The Sliphorn King of Polaroo Teagarden Animation godfather Walter Lantz, whose industry renown and public name-recognition sometimes approached that of cartoondom's other Walt, headed a house with inhabitants like Woody Woodpecker, Wally Walrus, Buzz Buzzard and Andy Panda. In his catalogue Lantz had a special category: the "Swing Symphonies," which sampled modern Big Band sounds and welcomed input from contemporaneous artists like trombonist Jack Teagarden, and the more classically oriented "Musical Miniatures." Standouts included The Greatest Man in Siam (1944), Sliphorn King of Polaroo (1945), Apple Andy (1946), Bandmaster (1947) and Kiddie Koncert (1946). In the Sliphorn King the basic premise is that a trombone player named Jackson falls overboard and washes up on the island of Polaroo. The trombone solos are played by Jack Teagarden, the great jazz trombonist and there is a wonderful song the denizens of the island sing about Jackson, called, naturally enough, "Jackson, Sliphorn King of Polaroo". It's all great fun and a good time is had by all and sundry. Hans Conreid's narration is just perfect and there are sight gags worthy of the master,
The Sliphorn King of Polaroo Teagarden Animation godfather Walter Lantz, whose industry renown and p...
