Count Me Out (1938 film)
1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Ben Hardaway
Count Me Out is a 1938 American animated comedy short film directed by Ben Hardaway and Cal Dalton. The short was released on December 17, 1938. It is part of the Merrie Melodies series and the fourth and final cartoon to feature Egghead, who would be retired in favor of Elmer Fudd.
Plot
Egghead finds a letter advertising a $1 boxing course, which he partakes in by mailing the money and instantly retrieves a kit, which includes boxing gear and an instructional record. He almost asphyxiates when the narrator instructs him to hold in his breath and is distracted. He is knocked out by the unruly punching bag when it sticks to the other side then swings back. Egghead then wakes up and punches the punching bag like usual until the narrator instructs him to stop. The punching bag somehow continues to swing, which the narrator annoyedly blames it on Egghead, only for Egghead to shoot it. After a final lesson on dodging, Egghead receives a diploma but is knocked out by boxing gear.
Egghead fantasizes taking on dog-like champion Biff Stew.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Count Me Out (1938 film)” as 1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Ben Hardaway. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as 1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Ben Hardaway. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5176686. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1938.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Count Me Out (1938 film)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Count Me Out (1938 film) primary sources, Count Me Out (1938 film) archive and Count research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Count Me Out (1938 film)”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Count Me Out (1938 film)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.