The Pied Piper of Basin Street
The Pied Piper of Basin Street
| 15 January 1945 (USA)
The Pied Piper of Basin Street Trailers

The Pied Piper of Basin Street Release Date: 1/15/45 Direction: James Culhane Story: Ben Hardaway and Milt Schaffer Animation Layout: Art Heinemann Animation: Verne Harding and Pat Matthews Music: Darrell Calker Backgrounds: Philip DeGuard Featuring: Jack Teagarden Notes: Production Number: D-10 A Swing Symphony cartoon. The Pied Piper is a caricature of Jimmy Durante, while the mayor is a caricature of Lou Costello. Michael Fitzgerald incorrectly lists this cartoon as a November 1944 release.

Reviews
Robert Reynolds

Walter Lantz used jazz music to score quite a few cartoons because the head of his music department liked jazz and knew some musicians personally. Jack Teagarden was one of the musicians who appeared on the soundtracks to at least two of the better musical shorts, the magnificent Sliphorn King of Polaroo and this one, that's almost as good. Here the Pied Piper plays swing on a trombone to rid the town of rats and the mayor sounds like Lou Costello. Wonderful cartoon that should be available. Well worth tracking down and getting. Most highly recommended.

... View More