Daffy Duck and Egghead



The one short that practically kicked off the Screwy Squirrel-type cartoon, "Fred" Avery's Daffy Duck and Egghead, a Merrie Melodies short from January 1, 1938, while not the first in which Daffy Duck appears, is the first one in which Daffy is named, the first one in which Elmer Fudd (or rather, a prototypical version of him named Egghead) goes hunting, and the prime example of early Daffy Duck at his daffiest. Full of great gags, a song from Daffy and perfect pacing, it's a classic short to behold.

"(to the audience, after bouncing on the surface of the pond) Ain't I some cutey? I think I'll do it again!"
 * Attention Whore: Daffy, as per usual.


 * Born in the Theatre: The infamous moment when Egghead shoots a member of the audience that was distracting him from his hunt.
 * Epic Fail: Egghead failing to shoot the apple on Daffy's head, even when it's at point blank range. See the example below.
 * Era Specific Personality: Moreso than Porky's Duck Hunt, this was the beginning of the Clampett Era Daffy in both his smallish round design and general character-type.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Was Daffy actually trying to shag that wind-up decoy duck?
 * "I Am" Song: Daffy's version of "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down".
 * Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: Egghead must have been a top graduate of the academy. To sum it up, his aim is so awful that he can't hit the apple on Daffy's head, even when Daffy is standing in front of the gun. (Amusingly, he can hit the broad side of a barn.) Upon this Epic Fail, Daffy promptly fits Egghead with dark glasses, a cup filled with pencils, and a sign that reads, "Blind."
 * Looney Tunes in the Thirties
 * Mad Hatter: When Egghead says, "That duck's crazy!" Daffy's response is "You're tellin' me!" (He subverts it later, though: "I'm not crazy, I just don't give a darn!")
 * Our Lawyers Advised This Trope: "The events and ducks depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual ducks, either living or roasted is purely co-incidental."
 * Sign Language: "T'ain't funny, McGee."
 * Screwy Squirrel: Take a wild guess.
 * Stealth Pun: Hidden behind some reeds, Egghead reaches up, pulls a cord, and the reeds fold down in slats, allowing him to see. They are, of course,.
 * The Golden Age of Animation
 * William Telling: Daffy tries to initiate this by pulling an apple out of Hammerspace and placing it on his head before Egghead takes aim.
 * Zany Cartoon