Life with Feathers

Life with Feathers
Lobby card.
Production company	Warner Bros. Cartoons
Distributor	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	May 5, 1945
Run time	7:45
Starring	Mel Blanc
Producer(s)	Edward Selzer
Music composed by	Carl W. Stalling Milt Franklyn
Story by	Tedd Pierce
Animation	Virgil Ross Ken Champin Gerry Chiniquy Manuel Perez Jack Bradbury A.C. Gamer
Director(s)	I. Freleng
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Title card
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Life with Feathers, is the two hundred and fifty-second Merrie Melodies theatrical short. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on May 5, 1945. It was written by Tedd Pierce, produced by Edward Selzer, and directed by Friz Freleng.

A lovebird, wishing to end his life, tries to force a red-nosed cat to eat him. But the cat's resistance prompts him to scheme his way to it.

Memorable quotes

Sylvester: Thsufferin' thsuccotash! Thsquab!

Lovebird: What's the matter, Mr. Cat? Aren't you hungry?
Sylvester: Thcertainly, I'm hungry. But there'sth thsomething phoney about you! You didn't even try to escape from me. You juthst thstood there. You're probably poisoned. Yeah, you're juthst want me to eat you thso I'll die. But I ain't gonna fall for it!
Lovebird: Please eat me, Mr. Pussycat, please.
Sylvester: Thscram, thswallow! Back to Capisthtrano!

Sylvester: ThhhSanta Clautsh! Gee, I didn't know it was Christhtmas! Gee, what did ya bring me, ThSanta? What did ya bring me? Huh? Huh, ThSanta? What did ya bring me?
"Santa": Open your mouth and close your eyes, and I'll give you something to make you wise.

Lovebird: Would you eat me, Mr. Cat?
Sylvester: No, no! I'd rather die firstht!
Lovebird: C'mon, Mr. Cat. Eat me!
Sylvester: No! No, I won't do it! I won't, I won't, I won't!
Lovebird: Are you sure you don't wanna eat me?
Sylvester: Alright, I'll do it! I might as well die and thstarve to death!

Characters

Legend
Character debut	Speaking debut	Ep. debut	No lines	Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character	Actor
Lovebird	Mel Blanc
Sylvester	Mel Blanc
Sylvester's owner	Sara Berner
Santa Claus
Sweetypuss	Sara Berner

Locations

• Earth
  • United States
    • California (indirectly mentioned)
      • San Juan Capistrano (mentioned)

Music

The music was composed by Carl W. Stalling, with arrangements by Milt Franklyn.

Release

Dates are in order of release:

• United States: May 5, 1945 in theatres

Behind the scenes

• This was the last Merrie Melodies cartoon to have the 1941-45 rendition of "Merrily We Roll Along." All shorts following this would use a shortened rendition of the song before 1955.
• The lovebird is likely a caricature of Bill Thompson's character Wallace Wimple, from the Fibber McGee and Molly radio series.
• In his first appearance, Sylvester initially had dark-blue fur, compared to the black coloring seen in his subsequent appearances.
• This is the first cartoon in which Sylvester says the catchphrase "Sufferin' succotash!", although Daffy Duck has said it earlier in a few cartoons before this.
• When the cartoon aired on Cartoon Network and The WB, a scene where Sweetypuss thinks of different ways to kill himself is removed.

Home availability

• In the United States:
  • Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 3