?"
*"What's Bruin' Bruin?"

Merrie Melodies

*"Back Alley Oproar"
*"Bone Sweet Bone"
*"Bugs Bunny Rides Again"
*"Daffy Duck Slept Here"
*"A Hick, a Slick, and a Chick"
*"I Taw a Putty Tat"
*"Nothing but the Tooth"
*"Rabbit Punch"
*"Two Gophers From Texas"