The Astroduck

The Astroduck is a 1966 Looney Tunes short directed by Robert McKimson.

Plot[]

Looking for a place to spend the summer in Mexico, Daffy Duck rents the cheapest house he can find, one that the renter says was owned by the emperor Maximilian. However, the house is run-down, and also occupied by Speedy Gonzales. Speedy says his family has lived there for generations. Speedy is willing to share the house, but Daffy demands he leave. He patches up the mousehole with signs stating "Keep Out!" and "Shut Up!". As Daffy looks into his toolbox, Speedy brutes his way out with his speed and slams the nails of the signs onto Daffy. Daffy then tries to smash Speedy with a mallet until Speedy hides back in his mousehole. Daffy then operates a drill inside the mousehole until the drill is misdirected back at Daffy.

Daffy hides a rifle and attempts to shoot Speedy, but he bursts a hole that Speedy jumps in. Daffy tries to plunge the rodent out, and is successful the first time, although Speedy slips off. The second time, Speedy uses a stick of dynamite, which blows up on Daffy. Daffy places a grenade inside the crawlspace, and Speedy fools Daffy by popping a paper bag, causing Daffy to peep in the hole and get blown up. Daffy then ties a stick of dynamite to a string and places it into the hole, which causes another stick of dynamite to come out of the ceiling. Predictably, both of the sticks blow up on him. Finally, he packs the entire crawlspace under the house with explosives. However, Speedy appears behind Daffy and tells him why is he blowing up his own house. As Daffy tries to dispatch the fuse, a large explosion occurs that sends the house into space with Daffy still inside. Speedy looks at the house and declares, "Well, whaddya know? We have a new astroduck!"

Availability[]

(1982) VHS
The Looney Tunes Video Show, Volume 4

(1995) VHS
Special Bumper Collection (Vol. 2)

(1996) VHS
Daffy Duck

(2003) VHS
Speedy Gonzales (2003)

(2003) VHS
Wile E Coyote & Road Runner Speedy Gonzales

Censorship[]

• On CBS, the three times Daffy is blown up, dazed and de-feathered were edited.

Notes[]

• This cartoon is a semi-remake of Friz Freleng's "The Fair Haired Hare", but with Daffy and Speedy in place of Bugs' and Yosemite Sam's roles.
• When shown on television anthology programs like The Merrie Melodies Show, the title was changed to Astro Duck, adding a space.
• MeTV+ aired a previously unreleased restored print of this cartoon on Sunday Night Cartoons. However, portions of the short, such as the beginning and the ending, are slightly sped up or cut to keep up with time restraints. When this short airs on the Toon In with Me block, the cut portions are left intact.

Gallery[]

Production cel

TV Title Cards[]

The Merrie Melodies Show