KEY CREW BEHIND THE STAR: Friz Freleng (originator), Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Jack King, Frank Tashlin (directors), Michael Maltese, Warren Foster (writers)

CAREER HIGH: WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988) which once again demonstrated that all Porky Pig needs is his one famous line to bring a smile of recognition and affection from the audience.

Porky Pig was one of Warner's first big Cartoon Superstars. He was the first talking star to really emphasize a speech impediment, stuttering. (Donald Duck does appear earlier, but talking like a duck is not a speech impediment.) His declaration of "Th-th-th-at's All Folks" at the end of the Warners cartoons became a universal icon for theatrical cartoons. (Spielberg insisted upon using it to end his homage to the animated cartoon, 1988's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?)

However, despite his popularity, Porky never seemed to find that one special role or film where he didn't have to share the spotlight. For some reason, Porky was always being put into a team. From his earliest days when he was teamed with Ham and/or Beans he went through a number of partners. Gabby the Goat, Daffy Duck, Charlie Dog, Sylvester and others were his partners at various times. Sometimes he was top billed, sometimes not. If it weren't for the fact that he ended a majority of the Warner's shorts with his immortal, "Th-th-th-at's All, Folks," he might not be considered any more important than an Elmer or Yosemite Sam.

The key difference between Porky and other foils is that Porky was not the aggressor. In most instances he was more of an innocent bystander and voyeur. He was the quiet, average, well meaning everyman. The world that Porky lived in was full of wild, crazy characters and happenings. As hotel managers fumed, aliens ran wild and house-hold chores became hazardous, Porky remained the calm center of the raging tornado of events.

Porky was also fairly smart and more often than not realized the futility of the situation. However, he often found himself swept up by fast moving events which didn't allow time for his more deliberate thinking. In many ways he predated the "sane man in an insane world" motif found in such popular characters as the original Captain Marvel, Mary Richards (THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW) and Dick Louden (NEWHART).

This "average" persona made Porky much more easily domesticated. In fact, he was the most domesticated of the key Warners stars. He was frequently seen as a home owner, often with pets. He was often a legitimate business man, beset by the scams and schemes of con men like a Daffy Duck.

This Warner's superstar also actually had a girl friend for a period of time. Petunia Pig appeared in a number of shorts starting with PORKY'S ROMANCE (1937), directed by Frank Tashlin. She disappeared from animation after a few years, but continued on in the comics.

Porky has had a number of character conversions over the years. It might be said that Porky grew up in cartoons. He began his cartoon career as a youth in school. His next short featured him a grown man with a daughter. A few shorts later, he was young again! He had a father and the two lived on a farm. It was all very rural and domestic. Then once again, he was a grown pig of the world, showing up almost anyplace.

His size ballooned to enornous extremes before settling on his now familiar chubbiness. Although he wore many costumes over the years, he is best remembered as being attired in a bowtie and coat, but no pants.

Like Daffy, Porky might be considered more a cartoon actor than a personality. He could be calm and collected, aggressive and angry, the leader or follower. It almost always depended on who was starring with him at the time.

Without complaint, he endured a great deal of abuse. Like many of the great live action supporting stars of the Thirties and Forties, Porky's presence always added significantly to the films he appeared in.

LIFE BEGINS FOR PORKY PIG

In 1935 Warners debuted a short similar to the live action "Our Gang" comedies featuring a cast of young animals, I HAVEN'T GOT A HAT. It was directed by Friz Freleng. The animal kids got up in front of the class to perform. Ham and Ex (a pair of pups) sang the title song. Oliver (an owl) played the piano, etc. However the first student was a big, fat, nervous pig. He stuttered as he recited "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" that mysteriously transformed into "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Even though he had the least to do through the entire film, Several key Warner figures thought this Pig had possibilities. These people included a new director, Tex Avery, and three animators, Robert Cannon, Bob Clampett and Chuck Jones.

Avery was so taken with the character's possibilities, he was able to convince supervisor Leon Schlesinger to okay future work on the Pig. GOLDDIGGERS OF '49 (1935) was Avery's first Porky film. It featured some of the speed that usually characterized Avery's work. It still portrayed Porky as an oversized hog willing to trade his daughter in marriage (to Beans, from I HAVEN'T GOT A HAT) for food. Porky remained an adult for BOOM BOOM (1936) where he portrayed a soldier, once again co-starring with Beans. This short was director Jack King's first Porky short. (King would later be one of the main directors of Donald Duck shorts.)

King, Avery, and later Frank Tashlin took turns on the Porky shorts of 1936 and the Pig's age varied. He's a youth wanting to join the air corp in Avery's PLANE DIPPY (1936). He's more adult when he is forced to join a ship's crew in King's SHANGHAID SHIPMATES (1936). In Avery's PORKY THE RAINMAKER (1936) he's the young son of Farmer Pig who helps end a drought.

At any age, Porky seemed to inspire the crew. Fourteen Porky Pig shorts were released in 1936, alone! 1937 found another 16 come out, and 17 films starred Porky in 1938! In these developmental years, Porky's shorts were as varied as his ages.

MILK AND MONEY (1936), a melodrama spoof directed by Avery, has Porky trying to save the farm by entering a horse race. Thanks to a pesky horsefly, Porky wins! PORKY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE (1937), directed by Frank Tashlin, finds Porky, a bank teller, at odds with the law. A gangster, who looks like Porky, kidnaps the famous ham and replaces him at the bank for a robbery. Luckily Petunia Pig can tell the difference by kissing each one. (After identifying which one is Porky, she then goes off with the gangster!) PORKY AT THE CROCADERO (1938), directed by Tashlin and written by Lew Landsman, has Porky as a hopeful band leader. He gets a job at a restaurant where the band leaders he idolizes are to play. When the leaders don't show, Porky gets his big break.

One of the key Porky shorts was 1937's PORKY'S DUCK HUNT. It not only introduced one of his main co-stars, Daffy Duck, it also set the pace for what Warners cartoons would become. Tex Avery directed the film and infused it with the most lunacy seen in a Warners short to date. It was also somewhat of a beginning of the end for Porky. After two years of popularity and finally beginning to star in shorts on his own, Porky was to be eclipsed by the second of Warners triumvirate. (PORKY'S HARE HUNT, a year later in 1938, again finds Porky hunting an insane antagonist. It introduced the prototype for Bugs Bunny, who would become the third of Warner's Superstar trio.)

PORKY AND DAFFY

Daffy would end up being as important to Porky as any live action comedy team partner. The two seemed a natural team-up no matter who was handling them. Daffy's manic behavior was almost always the perfect antithesis of Porky's more hesitating, cautious demeanor.

Many of Porky's best shorts feature Daffy. PORKY PIG'S FEAT (1943), directed by Tashlin and written by Melvin Millar, is a hilarious battle of wits as Porky and Daffy try to sneak out of a hotel room without paying. Poor Porky is stuck in the middle as Daffy's plans become wilder and wilder. For the first time the Warners' Trio appear in the same short as Daffy and Porky phone Bugs Bunny for advice. Amazingly, they find out he's stuck in the same hotel having also tried the same wacky plans.

In fact, it seems as if Porky is always having to share with Daffy. In DAFFY DUCK SLEPT HERE (1948), directed by Robert McKimson and written by Warren Foster, Porky tries to spend the night in the same room with Daffy and his friend "Hymie," an invisible kangaroo. THUMB FUN (1952), directed by McKimson and written by Tedd Pierce, has Daffy the hitchhiker riding with Porky to Miami. Daffy overstuffs the car trunk and eventually gets Porky in trouble with the law.

Then there are the times that Daffy just seems intent on irritating "chubby." YOU OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES (1940), directed by Friz Freleng and written by Jack Millar, has Daffy convince Porky to quit his job at Warners. As Porky tries to make it in the real world of movies (mixing an animated Porky with live action studio footage), Daffy tries to become top toon at Warners. After several disasters, Porky heads back to the cartoon studio and discovers he is still their top star. In an uncharacteristic burst of physical violence, he then beats Daffy to a pulp. The live action animation mix is incredibly sophisticated, using many of the techniques later used in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?

In MY FAVORITE DUCK (1942), directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese, Daffy is intent on ruining Porky's camping trip. Talent agent Porky is kept from going on vacation by Daffy and his "talented" client in YANKEE DOODLE DAFFY (1943), directed by Freleng and written by Pierce. DAFFY DOODLES, directed by McKimson and written by Foster, has Daffy as a street painter who insists on painting moustaches on every face he sees. Porky stands for law and order as the policepig who brings him to justice.

Daffy tries to steal the picture again in BOOBS IN THE WOODS (1950), by McKimson and Foster, as Porky tries to paint the countryside. So determined to stop Porky's fun, Daffy disguises himself as the land owner and denies Porky the right to paint the land. Daffy erases the land from the painting but tells Porky he can paint the mountains. Porky begins painting the mountains until Daffy, in a different disguise, claims to be the old man of the mountain. Daffy then tells Porky he can't paint the mountains either!

CLAMPETT'S PORK SHORTS

Bob Clampett took a fancy to the Pig and between 1938 and 1940 became the man behind the Pig. His shorts featured a wild and crazy world which Porky attempted to make sense of despite all obstacles. Even when other directors and writers took over, Clampett's Porky continued to be a show stopper. Clampett really started the ball rolling with the classic PORKY IN WACKYLAND (1938). This surreal gem features Porky in search of the last DoDo. To locate this rare species, Porky ventures to Wackyland. ("It can happen here" claims a sign.) When Porky first confronts the bird, a strange clump of feathers with a long neck, it states, "Yeah, I'm really the last of the DoDos, do-dodo-do- do..." and begins singing and dancing on Porky's head before running away. Backgrounds change, perspective is useless, and the DoDo continually baffles Porky until the Pig plays a trick of his own.

Other Clampett highpoints of this period are PORKY IN EGYPT (1938), written by Ernest Gee, where Porky's caught in the desert with a camel that goes crazy with the heat. INJUN TROUBLE (1938) has Porky trying to protect the wagon train from Injun Joe with the help of Sloppy Moe. ("I know something I won't tell!") As the Forties continued, others handled Porky, but Clampett's shorts still created some of the wildest moments in any character's career.

1943's CORNY CONCERTO, written by Frank Tashlin, is Clampett's satire of Disney's FANTASIA. To the sounds of "A Tale of the Vienna Woods," Porky hunts Bugs Bunny. (One of the rare times Porky hunts the rabbit.) BABY BOTTLENECK (1946), written by Foster, features Porky and Daffy in charge of delivering babies with expected disastrous results. Also from 1946 is the daffy KITTY KORNERED in which Porky tries to put out his four cats. (One is Sylvester, one of Porky's first teamings with the popular puss.) As Porky resorts to shadow dogs and brute force, the cats try hiding in fishbowls and disguising themselves as men from Mars.

SECOND BANANA PORKY

When Chuck Jones began overhauling Daffy in the late Forties into a selfish, conniving character, he also began fiddling with Porky. Jones seemed to see Porky as the ultimate "straight" man whose patience and good manners would be continually tested to their limits. There were three main series in which Jones used Porky.

First was a witty set of satires teaming him with Daffy. Writer Michael Maltese was able to create some of the funniest shorts during this period by polarizing Daffy and Porky to the maximum. Previous directors and writers had always played Porky as a foil to Daffy's wild action. However, in these shorts, Porky is a quiet but much more effective assistant to the prideful, out of control Daffy. (Clampett and Warren Foster had given Porky a similar role, albeit via cameo, in the 1946 Daffy classic THE GREAT PIGGY BANK ROBBERY.)

Jones and Maltese had a special talent for parodying a genre. Pulp space heroes, Sherlock Holmes, cowboy heroes, Robin Hood and even DRAGNET all got their comeuppance in such classics as ROCKET SQUAD (1950), DRIP ALONG DAFFY (1951), DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24-1/2 CENTURY (1953), DEDUCE YOU SAY (1956) and ROBIN HOOD DAFFY (1958). Daffy is supposedly the hero although his confidence and effectiveness is constantly eroded by increasingly desperate acts. On the other hand, the true hero is usually his willing assistant, Porky, in the guise of Friar Tuck or "Dr. Watkins" or an eager young Space Cadet. Porky demonstrated an ability to save the situation no matter how badly Daffy had messed it up.

Then Jones brought Porky and Charlie Dog together. LITTLE ORPHAN AIREDALE (1947), co-scripted by Maltese and Tedd Pierce, began the series. This set of shorts consisted of the efforts of Charlie to get adopted by Porky. Charlie kept trying in shorts like AWFUL ORPHAN (1949) and OFTEN AN ORPHAN (1949). Similar to his personality in the the Forties, Porky is the stooge for a domineering, loud mouthed partner. Porky has little luck controlling the series of events.

Jones and Maltese also re-teamed Porky with Sylvester. It was these shorts that feature Sylvester desperately trying to warn Porky of unnatural danger to no avail. These shorts featured a Porky so oblivious to the unusual that he doesn't seem to realize anything is wrong. It began in 1948's SCAREDY CAT when Porky takes Sylvester to their new home. Once there, the mice in the house try to eliminate the owners. Only at the end, when he's tied up and headed towards the gallows does Porky realize there is a problem. Similar to Jones' Road Runner series, these shorts are all the same basic plot repeated with variations. In CLAWS FOR ALARM (1954) Porky and Sylvester spend a night in an abandoned hotel. As Porky sleeps, Sylvester fights a desperate battle against murderous mice. All Porky ever seems to realize is that Sylvester is causing problems.

JUMPIN' JUPITER (1950) adds an other worldly atmosphere as Porky and Sylvester's campsite is stolen by aliens. Only Sylvester realizes that they are no longer on Earth and being watched by aliens. Between Porky's bumbling and Sylvester's hysterics their campsite is dropped by the spaceship and lands safely on the Moon. Porky blissfully drives across the lunar terrain with a mentally exhausted Sylvester. (Jones' Sylvester in these shorts features the same expressions of shock and horror as found in the female cats pursued by Pepe LePew.)

There were other key directors who handled Porky in the Forties and Fifties. The often forgotten Art Davis offered PEST THAT CAME TO DINNER (1948), written by George Hill, in which Porky battles a termite. PORKY CHIPS (1949), written by Bill Scott and Lloyd Turner, has a hip squirrel interfering with lumberjack Porky.

Robert McKimson, a former animator under Bob Clampett, and the artist who drew the definitive Bugs Bunny model sheet, was one of Warners busiest directors. He offered DAFFY DUCK HUNT (1949), written by Warren Foster, in which Porky again goes after Daffy only to discover the duck can't be opened until Christmas! In FOOL COVERAGE (1952), written by Tedd Pierce, Daffy tries to sell Porky insurance.

THE SIXTIES AND TV

As with the other Warners stars, Porky saw limited theatrical activity in the Sixties. His last theatrical short, CORN ON THE COP (1965), had policeman Porky Pig teamed with Sgt. Daffy O'Duck trying to capture a crook who looks like Granny. However, TV opened many doors. His shorts had been released to syndication in the Fifties and found ready audiences. The early Sixties found him a regular on the prime time THE BUGS BUNNY SHOW (1961-63). 1964 found him receiving his own Saturday morning series, THE PORKY PIG SHOW (1964-67). In 1971, PORKY PIG AND FRIENDS went into syndication. It featured a snappy theme song played over new animation of farm animals carrying Porky dressed as a farmer.

Most of Porky's work in the Seventies came via appearances in the various Warners TV specials and features that contained clips of classic Warner shorts. Being one of the top three Warners' toons (Bugs and Daffy vying for first place), he almost always had a role, though never a starring one.

1980 began with him reprising his co-starring role from DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24-1/2 CENTURY in the sequel DUCK DODGERS AND THE RETURN OF THE 24-1/2 CENTURY. The short was meant to be released theatrically, but only got wide viewing aired as part of the DAFFY DUCK THANKS-FOR-GIVING SPECIAL in 1981. Porky continued appearing in bits and pieces either via new or classic footage in the string of Warners specials and features.

A number of Porky Pig shorts were compiled into a feature length show by Films Incorporated in 1986. PORKY PIG IN HOLLYWOOD played at art, revival and campus theaters. The feature included 16 of his best shorts including YOU OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES and PORKY PIG'S FEAT.

1988 gave Porky his newest boost when Steven Spielberg insisted the Pig close out his live action, animation spectacular, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? In it, Porky appears at the very end as a policepig trying to break up the band of toons. As he scurries them out, he casually mentions, "Th-th-th-at's all folks." He stops, says he likes the sound of that as the Warner's ring drops down over him for a typical Warners style finish. The image is "poofed" away by Disney's Tinkerbell and her wand.

Being one of the Warner's trio, Porky will undoubtedly turn up in the future. Oddly, one thing holding the Pig back from more use is the one item that has made him a popular mimicked voice for years... his stuttering. Current sensibilities are sensitive about creating the illusion that Warners, Porky, or his many co-stars are possibly ridiculing stuttering. Even though famous stutterers like singer Mel Tillis come to Porky's defense, the studio is very cautious about Porky's use. Such caution has sadly made him under used for many years.

PORKY'S CO-STARS

Porky's first co-stars were largely a group of now forgotten characters like Beans, a cat that looked somewhat like Felix, and Gabby, a feisty goat. However, as their main star, he often helped other key characters debut. Both Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny had their first screen appearances with the Pig. (However, Daffy was more developed than Bugs at the time.)

Sylvester, the lisping black "puthy" cat with an enormously long tail, appeared with Porky on and off for many years. This relationship was almost always as Porky's pet. As a result, he was mute in these adventures. Another of Porky's "pets" was Charlie Dog. This fast talking mutt (of various breeds) was perpetually trying to get Porky to officially adopt him as a pet.

PORKY PIG'S FEATS OFF SCREEN

Porky Pig along with Bugs and Daffy first appeared in comic books in Dell's LOONEY TUNES AND MERRIE MELODIES COMICS #1 (1941) and his adventures continued there for over 200 issues. After a number of one shot appearances in Dell's Four Color series begining in 1942. Porky eventually was given his own title which lasted until 1984. Porky made appearances in a number of other comic books featuring Warners' cartoon stars.

In the comics, Porky maintained his screen persona as a middle class conservative citizen. Along the way he inherited a sailor hatted, little pig nephew named Cicero. Petunia, his girl friend, was redesigned to be more physically appealing (for a pig) and nicer. She appeared frequently.

Porky was also seen in countless children's books. He was also a regular, along with Petunia, in the Bugs Bunny comic strip, though he hasn't appeared much lately due to his stuttering dialogue.

Of course Porky was popular in merchandise and his image has appeared on countless toys and premiums. While there are some examples of Warner merchandise featuring just Porky, like a wristwatch from 1949, he most often appeared along with a host of other Warner cartoon stars on game boxes, clocks and drawing sets.

SUPERSTAR QUALITY

A star who has lasted over five decades, Porky shows no signs of diminishing in popularity. He's had a long, solid career adding just the right stuff that made other cartoon actors look good. Being a good straight man is a difficult and often overlooked skill. Porky is still one of the best and has outlasted flashier characters. Concerning Porky's future, that's not all folks!

CREATOR QUOTES

"The original fellow (who did Porky's voice) would get stuck stuttering in the wrong places. But with a pro like Mel (Blanc), we could give him much better lines to say." - Bob Clampett

"All the directors liked working with Porky Pig but he was never a star, never really a big star. We directors preferred working with Bugs and with Daffy." - Friz Freleng

"He wasn't interesting because we didn't make him interesting." - Chuck Jones

"The audience at the same time laughed at and felt sympathy for Porky Pig. He was our first full-fledged star." - Bob Clampett

"...Porky was a Boy Scout kind of character... I always felt that Porky Pig was the most subtle of all the characters because he was consciously playing a part." - Chuck Jones

"Porky was just an ineffectual comedy relief." - Bob McKimson

"Porky was very laughable, but even more important, he had a touch of Chaplinesque pathos about him." - Bob Clampett

"I played Porky pretty square... I liked him." - Chuck Jones

"We worked Porky with Daffy. They worked well together. But Bugs would take away from Porky or vice versa." - Bob McKimson