I found this book at an estate sale last Friday. It was in the everything's $1 section. It's a little worse for wear, having been colored in and having loose pages, but I liked the art and it's an early Walt Disney, dating from 1935. The story centers around Ambrose, a kitten who longs for adventure rather than the bath his mother has requested he take. Escaping with cookies as his loot, he takes to the woods only to bump into Bully Bill (or Dirty Bill if you believe the wanted sign). Spinning a yarn of how he held up a stagecoach that very morning and had the loot in the bag, Bill takes the bag from Ambrose only to find cookies inside. Laughing, he sends Ambrose (gratefully) back home to his mother and his waiting bath.
The Robber Kitten was a Disney Silly Symphony short from the same year. I actually prefer the art in the book to the cartoon.
Bill is voiced by Billy Bletcher who did extensive work in silent films, Our Gang (Little Rascals) shorts, Disney and Warner Brothers cartoons. If you are a fan of cartoons, you will recognize his voice. I recognized it immediately as that of Steve Brody from the Warner classic Bowery Bugs. By the way, Steve Brodie (ie) really DID jump off the Brooklyn Bridge!
nice score! i had forgotten about Bowery Bugs. now i want to see it.
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