Fresh Fish (1939)
A seven-minute Tex Avery masterclass in ocean puns, absurdist gags, and golden-age cartoon anarchy.
Fresh Fish - Movie Information
- Release Year: 1939
- Directed by: Tex Avery
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Animation, Comedy
- Runtime: 7m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): November 3, 1939 (United States)
- Production Companies: Leon Schlesinger Productions
- Production Countries: United States of America
Fresh Fish - Plot
A tour of the waters near a South Sea island, introducing us to the various kinds of marine life, including the pickled herring, the hermit crab, the starfish, a seahorse race, and many other puns. Among the running gags, a two-headed fish who keeps asking for directions to Mr. Ripley and a professor in a diving sphere looking for a rare wim-wam whistling shark.
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Fresh Fish - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Tex Avery
Main Cast
- Mel Blanc
- Sara Berner
- Tex Avery
- Robert C. Bruce
- Kent Rogers
Writers
- Jack Miller
Fresh Fish - FAQs
What is Fresh Fish (1939) about?
Fresh Fish is a Tex Avery animated short that takes viewers on a playful tour of the ocean near a South Sea island. It's essentially a parade of aquatic puns — pickled herrings, hermit crabs, starfish, and seahorse races — all delivered with Avery's signature rapid-fire wit and absurdist gags.
Is Fresh Fish a Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies short?
Fresh Fish is a Merrie Melodies short produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions for Warner Bros. It was released on November 3, 1939, during the golden era of Hollywood animation, when Tex Avery was developing the anarchic comedic style that would define his legendary career.
Who voices the characters in Fresh Fish?
The voice cast features some real animation legends. Mel Blanc voices Tuna, Sara Berner plays Starfish, Tex Avery himself voices Professor Mackerel Fishsticks, Robert C. Bruce serves as the narrator, and Kent Rogers rounds out the cast as Old Crab.
What are the running gags in Fresh Fish?
Two recurring gags drive the short's comedy. A two-headed fish keeps interrupting to ask for directions to Robert Ripley's Believe It or Not, while a professor descending in a diving sphere obsessively hunts for the rare wim-wam whistling shark — a creature that, naturally, never quite cooperates.
Who directed Fresh Fish and what is his legacy?
Tex Avery directed Fresh Fish. One of animation's true originals, Avery revolutionized cartoon comedy with his relentless pace, fourth-wall breaks, and surreal humor. His work at Warner Bros. and later MGM — including Droopy and Red Hot Riding Hood — cemented his place among the greatest animators of all time.
How long is Fresh Fish?
Fresh Fish runs just 7 minutes — perfectly compact for a theatrical animated short of the era. Warner Bros. cartoons of the late 1930s were designed to play before feature films, so Avery had to pack maximum laughs into a very tight runtime, and Fresh Fish delivers.
What makes Fresh Fish a notable Tex Avery cartoon?
Fresh Fish showcases Avery's gift for wordplay and visual puns at their most inventive. The ocean setting becomes a canvas for relentless joke density — every creature is a punchline waiting to happen. It's an early example of the self-aware, gag-machine style Avery would perfect throughout the 1940s.
What are similar animated shorts to Fresh Fish?
If you enjoy Fresh Fish, you'll likely love other classic animated shorts like Sea Scouts (1939), Mouse Cleaning (1948), Chips Ahoy (1956), The Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), and Old Rockin' Chair Tom (1948) — all wonderful examples of the golden age of Hollywood short-form animation.
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