Daffy:1987

Daffy finally appeared in some new animated shorts starting in 1987, starting with "The Duxorcist".
Daffy is in the ghost-busting business and receives a call for help from a female duck, who unbeknownst to Daffy, is possessed by evil spirits.


Being a huge Marx Brothers fan, it is great for me to see Daffy do a "Groucho-style walk" as he enters the home.


The film has some amusing one-liners from Daffy as he first tries to woo the woman, then after realizing she is possessed, trying to dispel the demons within. Confusing an "exorcise" book with an "exercise" book doesn't make things easier.


Laughter proves to be the best medicine and Daffy removes the ghosts from the woman, only to have them enter his body next.

The cartoon stands up well to me, and while nothing in the later career of Daffy can ever compare to his earlier work, "The Duxorcist" shows that there was at least a decent attempt made at keeping Daffy an enjoyable character to watch.

Daffy:1983

Daffy finally got a movie with his name in it in 1983. Another complilation film, "Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island" blends classic cartoons with new animation, in a parody of "Fantasy Island".


Daffy and Speedy Gonzales are stranded on a desert island and come in possession of Yosemite Sam's treasure map. It leads them to a magic wishing well.


Daffy uses the well to transform the island into a resort where people will come and pay tons of money to have thier wishes granted.


The Looney Tunes characters arrive and one by one make wishes at the well, giving the opportunity for the classic shorts to be incorporated.


At the end of the movie, Daffy loses the map, and therefore possession of the well, and the island returns to the desolate location it once was. The well grants the castaways three last wishes: Speedy wishes for a burrito, Daffy wishes the burrito was stuck on Speedy's nose, and Sam wishes for a ship to escape the island, leaving Daffy and Speedy behind.

Daffy:1981/1982

The compilation movies of the 1980's do feature new animation of Daffy Duck, however the films are mostly dominated by Bugs Bunny.
In 1981's "Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie", the third act finds the characters at the "Oswalds", an Oscar-like ceremony for cartoon characters. Daffy feels slighted, of course, at not getting a nomination and challenges Bugs to an entertainer's duel, giving the opportunity for "Show Biz Bugs" to be incorporated.

In 1982's "Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales", Bugs and Daffy are employees of Rambling House Publishing Company and enter into a book-selling contest.


Bugs ends up at the palace of Sultan Yosemite Sam and is forced to read stories to Sam's spoiled son. In this way, the classic cartoons are woven into Bugs' tales.
Daffy reappears at the end of the film, lost in the desert.


Seeing the palace that Bugs has just escaped from, Daffy thinks he has hit paydirt and runs up to sell some books, despite Bugs' warnings.


Daffy refuses to read Sam's son any stories, resulting in his being plucked from head to toe.
The compilation films were a good way to use the classic cartoons, blended with some new animation, to keep the public aware of the characters and of the great films that were made in the 40's and 50's.

Daffy:1980

Note: Just so nobody thinks I have forgotten, I am deliberately skipping over a certain 1972 tv special called "Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies". I have never seen it and therefore can't really comment on it. Anyone interested in it can get some info from this page over at Cartoon Research.

Also, in 1979, "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner" movie was released. It did feature some of Chuck Jones' Daffy cartoons, however, there is nothing new to see as far as Daffy is concerned.


"Daffy Duck's Easter Special" appeared on NBC in 1980. It consisted of three new cartoons starring Daffy: "The Yolk's On You", "The Chocolate Chase" and today's featured cartoon "Daffy Flies North".


Daffy can't keep up with the other ducks while flying, so he ditches them and attempts to get north via ground travel.


Hitchhiking doesn't work, only resulting in Daffy being chased by hunting dogs and being dunked in the lake courtesy of a runaway armchair. Lassoing a car with skis on his feet sounds like a bad idea to begin with.


The majority of the film involves Daffy's attempts at forcing a horse to carry him.


A run-in with a bull sends Daffy running onto a plane, but of course the plane takes him in the opposite direction of where he wanted to go in the first place.

Daffy:1968

Back when Cartoon Network showed "cartoon extras" at ungodly hours of the morning, I set my vcr to record "See Ya Later Gladiator". However, the power went out overnight and I lost my opportunity to own a copy of this film.

Now, some might say that it was God's way of sheltering me from the horrors of this film. After all, it is dubbed by many as the worst Looney Tune ever made.
Regardless, this is the story behind why there are no screenshots from this cartoon. However, I must thank Matthew Hunter over at GAC for pointing out to me that the cartoon could be found on AOL.
Here it is for your viewing pleasure...or displeasure, whatever the case may be.
It is bad. Very bad. However, it does provide some unintentional laughter for me, so I guess it does succeed in at least one area.

This would be the last Daffy cartoon made before the Looney Tunes were shut down for the second time.
Is this the end of Daffy? Does our tribute to him conclude here? Not on your life!
There's plenty more of Daffy still to come on the Acme Factory, as our favorite duck returns in the 1980's. Stay tooned!

Daffy:1967

This time there is no doubt in my mind. Speedy is clearly the instigator here. Directed by Alex Lovy, "Go Away Stowaway" finds Daffy at the end of his rope listening to Speedy's singing.
The odd moment here is when Speedy uses soap flakes to trick Daffy into thinking it is winter. Once Daffy steps outside wouldn't he realize that it is not really winter at all? Also, does he really need a reason to leave other than Speedy's singing?


Anyway, Daffy seys out on a cruise, only to find that Speedy has stowed-away in his luggage.


It is debatable if Daffy is realy trying to bring Speedy to justice or if he really just wants to escape from his singing, but every attempt to catch the mouse is, of course, thwarted.


Speedy cuts Daffy's rope, shoots a shuffleboard puck into Daffy's mouth and drops the duck into the water with a very hungry shark. Bad instigating Speedy. Tsk.


Daffy attempts to kill Speedy with an anchor but only succeeds in sinking the entire ship, leaving the two foes adrift at sea with plenty of time for Speedy to sing for Daffy.

Daffy:1966

In "Snow Excuse", Daffy and Speedy Gonzales are neighbors on a mountain in winter. Speedy has no wood for a fire and goes to Daffy for some only to get rejected.


I never really know how to view the two characters in this film. Is Daffy the villian or is Speedy? Is it Daffy's fault that Speedy did not bother to aquire wood of his own? Is it right for Speedy to steal all of Daffy's wood for himself?
On the other hand, Daffy is a bit too determined to see Speedy freeze to death.
I guess they are really both in the wrong.


Regardless of who is right or wrong, Daffy still gets put through the wringer by Speedy as the mouse steals all of his wood, piece by piece.


Another scene that makes me believe that Speedy is really the evil one here is when, after stealing all of Daffy's wood, Speedy proceeds to "accidentally" destroy Daffy's house.


Finally it is Daffy that must go to Speedy's house for shelter, but will only be allowed in when he wears a mouse disguise. That's one big mouse. Would Speedy not show Daffy the consideration that he originally sought for himself if the duck had simply shown up at his doorstep as himself, rather than a fake mouse? My mind boggles.

Daffy:1965

To say that the overall quality of the Looney Tunes decreased in late 1960's would be an understatement. However, I can't bring myself to say that they are a total loss. I've seen much worse.


Armed with a map, Daffy is on a quest for gold. The location of the supposed buried treasure is in the home of the overly-polite Goofy Gophers.


The gophers defend thier home in some very unbelievable ways. They are able to destroy Daffy's car and apparently Daffy's vaccuum cleaner is powerful enough to suck up a bomb from the hole.


In a rather odd moment, a plugged-up water hose explodes and sends Daffy soaring up into space. The re-entry is a real scorcher, but it seems that the gophers have given him a barrel of water to land in.

In order to satisfy Daffy, the gophers generously throw some gold his way. However, the "gold" is nothing more than painted rocks.

Daffy:1964

Directed by Phil Monroe, "The Iceman Ducketh" is the only film where Daffy appeared in 1964. It was the beginning of the end for theatrical Looney Tunes.


Daffy learns that he can earn money by selling animal pelts and sets his sights on Bugs Bunny. Once again we get to witness "evil Daffy" as he tries repeatedly to kill Bugs.


Several run-ins with an angry bear and several misfired plots leave Daffy fuming and hurting. A run-away snowball and a frozen replica of Daffy are just two objects that foil him but he keeps trying because, as he says of Bugs, "I despise him!"


One odd gag is when Daffy places dynamite down Bugs' home, yet when Daffy moves back to a safe distance with the charger, the rabbit hole moves across the ground with him as he pulls on the wires. Weird.
Eventually Daffy is trapped up a tree by a clan of bears.


It's a bit sad to watch these later cartoons, knowing that the former glory of the Looney Tunes (and in this case, the character of Daffy Duck) would never be the same again.

The WB cartoon studio closed down, but was resurrected by Depatie-Freleng. It may have been the end of an era for Bugs and the majority of his co-stars, but a few characters found a new home, such as Roadrunner, Coyote, Speedy and....our current star of the Acme Factory, Daffy Duck! He would go on to appear in theatrical cartoons from D-F productions for the next four years.
In short, That's NOT All, Folks!

Daffy:1963

Daffy, living in a very run-down shack, finds an ad in the paper from a millionaire who is seeking a companion. Sounds like easy money to Daffy.


There is only one catch. Daffy cannot enter the walls of the mansion due to the large bulldog who guards the property.


The majority of the film then revolves around gags concerning Daffy's attempts to get onto the property. Pole-vaulting and helium balloons prove to be of no avail.


Sleeping pills for the dog don't quite work and a game of fetch with dynamite turns disasterous when the dog proves to be an excellent fetcher.


Finally, Daffy meets the millionaire, only to learn that he does not want a companion for himself, but rather for his bulldog. The color drains from Daffy as his nemesis trots off with the duck in his mouth.

Daffy:1962

Directed by Art Davis, "Quackodile Tears" gives us a glimpse at Daffy's domestic life with his boisterous wife "Honey Bunch".


Daffy is emasculated by his wife by being forced to sit on an egg until it hatches. While adjusting the nest, the egg rolls away from Daffy and into a nest of crocodile eggs.


Figuring that "an egg is an egg", Daffy simply takes one to replace the one he lost. The crocodile family is none too pleased with this thievery.


The film then consists of Daffy and the crocodile snatching the egg back and forth between themselves in an attempt to return it to each of thier prospective nests.


There are interruptions from the wife ("Now pick up your face and sit on that egg!"), but the end result is that Daffy ends up with a crocodile baby and the croc ends up with a baby duck.