Another little thought inspired by watching rather more of the
funny-animal early 60s Hanna Barbera cartoons:

Alfy Gator, the perpetually hungry and ever-foiled alligator
who hoped to eat Yakky Doodle; and Bigelow the Mouse, the strong and
undeterred by common sense mouse who'll protect someone within an
inch of their lives: they each got several cartoons, in rather prominent
roles, Alfy even opening and closing some of his appearances, to the
point the nominal title characters were put in supporting roles.

Were these meant to be tryouts to see if the characters could
support their own spinoff cartoons, along the way that Snagglepuss got
started as a Quick Draw McGraw villain, and Hardy Har-Har got started
in guest appearances on ... uh ... Huckleberry Hound?

If they were being tried out I'd be eager to know why they didn't
get their own series. Both seem reasonably viable, and Alfy Gator has a
comfortable built-in sympathetic-but-perpetually-frustrated setup. That
he was trying to destroy Yakky Doodle only made him all the better. Did
sponsors not like them, or did the changing style of Hanna-Barbera catch
up before they could be turned into anything?

Joseph Nebus wrote:

Howard Fein wrote:

Steve Carras wrote:

Reminds me of a scene in CASANOVA'S BIG NIGHT. Bob Hope plays a tailor's
apprentice trying to pass himself off as the Great Lover to woo an
attractive widow. Unfortunately for him, the real Casanova shows up and
tosses him into the street, then guffaws at his plight. Hope mutters,
"He's laughin' on the inside, and I'm cryin' on the outside..."

Kip W