Release Date:

September 5, 1942

Main Character(s):

Daffy Duck

Summary:

Delivery boy Daffy Duck is trying to deliver a message to someone named “Chloe” but gets a severe case of the hiccups. Upon learning that “Dr. Jerkyl” can apparently cure hiccups, he enters the doc’s spooky house where the Jerkyl transforms himself into a goony monster named “Chloe” (even though he’s clearly masculine).

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is the first Warner cartoon to spoof Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Later examples include Robert McKimson’s “The Prize Pest” (1951) as well as a trio of cartoons by Freleng: “Dr. Jerkyl’s Hide” (1954), “Hyde and Hare” (1955), and “Hyde and Go Tweet” (1960). Other cartoon series spoofed Jekyll and Hyde as well such as the Tom and Jerry cartoon “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse” (1947) and the Scooby-Doo Where Are You episode “Nowhere to Hyde” (1970).

This is the last cartoon to use the 1941-1942 Looney Tunes intro as well as the last Warner cartoon to not use the opening rings until a trio of charmingly odd one-shots from the 1960’s (“Now Hear This”, released in 1963, and “Bartholomew Versus the Wheel” and “Senorella and the Glass Huarache”, both released in 1964) which used abstract opening and closing titles that would later be used for all of the remaining Warner cartoons from late 1964 to the end of the original theatrical run in 1969.

In the credits, the crew members’ names are in their own handwriting.

Porky is again featured in the intro despite not appearing.

The restored print uses the incorrect opening theme.

What I Like About This One:

In the eerie-looking swamp, Daffy is heard calling for “Chloe”, before going frantic and trying to look for her before his hiccups begin (animated by Izzy Ellis).

Upon seeing a neon sign above Dr. Jerkyl’s house, Daffy is initially pleased to find a physician before thinking, “He can’t cure the hiccups, though”. The sign then flashes, “Oh, yes I can!” (animated by Ellis).

Dr. Jerkyl’s welcome mat being replaced with one that says “Unwelcome” along with a hairy ape-like hand squirting oil on the creaky door (animated by John Carey).

Daffy getting scared by the door shutting after he wanders into the house. He hides in a suit of armor but his uncontrollable hiccuping causes it to go to pieces (animated by Carey). A cuckoo with a Napoleon hat shushes him but then hiccups himself! (animated by Cal Dalton)

Down in his lab, Dr. Jerkyl is informed of Daffy’s presence via an intercom that tells him in Pig-Latin, “Ixnay atthay an uckday with the iccupshay!” (animated by Ellis)

A booby-trapped part of the floor propelling Daffy up to a mirror where he challenges his reflection to a fight before realizing “it’s me”. The mirror then opens up to reveal Dr. Jerkyl in its place, causing Daffy to become uneasy when Dr. Jerkyl imitates his hiccups and then hiccups when Daffy doesn’t (animated by Carey).

The floor then gives way (animated by Ellis), causing Daffy to slide down into a chair where he is strapped in place by clamps (animated by Risto).

Dr. Jerkyl’s “scare cure” fails and he ends up being startled by a hideous face Daffy makes (animated by Ellis). Dr. Jerkyl then creates a concoction (animated by Risto) that consists of DDT, moth balls, and pen ink before frothing it up in a milkshake mixer (animated by Carey). Drinking it turns him into a goony monster (animated by Dalton).

Daffy asking the monster, “Hey, where’d the little guy go, chum?” before screaming “YOW!” upon realizing who he spoke to (animated by Ellis). When the monster reveals his name as “Chloe”, Daffy reads his telegram (a happy birthday message signed by “Frank N. Stein”) intended for whoever the original Chloe was before demanding 36 cents (animated by Carey).

Daffy swinging a pot at “Chloe” and telling us, “When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly ten two” (animated by Ellis).

When the radio is accidentally turned on, “Chloe” is revealed to have a weakness for dancing when he dances to a lively orchestra on said radio (animated by Dalton).

The chase being interrupted by a radio ad for something to “stop that lazy sluggish feeling” so Daffy switches it to a horse race with an instrumental of “In the Stirrups” (animated by Carey).

Daffy distracting “Chloe” with the same orchestra from earlier (animated by Dalton), giving him time to get a bit of a formula from a DDT gun (animated by Ellis). “Chloe” corners him (animated by Risto) only for Daffy to make his move (in time to a patriotic tune; animated by Ellis) and squirt “Chloe” with the formula turning him into a baby (animated by Carey).

Daffy asks the “Chloe” baby, “Now I guess you’ll behave!”. The “Chloe” baby says “Mmm-hmm” before picking up a small mallet and saying “He don’t know me vewy well, do he?” Daffy is revealed to have a large mallet and confides, “He don’t know ME vewy well, do he?” He clobbers the “Chloe” baby offscreen to which an observing cuckoo holds up a sign saying “He dood it!” (animated by Carey).

Where Can I Watch It?

On YouTube!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕🥕🥕