Birth of a Notion (cartoon)
Encyclopedia
Birth of a Notion is a 1946-animated, 1947-released Looney Tunes
(re-issued as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodies
, with the ending theme song still being that of the Looney Tunes) cartoon featuring Daffy Duck
, as well as a dog named "Leopold" and an unnamed mad scientist
. Director Robert McKimson
used his "Barnyard Dawg
" character design as Leopold, while the scientist is a caricature (both visually and vocally) of Peter Lorre
. The title is a play on Birth of a Nation but there is no other connection to that film.
Birth of a Notion is one of three shorts that had been scheduled for direction by Bob Clampett
before he left Warner Bros. Cartoons
; the other two were Bacall to Arms
and The Goofy Gophers
, both of which were finished by Arthur Davis. Mel Blanc
voiced Daffy Duck
, Leopold and Joe Besser Duck, while uncredited Stan Freberg
voiced the mad scientist.
of a duck
for his experiment.
Daffy is insulted by the scientist's requirement and tries to get rid of him, while Leopold interferes to save his master. At one point, Daffy throws a baseball bat at the scientist from behind, and Leopold grabs it but it hits him a little. The scientist misunderstands, taking the bat away and breaking it into many pieces with his bare hands, while quietly scolding Leopold before patting the terrified dog on the head and going up to bed. Daffy's assassination attempt fails and the scientist turns the tables trying to kill Daffy with numerous booby traps around the house. Meanwhile Leopold feels left out of the cartoon.
Daffy finally leaves, but the master wants a dog's wishbone, so Leopold flees as well. As Daffy tries to con his way into another house, a grey duck is already occupying the place and kicks Daffy in the sky bound for south. On his flight, he is surprised to find he has company: Leopold aided by a fan strapped to his back, is flying south too.
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
(re-issued as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
, with the ending theme song still being that of the Looney Tunes) cartoon featuring Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
, as well as a dog named "Leopold" and an unnamed mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
. Director Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson
Robert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
used his "Barnyard Dawg
Barnyard Dawg
Barnyard Dawg is a Looney Tunes character. An adult anthropomorphic basset hound, he is the archenemy of Foghorn Leghorn. He was created by Robert McKimson, who also created Foghorn and was voiced by Mel Blanc...
" character design as Leopold, while the scientist is a caricature (both visually and vocally) of Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
. The title is a play on Birth of a Nation but there is no other connection to that film.
Birth of a Notion is one of three shorts that had been scheduled for direction by Bob Clampett
Bob Clampett
Robert Emerson "Bob" Clampett was an American animator, producer, director, and puppeteer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes animated series from Warner Bros., and the television shows Time for Beany and Beany and Cecil...
before he left Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
; the other two were Bacall to Arms
Bacall to Arms
Bacall to Arms is a 1946 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Bob Clampett, in his second-to-last cartoon at Warner Bros. . Neither Clampett nor voice characterizations are credited...
and The Goofy Gophers
The Goofy Gophers
The Goofy Gophers is a 1946 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon released on January 25, 1947. It stars the Goofy Gophers with a cameo by Bugs Bunny at the end...
, both of which were finished by Arthur Davis. Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
voiced Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck
Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, often running the gamut between being the best friend and sometimes arch-rival of Bugs Bunny...
, Leopold and Joe Besser Duck, while uncredited Stan Freberg
Stan Freberg
Stanley Victor "Stan" Freberg is an American author, recording artist, animation voice actor, comedian, radio personality, puppeteer, and advertising creative director whose career began in 1944...
voiced the mad scientist.
Plot
Daffy is not going to fly south for the winter like other ducks. He manages to con the rather simple-witted dog, Leopold, into letting him stay for the winter by pretending to have saved Leopold's life. Unfortunately, Leopold's master is a mad scientist who needs the wishboneFurcula
The ' is a forked bone found in birds, formed by the fusion of the two clavicles. In birds, its function is the strengthening of the thoracic skeleton to withstand the rigors of flight....
of a duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
for his experiment.
Daffy is insulted by the scientist's requirement and tries to get rid of him, while Leopold interferes to save his master. At one point, Daffy throws a baseball bat at the scientist from behind, and Leopold grabs it but it hits him a little. The scientist misunderstands, taking the bat away and breaking it into many pieces with his bare hands, while quietly scolding Leopold before patting the terrified dog on the head and going up to bed. Daffy's assassination attempt fails and the scientist turns the tables trying to kill Daffy with numerous booby traps around the house. Meanwhile Leopold feels left out of the cartoon.
Daffy finally leaves, but the master wants a dog's wishbone, so Leopold flees as well. As Daffy tries to con his way into another house, a grey duck is already occupying the place and kicks Daffy in the sky bound for south. On his flight, he is surprised to find he has company: Leopold aided by a fan strapped to his back, is flying south too.
Censorship
- When this cartoon aired on the now-defunct WB! channelThe WB Television NetworkThe WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
, Daffy's attempt to stab the mad scientist in his sleep was cut.
Technical Errors
- Several syndicated prints had the Blue Ribbon ending sequence replaced by Associated Artists ProductionsAssociated Artists ProductionsAssociated Artists Productions was a distributor of theatrical feature films and short subjects for television. It existed from 1953 to 1958. It was later folded into United Artists. The former a.a.p. library was later owned by MGM/UA Entertainment and then Turner Entertainment. Turner continues...
; see The Up-Standing SitterThe Up-Standing SitterThe Up-Standing Sitter is a 1948 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Looney Tunes series, directed by Robert McKimson, starring Daffy Duck. All voices are by Mel Blanc...
for more info.
Credits
- Directed by: Robert McKimsonRobert McKimsonRobert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
- Story: Warren FosterWarren FosterWarren Foster , was a writer, cartoonist and composer for the animation division of Warner Brothers and later with Hanna-Barbera....
- Animation: Fred Jones, Rod ScribnerRod ScribnerRoderick H. "Rod" Scribner was an American animator best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros.. His animation was one of the wildest things ever seen on screen during The Golden Age of American animation. He started as an animator for Ben...
, Richard Bickenbach, Cal DaltonCal DaltonCal Dalton was a cartoon director at Warner Brothers. Dalton's first commercial animation work was on an animated short version of The Wizard of Oz that was produced by Ted Eshbaugh's independent animation studio in 1933. Afterwards, Dalton left to work at the Warner Brothers animation studio,... - Musical Direction: Carl W. Stalling