Speedy and Slowpoke

Posted on April 22, 2021

In the Looney Tunes cartoon series there are number of ‘S’ characters.  Yesterday, you saw Sam Sheepdog and on a couple of cousins including my A-Z post button I used Sylvester.  Today, I’m going to share with you two Mexican cousins Speedy Gonzales and Slowpoke Rodriguez.  I remembered Speedy right off but forgot all about poor Slowpoke.

 

Speedy naturally is the “The fastest mouse in all Mexico”.  His other noted characteristics is when he speaks in English he uses an exaggerated Mexican accent.

Slowpoke is described as the “the slowest mouse in all Mexico” but he’s not slow in the “la cabeza” the head.    He also carries a gun.  He generally speaks in a monotone voice and seems to not ever be surprised by anything.  

Speedy and Slowpoke appeared in only two cartoons together.  Mexicali Shomes (1959 B&W) and Mexican Boarders (1962).  The B&W short appears to be the whole thing.  I found a two colorized clips of each of the cartoons.

 

I’ve heard from my peeps that Speedy Gonzales was cancelled in the US due the political correction hype but I was tickled to learn that ClownfishTV (about 6 mins in) basically says Speedy is not canceled with Mexicans and Hispanics defend the little mouse.  Cartoon Network yanked the cartoon because of ethnic stereotyping but it looks like they didn’t ask the people who might have been offended who weren’t offended before removing it for viewing.  *roll eyes* I think it’s cool Mexicans are speaking out over this ridiculousness.  .

In 1953 Speedy made his debut mostly name and speed only appearance in Cat-Tails for Two (B&W).  It wasn’t until 1955 artist redesigned his character to how we recognize the little critter and appeared in Speedy Gonzales (B&W film).  Here’s the opening and closing colorized version I remember.

 

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your day.  Please leave a direct link for today’s post in comments to ensure others can find an easy way back to you.  I’m heading over to the A2Z headquarters to see who’s joined the party now.  I hope to see you again tomorrow for the next letter in the alphabet in my Looney Tunes Art Sketch series! X💋X💋 Cathy

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12 thoughts on “Speedy and Slowpoke”

  2. I love Speedy! But I consider myself a “slowpoke,” in fact, last weekend while at the zoo with a granddaughter, I bought myself a puzzle of “Tree-dwelling Slowpokes”! I told my husband, “Look… my mascots!”

  9. If you hadn’t mentioned him, I wouldn’t have thought of Slowpoke! Poor Slowpoke. See the two names together brings back a childhood memory. Not of them, of two mini-markets! There as one we called Slow Sam’s (I am not sure if it was called that, or just Sam’s) and just about next door a 7-11 opened, and it was open from 7am to 11pm (which is why it’s called 7-11 for those of you who wondered, even though they are now 24 hours). We called that one the Speedy Mart. Speedy Mart and Slow Sam’s.

  10. I so love your sketches and this one is right up there. What a fun cartoon too.

    I’ve so enjoying your A2Z sketches.

    Have a fabulous day, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥

  11. Hey Cathy this is AWESOME!!! I was wondering what happened to these two characters. I am thrilled with your posts about the cartoons. Memories for sure and a bit of history too. Your sketches are fabulous!!!! Have a great day.

  12. Hi, Cathy!

    Happy S-day, dear friend!

    Like you I remember Speedy Gonzales, “the fastest mouse in all of Mexico (and friend of everybody’s sister),” but didn’t remember Slowpoke Rodriguez, “the slowest mouse in all of Mexico.” Thanks for refreshing my memory. In the first short, two Mexican cats are trying to figure out a way to catch Speedy and have him for lunch. As it was with numerous human comedy duos such as Laurel & Hardy and Abbott & Costello, one of them is dimwitted and easily dominated and manipulated by the other who claims to have the brains to devise a plan. In this case the plan is to lure Speedy out of his hole by inviting him to join them in a fiesta. The scheme backfires when the rapid rodent stays one dance step ahead of them and his friend Slowpoke pulls a gun and blasts the cat that grabbed him in the face. (The cat will be okay.) In the second cartoon, Sylvester el gato thinks he’s going to have both mice over to his house for dinner (literally)… but Slowpoke out foxes him by using hypnosis to turn the kitty into their humble servant. In clip #3, Speedy is working in a shooting gallery dodging bullets and Sylvester is back representing a gringo pussycat problemente (problema). It comes as no surprise that the mice get the best of the carnivorous cat.

    Your super sketch captures movement and the personalities of the two mouse heroes and it begs to be colored in someday. Thanks for the morning smiles, dear friend Cathy. I’ll be back TAMALE for T-day!

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