The First Bad Man

Infobox Hollywood cartoon
cartoon_name = The First Bad Man
series =

---

caption = Title card
director = Tex Avery
story_artist = Heck Allen
animator = Walt Clinton
Michael Lah
Ray Patterson
Grant Simmons
layout_artist = Ed Benedict (uncredited)
background_artist = John Didrik Johnsen
narrator = Tex Ritter
voice_actor =
musician = Scott Bradley
producer = Fred Quimby
distributor = MGM
release_date = September 30, 1955
color_process = Technicolor
runtime = 6 min (one reel)
movie_language = English
imdb_id = 0048074

"The First Bad Man" is an American animated cartoon directed by Tex Avery, and features narration by singing cowboy Tex Ritter. It was released by MGM on September 30, 1955.

ynopsis

An unnamed narrator tells a story about the history of Texas set one million years ago, when Dinosaur Dan, the eponymous villain, terrorized the state. He rustles all the cattle (brontosaurs with the heads of Texas longhorns), and runs off with all the pretty women. The primitive Texans finally corner Dan in his mountain hideout, and cleverly chisel away the outer rock, leaving behind a small rock jail with Dan inside. The final scene shows the jail still standing in modern day Dallas, and reveals that the narrator is really Dangerous Dan, still in jail and sadly asking "When are y'all gonna let me out of here?"

Notes

Ed Benedict provided uncredited layout designs for this cartoon. Benedict would later work for Hanna-Barbera Studios (which was started by MGM alumni William Hanna and Joseph Barbera), where he would use some of the caveman designs from this cartoon as the basis for characters in "The Flintstones". [ [http://www.topthat.net/webrock/faq/faq12.htm "The Flintstones" FAQ] ]

Censorship

When shown on Cartoon Network two scenes involving gunplay were cut. The first shows Dinosaur Dan riddling the sheriff with bullets; when the sheriff takes off his leopard skin, he reveals he is covered in holes. The second shows Dinosaur Dan shooting a shaggy haired caveman in the head at point blank range after pulling down his beard like a curtain.

Footnotes

External links

*imdb title|id=0048074|title=The First Bad Man