Beaky Buzzard didn't appear in very many cartoons. At the time this comic story was published, he had only appeared twice, first in Bob Clampett's "Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid" (1942) and again in Clampett's "Bashful Buzzard" (1945). Someone at Warner Bros. had high hopes for Beaky, who was based loosely on a character created by puppeteer/ventriloquist Edgar Bergen named "Mortimer Snerd". Beaky appeared in the comics frequently around this time, and the studio merchandised him as if he were as big a star as Bugs Bunny or Porky Pig. Unfortunately, the studio had a higher opinion of Beaky than of his creator, and due to studio politics, Clampett left Warner Bros. in 1946. Beaky appeared in two more cartoons, both in 1950 (one by Friz Freleng, one by Robert McKimson) and was never seen in animated form again.
But Beaky continued to appear in comics, and developed into a sort of friendly neighborhood simpleton. He's sort of a vulture version of Gomer Pyle.
Anyway, in this bizarre little story, Bugs Bunny discovers that Beaky has a nose for gold. This being a Looney Tunes comic, you just know that's going to lead them both into trouble.
Not the funniest story ever, but Tom McKimson provides some of the best art! Wonderful stuff (and there are admittedly a few clever moments, like the gold being worth a "veritable king's transom").
ReplyDeleteSomehow I can buy Bugs and Beaky being friends; Beaky's too dumb to hold a grudge, and seeing as his Mama took Bugs off the eating list...
I liked the bad back ending gag..all that time it was the spring hurting him..very clever..
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