The Major Lied 'Til Dawn

The Major Lied 'Til Dawn is a 1938 Merrie Melodies short directed by Frank Tashlin.
== Plot ==
The son of retired Major Twombly is curious of how the major hunted all of his big game in Africa, asking if they were stuffed and bought. The major tells him otherwise, and tells the tale of his safari in midwestern Africa. Major Twombly was leading the safari aboard his elephant Tululah, bringing along a mobile home and several African natives carrying Twombly's baggage.
Twombly enters a roundabout with various interstate crossings. When his map doesn't make it easier to decide where to go, Twombly spins the signs in a roulette until he lands on Africa 50. After running up a tall hill, the major spots pogo-sticking deer, another elephant that keeps forgetting what it wants to say, and a lion crossing where several natives dwell. After a lion is forced out of a bush by a native, the major tries to shoot it, but ends up missing and spinning around his elephant due to the force of the rifle.
The lion flees to a boxing ring, where Twombly fights it and succeeds. However, this brings outrage towards Tarzan, who calls in his animal troops to attack the major. When Twombly is booted out of the boxing ring, he eats a can of spinach to easily defeat Tarzan's allies. "If it's good enough for that sailorman, it's good enough for me." Ending the tale, the son asks what ever happened to the elephant. Twombly responds that the elephant finally realizes what it was going to say - "That's all Folks!"
== Caricatures ==
* Freddie Bartholomew
* Stephin Fetchit
* Johnny Weissmuller
== Availability ==
Golden-Age-of-Looney-Tunes-2-F.jpg|(1992) LaserDisc The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2, Side 3: Frank Tashlin
== Notes ==
* A running gag in this cartoon is an elephant struggling to remember something that he was going to say. For the final shot, his memory catches up to him and he says "That's All Folks!" Then the words, title and producer's name appear on top and bottom of him. However, the "That's All Folks!" script does not appear and the closing cue is of a higher pitch and faster than usual.
* When the major eats some spinach and grows stronger, he references Popeye the Sailor from the cartoons of the same name. He also references Popeye by saying, "Well, if it's good enough for the sailor man, then it's good enough for me."
* This was the first cartoon to use the late-1938 "Merrily We Roll Along" theme. This version of the theme was used until "Dog Gone Modern".
* This cartoon seldom airs on American television because of several scenes involving stereotypical African natives.
** Currently, this is the only Frank Tashlin-directed color cartoon to not have a known restored print.
== Gallery ==
The_Major_Lied_'Til_Dawn_(1938).mp40706.jpg|The English major and his son
Bbf546a962c88f68860075891c78152d.jpg|Lobby card
44186004 1105016829656992 377146700373950464 n.jpg|Lobby card
MajorLiedDRAWING.png|Production drawing
== References ==
 
Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts
Category:1938
Category:Shorts
Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling
Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn
Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc
Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Tedd Pierce
Category:Caricatures of real people
Category:Cartoons produced by Leon Schlesinger
Category:Cartoons in a.a.p. package
Category:Cartoons without the regular MM/LT end music
Category:One-Shot Cartoons
Category:Spot Gag Cartoons