Porky's Duck Hunt

This was Daffy Duck's first episode and I have to say he pulls off a very good job! He is cute and crazy, including some good gags. Unfortunately though, the episode is mainly taken up by Porky and some random gags (such as fish becoming drunk and paddling in a boat) and some gags from Porky (not on purpose though - except for one). Luckily bigger appearances of the little black duck were to follow... What makes up for the lack of appearances from Daffy are interesting animation and Porky is quite cute as well.

This cartoon begins with Porky going out to hunt ducks. While seeing if there are any bullets in his gun, he accidentally shoots the ceiling - and the person in the flat room above. After Porky has received an angry hit on the head, he goes out hunting. For him and his dog, Porky's hunt is not successful, mainly due to a wacky and cute little black duck...

Recommended for anyone who wants to see Daffy's delightful debut and for people who are interested and enjoy "historical" cartoons. Enjoy "Porky's Duck Hunt"!

Voted as the 14th most popular cartoon character ranked by TV Guide, Daffy Duck's film debut was an inauspicious one. As the quarry for hunter Porky Pig, Daffy was more of a crazy prey than the later lateral lisp-speaking bird with human features. His first official animated cartoon was April 1937's "Porky's Duck Hunt."

A creation of animator Bob Clampett, Daffy Duck was first portrayed as a completely wild duck with his antics driving experienced hunter Porky nuts while he was out on a duck hunting foray. Daffy outsmarts and outwits the hunter's stalking him in the marshes of the hunting grounds. Clampett remembered at the time that "audiences weren't accustomed to seeing a cartoon character do these things. And so, when it hit the theaters it was an explosion. People would leave the theaters talking about this daffy duck."

Voice actor Mel Blanc, later nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Voices," was the voice for the duck, whose 52 years speaking for Daffy is a record in animation. The former radio impersonator for several characters, Blanc was hired in late 1936 by Leon Schlessinger Productions, supplier for Warner Brothers' cartoons, and immediately was assigned to be the voice of a few minor characters. The original voice of Porky Pig, the stuttering Joe Dougherty, was cute, but his delays were getting in the way of the seamless production of Porky's cartoons. Blanc proved he could do as fine a job as Dougherty, and replaced him in "Porky's Duck Hunt." Blanc also was given the opportunity to be Daffy Duck's voice in the same cartoon.

The duck's role in the Porky Pig cartoon was intended to be a one-shot deal for the 'Looney Tunes' cartoon. As a veteran mainstay of all the Looney characters, Porky appeared in over 160 shorts, second only to the later appearing Bugs Bunny. Besides Blanc's voice, the only lasting feature of the original duck, which didn't contain Daffy's later distinctive lisp, was his black feathers traced with a white collar. Daffy's main vocal expression was crying "Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo!" It was another year before Daffy, in his second cartoon, received his name and appeared in color in January 1938's "Daffy Duck and Egghead." This was also the character Egghead's second animated appearance, who debuted in July 1937's 'Egghead Rides Again.' Some argue that Egghead evolved into Elmer Fudd through the years. A few cartoon historians debate that evolution, but Egghead appeaed in just four Warner Brothers cartoons, and was phased out by the end of 1938.

It's hard to believe that this was literally the first time that Daffy Duck ever appeared in a cartoon, but it's the truth. Porky Pig plays a hunter going out to shoot a duck (he has to go out; he antagonized the man upstairs after accidentally firing the gun). Needless to say, while hunting, he comes across Daffy, and the latter can't get shot. After a weird snafu, Porky has to go (and by "go", I mean "run") back home.

"Porky's Duck Hunt" seems pretty low-brow compared to later cartoons, but if nothing else, it's good as a historical reference. When I was really young and watched a lot of the Looney Tunes cartoons, I always wondered why Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny never co-starred.

Tex Avery, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, on top of one of the best voice actors who ever lived Mel Blanc, together sounds like a match made in heaven. And while all have done better 'Porky's Duck Hunt' is a very good cartoon regardless, much more than just historical interest.

Porky's personality did become a little more interesting later on and would have liked to have more of Daffy. However, for relatively early on in his career (before he went on to even better things and being responsible for some of the greatest cartoons of all time) Avery is still on top form, his unique style still shines if becoming more uniquely wacky later on. Daffy really impresses in his cartoon debut, he looks cute but his manic personality is so much fun to watch and he provides some priceless moments. He isn't widely known as one of animation's funniest and most interesting characters for nothing.

The black and white animation is crisp and smooth. Everything is beautifully drawn, fluid and detailed and there are some imaginative moments as one would expect. Any cartoon that had Carl Stalling providing the music score was already an even better cartoon. Stalling showed a near-unparalleled mastery of writing music that was beautiful to listen to but also cleverly orchestrated and used in a way that not only synchronising seamlessly to the action and expressions but also enhancing their impact.

'Porky's Duck Hunt' has the expected witty dialogue, Daffy having the best lines, and beautifully timed and even funnier sight gags. Porky may have been more interesting later on but he was still likable and a good foil for Daffy. The dog has a fun personality too but this is Daffy's cartoon.

Mel Blanc demonstrates how he could voice multiple characters and give them their own individual identities, when it came to voice actors (and there were and are a lot of talented voice actors who have that ability) Blanc was the king of them all.

On the whole, not among the best for all involved but still a very good cartoon. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This cartoon was the start for Daffy Duck. So Tex Avery played a significant part in the development of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and developed the character (Egghead) who grew into Elmer Fudd. This is a good short to watch to see how Avery and Clampett worked together. Not a seminal cartoon, save for Daffy, but well worth watching. Tex Avery was a very successful man, who by all accounts, was never really sure he ever managed to do much of lasting importance. Most assuredly, he did quite a bit. Recommended.