Film about ice cream distribution that takes forever to get going, but when it gets to it¡¯s central theme, about how ice cream is now packaged in it¡¯s current form, them box thingies, it starts to get interesting.
A butcher and a baker lose their bass singer for a nursery rhyme singing contest. They try to find a singer and finally find him in the resident ice cream maker in town. He uses this time to show the guys how ice cream is packaged and marketed nowadays. (Love the little Eskimo helpers he has), there¡¯s also appearances by famous nursery rhyme characters.
As I said, this takes FOREVER to make it¡¯s point, and the story is¡¯nt all THAT interesting to hold our interest. From what I can make of it, this was geared towards store merchandisers. Heaven knows what they thought of this.

Bonus points for making all three characters femmey as hell.

Animated film from the 1950s that extolls the benefits of prepackaged ice cream to retailers.

A number of people of note worked on this film. The voice of the ice cream maker is the legendary voice actor Paul Frees, most famous for Boris Badinov, but provided voices for animated films, radio programs and comedy records from the 1940s to the 1960s. The character design looks like it could have been done by John Sutherland ("Why Play Leap Frog?" "Meet King Joe"). Music was co-written by Eugene Poddany, who would go on to work with Chuck Jones in the 1960s.

Now for the film itself. This appears to be a black and white print of a color cartoon, as there are times where the contrast is not very good. It is especially obvious during the end credits. The story starts off in Mother Goose Land with all the dialog and songs done in the couplets style of nursery rhymes, The Butcher and the Baker are waiting for the Candlestickmaker to show up so they could practice a song for a fair. However, the Candlestick Maker is too busy (complete with a characture of Liberace), so the Butcher and Baker have to go off to find a third for their trio. First they go to the Doctor and the Indian Chief. The Lawyer has gone to Washington, the Doctor is too busy, and the Indian Chief, in typical 1950s characture, only can say "Ugh!"

It is only about half way through that the real purpose of the short comes through. The Butcher and Baker, flying around in a helicopter that looks like George Jetson's car, hear a lovely bass voice singing. Turns out it is the Ice Cream Maker. The Ice Cream Maker then proceeds to show the Butcher and Baker how prepackaged ice cream is made, and then proceed to how it is sold. This is clearly a relic of the 1950s, as the druggists and the soda fountain is the first place the trio go to. If you have seen Jam Handy's "The Selling Wizard," many of the arguments regarding the ease and sanitary nature of prepackaged ice cream are repeated here. Next, they go to the corner store. Finally, convinced that ice cream is a worthy food to go with the Baker's goods, they allow the Ice Cream Maker to join the trio.

This is a great example of the soft sell approach that was becoming more common and it is coupled with some decent animation. Very recommended.