Release Date:

March 11, 1944

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A starving wolf is overjoyed to learn that the local sheepdog has joined the “WAGS”. Thinking that this flock is unprotected, the wolf heads down there for a meal only to find that the flock’s new guardian is “Killer Diller, the Wolf-Destroying Ram”. The wolf disguises as a female sheep to lure Killer away but this works way too well as the lovesick Killer now won’t stop chasing him!

That’s Not All, Folks:

The production number is 2-14, the second Looney Tune in the 14th release season.

This is Warner’s second wolf vs. sheepdog (or a ram here in this case) cartoon, following “The Sheepish Wolf”.

The name “Killer Diller” is reused from “Thugs with Dirty Mugs”.

Tashlin would do another cartoon with an animal trying to get a meal during wartime rationing of meat with “Behind the Meat Ball” (1945) where three dogs get into a fight over a steak.

While he didn’t direct this cartoon, it would serve as inspiration for several later Chuck Jones series such as Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog, Pepe Le Pew, and Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner.

The title is a pun for the name of a song, “I Got Plenty of Nothin’”.

Porky and Daffy are featured in the intro, despite not appearing.

There is a very adult gag in one scene proving these cartoons were not made for children: when Killer first sees the “female sheep” (the wolf in disguise), his horns stiffen and turn red.

“Huckleberry Duck” plays when the wolf fills his pot with water for a stew he’s preparing, “Powerhouse” plays when the wolf runs down the hill toward the flock, “The Penguin” plays when the wolf reveals it’s him after dressing up in his sheep costume, and “In an 18th Century Drawing Room” plays when the wolf applies makeup and lipstick to his costume up to the point before Killer sees the wolf in disguise.

What I Like About This One:

The newspaper’s headline: “No Meat for Wolves. Hollywood or Otherwise”.

Preparing a stew, the wolf sneakily dips his only bone in the boiling water and then quickly puts it back in the hidden compartment he was storing it in (animated by Ray Patin with Cal Dalton animating the shot of the wolf dipping the bone in the stew).

Unfortunately for the wolf, several mice drink up the stew and don’t even allow him to have the last drop (animated by Izzy Ellis).

The wolf ends up having only one pea for dinner. He slices part of it off, and listens to it fall down his empty stomach (animated by George Cannata).

After reading about the sheepdog leaving for the WAGS, the wolf starts out of his cave before going back and throwing his bone in the garbage (animated by Cannata).

The wolf jumping off the mountainside down into the flock (animated by Ellis) only to meet face to face with Killer who gives him an evil smile. The wolf brings out the newspaper again and silently reads a part he failed to notice earlier: “Sheep are now guarded by ‘Killer Diller, the wolf-destroying ram’. PS That’s Killer in front of you- you dope!!”. (animated by Arthur Davis)

Realizing he’s screwed, the wolf gives a nervous gulp and makes a run for it only to be stopped by Killer again. Killer backs the wolf into a tree stump (animated by Davis) which the wolf absentmindedly walks upward not realizing he’s in mid-air until he sees a bird fly by. The wolf lands in the stump which Killer uproots from the ground by charging at it headfirst, sending the wolf and the stump flying through the air to the tune of “She Was an Acrobat’s Daughter”. When the wolf lands, he does the “running finger across lips” bit (animated by Ellis).

Dalton’s animation of the wolf putting makeup and lipstick on his female sheep costume to the tune of “In an 18th Century Drawing Room”.

Getting an eyeful of the wolf’s sheep disguise, Killer’s horns stiffen and turn red! (animated by Davis)

As Killer does a Charles Boyer-like lover routine, the wolf’s sheep head comes off at one point and then the whole costume when the wolf attempts to club Killer! (animated by Davis)

Running out of Killer’s arms, the wolf puts his costume back on the wrong way, confusing Killer, before correcting himself and luring Killer with a dainty hop and a “come here” gesture with the costume’s tail (animated by Patin).

The wolf’s attempt to drop a safe on Killer fails when Killer just simply opens the safe and continues the romance (animated by Dalton).

When the wolf attempts to trick Killer into going into an artillery cannon, Killer just simply pulls him into said cannon with him (animated by Cannata).

Now terrified, the wolf runs off with Killer in pursuit. That night after running for quite some distance, the wolf tires out before he is caught by the lovesick Killer again. Fed up, the wolf shouts as he tears off his costume, “Ok, look you dope. Look. I’m not a sheep! I’M NOT A SHEEP! I’M A WOLF! I’M A WOLF!” But Killer doesn’t care what species (or gender!) he is. “So what? So am I!” and he howls like a wolf before continuing to chase the wolf into the distance (animated by Davis).

Where Can I Watch It?

At archive.org!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕 ½