Name: Magical Maestro
Director: Tex Avery
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Music
Released: 1952-02-09
Duration: 6 min
Rating: 6.7
Cast: Daws Butler, Carlos Ramírez, Mary Kaye, Norman Kaye, Frank Ross

A dog opera singer gets sabotaged by a vengeful magician in 6 minutes of pure Tex Avery chaos.

chaotic goodcartoon violence elevated to artopera but make it unhinged

Overview

Animation Comedy Music

After he is rejected by the Great Poochini as an opening act, Mysto the Magician gets his revenge by conducting his next operatic performance.

Content warning

short film magician opera cartoon dog opera singer italian opera puccini opera star

revenge as performance artthe fragility of egochaos disrupting high culture

Standout Aspects

Direction

Tex Avery's timing—every frame is a punchline.

Sound

Opera score warped into slapstick symphony.

Best for:Solo·Friends·Rewatch

Director

Tex Avery

ReleasedFeb 9, 1952

Runtime6m

StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacefast

Intensityhigh

Tonelight

Feellight

MGM Cartoon Studio

Top Cast

Daws Butler

Mysto the Magician (voice)

Carlos Ramírez

The Great Poochini (voice)

Paul Frees

Additional Voices

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Tex Avery reportedly timed this to the millisecond against the opera recording, making the visual gags essentially musical choreography.

Cultural

This short influenced generations of animators; the 'hair gag' specifically inspired similar bits in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Looney Tunes revivals.

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