Promoted to director in late 1937, Bob Clampett defined his own Warner Bros. Golden Age. His cartoons grew increasingly violent, irreverent and surreal, not beholden to even the faintest hint of real world physics. His characters were easily the “rubberiest” and “wackiest” of all the Warner Bros. cartoons. The surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, greatly influenced Clampett which is most visible in “Porky in Wackyland,” 1938. The entire cartoon takes place within a Dali-esque landscape complete with melting objects and abstracted forms. Clampett created Tweety, Beaky Buzzard and Beany and Cecil, and was instrumental in the development of Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny.

Draftee Daffy – 1945, Directed by Bob Clampett

Daffy Duck reads, “U.S. Army announces a smashing Frontal attack on enemy Rear!” This news causes Daffy to cheer, wave his American Flag and sing, “Hooray for the red, white and blue!” During his routine, Daffy receives a call letting him know a letter from the President is on the way. Looking out of the window, he sees that the little man from the draft board has already arrived with letter in hand. To avoid him, Daffy puts everything in the house in front of the door and ties it up with barbed wire.

Believing the little man is gone, Daffy peeks out the window and hears the little man say, “Well now, I wouldn’t say that!” This sends Daffy racing all around the house. At every turn, there is the little man saying lines like, “What’s all the hub-bub, bub!” and “Is this trip really necessary?” Daffy finally traps the little man in a safe and builds a wall around him exclaiming, “So long, Dracula, you dope!”

Daffy then heads for the rocket on the roof which is labeled, “Use in case of induction only.” His rocket winds up crash-landing deep within the earth in a fiery inferno. Daffy then shrugs and confides to the Devil, “Anyway, I sure put it over on that dope from the draft board!” The Devil removes his mask. It’s the little man saying, “Well now, I wouldn’t say that!”