Background
Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of animated cartoons.
The name Tweety is a play on “sweetie” and “tweet”
His characteristics are based on Red Skelton’s famous Mean Widdle Kid
Directors: Bob Clampett, Fritz Freleng (vast majority), Chuck Jones, Gerry Chiniquy
Voices: Mel Blanc (42-89), Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Joe Alaskey, Eric Goldberg, Billy West, Samuel Vincent, Greg Burson
Many of Mel Blanc’s characters are known for speech impediments. One of Tweety’s most noticeable is that /s/, /k/, and /g/ are changed to /t/, /d/, or (final s) /θ/ (so is he actually named Sweetie?
In Canary Row and Putty Tat Trouble, Tweety sings, “I’m a tweet wittow biwd in a gilded cage; Tweety’th my name but I don’t know my age. I don’t have to wuwy and dat is dat; I’m tafe in hewe fwom dat ol’ putty tat.” (Translation: “I’m a sweet little bird in a gilded cage, Sweety is my name but I don’t know my age. I don’t have to worry and that is that. I’m safe in here from that old pussycat”)
Personal
A male yellow canary
Originally not canary, but simply a generic (and wild) baby bird in an outdoors nest – naked (pink)
In his early appearances cartoons, Bob Clampett made Tweety aggressive
Friz Freleng made Tweety more cutesy … and even more so when Granny was introduced
On the original model sheet, Tweety was named Orson
Tweety’s voice and some of this attitude resembles Bugs Bunny as a child
Learn how to draw Tweety
Filmography
49 episodes in the Golden Age
First: Tale of Two Kitties (November 21, 1942)
Last Golden Age: Hawaiian Aye Aye (1964)
In his debut, a not-yet-named Tweety is against two hungry cats (Babbit and Catstello)
The second Tweety short, Birdy and the Beast, finally bestowed the baby bird with his new name (here’s a clip)
Honors
#33 (with Sylvester) in TV Guide’s 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters
Academy Award Winner (Best Short Subject, 1947, Tweety Pie) – teamed with cat (later to be named Sylvester) for the first time
Time proves Sylvester and Tweety are a successful pair (I honored Sylvester in this June 2012 post)
Most of their cartoons followed a standard formula: A hungry Sylvester wanting to eat the bird, but some major obstacle stands in his way (Granny, her bulldog Hector, other dogs, or other cats)
Sylvester’s schemes resemble those of Wile E. Coyote’s efforts with Roadrunner
Famous Quotes
“Awww, the poor kitty cat! He faw down and go (in a loud, tough, masculine voice) BOOM!!” and then grins mischievously.
“I tawt I taw a puddy tat!”
“I did! I did taw a puddy tat!”
“Oh, hello, Puddy Tat. What you doin’ up there?”
“Bad ol’ puddy tat!”
“Uh oh, wecked the puddy tat. You know, I lose more puddy tats that way.” ~Bad Ol’ Putty Tat
“Well, whaddya know? I got an admirer!”
“You cwushed my wittle head!”
“My poor, wittle cranium.”
“I wonder what that puddy tat up to now?”
“Now, how do you suppose I got my wittle self in such a pwedicament?” ~Bad Ol’ Putty Tat
“Uh-oh, that Puddy Tat after me again.” ~Bad Ol’ Putty Tat
“That old puddy tat is never gonna find me in here.” ~Bad Ol’ Putty Tat
“You bad ol’ puddy tat!”
“You can’t catch me!”
“Take that! Bad ol’ puddy tat!”
Originally Tweety said, “I did! I taw a puddy tat!”n… but somehow, overtime, an extra ‘did’ appears …”I did! I did taw a puddy tat!”
Other Appearances
A small part in Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Tweety appears as part of the TuneSquad team in Space Jam
A 1995 Frosted Cheerios commercial with Sylvester
A 1996 Christmas commercial for Target with LeAnn Rimes had Tweety giving her a kiss on the cheek as the other Looney Tunes characters line-danced to Rimes’ song Put a Little Holiday In Your Heart
The following video games: The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout, Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal, Bugs Bunny & Taz: Time Busters, Looney Tunes: Space Race, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2
British artist Banksy’s 2008 The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill – Click here to see a video of the work
Comics: Dell Comics Four Color series #406, 489, and 524, Dell Comics (#4-37, 1954–62), and Gold Key Comics (#1-102, 1963–72).
Enjoy this tribute to Tweety Bird and Sylvester
LeAnn Rimes can sing to me any time she wants…
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Bulldog,
Especially on Bald Is In Day!
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Sorry, no time to watch cartoons at the moment. Boxes to pack and family to visit, but I well remember the ‘Puddy tat’ song. I used to love singing along with Tweety Pie. 🙂
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Sylvia,
Completely understandable … good luck packing!
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I had no idea there was so much to know about Tweety and his bad puddy tat! I feel educated! Have a great weekend Frank!
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Pauline,
Along with fun, I try to dive into the classic characters. If you enjoyed cartoons back in the day, odds are I’ve done a post about some of your favorite characters … after all, this is the 64th cartoon post I’ve done.
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Awesomeness! I love Babbit and Catstello. Fantastic post, Frank
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Audra,
Glad you enjoyed it and that it truly started your Saturday morning!
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Indeed! ( grin)
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Hopefully the early good domino will lead to many more today.
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For you as well. Your app. Go ok ?
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I think so … although the prob still exists … doc was happy with improvement
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Good. Fingers crossed progress continues
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Fabulous! I love these Frank, all of them.
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Val,
Glad you enjoy these … have a wonderful Saturday.
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I love Tweety Bird, Frank. Great post and thanks for taking all the time involved in putting this together (as I imagine it did!) Hope you have a great weekend!
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Cathy,
Thanks … Tweety is a classic character and worthy of posting and the time involved.
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Very good, Frank. I found the clip of drawing Tweety of particular interest. I can’t do anything like that. The secret is not in practice, but, I’m convinced, in the brain and the DNA. I recall a distant TV clip, I think it was on a long-ago CBS 60 Minutes segment, that detailed how a child savant was born with an ability to draw. She (or he?) at an early age was able to sketch a horse’s head with startling perspective, and then sometime in her teen years, lost the ability and her sketches then looked like mine – crude.
Does anyone else remember old ads, sometimes on the inside of matchbook covers and the like, inviting us to send in some money and “learn to draw”? As a kid, I did it once. Discouraging.
When I try to draw, my instinct is to observe the line progressing and proceed based on completing it. In the clip however, it’s clear to me that the artist has already visualized the complete image and seems to be simply tracing that mental image. That’s my problem, I cannot sharply visualize and retain the virtual product.
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John,
I totally agree that an aspect of drawing is innate … and I too don’t have that/those gene(s). On the other hand, there is an aspect of drawing being a learned behavior … so there is hope for us. In a conversation, I recall an art teacher saying that drawing is three things … lines, curves, and proportions … so when looking at something, break it down into those components, then start drawing.
I don’t recall the matchbook sketches you mentioned, but savants can have outstanding gifts. Many thanks for your thoughts.
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Our son’s favorite stuffed animal was Sylvester.
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Jim,
So I hope you went to this past post on Sylvester … https://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/on-sylvester/
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Tomcats can’t be mothers……Cats can’t lay eggs!
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Oh, Fwank what a gweat pot on Tweety! Whiting you an amathing weedend! 😉
…and Full Moon [a ‘Super Moon’ too!]
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Marina,
Very good as I’m definitely laughing! 😀 Hope the Super Moon creates a spark of artistry in you … well, in whatever medium … 🙂
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🙂 🙂 🙂 Dank you, Fwank! 😉
Our Supermoon is at its peak right now – beautiful!
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Maybe it will inspire music!
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Oh what fun! Thanks aplenty Frank.
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Dilip,
You are very welcome … and thank you. These posts are fun to put together.
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Excellent tribute to a fine, feathered friend, Frank! The use of stretch and squash (perfectly illustrated in the chained bulldog chasing the cat) in these classic slapstick cartoons never grows old to me. Tweety was to birds what Bugs was to rabbits: brilliant instigators. Great post!
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Lame,
Love your analogy of Tweety and Bugs because I have never thought of it that way. Then again, once one has a secret sauce, why not apply it to another situation. Meanwhile, thought I had already done a Tweety tribute, then when checking, it was an Oh Crap moment.
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Wow so much trivia for Tweety. I be damned. Great post.
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Rincewind,
Many thanks and glad you enjoyed this. I’ve done over 60 of these, thus they are fun to do. This one is significant because I haven’t done one in some time.
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Well you came back to classic cartoons with a bang, Frank. Tweety is my favorite!
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Elyse,
… and all this without knowing Tweety is your favorite. 🙂 Interestingly, I was surprised to discover that I hadn’t honored him yet.
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The girls & I had fun with this post. We attempted to draw Tweety. I will have to post them for you to see. Be warned – this was our first attempt…
😀
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RoSy,
Cheers to the three of you for trying! 🙂 … thus I look forward to them!
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Loved the Red Skeleton clip.
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Hansi,
After finding the tie to Tweety, I was lucky to find Skelton’s clip …. so glad someone took advantage of my effort.
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Frank, thanks for the trip down cartoon memory lane (the “puddy tat” line was oft used in my family) but especially the Red Skelton skit – hilarious!
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Lynn,
The fact that you watch Red Skelton is quite the reward for me … plus you enjoy Tweety.
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Fabulous post! Thanks, Frank!
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Resa,
Glad you enjoyed Tweety!
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Yes! Well …. I taut I taut a puddycat! 😉
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🙂 … and I just finished watching your Ramones video … very timely.
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😎 They are special!
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🙂
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You really did your homework on Tweety, Frank. I’m impressed. I was always a fan of Tweety and Sylvester, and I found it fascinating to read about the patterning the character after the Red Skelton Mean Little Kid. I remember Red very well, of course, but don’t remember that Mean character. What fun to put more to the story. I’m going to wait and watch the cartoons with Sophia. She has developed a love for the old Warner Bros. Looney Tunes. And I recently purchased some bookends that are Tweety…always a favorite! 🙂
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Debra,
Although I didn’t watch Red Skelton much as a kid, he’s remains a legend … well, for those of us who remember him. 😉 … No problem on waiting to watch the cartoons with Sophia b/c she’ll enjoy them. FYI …. another cartoon post is coming this Saturday.
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