It’s nice of you to remember me, not many people do
remember the original crew — of course everyone knows
the big names, who can forget them? But we all played our
part, a cartoon needs bit players like lettuce needs salad
dressing, players, gals, characters, the background is what
makes it, that little bit of routine that’s like real life but funny.
No one thinks about it, but comedy never happens in a vacuum.
You need the background characters like a song needs the so
la fi me dough. That’s DOUGH, spelt like moolah, that which
makes the world go around, tell me you’re not on the hustle.
Like I said the clown needs the cream pie. I played them all,
doctor, banker, plumber, thief — you have to believe or it’s all
for nothing. It was a hard business; it always will be. You’re
dealing in dreams and that calls out to anyone who wants to taste
that magic. We made magic and it was damn hard work.
That was something a lot of innocent kids did not understand.
They didn’t get the magic wasn’t real. The Jews had a phrase for that
“Oy Gevalt.” But that sparkle, the want of youth filled with desperation,
a lot of good kids fell because of that, and all you could do was move on
even if she was special and one of a kind. Bad decisions. Some
of them couldn’t handle the grind, left to become John Q Public
or blew their brains out. That was popular for a while, especially
during the transition from black and white to colour. I was lucky.
I saw it coming. I was a real camera bug. For me, real magic was
watching an invisible image swim into being right before your eyes
as it floated in a bath of developer. When I watched that happen I knew
this is big magic. I could see it coming. Someone was bound to make
the colour breakthrough. I saved my dough. Invested in Kodak early.
That’s how I can afford this place. All in all I’m a happy horse.
It’s good of you to come all this way to talk about the old days.
What about the rest of the old gang, you going to talk to them?
I’m the only one left? You’re kidding. I should have stayed in touch.
But, hey, they knew where I was. You know, you’re all family on set
and then it’s on to the next production and whole new family.
Anyone wanted me, they knew where to find me. The only one left?
Beat that. Listen, I’ve got to call my agent. You know the way out.

(Noted for his ability to work on 4 legs or 2, Horace showed the world, shod or wearing gloves, he was one of the originals. GG)

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