History Of Daffy Duck

Along with Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, Daffy Duck is one of the most famous and recognizable cartoon characters on television. He came as the second creation from the Warner Bros., after Porky Pig. The original version of Daffy Duck was created by Tex Avery in 1937. The character was then cast into a cartoon series by animator Bob Clampett. Though Clampett redesigned Daffy Duck as taller and lankier, it was Chuck Jones who gave the duck his present face. Since its creation, he has remained as one of the greatest and best-loved cartoon stars of all times. Read on further to find out more interesting and amazing information on the history, origin and background of Daffy Duck.

 

 

On April 17, 1937, Daffy Duck made his first appearance on television, in a cartoon entitled “Porky’s Duck Hunt”. This series was directed by Tex Avery and Bob Clampett. The concept was a hunter/prey pairing, where Porky Pig was the hunter and Daffy Duck, the prey. The pairing became popular and people fell in love with the character of Daffy Duck, since he was assertive and unrestrained. The high-pitched voice of the character resembled the voice of producer Leon Schlesinger. Daffy duck gained enormous popularity in the 1940s.

 

Daffy starred in many films, set in various settings ranging from the frozen north to an unhappy household. He was assisted by various other Warner Bros. characters, such as Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd. All these characters usually performed the role of a hunter, while Daffy Duck played the prey. In the early 1940s, the personality of Daffy Duck was given a slight change, from an uncontrollable maniac duck to a maniac duck with brains. He was still insane, but was always in control of the situation.

 

In 1948, Chuck Jones changed the character of Daffy Duck drastically. While the duck was his usual self in the 1940s, his cartoons were ventured into completely new ideas in 1950s. Cartoons like “Daffy Dilly” and “You Were Never Duckier” brought across Daffy’s lust for money. People saw a care free Daffy Duck transforming into a power hungry and greedy character. Chuck Jones also redesigned the physical appearance of Daffy Duck, making him taller and skinnier than before, with a larger beak.

 

In 1954, a cartoon entitled “Ali Baba Bunny” showcased Daffy Duck’s motivation as money, when he notices a large treasure and pushes Bugs Bunny and genie aside to get it. The period from 1954 to 1957 can be called Daffy Duck’s “greedy” years. Most of his cartoon series during this period became masterpieces. In 1960s, when the first Looney Tunes show aired on television, Daffy Duck became a regular fixture. The duck also starred in two of his own theatrical releases, first in 1983 and then in 1988.

 

Since its inception, the character of Daffy Duck has appeared in countless cartoons. He has also co-starred with Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny in the 1996 flick titled “Space Jam”. One of the most popular cartoon characters in the world today, Daffy Duck has his present version created by Chuck Jones. The character can be found in almost every era of Warner Bros. animation. It has been adapted to whatever style a time period calls for and continues to woo kids and adults alike.