Swooner Crooner

Although Porky Pig appeared in almost 200 shorts and films, "Swooner Crooner" marks the only occasion where the pig got nominated for an Academy Award...and it lost.

Porky is operating a weird egg production factory filled with hens. However, when a crooner chicken (meant to be a parody of Frank Sinatra) shows up and sings, the hens stop working and jeopardize the farm. Considering it's during WWII and Porky is helping feed America and the troops, it's imperative that he gets the hens back to work instead of swooning as Frankie sings. So, Porky advertises to get is own crooner--and tries out some who are meant to parody Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante and Cab Calloway. While the impersonations are clever, they aren't all that funny nor would many viewers recognize the singers. I do because I am an old movie freak! As for the ending, however, it's VERY funny as well as incredibly creepy! Of all the Oscar nominated animated shorts, this is probably the weakest that year. Worth seeing but I can understand why this one didn't win.