Tubby the Tuba

"Tubby the Tuba" is a 1945 children's record written by Paul Tripp, with music by George Kleinsinger. The story focuses on the title character, an anthropomorphic tuba who feels left out of the orchestra and longs to carry a melody like his other instruments. An encounter with a friendly frog finally gives him the melody he longed for and the rest of the orchestra excitedly pick it up.
The original record was narrated by character actor Victor Jory, who also supplied all character voices and reprised the function in a 1947 stop-motion animated short by George Pal. Others recorded their own versions (including Annette Funicello narrating a Disney record), while Tripp narrated several later recordings and wrote sequels. A 1975 animated feature film was produced, again narrated by Tripp and incorporating some of his other stories/records about living instruments.
==References==
* Baby Bean Bunny guesses "Tubby the Tuba" in the Muppet Babies episode "Muppet Babies: The Next Generation," when the Spacetons think Rowlfo is playing charades.
* The same essential concept, of a tuba who comes into conflict with other sentient musical instruments, was used on Sesame Street for the animated insert "Mr. Tuba Doesn't Listen" by Bruce Cayard and ArtistMike. In this version, however, the problem is that Mr. Tuba (voiced by Brian Cummings) isn't listening to the other instruments and is playing different music. He learns how to cooperate and play with the band.
==Connections==
*Pearl Bailey played Mrs. Elephant in the 1975 animated film
*Carol Channing narrated the story as the B side of Peter and the Wolf (1978 album)
*José Ferrer narrated the story in The Ferrers at Home (1958 album)
*Jack Gilford played the herald in the 1975 animated film
*Hermione Gingold played Miss Squeek in the 1975 animated film
*Arthur Godfrey narrated a 1950 record single
*Tommy Johnson played the tuba solos for the character on The Manhattan Transfer Meets Tubby The Tuba (1994 album)
*Danny Kaye narrated a 1947 record single
*Dick Van Dyke played Tubby the Tuba in the 1975 animated film
*Norman Wisdom narrated a 1971 album
==External links==
*Library of Congress - profile of original record for the National Sound Registry
Category:Audio References
Category:Cartoon References