Release Date:

June 14, 1947

Main Character(s):

Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam

Summary:

Yosemite Sam and his black-bearded twin are starving hermits in a desolate cabin in the Arctic. They begin to consider eating each other, before cookbook salesman Daffy Duck enters. Deciding on a roast duck dinner, the Sams chase Daffy all around the cabin.

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 1019 and was released as a Looney Tune.

The cartoon was given a Blue Ribbon reissue. “I’d Be Lost Without You” played under the opening credits:

Story: Michael Maltese and Tedd Pierce

Animation: Manuel Perez, Ken Champin, Gerry Chiniquy, and Virgil Ross

Layouts: Hawley Pratt

Backgrounds: Philip DeGuard

Voice Characterizations: Mel Blanc

Musical Direction: Carl Stalling

Directed by I. Freleng

This is the second appearance of Yosemite Sam, and one of only two times he appears in a non-Bugs Bunny cartoon. The other is Sam’s lone solo cartoon, “Honey’s Money” (1962), where he marries a rich widow for her money only to find out she’s a battle-ax and that he is to babysit his new stepson, a giant child named Wentworth.

This is the only time that Sam chased Daffy. While they would interact in “This Is a Life” (1955) and “A Star is Bored”, those cartoons are more centered on Daffy’s rivalry with Bugs. Interestingly, in a sadly now removed app called “Looney Tunes Dash” (2014-2018), which is similar to “Subway Surfer”, where you would play as either Bugs Bunny, the Roadrunner, Tweety, Daffy Duck, Taz, or Speedy Gonzales, the Daffy levels had him being chased by Sam.

At one point, Daffy says, “What’s cookin’, doc?”, which is of course a reference to Bugs. He had previously said this in “The Impatient Patient”, albeit as “Hey, doc, what’s cookin’?”

The cartoon was originally going to be put on the Looney Tunes Super Stars Daffy Duck Frustrated Fowl DVD set in 2010, before being reconsidered. It was later restored for HBO Max in 2020, with the same restored print later appearing on the Looney Tunes Collector’s Choice Volume 4 Blu-ray set in 2024.

This is the first cartoon to use the 1947-1948 red rings with the blue background.

The restored print uses the incorrect ending theme.

What I Like About This One:

A mouse who also lives in the cabin is so desperate that he eats a piece of paper with a picture of cheese on it that’s in the mousetrap. When he hiccups, however, confetti inexplicably comes out of his mouth (animated by Ken Champin).

At the table, Sam watches Black Beard pacing back and forth and begins to imagine his legs as turkey legs. Seeing Sam coming towards him with cutlery, Black Beard does the same and imagines Sam as a large sandwich. Sam accidentally kicks a can that hits the wall and rolls out a pea (animated by Gerry Chiniquy). The mouse dresses up like a basketball player, dribbles the pea while avoiding the Sams trying to catch him, and has it land in his mouth like a goal (animated by Champin).

Trying to catch the mouse, Black Beard is accidentally pushed into the mouse hole by Sam. Black Beard in turn punches him and they start fighting before they hear a knock on the door. It’s Daffy, who asks if he can interest them with his new super deluxe cookbook. Sam rudely declines the offer, and walks back to continue the fight, but his peanut brain cell beeps to him in Morse code, “Hey, dope! You just passed up a duck dinner!” (animated by Chiniquy)

Realizing this, the Sams welcome Daffy in as Sam dusts off the oven and prepares it. Not yet realizing he’s intended to be the meal, Daffy tells them to not bother fixing anything for him, as he had just finished lunch (animated by Chiniquy). He begins to offer them, “Bassinet of Baby Borscht with Sour Cream”, but Black Beard isn’t interested in that and flips to what he and Sam are interested in: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, but what does it say about roast duck?” Daffy flips to it and absentmindedly reads out the instructions for prepping roast duck and is very spooked about the part: “lopping off his head and feet” to which his pupils shrink. He then tries to change the subject by talking about soups, but it requires diced duck which causes Daffy to turn white in fear. Figuring they can’t slip a duck into a recipe for ice cream, he finds that “Sundae Delight Supreme” is “sprinkled profusely with crushed duck” (animated by Champin).

Daffy requests they open the door as it’s stuffy. Black Beard does so as Daffy walks slowly towards it and attempts to run out, but Black Beard catches him in a pan. Producing a “Yipe!” sign, Daffy jumps out (animated by Virgil Ross), but Sam starts trying to pour salt and pepper on his body as Daffy tries to mention that his company has authorized him to do something (animated by Champin).

Black Beard chases Daffy while plucking out his tail feathers (animated by Champin). Daffy runs into the attic and shuts the door on Black Beard who bounces backward down the stairs. Daffy finds that Sam is also in the attic with his cutlery (animated by Manuel Perez).

With Sam chasing Daffy out of the attic, Black Beard attempts to wait for them so he can hit Daffy with a club. However, Daffy stops and Sam skids into the room, resulting in Black Beard pulling off Sam’s hair and clothes and beginning to cook him instead! He only realizes his mistake when Daffy asks him, “Eh, what’s cookin’, doc?”. Black Beard opens the oven to find a hairless and clothes-less Sam doing the “running finger across lips” bit and basting himself (animated by Perez).

Bringing out his gun, Black Beard pursues Daffy (animated by Perez), who again tries to explain about his company authorizing him before running into another room (animated by Champin). Noticing several duck decoys that look like him, Daffy preps them all to hop around hoo-hooing. Black Beard shoots them all, until only the real Daffy remains, hoo-hooing nervously. He gets shot as well, making him look like he’s wearing a bikini (animated by Perez).

The Sams finally manage to get Daffy in the oven (animated by Perez), but Daffy pops his head out and tells them, “I suppose it would be utterly futile at this point that my company has authorized me to give away absolutely free, a complete six-course turkey dinner”. Both Sams are elated at this, as Daffy presents it to them and leaves, explaining that the “Classy Cut Knish Catering Company made it possible” (animated by Ross).

Before they can dig in, several mice come out of the wall, and eat it all (animated by Ross). Daffy soon returns, offering after dinner mints. He is pulled back in and realizes, “Well, here we go again!” (animated by Perez)

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕