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Baby Bottleneck is a 1946 Looney Tunes short directed by Robert Clampett.

Title[]

The title is a play on "baby bottle", "bottleneck" meaning something that slows down progress and movement.

Plot[]

A massive baby boom is happening in the United States following the end of World War II; a newspaper headline reads "UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND FOR BABIES OVERWORKS STORK!" An overworked stork, who is a caricature of actor Jimmy Durante, is getting drunk in the Stork's Club, saying "I do all the woik, and the fadders get all the credit!" There is an emergency delivery in which inexperienced animals take the babies to their parents. As a result, babies are being sent to the wrong parents; another headline reads, "NATURALLY SOME SLIGHT MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE." A baby hippopotamus has been delivered to a Scottish Terrier, a baby alligator to a pig, a baby skunk to a goose, and so on.

To clear up the confusion, Porky Pig is brought in to manage the factory, with Daffy Duck as his assistant. The babies, including Tweety in a brief cameo, are going along a conveyor belt (to the tune of Raymond Scott's famous "Powerhouse") and sent by various animals via the aid of jet-powered mechanical storks which helps speeds up the baby deliveries, while Daffy mans the phones, making quick references to Bing Crosby, who had four sons, Eddie Cantor, who had five daughters and no sons, and the Dionne Quintuplets. "Mr. Dionne, puh-leeze!!", is Daffy's shocked reaction.

At first, things seem to be going smoothly until a stray egg is found without an address. Porky decides to have Daffy sit on it until it hatches, but Daffy refuses to sit around on top of an egg. Furious, Porky chases Daffy around the factory, complete with an imitation of Porky by Daffy, until they are stuck on the conveyor belt. The belt stuffs both of them into one package, with Porky as the legs and Daffy as the top half, and sends them to Africa, where a gorilla is waiting for her arrival. When the gorilla looks at the "baby," Porky peeks through the diaper, causing the gorilla to freak out and to cry on the telephone, "Mr. Anthony, I have a problem!!"

Caricatures[]

Music Cues[3][]

  • Buzz-Buzz-Buzz (Will You Be My Honey?) (music by Alice Simms)
    • Plays during the opening credits
  • Rock-a-Bye Baby (by Effie I. Canning)
    • Plays during the opening shot of the Stork's Club
  • You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby (Music by Harry Warren Lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
    • Plays when inexperienced help is being used
  • Rock-a-Bye Baby (by Effie I. Canning)
    • Plays again when baby hippo is delivered to the Scotty dog
  • Piggy Wiggy Woo (by Abel Baer, Paul Cunningham and Ira Schuster)
    • Plays during the baby alligator scene with the pigs and continues into scene with the baby cat and Mr. Mouse
  • Rock-a-Bye Baby (by Effie I. Canning)
    • Plays again during the shot of Porky in the newspaper
  • (Ho-dle-ay) Start the Day Right (by Maurice Spitalny)
    • Playswhen Daffy is answering the telephones
  • Powerhouse (by Raymond Scott)
    • Plays during the baby conveyor belt sequence
  • You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby (Music by Harry Warren Lyrics by Johnny Mercer)
    • Sung by Daffy Duck as he walks off
  • Powerhouse (by Raymond Scott)
    • Plays again when Porky and Daffy are on the conveyor belt
  • Rock-a-Bye Baby (by Effie I. Canning)
    • Plays again during the mother gorilla scene

Availability[]

Streaming[]

Censorship[]

  • The original version of the pig and alligator scene had a close up shot of the mother pig telling the baby alligator "Don't touch that dial!" This was removed before its theatrical release for being too suggestive.[4] The shot is now considered lost as the release on the Golden Collection never restored it.
  • On the Turner Entertainment "dubbed" version (except for Cartoon Network's The Bob Clampett Show where cartoons aired uncut), partially removed was the baby alligator delivered to the mother pig, so that the cut did not seem as abrupt as it is when the cartoon is unedited here. Also removed as of 2001 was the scene near the beginning of the cartoon, with the drunken stork at the Stork Club (though that was only removed on Cartoon Network versions of the short that aired outside of The Bob Clampett Show).[5]

Goofs[]

  • The muzzle of the baby dog changes multiple times between shots
    • The baby dog suddenly becomes a baby bear once the conveyor belt is reversed.
  • When Daffy talks to Porky he mouth doesn't move until the shot changes.
  • The size of Porky and Daffy's hats change between animators. Bill Melendez, Izzy Ellis, and Manny Gould draw Daffy's hat too big and Porky's hat too small, however Rod Scribner draws Porky and Daffy's hat the right size.
  • When Porky is pulling on Daffy's leg, Mel Blanc is saying Daffy's lines in Porky's voice. He even stutters briefly.
  • When Porky and Daffy have a "wild take" on the conveyor belt, the wrong cel of Daffy was placed for one frame.
  • When the machine prepares Porky and Daffy to bent sent off, for two frames, Daffy's eyes are painted incorrectly.
  • On all restored prints of this cartoon, when Porky comes out of the drum a few frames are missing when he blinks. This occurs on all restored prints of "Book Revue" as well.

Notes[]

  • This short was copyrighted on 25 December 1945.[6]
  • When Cartoon Network started airing the 1995 Turner "dubbed version" prints of the pre-1948 Looney Tunes shorts for the first time in 1997, this was the very first cartoon to air as a "dubbed version" on Cartoon Network, replacing the cartoon's a.a.p. print which had aired on the channel (as well as its older sister channels TBS and TNT) in previous years. This cartoon's mid-1990s Turner remaster first debuted on an airing of Cartoon Network's The Bugs and Daffy Show on 11 May 1997.[7]
  • Robert McKimson allegedly did some animation on this cartoon, but this remains to be unfounded.
  • Much of the backgrounds in this cartoon are simple gradients.
  • The cut line "Don't touch that dial!", was a popular slogan by the Blondie comic strip radio show, which is a reference to radio announcers tell viewers to not to touch their dial on their radio to entice viewers to stay on the station.[8] This was previously parodied in Norm McCabe's "Confusions of a Nutzy Spy".
  • During the telephone scene with Daffy, he makes reference to numerous celebrates of the time.
    • Bing Crosby had four boys by 1946, which is why Daffy tells him that his quota is used up.
    • Eddie Cantor had five girls and was desperate for a son. Daffy mocks him by saying "you say you haven't got that boy yet? Well, if at first you don't succeed..."
      • Years prior, Clampett made an entire cartoon mocking Cantor's lack of a son in "Slap Happy Pappy".
    • The Dionne quintuplets became famous for being the first quintuplets to survive infancy. The joke is that Mr. Dionne requests another set of quintuplets to Daffy shock.
  • Porky also mentions a few people while in the control room.
    • According to Michael Barrier, Roydan Stork was someone whom Clampett met on a school lot that neighbored the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio.
    • Jimmy Doo Quite-a-Little is a reference American general, Jimmy Doolittle who is famous for his raid on Tokyo on 18 April 1942.
  • A baby bird that resembles Tweety appears on the conveyor belt.
  • When the babies are burped, they literally say "burp" because it was against the Hays Code for films to feature a realistic belching sound. Another instance of this happening is in "What's Cookin' Doc?", another Bob Clampett cartoon.
  • The mother gorilla crying out the line "Mr. Anthony, I have a problem!" at the ending upon encountering the Daffy/Porky-hybrid "baby" delivered to her is a reference to John J. Anthony, who conducted a daily marital radio advice program at the time, The Goodwill Hour; its stock phrase was, "I have a problem, Mr. Anthony". This Mr. Anthony character was also referenced in "Ain't That Ducky" the previous year.
  • Vitaphone release number: 1399[9]

Gallery[]

References[]

Daffy Duck Cartoons
1937 Porky's Duck Hunt
1938 Daffy Duck & Egghead ā€¢ What Price Porky ā€¢ Porky & Daffy ā€¢ The Daffy Doc ā€¢ Daffy Duck in Hollywood
1939 Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur ā€¢ Scalp Trouble ā€¢ Wise Quacks
1940 Porky's Last Stand ā€¢ You Ought to Be in Pictures
1941 A Coy Decoy ā€¢ The Henpecked Duck
1942 Conrad the Sailor ā€¢ Daffy's Southern Exposure ā€¢ The Impatient Patient ā€¢ The Daffy Duckaroo ā€¢ My Favorite Duck
1943 To Duck .... or Not to Duck ā€¢ The Wise Quacking Duck ā€¢ Yankee Doodle Daffy ā€¢ Porky Pig's Feat ā€¢ Scrap Happy Daffy ā€¢ A Corny Concerto ā€¢ Daffy - The Commando
1944 Tom Turk and Daffy ā€¢ Tick Tock Tuckered ā€¢ Duck Soup to Nuts ā€¢ Slightly Daffy ā€¢ Plane Daffy ā€¢ The Stupid Cupid
1945 Draftee Daffy ā€¢ Ain't That Ducky ā€¢ Nasty Quacks
1946 Book Revue ā€¢ Baby Bottleneck ā€¢ Daffy Doodles ā€¢ Hollywood Daffy ā€¢ The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
1947 Birth of a Notion ā€¢ Along Came Daffy ā€¢ A Pest in the House ā€¢ Mexican Joyride
1948 What Makes Daffy Duck ā€¢ Daffy Duck Slept Here ā€¢ The Up-Standing Sitter ā€¢ You Were Never Duckier ā€¢ Daffy Dilly ā€¢ The Stupor Salesman ā€¢ Riff Raffy Daffy
1949 Wise Quackers ā€¢ Holiday for Drumsticks ā€¢ Daffy Duck Hunt
1950 Boobs in the Woods ā€¢ The Scarlet Pumpernickel ā€¢ His Bitter Half ā€¢ Golden Yeggs ā€¢ The Ducksters
1951 Rabbit Fire ā€¢ Drip-Along Daffy ā€¢ The Prize Pest
1952 Thumb Fun ā€¢ Cracked Quack ā€¢ Rabbit Seasoning ā€¢ The Super Snooper ā€¢ Fool Coverage
1953 Duck Amuck ā€¢ Muscle Tussle ā€¢ Duck Dodgers in the 24Ā½th Century ā€¢ Duck! Rabbit, Duck!
1954 Design for Leaving ā€¢ Quack Shot ā€¢ My Little Duckaroo
1955 Beanstalk Bunny ā€¢ Sahara Hare ā€¢ Stork Naked ā€¢ This Is a Life? ā€¢ Dime to Retire
1956 The High and the Flighty ā€¢ Rocket Squad ā€¢ Stupor Duck ā€¢ A Star Is Bored ā€¢ Deduce, You Say
1957 Ali Baba Bunny ā€¢ Boston Quackie ā€¢ Ducking the Devil ā€¢ Show Biz Bugs
1958 Don't Axe Me ā€¢ Robin Hood Daffy
1959 China Jones ā€¢ People Are Bunny ā€¢ Apes of Wrath
1960 Person to Bunny
1961 The Abominable Snow Rabbit ā€¢ Daffy's Inn Trouble
1962 Quackodile Tears ā€¢ Good Noose
1963 Fast Buck Duck ā€¢ The Million Hare ā€¢ Aqua Duck
1964 The Iceman Ducketh
1965 It's Nice to Have a Mouse Around the House ā€¢ Moby Duck ā€¢ Assault and Peppered ā€¢ Well Worn Daffy ā€¢ Suppressed Duck ā€¢ Corn on the Cop ā€¢ Tease for Two ā€¢ Chili Corn Corny ā€¢ Go Go Amigo
1966 The Astroduck ā€¢ Mucho Locos ā€¢ Mexican Mousepiece ā€¢ Daffy Rents ā€¢ A-Haunting We Will Go ā€¢ Snow Excuse ā€¢ A Squeak in the Deep ā€¢ Feather Finger ā€¢ Swing Ding Amigo ā€¢ A Taste of Catnip
1967 Daffy's Diner ā€¢ Quacker Tracker ā€¢ The Music Mice-Tro ā€¢ The Spy Swatter ā€¢ Speedy Ghost to Town ā€¢ Rodent to Stardom ā€¢ Go Away Stowaway ā€¢ Fiesta Fiasco
1968 Skyscraper Caper ā€¢ See Ya Later Gladiator
1980 The Yolks on You ā€¢ The Chocolate Chase ā€¢ Daffy Flies North ā€¢ Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24Ā½th Century
1987 The Duxorcist
1988 The Night of the Living Duck
1990 Box Office Bunny
1991 (Blooper) Bunny
1992 Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers
1995 Carrotblanca
1996 Superior Duck
2003 Attack of the Drones
2004 Daffy Duck for President
2012 Daffy's Rhapsody
Porky Pig Cartoons
1935 I Haven't Got a Hat ā€¢ Gold Diggers of '49
1936 Plane Dippy ā€¢ Alpine Antics ā€¢ The Phantom Ship ā€¢ Boom Boom ā€¢ The Blow Out ā€¢ Westward Whoa ā€¢ Fish Tales ā€¢ Shanghaied Shipmates ā€¢ Porky's Pet ā€¢ Porky the Rain-Maker ā€¢ Porky's Poultry Plant ā€¢ Porky's Moving Day ā€¢ Milk and Money ā€¢ Little Beau Porky ā€¢ The Village Smithy ā€¢ Porky in the North Woods ā€¢ Boulevardier from the Bronx
1937 Porky the Wrestler ā€¢ Porky's Road Race ā€¢ Picador Porky ā€¢ Porky's Romance ā€¢ Porky's Duck Hunt ā€¢ Porky and Gabby ā€¢ Porky's Building ā€¢ Porky's Super Service ā€¢ Porky's Badtime Story ā€¢ Porky's Railroad ā€¢ Get Rich Quick Porky ā€¢ Porky's Garden ā€¢ Rover's Rival ā€¢ The Case of the Stuttering Pig ā€¢ Porky's Double Trouble ā€¢ Porky's Hero Agency
1938 Porky's Poppa ā€¢ Porky at the Crocadero ā€¢ What Price Porky ā€¢ Porky's Phoney Express ā€¢ Porky's Five & Ten ā€¢ Porky's Hare Hunt ā€¢ Injun Trouble ā€¢ Porky the Fireman ā€¢ Porky's Party ā€¢ Porky's Spring Planting ā€¢ Porky & Daffy ā€¢ Wholly Smoke ā€¢ Porky in Wackyland ā€¢ Porky's Naughty Nephew ā€¢ Porky in Egypt ā€¢ The Daffy Doc ā€¢ Porky the Gob
1939 The Lone Stranger and Porky ā€¢ It's an Ill Wind ā€¢ Porky's Tire Trouble ā€¢ Porky's Movie Mystery ā€¢ Chicken Jitters ā€¢ Porky and Teabiscuit ā€¢ Kristopher Kolumbus Jr. ā€¢ Polar Pals ā€¢ Scalp Trouble ā€¢ Old Glory ā€¢ Porky's Picnic ā€¢ Wise Quacks ā€¢ Porky's Hotel ā€¢ Jeepers Creepers ā€¢ Naughty Neighbors ā€¢ Pied Piper Porky ā€¢ Porky the Giant Killer ā€¢ The Film Fan
1940 Porky's Last Stand ā€¢ Africa Squeaks ā€¢ Ali-Baba Bound ā€¢ Pilgrim Porky ā€¢ Slap Happy Pappy ā€¢ Porky's Poor Fish ā€¢ You Ought to Be in Pictures ā€¢ The Chewin' Bruin ā€¢ Porky's Baseball Broadcast ā€¢ Patient Porky ā€¢ Calling Dr. Porky ā€¢ Prehistoric Porky ā€¢ The Sour Puss ā€¢ Porky's Hired Hand ā€¢ The Timid Toreador
1941 Porky's Snooze Reel ā€¢ Porky's Bear Facts ā€¢ Porky's Preview ā€¢ Porky's Ant ā€¢ A Coy Decoy ā€¢ Porky's Prize Pony ā€¢ Meet John Doughboy ā€¢ We, the Animals - Squeak! ā€¢ The Henpecked Duck ā€¢ Notes to You ā€¢ Robinson Crusoe Jr. ā€¢ Porky's Midnight Matinee ā€¢ Porky's Pooch
1942 Porky's Pastry Pirates ā€¢ Who's Who in the Zoo ā€¢ Porky's Cafe ā€¢ Any Bonds Today? ā€¢ My Favorite Duck
1943 Confusions of a Nutzy Spy ā€¢ Yankee Doodle Daffy ā€¢ Porky Pig's Feat ā€¢ A Corny Concerto
1944 Tom Turk and Daffy ā€¢ Tick Tock Tuckered ā€¢ Swooner Crooner ā€¢ Duck Soup to Nuts ā€¢ Slightly Daffy ā€¢ Brother Brat
1945 Trap Happy Porky ā€¢ Wagon Heels
1946 Baby Bottleneck ā€¢ Daffy Doodles ā€¢ Kitty Kornered ā€¢ The Great Piggy Bank Robbery ā€¢ Mouse Menace
1947 One Meat Brawl ā€¢ Little Orphan Airedale
1948 Daffy Duck Slept Here ā€¢ Nothing but the Tooth ā€¢ The Pest That Came to Dinner ā€¢ Riff Raffy Daffy ā€¢ Scaredy Cat
1949 Awful Orphan ā€¢ Porky Chops ā€¢ Paying the Piper ā€¢ Daffy Duck Hunt ā€¢ Curtain Razor ā€¢ Often an Orphan ā€¢ Dough for the Do-Do ā€¢ Bye, Bye Bluebeard
1950 Boobs in the Woods ā€¢ The Scarlet Pumpernickel ā€¢ An Egg Scramble ā€¢ Golden Yeggs ā€¢ The Ducksters ā€¢ Dog Collared
1951 The Wearing of the Grin ā€¢ Drip-Along Daffy ā€¢ The Prize Pest
1952 Thumb Fun ā€¢ Cracked Quack ā€¢ Fool Coverage
1953 Duck Dodgers in the 24Ā½th Century
1954 Claws for Alarm ā€¢ My Little Duckaroo
1955 Jumpin' Jupiter ā€¢ Dime to Retire
1956 Rocket Squad ā€¢ Deduce, You Say
1957 Boston Quackie
1958 Robin Hood Daffy
1959 China Jones
1961 Daffy's Inn Trouble
1965 Corn on the Cop
1966 Mucho Locos
1980 Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24Ā½th Century
1996 Superior Duck
2004 My Generation G...G... Gap
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