Hector's Hectic Life
About Hector's Hectic Life
On Christmas Eve a Swedish housekeeper tells the dog Princie that one more mess will put him out in the snow, though a good dog might still get a present from Santa. A basket on the step holds three puppies who look like him, and they spill a goldfish bowl, blast a jack-in-the-box into the gifts, and shred a cushion. Princie throws them outside, fights with his better and worse selves, and brings them back just as they wreck the tree. The housekeeper is about to toss him out when the pups jump to his defense, and she plants each one in a Christmas stocking.
Cast & crew
More about Hector's Hectic Life
Bill Tytla directed the Noveltoon. George Germanetti and Steve Muffatti animated it. Joe Stultz and Larry Riley wrote the story, and Robert Connavale painted the backgrounds. Paramount released it on November 19, 1948.
Themes
Making
Tytla had animated Grumpy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Chernabog in Fantasia at Disney before directing at Famous Studios. The on-screen credits also list scenics by Robert Connavale.
Music
Winston Sharples scored the Christmas scramble, from the spilled goldfish through the stockings.
Preservation
Television prints survive, and the short was not renewed for copyright. Thunderbean later put it on a holiday Blu-ray.
Notes
- The title says Hector. In the cartoon the housekeeper calls the dog Princie.
- Gwen Davies voices the housekeeper and the puppies.
- The picture shares its hide-the-lookalike-kids shape with the 1942 MGM short Chips Off the Old Block, which uses cats and no Christmas.
- A 1948 copyright that NTA, owner of the old Paramount package, never renewed.
Scenes
- Princie opens a basket he hopes is bones and three copies of himself climb out.
- His good and bad consciences fight over whether to leave the pups in the snow.
- The housekeeper plants each puppy in a Christmas stocking.
Influenced by
- Chips Off the Old Block (1942)
Also available
- DVD: Cartoon Crazys Christmas (1998, Winstar Home Entertainment)
- DVD: A Very Classic Christmas (2001, Roan Group)
- Blu-ray: Yuletide Flickers (2016, Thunderbean Animation)
Quotes
Just one more mess, and outside in the cold you will be.
They look just like you, Princie.
This is going to be a wonderful Christmas for the children.
