Hold Anything (1930)
A six-minute animated gem from 1930 where Bosko turns a construction site into a one-man orchestra to win Honey's heart.
Hold Anything - Movie Information
- Release Year: 1930
- Directed by: Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Animation, Comedy, Family
- Runtime: 6m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): October 1, 1930 (United States)
- Production Companies: Harman-Ising Productions, The Vitaphone Corporation, Leon Schlesinger Productions
- Production Countries: United States of America
Hold Anything - Plot
Bosko is a construction worker who impresses Honey by making music from everything in sight, including a decapitated mouse, a typewriter and a goat filled with hot air.
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Hold Anything - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Hugh Harman
- Rudolf Ising
Main Cast
- Rochelle Hudson
- Johnny Murray
Producers
- Hugh Harman
- Rudolf Ising
- Leon Schlesinger
Hold Anything - FAQs
What is Hold Anything about?
Hold Anything follows Bosko, an enthusiastic construction worker who transforms everything around him into musical instruments to impress his sweetheart Honey. From a typewriter to a goat to a decapitated mouse, nothing is off-limits in this delightfully anarchic early animated short from 1930.
Who directed the 1930 short Hold Anything?
Hold Anything was co-directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, the pioneering duo behind Harman-Ising Productions. The pair were instrumental in shaping early Warner Bros. animation and created the Bosko character, one of the first recurring stars of the sound-era cartoon short.
Is Hold Anything one of the earliest sound cartoons?
Yes! Released in October 1930, Hold Anything belongs to the very first wave of synchronized-sound animated shorts. It was produced under the Vitaphone banner and showcases the era's fascination with novelty music gags, a hallmark of early sound cartoons when synchronized audio was still a thrilling new trick.
Who is the character Bosko in this cartoon?
Bosko is an early animated character created by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising. Cheerful and musically gifted, he was one of the first recurring stars of Warner Bros. cartoon shorts. In Hold Anything, he's voiced by Johnny Murray, with Rochelle Hudson lending her voice to his love interest, Honey.
Where can you watch Hold Anything online?
You can check current streaming and viewing options for Hold Anything on JustWatch, which tracks availability across platforms in your region. As a 1930 public-domain-era short, it may also surface on free streaming services or archive sites like the Internet Archive.
How long is the animated short Hold Anything?
Hold Anything runs just 6 minutes — perfectly bite-sized, as was typical for theatrical cartoon shorts of the era. These brief films were designed to play before feature presentations in cinemas, packing as many musical gags and visual surprises as possible into a very compact runtime.
Who composed the music for Hold Anything?
The music for Hold Anything was composed by Frank Marsales, who served as the musical director for many early Harman-Ising and Warner Bros. cartoon shorts. Given that the entire premise of the film revolves around improvised music-making, Marsales' score is central to the short's playful, anarchic charm.
What studio produced Hold Anything in 1930?
Hold Anything was produced by Harman-Ising Productions in association with The Vitaphone Corporation and Leon Schlesinger Productions. Schlesinger would go on to produce the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series for Warner Bros., making this short a fascinating piece of early Hollywood animation history.
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