| Paying the Piper | |
|---|---|
| Looney Tunes (Daffy Duck) series | |
| Directed by | Robert McKimson |
| Produced by | Edward Selzer (uncredited) |
| Story by | Warren Foster |
| Voices by | Mel Blanc, Stan Freberg |
| Music by | Carl Stalling, Milt Franklyn (uncredited) |
| Animation by | John Carey Izzy Ellis Manny Gould Thomas McKimson Rod Scribner |
| Layouts by | Cornett Wood |
| Backgrounds by | Richard H. Thomas |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 12 April 1947 (USA) |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Running time | 7 minutes |
| Language | English |
Birth of a Notion is a 1946-animated, 1947-released Looney Tunes (re-issued as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodies, with the ending theme song still being that of the Looney Tunes) cartoon featuring Daffy Duck, as well as a dog named "Leopold" and an unnamed mad scientist. Director Robert McKimson used his "Barnyard Dawg" character design as Leopold, while the scientist is a caricature (both visually and vocally) of Peter Lorre. The title is a play on Birth of a Nation but there is no other connection to that film.
Birth of a Notion is one of three shorts that had been scheduled for direction by Bob Clampett before he left Warner Bros. Cartoons; the other two were Bacall to Arms and The Goofy Gophers, both of which were finished by Arthur Davis. Mel Blanc voiced Daffy Duck, Leopold and Joe Besser Duck, while uncredited Stan Freberg voiced the mad scientist.
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Daffy is not going to fly south for the winter like other ducks. He manages to con the rather simple-witted dog, Leopold, into letting him stay for the winter by pretending to have saved Leopold's life. Unfortunately, Leopold's master is a mad scientist who needs the wishbone of a duck for his experiment.
Daffy is insulted by the scientist's requirement and tries to get rid of him, while Leopold interferes to save his master. At one point, Daffy throws a baseball bat at the scientist from behind, and Leopold grabs it but it hits him a little. The scientist misunderstands, taking the bat away and breaking it into many pieces with his bare hands, while quietly scolding Leopold before patting the terrified dog on the head and going up to bed. Daffy's assassination attempt fails and the scientist turns the tables trying to kill Daffy with numerous booby traps around the house. Meanwhile Leopold feels left out of the cartoon.
Daffy finally leaves, but the master wants a dog's wishbone, so Leopold flees as well. As Daffy tries to con his way into another house, a grey duck is already occupying the place and kicks Daffy in the sky bound for south. On his flight, he is surprised to find he has company: Leopold aided by a fan strapped to his back, is flying south too.