Rainbow Parade Cartoon is a series of 26 animated shorts produced by Van Beuren Studios and distributed to theaters by RKO between 1934 and 1936. This was the only color cartoon series produced by Van Beuren, and the final series of the studio.
History The Van Beuren Corporation was struggling to make successful cartoon series and had multiple production struggles throughout the early 1930s, with a lawsuit from Walt Disney Productions over copyright infringement, and ill-fated attempts at cartoon series like Tom and Jerry and Cubby Bear. In 1933, when Walt Disney received universal praise for the cartoon short Three Little Pigs, the short's director, Burt Gillett, was also seen as a top commodity in the animation industry.
Gillett was lured by the Van Beuren studio with prospects of higher pay and full creative control over the animation staff, and he joined around April 1934. Right away, the animation output of Van Beuren's studio took a drastic change. Older series ended and were replaced with the short-lived series Toddle Tales, notable for including live-action wraparounds with child actors interacting with animated characters, and the Rainbow Parade cartoons, which became their main series throughout the rest of the studio's existence.
Production was troubled, as Gillett was known for being hard to work with, having large emotional outbursts and mood swings, constantly firing crew members, as well as demanding harsh work environments for animators. This caused the constant rejection of large chunks of animation or full cartoons well into production, resulting in enormous overtime hours to compensate and replace animation, voices, and music, often gone unpaid. Because of this, animators working at the studio called for union action and held strikes against the studio, which Gillett and Van Beuren combated long throughout production.
In addition, Disney held a contract with Technicolor for exclusive use of their three-strip process when the Rainbow Parades started, so Van Beuren opted for the cheaper two-color Cinecolor process for their first season, a process which featured a more limited palette of hues. Once Disney's contract expired in 1935, Van Beuren quickly switched to Technicolor for the rest of the series.
Many of the Rainbow Parade cartoons were one-shot stories with no recurring characters, but some of the films featured originally created characters like the Parrotville Parrots and Molly Moo-Cow, or established characters repurposed for color animation like the Toonerville Folks and Felix the Cat. Notable cartoon directors like Shamus Culhane and Dan Gordon contributed to this series when they were still establishing themselves in the industry.
Ultimately, production on the cartoons was cancelled in 1936 when Disney, long a rival of the Van Beuren cartoon studio, signed an exclusive deal to produce cartoons with Van Beuren's distributor, RKO Radio Pictures. The Rainbow Parade cartoons wrapped production with the staff let go in May 1936 and the final cartoons distributed until October of the same year, with some cartoons still unproduced.
Aftermath The producer Amedee J. Van Beuren died in 1938, not long after the studio's closure, and independent distributors like Walter O. Gutlohn and Commonwealth Pictures purchased distribution rights for the films to be sold and rented in home movie catalogues. After the copyrights had lapsed, low-budget home video distributors used any film prints of these cartoons they could find to cheaply include in cartoon compilations in the wakes of VHS and DVD.
Efforts have been taken in recent years to restore these cartoons as in 2021, Thunderbean Animation, in association with Blackhawk Films and the UCLA, released a Blu-ray collection of the first 13 Rainbow Parade cartoons from the existing master materials, updating their DVD collection from 2009. The second half of the series is available as of 2026. It's also currently available from the best existing prints released by Image DVD/Blackhawk Films/Film Preservation Associates.
Filmography +#TitleReleaseCharactersDirectorsFilmsNotes1Pastry Town WeddingJuly 27, 1934Bride, Groom, Pastry ChefsBurt GillettTed Eshbaugh First Rainbow Parade short. First short in two-strip Cinecolor. The first short by the Van Beuren Corporation to be in color. First short co-directed by Burt Gillett and Ted Eshbaugh. Later reissued as a promotional film for Cushman's Sons, Inc. This reissue adds extra animated scenes advertising the bakery, a remade wedding scene, as well as special title cards.2The Parrotville Fire DepartmentSeptember 14, 1934The Flasher, FirefightersBurt GillettSteve Muffatti The only short co-directed by Steve Muffatti. The first of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series. Original MPPDA production code #148.3The Sunshine MakersJanuary 11, 1935Gnomes, GoblinsBurt Gillett Ted Eshbaugh Re-issued in 1940 as a promotional film for Borden's Milk, with the "Borden" script on the title card. The original 1935 Rainbow Parade titles have been found. This cartoon was a runner-up on The 50 Greatest Cartoons list. Original MPPDA production code #242.4Parrotville Old FolksJanuary 25, 1935Mrs. Birdkins, Captain, Friend, Old FolksBurt Gillett Tom Palmer First short co-directed by Tom Palmer. The second of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series.5Japanese LanternsMarch 8, 1935Japanese Children, Father, Mother, StorkBurt Gillett Ted Eshbaugh Renamed Chinese Lanterns by Official Films during World War II. Final short co-directed by Ted Eshbaugh. Original MPPDA production code #317.6Spinning MiceApril 5, 1935Wizard/Rabbit, Lizards/Doves, Toad/Squirrel, Throwback Mice/Devils, Girl, Boy, MiceBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The first of two Rainbow Parade cartoons to contain live-action prologue and epilogue sequences.7Picnic Panic (The Stupid Teapot)May 3, 1935Molly Moo-Cow, Teapots, TeacupsBurt Gillett Tom Palmer First appearance of Molly Moo-Cow. The second of two Rainbow Parade cartoons to contain a live-action prologue and epilogue with animated wraparounds. Original MPPDA production code #374.8The Merry KittensMay 31, 1935Three Kittens, TerrierBurt Gillett Shamus Culhane Co-directed by Shamus Culhane Original MPPDA production code #392, listed on credits instead of its standalone screen.9Parrotville Post-OfficeJune 28, 1935Captain, The Black Parrot, Mrs. Birdkins, Mr. Birdkins' ChildrenBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The last of three "Parrotville" cartoons in the Rainbow Parade series.10The Rag DogJuly 19, 1935Three Kittens, Two TerriersBurt Gillett Although credited solely to Burt Gillett, this short was co-directed by Shamus Culhane, who left the studio before its release.11The Hunting SeasonAugust 19, 1935Molly Moo-Cow, Ducks, HuntersBurt Gillett Tom Palmer12Scotty Finds a HomeAugust 23, 1935Scotty, Family, SquatterBurt Gillett13Bird ScoutsSeptember 20, 1935Birds, CatBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The final Van Beuren short in two-strip Cinecolor.14Molly Moo-Cow and the ButterfliesNovember 15, 1935Molly Moo-Cow, Collector, ButterfliesBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The first Van Beuren short in three-strip Technicolor.15Molly Moo-Cow and the IndiansNovember 15, 1935Molly Moo-Cow, Indian Squaw, Papoose, Indian Brave, Two DucksBurt Gillett Tom Palmer16Molly Moo-Cow and Rip Van WrinkleDecember 17, 1935Molly Moo-Cow, Rip Van Winkle, Little MenBurt Gillett Tom Palmer17Toonerville TrolleyJanuary 17, 1936Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Katrinka, Molly Moo-Cow (cameo), BullBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The first of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip. Molly Moo-Cow makes a cameo. The only Toonerville short co-directed by Tom Palmer.18The Goose That Laid the Golden EggFebruary 7, 1936Felix the Cat, Goldie, Captain Kidd, PiratesBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The first Felix the Cat cartoon in the Rainbow Parade series. Also the first three-strip Technicolor appearance of Felix the Cat. This cartoon was one of 3 Felix the Cat cartoons made by the Van Beuren Corporation.19Molly Moo-Cow and Robinson CrusoeFebruary 28, 1936Molly Moo-Cow, Robinson Crusoe, CannibalsBurt Gillett Tom Palmer Molly Moo-Cow's final appearance.20Neptune NonsenseMarch 20, 1936Felix the Cat, King Neptune, Annabelle, Octopus, Electric Eel, Fish, MermaidBurt Gillett Tom Palmer The final short co-directed by Burt Gillett and Tom Palmer.21Bold King ColeMay 29, 1936Felix the Cat, Old King Cole, GhostsBurt Gillett Final Felix the Cat released cartoon in the Rainbow Parade series. The Only Felix short solely directed by Burt Gillett.22A Waif's WelcomeJune 19, 1936Orphan, Mother, Father, SonTom Palmer The First of two shorts solely directed by Tom Palmer.23Trolley AhoyJuly 3, 1936Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Mr. Bang, KatrinkaBurt Gillett The second of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip.24Cupid Gets His ManJuly 24, 1936Dan Cupid, Edna May Oliver, W. C. FieldsTom Palmer One source suggests that the spinster actually is a dead ringer for Margaret Hamilton (who would later gain fame as the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz). The Second and final of two shorts solely directed by Tom Palmer.25It's a Greek LifeAugust 2, 1936Centaur, Mercury, Two DucksDan Gordon The only short directed by Dan Gordon.26Toonerville PicnicOctober 2, 1936Toonerville Trolley, Skipper, Mr. Bang, Doctor, Katrinka, Dog, OctopusBurt Gillett Final Rainbow Parade series short. The last of three Rainbow Parade cartoons based on the Toonerville Trolley comic strip. Final short solely directed by Burt Gillett. The last cartoon ever made by the Van Beuren Corporation before its permanent closure afterwards.
References
External links
Other Studios: V: Van Beuren Studios: Rainbow Parade, bcdb.com