The Cuckoo I.Q.

It's a cartoon about a quiz show in which the sole contestant, Professor van Goon -- a name meant to evoke Henrik van Loon, who was a frequent contestant on these shows in the era -- is pummeled by mechanical devices when he gives a wrong answer. He does this with all the answers, of course, since watching him getting tortured is supposed to be the funny part. Unfortunately, it seems more sadistic than funny, since the intention is telegraphed.

Columbia's cartoon department was going through a rocky patch. There was no one in charge, although George Winkler probably wielded some authority. While the technical standards of the cartoons remained high. there was no one to tell the staff their ideas were lousy. At Disney it was Walt. At Schlesinger, they were self-starters. At Columbia there was neither and they needed it.