Birdy and the Beast



Birdy and the Beast is a 1944 cartoon starring Tweety and a Cat. Directed by Robert Clampett. It is the final Merrie Melodies release to credit Leon Schlesinger. It has been restored on Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2 Disc 2 cartoon # 17. The non-dubbed version has been restored as well as the 1944 ending card. TV stations show the dubbed version which ends with the 1938 closing.

Butch is a prototype for Hector the Bulldog with the same appearance, but a different name.

Plot
A fat cat attempts to capture Tweety so he can eat him, but instead finds a dozen eggs and gasoline in his mouth.

Synopsis
Tweety is sitting in his nest, when a cat watches him. Tweety flies off and the cat chases after him. The cat can't fly, so instead he falls to the ground. By chance he falls on a bulldog, called Butch, who decides to help Tweety.

The cat attempts to chase Tweety, but Tweety scares him off. Tweety decides to fool the cat by hiding in Butch's dish-bowl. The cat comes in and starts looking at Butch's dish. Butch comes in and pounds the cat to the ground (as would be expected).

Tweety decides to wander into the Cat's mouth, while he is looking for Tweety. Tweety decides to light the cats tongue on fire by putting a match on it. As the cat runs, Tweety decides to help the cat by using a hose and putting the fire. When he fires the hose (wearing a fireman hat), it turns out to be connected to a gas can, and gasoline goes into the Cat's mouth, causing him to explode.

The cat manages to survive, but he's still out to get Tweety. When he arrives at the top of tree, he becomes a nest. Tweety attempts to get into it, but a Hen causes him to get off, who is laying eggs. When she's finished, she flies off. The cat also arrives and his mouth is fuel of nothing but eggs. His attempt to catch Tweety once again fails when a grenade lands next to him, and he accidently stuffs it in his mouth. He blows up and Tweety says, "You know I lose more Putty Tats that way!"

Trivia Corner
This is the only Tweety to be animated by Tom McKimson.

This is the first Tweety Cartoon to star Tweety, as the previous was more centered around the two cats Babbit and Castello, than Tweety.

The cat has been identified elsewhere ( http://www.erictb.info/ltmm.html ) as Schnooks, and can be regarded as a prototype Sylvester, albeit with a very different design.