Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century

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Airdate:
25 July 1953

Series:

Merrie Melodies

MPAA Number:	Production Number:
15464	1264

Copyright Renewed:

15 January 1980

Starring:

Daffy Duck as Duck Dodgers
Porky Pig as Eager Young Space Cadet
Marvin the Martian
Dr. I.Q. Hi

Crew

"Oops! Had the silly thing in reverse!"

Duck Dodgers in the 24½^th Century is a 1953 Merrie Melodies short directed by Chuck Jones.

Plot

Duck Dodgers must search for the rare element Illudium Phosdex, "the shaving cream atom." The only remaining supply of the element is on the mysterious "Planet X", which fortunately is found when Dodgers follows a path of planets shaped like letters, leading from Planet A to Planets B, C, D, and so on until he reaches Planet X. Dodgers is about to claim Planet X in the name of the Earth when Marvin the Martian, in a ship called the Martian Maggot, lands on the same planet and claims it in the name of Mars.

Porky Pig is the "Eager Young Space Cadet." The planet that Duck Dodgers and Marvin the Martian fight over is destroyed, and the remaining area claimed by Daffy at the end is barely large enough for him to stand upon. The dismissive attitude to Dodgers' pyrrhic victory is epitomized by Porky's cynical response to his boss's overblown proclamation, "B-B-Big deal."

Availability

Streaming

Sequels

Main article: Duck Dodgers

Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century (1980 in Daffy Duck's Thanks-for-Giving Special, then reformatted into a separate short with parts cut for time)
Tiny Toon Adventures: "Duck Dodgers Jr.", segment in the episode "The Return of the Acme Acres Zone" (1990)
Marvin the Martian in the Third Dimension (1996), a 3D cartoon
Attack of the Drones (2003)
Duck Dodgers (TV series) (2003-2005)

Notes

This is the first appearance of Duck Dodgers and Space Cadet.
In 1994, it was voted #4 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field. In 2004, it was retrospectively awarded a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.^[1]
This cartoon was used in The Bugs Bunny Road-Runner Movie and clips of this cartoon were used in Bugs Bunny's Lunar Tunes.
In the sci-fi series Babylon 5, the character of Michael Garibaldi is a fan of Daffy Duck, and describes "Duck Dodgers" as his "second favorite thing in the universe". In the episode "Midnight on the Firing Line", Garibaldi looks for someone to share it with, and eventually watches the cartoon with Ambassador Delenn.
When the main character of the science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) wakes up, after trying all night to make contact with the aliens, his daughter is watching "Duck Dodgers".
Considering the period in which the cartoon was produced (the Second Red Scare was in full swing during the 1950s era), some scholars have used the cartoon to parallel the futility of the Cold War and the arms race.
Only Golden Age cartoon to feature Marvin the Martian not paired with Bugs Bunny.
The surface of Planet X is used for Rad's home planet of the same name in O.K. KO Let's Be Heroes.

Music

In the old French language dub, although this cartoon is a Merrie Melodies green-yellow rings, red background and red shield short, it uses the 1955-1964 Looney Tunes closing theme.

Gallery

TV Title Cards

References

↑ https://mubi.com/lists/the-50-greatest-cartoons-as-selected-by-1000-animation-professionals

External Links

"Duck Dodgers" at Big Cartoon Database
In His Own Words: Chuck Jones on Duck Dodgers by Jim Korkis at cartoonresearch.com
"Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century at the SFX Resource Wiki
"Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century" at B98

Daffy Duck Cartoons
1937	Porky's Duck Hunt
1938	Daffy Duck & Egghead • What Price Porky • Porky & Daffy • The Daffy Doc • Daffy Duck in Hollywood
1939	Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur • Scalp Trouble • Wise Quacks • Naughty Neighbors
1940	Porky's Last Stand • You Ought to Be in Pictures
1941	A Coy Decoy • The Henpecked Duck
1942	Conrad the Sailor • Daffy's Southern Exposure • The Impatient Patient • The Daffy Duckaroo • My Favorite Duck
1943	To Duck .... or Not to Duck • The Wise Quacking Duck • Yankee Doodle Daffy • Porky Pig's Feat • Scrap Happy Daffy • A Corny Concerto • Daffy - The Commando
1944	Tom Turk and Daffy • Tick Tock Tuckered • Duck Soup to Nuts • Slightly Daffy • Plane Daffy • The Stupid Cupid
1945	Draftee Daffy • Ain't That Ducky • Nasty Quacks
1946	Book Revue • Baby Bottleneck • Daffy Doodles • Hollywood Daffy • The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
1947	Birth of a Notion • Along Came Daffy • A Pest in the House • Mexican Joyride
1948	What Makes Daffy Duck • Daffy Duck Slept Here • The Up-Standing Sitter • You Were Never Duckier • Daffy Dilly • The Stupor Salesman • Riff Raffy Daffy
1949	Wise Quackers • Holiday for Drumsticks • Daffy Duck Hunt
1950	Boobs in the Woods • The Scarlet Pumpernickel • His Bitter Half • Golden Yeggs • The Ducksters
1951	Rabbit Fire • Drip-Along Daffy • The Prize Pest
1952	Thumb Fun • Cracked Quack • Rabbit Seasoning • The Super Snooper • Fool Coverage
1953	Duck Amuck • Muscle Tussle • Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century • Duck! Rabbit, Duck!
1954	Design for Leaving • Quack Shot • My Little Duckaroo
1955	Beanstalk Bunny • Sahara Hare • Stork Naked • This Is a Life? • Dime to Retire
1956	The High and the Flighty • Rocket Squad • Stupor Duck • A Star Is Bored • Deduce, You Say
1957	Ali Baba Bunny • Boston Quackie • Ducking the Devil • Show Biz Bugs
1958	Don't Axe Me • Robin Hood Daffy
1959	China Jones • People Are Bunny • Apes of Wrath
1960	Person to Bunny
1961	The Abominable Snow Rabbit • Daffy's Inn Trouble
1962	Quackodile Tears • Good Noose
1963	Fast Buck Duck • The Million Hare • Aqua Duck
1964	The Iceman Ducketh
1965	It's Nice to Have a Mouse Around the House • Moby Duck • Assault and Peppered • Well Worn Daffy • Suppressed Duck • Corn on the Cop • Tease for Two • Chili Corn Corny • Go Go Amigo
1966	The Astroduck • Mucho Locos • Mexican Mousepiece • Daffy Rents • A-Haunting We Will Go • Snow Excuse • A Squeak in the Deep • Feather Finger • Swing Ding Amigo • A Taste of Catnip
1967	Daffy's Diner • Quacker Tracker • The Music Mice-Tro • The Spy Swatter • Speedy Ghost to Town • Rodent to Stardom • Go Away Stowaway • Fiesta Fiasco
1968	Skyscraper Caper • See Ya Later Gladiator
1980	The Yolks on You • The Chocolate Chase • Daffy Flies North • Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th 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 • Gold Diggers of '49
1936	Plane Dippy • Alpine Antics • The Phantom Ship • Boom Boom • The Blow Out • Westward Whoa • Fish Tales • Shanghaied Shipmates • Porky's Pet • Porky the Rain-Maker • Porky's Poultry Plant • Porky's Moving Day • Milk and Money • Little Beau Porky • The Village Smithy • Porky in the North Woods • Boulevardier from the Bronx
1937	Porky the Wrestler • Porky's Road Race • Picador Porky • Porky's Romance • Porky's Duck Hunt • Porky and Gabby • Porky's Building • Porky's Super Service • Porky's Badtime Story • Porky's Railroad • Get Rich Quick Porky • Porky's Garden • Rover's Rival • The Case of the Stuttering Pig • Porky's Double Trouble • Porky's Hero Agency
1938	Porky's Poppa • Porky at the Crocadero • What Price Porky • Porky's Phoney Express • Porky's Five & Ten • Porky's Hare Hunt • Injun Trouble • Porky the Fireman • Porky's Party • Porky's Spring Planting • Porky & Daffy • Wholly Smoke • Porky in Wackyland • Porky's Naughty Nephew • Porky in Egypt • The Daffy Doc • Porky the Gob
1939	The Lone Stranger and Porky • It's an Ill Wind • Porky's Tire Trouble • Porky's Movie Mystery • Chicken Jitters • Porky and Teabiscuit • Kristopher Kolumbus Jr. • Polar Pals • Scalp Trouble • Old Glory • Porky's Picnic • Wise Quacks • Porky's Hotel • Jeepers Creepers • Naughty Neighbors • Pied Piper Porky • Porky the Giant Killer • The Film Fan
1940	Porky's Last Stand • Africa Squeaks • Ali-Baba Bound • Pilgrim Porky • Slap Happy Pappy • Porky's Poor Fish • You Ought to Be in Pictures • The Chewin' Bruin • Porky's Baseball Broadcast • Patient Porky • Calling Dr. Porky • Prehistoric Porky • The Sour Puss • Porky's Hired Hand • The Timid Toreador
1941	Porky's Snooze Reel • Porky's Bear Facts • Porky's Preview • Porky's Ant • A Coy Decoy • Porky's Prize Pony • Meet John Doughboy • We, the Animals - Squeak! • The Henpecked Duck • Notes to You • Robinson Crusoe Jr. • Porky's Midnight Matinee • Porky's Pooch
1942	Porky's Pastry Pirates • Who's Who in the Zoo • Porky's Cafe • My Favorite Duck
1943	Confusions of a Nutzy Spy • Yankee Doodle Daffy • Porky Pig's Feat • A Corny Concerto
1944	Tom Turk and Daffy • Tick Tock Tuckered • Swooner Crooner • Duck Soup to Nuts • Slightly Daffy • Brother Brat
1945	Trap Happy Porky • Wagon Heels
1946	Baby Bottleneck • Daffy Doodles • Kitty Kornered • The Great Piggy Bank Robbery • Mouse Menace
1947	One Meat Brawl • Little Orphan Airedale
1948	Daffy Duck Slept Here • Nothing but the Tooth • The Pest That Came to Dinner • Riff Raffy Daffy • Scaredy Cat
1949	Awful Orphan • Porky Chops • Paying the Piper • Daffy Duck Hunt • Curtain Razor • Often an Orphan • Dough for the Do-Do • Bye, Bye Bluebeard
1950	Boobs in the Woods • The Scarlet Pumpernickel • An Egg Scramble • Golden Yeggs • The Ducksters • Dog Collared
1951	The Wearing of the Grin • Drip-Along Daffy • The Prize Pest
1952	Thumb Fun • Cracked Quack • Fool Coverage
1953	Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century
1954	Claws for Alarm • My Little Duckaroo
1955	Jumpin' Jupiter • Dime to Retire
1956	Rocket Squad • 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 24½th Century
1996	Superior Duck
2004	My Generation G...G... Gap

[1] ttps://mubi.com/lists/the-50-greatest-cartoons-as-selected-by-1000-animation-professionals

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