
Magical Maestro
Magical Maestro is a 1952 American animated short comedy film directed by Tex Avery and produced by Fred Quimby for MGM Cartoons. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the short was released on February 9, 1952. It features the Great Poochini (played by Butch Dog), a canine opera singer who spurns a magician. The magician is able to replace Poochini's normal conductor prior to the show through disguise. In 1993, Magical Maestro was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", making it the only Tex Avery cartoon so far to be inducted.
Plot
Attention-craving Mysto the Magician rudely interrupts a world-famous opera singer, the great Poochini (a pun on opera composer Giacomo Puccini), in the midst of rehearsal and asks to perform an opening act at the show that night. Mysto's tricks primarily come from his magic wand, which can summon flowers and rabbits. Poochini is not impressed by Mysto's tricks and kicks him bodily out of the opera house.
More details
author | Rich Hogan |
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director | Tex Avery |
genre | animation comedy historical |
keywords | carlos julio ramírez carmen miranda clothe colombia fall fire hose giacomo puccini gioacchino rossini head crushing ink spots largo al factotum opening act opera house opera singer orchestra conductor sing the barber of seville the ink spots turn |
musicBy | Scott Bradley |
producer | Fred Quimby |
productionCompany | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio |
publisher | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
theme | animated animated short cartoon short |