The top 10 Cartoons that my childhood would not be the same without:

          Cartoons are the building blocks of our adult lives because they are the first things we will watch on that glowing Skinner Box that illuminates a family den so well.  Growing up, my mom didn't have a great TV so if we wanted to watch live TV, we had to watch it on a tiny black and white screen with rabbit ears.  However, if we were so inclined, we did have VHS tapes with cartoons on them.  In my recent cartoon watching with my two year old, I've began to remember those cartoons and I've even tried sharing them with him.  Here, in this article, I've compiled a list of my top ten most memorable, if not my top ten favorites (since they're the only ones I can seem to remember) that my childhood would not have been the same without.  Enjoy!




10.  Donald Duck and Chip and Dale - Toy Tinkers

Chip and Dale were always a blast and this was their Christmas special.  I particularly enjoyed the war motif from this one because, well, come on! They're shooting gum balls and walnuts.

View Donald and Chip and Dale - Toy Tinkers here

9. Donald Duck and Chip and Dale - Breakfast for three

As I said, the torture of Donald never gets old when it's our little ADHD bandits.  Who doesn't love pancakes?  There was enough for all three but Donald got greedy and we get to watch the beautiful Pathos Donald must endure.  Is it still pathos if the hero with the tragic flaw learns nothing though?

Breakfast for three

8. Felix the Cat - Neptune Nonsense

He's a cat.  Why wouldn't he want to eat a fish?  But all he wants is a friend for his pet Annabelle.  What would you do for your Annabelle lee by the sea, Felix?

Neptune Nonsense

7. Mighty Mouse - Wolf! Wolf!

He doesn't say much but the music is great and in this cartoon, "Mighty Mouse proves again, that he's the hero of sheep and men."

Wolf! Wolf!

6. Sinbad the sailor

Speaking of cartoons with great music, Sinbad the sailor was one of my favorites as a kid, not only because I owned it on VHS but also because everything in this cartoon was timed out like an opera.  I love the music, I love the anthropomorphic characters and even the least expected turning my head.  It's a cool little cartoon.

Sinbad the Sailor

5.  Little Audry - Goofy Goofy Gander

Speaking of music that runs together like an opera, how about adding classic fairy tales to the mix.  In this cartoon, the magic of Mother Goose comes alive, with Little Audry's twist, of course. Oh Little Audry, only you could bring villains into the world of Mother Goose.  One of my favorite lines comes after Humpty Dumpty gets knocked off the wall and doesn't break because, according to him, he's "hard broiled..."

Goofy Goofy Gander

4. Little Audry - Butterscotch and soda

Little Audry was so well loved by the people who compiled the VHS taped cartoons of my youth, they included her twice.  The Tummy Ache blues, from this little gem is such a catchy tune, don't be surprised if you end up even singing it in the shower...

Butterscotch and Soda

3. Popeye the Sailor - Meets Ali Baba's Fourty Thieves

Speaking of songs that get stuck in your head, the song at the beginning of this toon will get stuck in your head.  The song, the things that Popeye mumbles under his breath, not to mention the things the thieves say when they ride past and steal things makes this cartoon exceedingly fun to watch and I have not watched it once without a laugh.  Although I put this at number 3 for it's value as a classic, I put it at number 1 for enjoyability. It is definitely my favorite.  I guarantee you'll enjoy it too.

Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Fourty Thieves

2.  Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Parrot

So a deranged killer is on the loose and Mickey thinks he's in his house but a parrot may just be the cause of all the hullabaloo.  The action and the music, as well as the sound effects are perfectly timed with each other making for another cartoon masterpiece.  This cartoon may not be the original, it may not even be the best but it was memorable to my childhood and my son enjoys it as well.  It's been around since the time of my parents and Mickey has been around before even that.  So without further ado, I bring you one of the first toons to ever walk his animated tail into the world: Mickey Mouse.

Mickey's Parrot

1.  Betty Boop - Swat the Fly

In her original format.  Betty Boop gets the number one spot for this cartoon being in the vintage format in black and white.  She was one of the only toons I watched as a kid that was in black and white and even without color, she still represented the sex appeal of the era.  In the words of Eddie Valiant from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit,"  "Yeah, you still got it, kid."

Betty Boop - Swat the Fly




          I hope that you've enjoyed these cartoons and if you have kids, I hope that maybe, they were with you when you watched these and got to see a piece of my childhood passed down to you and yours.  After all, aren't we simply here on earth to enjoy being alive and to pass on some of that joy if we can.  I only hope that these cartoons have given you as much joy as they gave me and if not, well, I've done my duty and it's been passed on the best way I know how.