Often an Orphan is a 1949 Merrie Melodies short directed by Chuck Jones.
Plot
A car drives up near a farm for a picnic, and a man comes out, with Charlie the dog coming out shortly after him. The man throws a stick, and when Charlie is off getting it, the man packs up and leaves in his car, deliberately leaving the dog behind. After Charlie is dumped, he tries various tricks to attract new owners from the people driving along the road. After three failures in various ways, he hears Porky Pig singing and decides to go talk to him. He annoys Porky though as he says he is fifty percent various dogs but is mostly a Labrador Retriever. He eventually drives Porky crazy and is kicked off his property. A series of gags then ensues with Charlie trying to become Porky's dog, with them all failing until Porky is about to kick Charlie out but is stopped by a nearby humane society worker, who is spying on Porky. Not wanting to get in trouble with the law, Porky then sings "Rock-a-bye Baby" as he carries Charlie back to the house. After the Humane Society worker leaves, a livid Porky demands that Charlie leave, but Charlie breaks down in tears, begging that he always wanted to live in the country, as he frantically describes his traumatic city experience.
Porky finally feels sorry for Charlie and then seemingly accepts him as a pet. However, it's revealed to be a trick, as he puts the dog in a "sleeping bag" (which is actually a golf bag) which he promptly shuts and, cackling evilly, sends Charlie off to Scotland in it. However, when Porky returns, Charlie is there in Scottish attire complete with a bagpipe and he eventually drives Porky into accepting him as a pet with the bagpipe's annoying music. Porky promptly suggests a picnic afterwards and he decides to head to the middle of a desert to do it. As Porky unpacks the food and calls Charlie out to catch the stick he has, Charlie comes running out. Porky proceeds to throw the stick and Charlie runs to the car instead of going after the stick and drives off, deliberately leaving Porky behind. Porky then becomes angry and starts going crazy, acting like a dog and is picked up by the county dog catcher, who picks him up and puts him in the back with the other dogs where he barks with them.
Availability
Cartoon Classics... in Color Volume 11
Porky Pig's Screwball Comedies
Porky Pig's Screwball Comedies
Ham on Wry: The Porky Pig Laser Collection
Looney Tunes Collection - Porky Pig
Looney Tunes: The Collectors Edition Volume 2: Running Amuck
Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6, Disc One
Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection: Volume 6, Disc 1
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s Volume 1, Disc 1 (as a part of The Porky Pig Show, without the opening and closing titles)
Streaming
Notes
- The cartoon was reissued in the 1959-60 season, evident from WARNER BROS without a dot on the BR opening. The opening AND ending are replaced, because most of the cartoons reissued in the 1959-64 season had both replaced.
- The opening was originally special, but the cartoon's original title was replaced when it was reissued in the 1959-64 season.
Gallery
