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Birth of a Notion (film)

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Birth of a Notion
Directed byRobert McKimson
Story byWarren Foster
StarringMel Blanc
Stan Freberg
Music byCarl Stalling
Animation byRichard Bickenbach
Cal Dalton
I. Ellis
Rod Scribner
Anatole Kirsanoff
Fred Jones[1]
Layouts byCornett Wood
Backgrounds byRichard H. Thomas
Color processTechnicolor
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date
  • April 12, 1947 (1947-04-12)[2]
Running time
7 minutes
LanguageEnglish

Birth of a Notion is a 1947 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Bob Clampett and Robert McKimson.[3] The cartoon was released on April 12, 1947, and stars Daffy Duck.[4]

Plot

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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

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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

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  1. ^ Baxter, Devon. "Birth Of A Notion (1947)". Cartoon Research. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  2. ^ Beck, Jerry (January 1, 1981). The Warner Brothers Cartoons. Scarecrow Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780810813960. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 70–72. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
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