Name: Teeny Weeny Meany
Genre: Animation, Family, Short
Released: 1966-07-01
Duration: 7 min
Rating: 5.4
Cast: Daws Butler

Chilly Willy's best cartoons were perfect examples of how a potentially one-joke character and concept could end up actually being a perfect mix of the cute and the funny with a lot of colour and good comic timing to go with it.

As far as the Sid Marcus-directed Chilly Willy cartoons go, there are better ones such as 'Fractured Friendship' and especially 'Half Baked Alaska' (the latter being one of the most well-known Chilly Willy cartoons for a reason). There are also worse ones like 'Salmon Loafer' and in particular 'Pesky Pelican'. Chilly (the best Chilly Willy cartoon to me is 'The Legend of Rockabye Point') and Smedley have certainly done better than 'Teeny Weeny Meany'. Both are great characters and are always watchable together, and this is still a good cartoon and easily one of the better 1966 Chilly Willy cartoons.

The animation is scrappy and constantly looks like it was done in a rush, notably in the character design for the captain. The story is thin and occasionally repetitive (like when Chilly grabs and eats the fish before the captain can, a gag that seems slightly derivative of similar gags, except with different foods, in previous Chilly Willy cartoons), though has far sharper timing and variety than the previous 1966 Chilly Willy cartoons.

However, some of the colours are bright and lively. Walter Greene's music is lively and rousingly, cleverly and beautifully orchestrated and fits very well if not quite enhancing the action and occasionally a little too free. Love the opening title credits music.

All the gags are rarely less than amusing and beautifully timed, love the "so you like tuna" exchange. The chemistry between Chilly and Smedley sparkles, and it is always remarkable at what Chilly has up his sleeve and how he does it. Underneath all that irresistible cuteness he is one clever, funny and at times fairly brutal penguin.

Chilly is adorable and is also a lot of fun, with his actions speaking far louder than words. He may be a nuisance to his opponents but he wins the viewer over with his cuteness and timing. Smedley shows perfectly why he and Chilly Willy work so well together, he has great comic timing with some very humorous lines and is marvellously voiced by Daws Butler in southern drawl Huckleberry Hound mode. The captain character is also entertaining and suitably formidable.

Oh and the ending is very sweet. In conclusion, not great as such but cute and fun. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

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The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Smedley is working on a tuna boat in the Antarctic. Whenever Smedley attempts to serve the captain a fish for lunch, Chilly Willy manages to steal the fish away and eat it.

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Teeny Weeny Meany

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