The Wise Quacking Duck
| The Wise Quacking Duck | |
|---|---|
| Production company | Leon Schlesinger Productions |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
| Release date | May 1, 1943 |
| Run time | 6:32 |
| Starring | Mel Blanc Darrell Payne |
| Producer(s) | Leon Schlesinger |
| Music composed by | Carl W. Stalling |
| Story by | Warren Foster |
| Animation | Phil Monroe |
| Director(s) | Robert Clampett |
| Series navigation | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| Title card | |
| |
The Wise Quacking Duck is the one hundred and eightieth Merrie Melodies theatrical short. It was distributed Warner Bros. Pictures and The Vitaphone Corporation on May 1, 1943. It was written by Warren Foster, produced by Leon Schlesinger and directed by Bob Clampett.
A mild-mannered man by the name of Mr. Meek is sent by his wife to roast a duck. Shenanigans ensue when Mr. Meek attempts to chop off Daffy Duck's head.
Detailed summary
| This article or section is a stub. You can help the Looney Tunes Wiki by expanding it. |
Memorable quotes
Mr. Meek: Oh, I really hate to do this, folks. But my wife Sweetypuss says if I don't roast a duck for dinner, she'll cook my goose.
Daffy: I dream of Jeannie with light brown feathers... WATCH IT, BUB!!! Listen, you're liable to hurt with that thing!
Daffy: What's all the hubbub, bub?
Mr. Meek: Ooohh, goodness. I've got a poor, defenseless little duck...
Daffy: Aw, buck up, beepy eyes! Here, have a swig of swamp water. Say, how many lumps does you wife usually give you?
Mr. Meek: Well, this morning, Sweetypuss only gave me one lump.
Daffy: Well, here, have another lump... (He hits Mr. Meek with a sugar bowl) ...and some cream too! Hoo-hoo!
Mr. Meek: Hey, that's that Daffy Duck.
Daffy: You ain't just whistlin' Dixie!
Daffy: Well, it looks like Sweetypuss gets duck for dinner after all, don't it?
Daffy: Ah, let's read the bumps on your head. Ah, no bumps. We'll make some. Perhaps you'd like you palm read? Very well. Hoo-hoo!
Daffy: Say, now you're cooking with gas! Hoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo-hoo, whoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo-hoo!
Characters
In order of appearance: | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
Locations
- Earth
- United States
- Mr. Meek's residence
- United States
Objects
- Axe
- Ketchup bottle
- Coffee
- Sugar cubes
- Cream
- Golden egg
- Plates
- Rifle
- Roman soldier statue
Vehicles
- None
Music
The music for this cartoon was composed by Carl W. Stalling.
At the start, Daffy signs a rendition of "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" by Stephen Foster.
Release
Dates are in order of release:
- United States: May 1, 1943
Behind the scenes
- Part of the title, "Wise Quacking," is a play on "wise cracking."
- The MPAA certificate number is 8713.
- It is the first animated Warner Bros. short to give a credit to the Screen Cartoonist's Guild; its logo appears during the opening screen credits.
- The gag where Daffy distracts Mr. Meek with a striptease is recycled from a similar scene in Cross Country Detours.
- The Roman statue Daffy uses near the staircase has a shield that reads "Buy bonds."
Legacy
- Mr. Meek appears again in the following media:
- In the television special Bugs Bunny's Overtures to Disaster, he appears as part of the audience.
- In The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries episode "California's Crusty Bronze," Mr. Meek works as a health inspector.
- In the Looney Tunes Cartoons interstitial "New Love," he appears as a wedding officiant.
- The gag where Daffy whacks Mr. Meek in the head after asking him what number of sugar lunps he wants is repeated in the 1952 Bugs Bunny short Rabbit's Kin.
- Daffy's disguise as a fortuneteller later serves as a loose inspiration for the "Daffy Psychic" interstitials for Looney Tunes Cartoons.
Home availability
- In the United States:
- 1986: MGM/UA Home Video releases Daffy Duck Cartoon Festival featuring "Ain’t That Ducky" on VHS.
- July 1, 1992: MGM/UA Home Video releases The Golden Age of Looney Tunes: Volume 2 on LaserDisc.
- October 30, 2007: Warner Home Media releases Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 5 on DVD.
- 2008: Warner Home Video releases Watch on the Rhine on DVD.
- October 16, 2012: Warner Home Media releases Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2 on Blu-ray Disc.
- October 16, 2012: Warner Home Media releases Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2 on DVD.
- June 25, 2013: Warner Home Video releases Best of Warner Bros. 50 Cartoon Collection: Looney Tunes on DVD.
