| Birth of a Notion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Robert McKimson |
| Story by | Warren Foster |
| Starring | Mel Blanc Stan Freberg |
| Music by | Carl Stalling |
| Animation by | Richard Bickenbach Cal Dalton I. Ellis Rod Scribner Anatole Kirsanoff Fred Jones |
| Layouts by | Cornett Wood |
| Backgrounds by | Richard H. Thomas |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Production company | Warner Bros. Cartoons |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
| Release date |
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| Running time | 7 minutes |
| Language | English |
Birth of a Notion is a 1947 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and Robert McKimson. The cartoon was released on April 12, 1947, and stars Daffy Duck.
Plot
Daffy, unlike his avian counterparts, declines migration southward for winter and orchestrates his winter stay with Leopold, a credulous dog, by feigning a life-saving act. However, complications arise when confronted with Leopold's master, a scientist fixated on acquiring a duck's wishbone for an experiment.
Daffy's disdain for the scientist's demand leads to a failed assassination endeavor, prompting the scientist to retaliate with lethal traps. Meanwhile, Leopold experiences alienation amidst the chaos. Ultimately, Daffy departs, but the scientist settles for a dog's wishbone, prompting Leopold's departure as well. Daffy's attempt at infiltrating another abode is thwarted by a Joe Besser-esque grey duck, resulting in Daffy's inadvertent flight southward, where he discovers Leopold, equipped with a makeshift flying apparatus, accompanying him.
Production notes
Director Robert McKimson employs his character design of "Barnyard Dawg" to portray Leopold, the canine companion of the mad scientist, with the scientist himself rendered as a caricature, visually and vocally reminiscent of Peter Lorre.
The title, Birth of a Notion, alludes to The Birth of a Nation, though no thematic connection exists between the two films.
This short was initially slated for direction by Bob Clampett, alongside Bacall to Arms and The Goofy Gophers, both of which were ultimately completed by Arthur Davis following Clampett's departure from Warner Bros.
References
- Baxter, Devon. "Birth Of A Notion (1947)". Cartoon Research. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- Beck, Jerry (January 1, 1981). The Warner Brothers Cartoons. Scarecrow Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780810813960. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. p. 174. ISBN 0-8050-0894-2.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 70–72. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
External links
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This Looney Tunes–related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 1947 films
- Looney Tunes shorts
- Warner Bros. Cartoons animated short films
- Daffy Duck films
- Films directed by Robert McKimson
- Mad scientist films
- Cultural depictions of Peter Lorre
- Films scored by Carl Stalling
- 1940s Warner Bros. animated short films
- Films with screenplays by Warren Foster
- 1947 animated short films
- Looney Tunes stubs