Name: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"
Genre: Animation
Released: 1941-08-31
Duration: 7 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: Willie Best, Danny Webb

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B"

Hot Breath Harry is a hot trumpeter at a jazz club. He finds himself drafted into the Army, where he's assigned to be the bugler of an African-American company. But everyone hates the bugler, because he blows reveille at the ungodly hour of 5 AM sharp.

Animation

DirectorWalter Lantz

WritersBen Hardaway, Lowell Elliot

StatusReleased

LanguageEnglish

Release DateAugust 31, 1941

Runtime7m

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

February 8, 20245/10

The tall and gangly "Hot Breath Harry" wows the jazz clubs until he is drafted into the army. They can't tell the difference between a trumpet and a bugle, so he is charged with blowing the reveillé at 0500hrs. That doesn't exactly make him popular - and after an altercation with an hatchet he reckons that he might have more success jazzing up this early morning wake up call so he uses a trumpet! Success all round as the story now morphs into a mildly amusing skit on all things military whilst accompanied by the eponymous Prince/Ray musical number. This was made just as President Roosevelt started his recruitment drive in earnest, so has a very specific purpose I think. It demonstrates that the army is a fun, inclusive and welcoming place. Tosh? Well maybe with modern day eyes, but in 1941 this had a job to do, and it just about does what it says on the tin in a lively fashion.