Often called by some as the maladjusted mallard or the crazy little quacker, Daffy Duck first appeared on this date in 1937 in Porky's Duck Hunt and has been working for more than 70 years in a variety of roles. In the 1930s and 1940s Daffy was cast in a number of cartoons, often paired with Porky Pig. Daffy was placed in several parodies of popular movies and radio serials, with many leading roles including Drip-along Daffy, Robin Hood Daffy, Duck Dodgers, and Stupor Duck (Superman). Daffy Duck became a villain in several Speedy Gonzales cartoons in the 1960s. Daffy's been popular in print as well; numerous comic books have been published. In 1983 Daffy appeared in several feature film compilations with two centering on him. In 1988, Daffy made a cameo appearance with Donald Duck in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, performing a duel on the piano to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2 . Daffy had major roles in Space Jam in 1996 and Looney Tunes: Back in Action in 2003. In 2006, Daffy played the lead in Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas.
Although Daffy never quite made it to the "top of the heap" at Warner Bros, often outshone by Bugs Bunny, Daffy's popularity has not waned over time. His old cartoons have been recycled on TV and he has also appeared in new animation. As many characters do, Daffy has endorsed products, including one for WB Studio. Daffy was never nominated for an Oscar, which would likely cause him frustration if a real person since he has outlasted many of cultural icons who did win the award. However, Daffy appeared on a US postage stamp in 1999. Here are some links to memorable videos of Daffy Duck:
- Daffy performing the Daffy Duck Rhapsody
- Daffy's trademark phrase: You're despicable
- Daffy singing with Bugs Bunny during the opening of the The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show
Daffy's still kicking today! You can see lots of videos on YouTube that people have made of Daffy Duck performing at adventure parks. As you can see in one of the videos, Daffy is quite a talented dancer also. Pretty good for a 70-year-old!
Don't discount Daffy. He's still got what it takes, as featured in an episode of The Drew Carey Show:
As posted on YouTube by SPRINGEROPERAFAN
As I often do, I've found some quotes by Daffy and some might amuse you:
- Ha ha, it's me again. WOO HOO WOO HOO
- Hocus pocus. Flippety flam. A razzamatazz and ALACAZAM!!
- I can't stand pain, it hurts me!
- I've worked with a lot of wise-quackers, but you are dethpsicable!
- There's going to be a sneak preview--and the sneaks aren't going to like it!
- Hocus pocus. Flippety flam. A razzamatazz and ALACAZAM!!
Daffy often seemed at war with the world, fuming and clenching his fists and tense with fury. Daffy often seemed frustrated. However, I think Daffy was often misunderstood -- after all, he was simply playing the role written for him. Today, I hope that you've had a great day, that although it may have been wild, zany, and wacky, I hope that it has been without frustration and full of peace.
Image credits: Rubinville.com and US Postal Service
