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Birth of a Notion is a 1947 Looney Tunes short planned by Bob Clampett and finished by Robert McKimson.

Title[]

The title is a play on The Birth of a Nation, but there is no connection to that film.

Plot[]

Daffy doesn't feel like going to the trouble of flying south for the winter like other ducks. He manages to con the rather simple-witted dog, Leopold, into letting him stay for the winter by pretending to have saved Leopold's life. Unfortunately, Leopold's master is a mad scientist who needs the wishbone of a duck for his experiment.

Daffy, understandably, is not keen on this notion, but instead of finding another place to stay, he keeps trying to get rid of the scientist, while Leopold tries to save his master's life. At one point, Daffy throws a baseball bat at the scientist from behind, and Leopold grabs it in time to keep the impact non-lethal; however, his master misunderstands, taking the bat away and breaking it into many pieces with his bare hands, while quietly intoning "Don't you know that might make me very angry, and I would do terrible, horrible things to you!" before patting a terrified Leopold on the head and saying "I'm going to bed now, Leopold."

Daffy then attempts to kill the scientist while he's sleeping. But it backfires when the scientist wakes up and starts to go after Daffy. Meanwhile, Leopold feels all too left out of the picture.

Daffy finally leaves and Leopold left after him when his master had a sudden desire for a dog's wishbone. So Daffy goes to another house, only to find another duck (with a Joe Besser-like voice and characterization) already there. That other duck kicks him into the air (the Southern way). So Daffy decides to give in and fly south, jet-propelled. On his flight, he is surprised to find he has company: Leopold, somehow aided by a fan strapped to his back, is flying south too, to flee away from his wishbone-crazed master.

Caricatures[]

Censorship[]

  • When this cartoon aired on the now-defunct The WB! channel, Daffy's attempt to stab the mad scientist in his sleep with a knife was cut.[3]

References[]


v - e - d
Daffy-Duck-short-logo
1930s
Porky's Duck HuntDaffy Duck & EggheadWhat Price PorkyPorky & DaffyThe Daffy DocDaffy Duck in HollywoodDaffy Duck and the DinosaurScalp TroubleWise QuacksNaughty Neighbors
1940s
Porky's Last StandYou Ought to Be in PicturesA Coy DecoyThe Henpecked DuckConrad the SailorDaffy's Southern ExposureThe Impatient PatientThe Daffy DuckarooMy Favorite DuckTo Duck or Not to DuckThe Wise Quacking DuckYankee Doodle DaffyPorky Pig's FeatScrap Happy DaffyA Corny ConcertoDaffy - The CommandoTom Turk and DaffyTick Tock TuckeredDuck Soup to NutsSlightly DaffyPlane DaffyThe Stupid CupidDraftee DaffyAin't That DuckyNasty QuacksBook RevueBaby BottleneckDaffy DoodlesHollywood DaffyThe Great Piggy Bank RobberyThe Birth of a NotionAlong Came DaffyA Pest in the HouseMexican JoyrideWhat Makes Daffy DuckDaffy Duck Slept HereThe Up-Standing SitterYou Were Never DuckierDaffy DillyThe Stupor SalesmanRiff Raffy DaffyWise QuackersHoliday for DrumsticksDaffy Duck Hunt
1950s
Boobs in the WoodsThe Scarlet PumpernickelHis Bitter HalfGolden YeggsThe DuckstersRabbit FireDrip-Along DaffyThe Prize PestThumb FunCracked QuackRabbit SeasoningThe Super SnooperFool CoverageDuck AmuckMuscle TussleDuck Dodgers and the 24 1/2 CenturyDuck, Rabbit, Duck!Quack ShotDesign for LeavingMy Little DuckarooBeanstalk BunnyStork NakedSahara HareThis is a Life?Dime to RetireThe High and the FlightyRocket SquadStupor DuckA Star is BoredDeduce, You SayAli Baba BunnyBoston QuackieDucking the DevilShow Biz BugsDon't Axe MeRobin Hood DaffyChina JonesApes of WrathPeople Are Bunny
1960s
Person to BunnyThe Abominable Snow RabbitDaffy's Inn TroubleQuackodile TearsGood NooseFast Buck DuckThe Million HareAqua DuckThe Iceman DuckethIt's Nice to Have a Mouse Around the HouseMoby DuckAssault and PepperedWell Worn DaffySuppressed DuckCorn on the CopTease for TwoChili Corn CornyGo Go AmigoThe AstroduckMucho LocosMexican MousepieceDaffy RentsA-Haunting We Will GoSnow ExcuseA Squeak in the DeepFeather FingerSwing Ding AmigoA Taste of CatnipDaffy's DinerQuacker TrackerThe Music Mice-TroThe Spy SwatterSpeedy Ghost to TownRodent to StardomGo Away StowawayFiesta FiascoSkyscraper CaperSee You Later, Gladiator
1970s-present
Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie GhouliesCarnival of the AnimalsDaffy Duck's Easter SpecialDaffy Duck's Thanks-for-Giving SpecialDuck Dodgers and the Return of the 24 1/2th CenturyThe DuxorcistNight of the Living Duck(Blooper) BunnyInvasion of the Bunny SnatchersCarrotblancaSuperior DuckDuck Dodgers in Attack of the DronesDaffy Duck for PresidentDaffy's Rhapsody
See Also
The Bugs Bunny ShowThe Porky Pig ShowThe Merrie Melodies ShowThe Daffy Duck Show (1978)Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic IslandTiny Toon AdventuresMerrie Melodies: Starring Bugs Bunny & FriendsDaffy Duck and the Great Paint CaperDaffy Duck: The Marvin MissionsBugs N' DaffyThe Daffy Duck Show (1996)Space JamDaffy Duck: Fowl PlayDuck Dodgers: Starring Daffy DuckBaby Looney TunesDuck Dodgers (TV series)Looney Tunes: Back in ActionBah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes ChristmasThe Looney Tunes ShowLooney Tunes: Rabbits RunNew Looney Tunes
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