Loopy De Loop was a theatrical series of cartoons produced by Hanna-Barbera starting in 1959 all the way through 1965. While the men behind the company had plenty of experience in theatrical cartoons, as they cut their teeth on Tom and Jerry among others, Loopy was the only one of his kind from the studio itself, released theatrically by Columbia Pictures (who partially funded the series and was H-B's partner studio for much of this timeframe).
Loopy De Loop featured adventures of the titular character. A French Canadian wolf that is just trying to make his way in the world. And unfortunately for "ze good wolf", Hilarity Ensues.
Ze Tropes De Loop
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: Loopy wears a hat and a scarf.
- The Atoner: Loopy tries to be this, not really for himself but for his species.
- In "Sheep Stealers Anonymous" it is shown Loopy actually runs a support group to help other wolves.
- The Big Bad Wolf: The wolf is a kind and helpful character who takes it on himself to give wolves a better name, and was only trying to help Red Riding Hood and the three pigs. Unfortunately, his intentions are often misunderstood and he is constantly the victim of Amusing Injuries.
- Within the shorts themselves other wolves appear that play this trope straight.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Loopy shorts have opened with Loopy openly talking into the camera or sometimes with the narrator.
- Butt-Monkey: The title character not only gets put upon (especially by humans) and takes lots of beating for being a wolf (as wolves are generally feared as dangerous), but is also made the butt of jokes for his bad French accent.
- Catchphrase: "I am Loopy De Loop, ze good wolf!"
- Loopy is also prone to some variation of stating he is "Kind, charming, considerate" among other adjectives.
- Circling Saw: In the episode where Loopy is trying to help Ravanaugh court Emmy Lou, he runs afoul of Braxton, who saws through the floor as he tries to plight his trough and, when Loopy tries to flee, saws through the walls and ceiling in pursuit.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: A later Story Arc spanning three shorts has Braxton, a mad, crazy jealous bear with an insane desire to win over his girlfriend Emmy-Lou. In Braxton's last appearance, Loopy helps him cure his jealousy problem.
- Crossover: In one short Loopy meets Bigelow Mouse, a Poorly Disguised Pilot character that had also appeared on Yakky Doodle, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, and Snagglepuss.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Whenever Loopy tries to help someone out, they immediately dismiss (or even injure) him on the grounds that he's a wolf. Given this series began in 1959, it's not too hard to understand what it's supposed to be an allegory for.
- For example: in one short, a pair of rocket scientists can't use dogs as test subjects because of the Humane Society's objections, but they're delighted to see Loopy because "nobody cares what happens to a wolf."
- Fractured Fairy Tale: Loopy found himself caught up into these plenty.
- Framing Device: The first short, "Wolf Hounded", has a bandaged Loopy recalling his story of what happened before the events of the short, where he rescues Little Red Riding Hood's basket from the Three Little Pigs, only to wind up with injuries.
- Funny Foreigner: Comes across as this due to his cheap, phonetical French accent.
- Limited Animation: Although made for theaters, the shorts were made with the same time-saving techniques used on the studio's TV shows.
- Long Runner: Hanna Barbera produced 48 shorts of the character over 6 years.
- Nephewism: Loopy's nephew Bon-Bon.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Played for Laughs. Loopy always tries to do a good deed...and fails.
- Noble Wolf: Loopy was a kind-hearted, Quixotic wolf out to dispel the notion that all wolves are mean. It usually backfires on him as the universal belief is that all wolves are mean.
- Not a Mask: Loopy got involved in this once where he is mistaken for "Charlie" who was to attend a costume party as a wolf. When the time for the unmasking comes, he gets his usually Amusing Injuries.
- Also happens in "Crook Who Cried Wolf" multiple times where everyone assumes Loopy is a crook in a wolf mask.
- Poorly Disguised Pilot: Towards the end of the series this trope seems to crop up a lot. If the presence of the aforementioned Bigelow Mouse wasn't a tip-off, in some of these shorts like the ones with Braxton Bear it is also as if Loopy has walked into these other character's shorts.
- Of course at the time most of HB's funny animal characters were on tv shows with Three Shorts each. Loopy was a theatrical series, perhaps these characters were in the running to be his backup segments if he went to television.
- Punny Name: References the phrase "loop the loop" and the French word for wolf (loup).
- Reluctant Monster: Loopy often gets in trouble for things he clearly didn't do because he's a wolf.
- Rump Roast: Sometimes happens to Loopy, due to no more than bullets (courtesy of gun-bearing humans) shooting at him. There's even a couple times (for example, in "This is My Ducky Day") when he has to extinguish his rump in water due to the effectiveness of the bullet stings.
- Shout-Out: As per usual in Hanna-Barbera cartoons in "Not in Nottingham" this version of Robin Hood shows Loopy a list of "do-gooders who also want to join his band." Among them naturally are Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Touche Turtle among others.
- Suicide as Comedy: The short "Common Scents" features Loopy trying to save a depressed little skunk (voiced by an uncredited Mel Blanc) from his own suicide attempts. Naturally, this results in Amusing Injuries for Loopy.
- Talking Animal: Our lead is yet another one.
- Three Shorts: While his original airings were theatricals, in television repeats three of his shorts were often thrown in to fill a half hour.
- White Sheep: Loopy is "ze good wolf" after all.
