Warner Bros. To Release Racist "Censored 11" Cartoons

Warner Bros. is preparing for the limited release of a collection of controversial racist cartoons that were pulled from syndication in 1968.

Called the “Censored Eleven,” these eleven Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoon shorts feature blatantly stereotypical depictions of blacks and have been deemed to controversial for contemporary general audiences. The offensive material is so pervasive in these cartoons that no amount of editing could make them suitable for airing on television. Though a few of them are currently in the public domain and pop up periodically on low-budget compilations, they have been largely unseen since 1968 and have been sought after by animation collectors for decades for their historical significance.

Warner Bros, who owns the cartoons, will be releasing the cartoons in 2011 as part of their Warner Archive series of releases, which are available in limited quantities through their website.

Included in the set are the following clips:

1. Hittin’ the Trail for Hallelujah Land (1931, directed by Rudolf Ising)

2. Sunday Go to Meetin’ Time (1936, directed by Friz Freleng)

3. Clean Pastures (1937, directed by Friz Freleng)

4. Uncle Tom’s Bungalow (1937, directed by Tex Avery)

5. Jungle Jitters (1938, directed by Friz Freleng)

6. The Isle of Pingo Pongo (1938, directed by Tex Avery)

7. All This and Rabbit Stew (1941, directed by Tex Avery)

8. Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs (1943, directed by Robert Clampett)

9. Tin Pan Alley Cats (1943, directed by Robert Clampett)

10. Angel Puss (1944, directed by Chuck Jones)

11. Goldilocks and the Jivin’ Bears (1944, directed by Friz Freleng)