Forbidden Fruit begins with New York in the grip of a banana shortage. Residents sing (or scream) “Yes! We Have No Bananas,” the hit novelty song of 1923 (inspired by real-life banana shortages—the film also references current events by mentioning mobster Louis Cohen, arrested for murder the same year). The scene shifts to animator Walter Lantz strumming the song on his guitar, before a co-worker presents him with a banana that transmogrifies into Colonel Heeza Liar, who tells the tale of how he ended “the great banana famine in 1923.”
Nov 1923
May 1927
After an organ grinder's monkey grabs a little girl's lollipop with his tail, the musician explains why monkeys are so clever with their tails.
Dec 1926
Part of Max Fleischer's "Out of the Inkwell" series.
Oct 1920
Max Fleischer considers hiring a new cartoonist. While the new guy draws Max's portrait, Koko gets into a fight with a cartoon Chinese man.
May 1920
Directed by Dave Fleischer.
Apr 1919
A "Unnatural History" cartoon
Max Fleischer draws a clown, who comes alive on the page. The clown doesn't like the way he is drawn and demonstrates his own artistic abilities.
Aug 1919