Francis the Talking Mule

Francis the Talking Mule was a mule celebrity, featured in seven movie comedies in the 1950s. The character originated in a novel by writer David Stern, and soon Universal Studios bought the rights for a film series, with Stern adapting his own script for the first entry, simply titled Francis.

Later appearances

Though his fame was eclipsed by Mr. Ed, Francis remained in the limelight through television airings and vidoes. Most recently, like Ma and Pa Kettle, the first three Francis movies have received a DVD release, as "Vol. 1" (presumably with the remainder to follow).

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Francis also made a brief cameo, in animated form and voiced by Marvin Miller, in the UPA cartoon short How Now Boing Boing (1954), starring Gerald McBoing Boing. David Stern and Frank Thomas scripted a 1952-53 syndicated comic strip, Francis, the Famous Talking Mule, illustrated by Cliff Rogerson, who also drew the gag panel, Tee Vee Laffs (1957-79).

Related Topics:
Marvin Miller - UPA - 1954 - Gerald McBoing Boing

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