Main Directory / Credits /  Links Beaky Buzzard was created by Bob Clampett for the cartoon, "Bugs Bunny Gets The Boid."  Beaky was meant to be yet another stupid foil for Bugs Bunny to heckle and humiliate.  In the first two cartoons he is quite stupid, and his heavily accented mother (who calls him "Killer") always sends him off to bring something home something for dinner.  This prompts Beaky to bring home baby bumblebees, giant lizards, and the like!  The character was then abandoned by Bob Clampett when he left the studio to pursue a career in television and puppetry (Beany and Cecil).  The character was left alone until Friz Freleng and Robert McKimson revived him for another two films.  These last two cartoons ("The Lion's Busy" (1950) and "Strife With Father" (also 1950)) show us a different side of Beaky.  In Freleng's cartoon, "The Lion's Busy." Beaky is the not so stupid foil of Leo The Lion.  Beaky seems to cause all the pain in this cartoon rather than receiving it.  The same goes with McKimson's version, "Strife With Father," in which Beaky's father tries to teach him how to survive on his own, but Beaky's stupidity causes his dear old dad a great deal of pain.     Beaky's dopey voice was first supplied  by Kent Rodgers in "Bugs Bunny Gets The Boid," (1942) and in "The Bashful Buzzard" (1945), but according to the E.O. Costello's Warner Bros. Cartoon Companion , he was killed in World War II before all of the voice work for "The Bashful Buzzard" was completed.  Stan Freberg (who had a real gift for dopey voices)  finished the voice work for the cartoon.  Beaky was voiced by Mel Blanc in his last two cartoons.  The voice of Beaky is partially based on that of Edgar Bergen's character "Mortimer Snerd," a ventriloquist dummy featured on the "The Bergen and McCarthy Show" (also known as "The Chase And Sanborn Show" or "The New Edgar Bergen Hour.")  A radio show from the 40s and 50s.     Strangely, Beaky was heavily merchandised in the 1940s, despite his small filmography.  No one quite knows why he appeared upon so much merchandise, but it is thoyght that his popularity in the comics may have led to the heavy merchandizing.  He left the studio before that could happen.  Or maybe the character had some kind of popularity at the time, much like the Tasmanian Devil has today (Taz appeared in only a few more films than Beaky, but he is treated and merchandised like a major star). The Following is a Beaky Buzzard Filmography Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid 1942 Merrie Melodie Supervision (Direction) by Robert Clampett Story by Warren Foster Animation by Rod Scribner Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling Vocals by Kent Rodgers and Mel Blanc Beaky's Mama sends him to go get a rabbit for dinner.  Beaky finds Bugs Bunny, who heckles the poor bird to no end until a little incident with some mule bones gives both a bit of a near death experience! comments:  You almost have to feel sorry for Beaky in this cartoon, Clampett's Bugs was a bit more of a nuisance than the one used by other directors.  The cartoon is still quite funny, though.  Also note the title that hints towards something characters couldn't do on film at the time (stick out their middle fingers, if you don't know what "the bird/boid" is.)  Beaky is called Killer in this short. The Bashful Buzzard 1945  Looney Tune, but reissued as a Blue Ribbon Merrie Melodie without credits Supervision (Direction) by Robert Clampett Story by Michael Maltese Animation by Robert McKimson Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling Voice Characterizations by Mel Blanc, Kent Rodgers, and Stan Freburg Beaky's Mama once again sends her children out for some food, Beaky's brothers bring back a whole array of giant animals such as elephants, cows, and lovers, but all Beaky seems to get is a baby bumble bee until he has a run in with a giant lizard! comments:  Beaky's first solo appearance!  This is also the cartoon that has Beaky sing the "I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee" song that many people associate with the character.  It is said that comedian Eddie Bartell also filled in for some of Beaky's dialog along with Stan Freberg when Kent Rogers was killed fighting in WWII. The Lion’s Busy 1950  Looney Tune Directed by Friz Freleng Story by Tedd Pierce Animation by Arthur Davis, Gerry Chiniquy, Ken Champin, and Virgil Ross Layout by Hawley Pratt Backgrounds by Paul Julian Voice Characterizations by Mel Blanc Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling Leo the Lion is in the middle of his tenth birthday party when Beaky Buzzard gives him a book saying that lions rarely live beyond ten years.  The rest of the cartoon has Leo trying to get away from Beaky, who is waiting for him croak any moment.  They eventually end up on the moon and we discover that not all lions die after ten years! comments:  Beaky is actually kind of smart here, and this is one of the few times a Freleng cartoon ends with the characters in outer space. Strife with Father 1950  Merrie Melodie Directed by Robert McKimson Story by Warren Foster Animation by Emery Hawkins, Charles McKimson, Phil DeLara, Rod Scribner, and J.C. Melendez Layouts by Cornett Wood Backgrounds by Richard H. Thomas Voice Characterizations by Mel Blanc Musical Direction by Carl W. Stalling English birds, Monte and Evelyn Sparrow, take in the an abandoned egg.  The egg hatches, and grows up to be Beaky Buzzard.  The rest of the cartoon shows Monte teaching Beaky the facts of life, and being severely injured every step of the way! comments:  Beaky's father bears a passing resemblance to Charlie McCarthy , another character on the "The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show."