Baby Huey

Baby Huey is a gigantic and naïve duckling cartoon character. He was created by Martin Taras for Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios, and became a Paramount cartoon star during the 1950s. Huey first appeared in Quack-a-Doodle-Doo, a Noveltoon theatrical short produced and released in 1950.[2]

This article is about the animated character. For the soul singer, see Baby Huey (singer).

Baby Huey
Baby Huey
Publication information
PublisherMartin Taras
First appearanceQuack-a-Doodle-Doo (March 3, 1950)[1]
Created byMartin Taras
In-story information
SpeciesDuck
Abilitiesstrength, clumsiness, near-invincibility, naivete, idiocy

Famous Studios

Huey first appeared onscreen in the Noveltoons short Quack-a-Doodle-Doo, released in theaters on 3 March 1950.[1] The character's voice was provided by Sid Raymond, an actor and comedian who created several other voices for Famous Studios' characters, including Katnip. Eleven Baby Huey cartoons were produced between 1951 and 1959.[3]

Many animated shorts featuring Huey had recurring themes. Most common among them was him trying to be just like any other kid his age. He would see his peers playing, and would immediately get excited. Unfortunately, whenever he tried to involve himself in the activities of his peers (also anthropomorphic ducklings), he would often inadvertently cause problems at their expense, and as a result they would drive him away through trickery (and into tears). A hungry fox (voiced by Jackson Beck) would show up, originally intending to eat Huey's peers, but upon seeing Huey as a bigger meal and overhearing the distraught duck's desires to play with someone, would feign friendship and set traps along the way, all of which would prove ineffective on Huey and/or backfire on the fox. At first Huey was blissfully unaware of the fox's true agenda. But as his peers watched the annoyed fox in action from a safe distance (and fearing for his safety just as they did their own), Huey would come to realize the truth about his predator and dispose of him, usually by saying: "Hey, you! You're the fox! And I think you're trying to kill me!", and would finish the fox. Other times, however, Huey would remain blissfully unaware and the exasperated fox would finally give up, fleeing Baby Huey before any more misfortune befell him. In the end, Huey's peers would make amends for their previous attitudes towards him and happily include him in their activities.

Baby Huey had a sidekick in later comics. This was his slow-thinking cousin, whom he referred to as Cousin Dimwit.[4] Dimwit was characterized as a fairly skinny duck in an oversized red woolen sweater, with sleeves that ran over his hands and hung down several inches.

Harvey Comics and later animated appearances

Harvey Hits #60[5] was the first Harvey-published comic book to feature the character.

The 1956 comic Baby Huey, the Baby Giant was the first to bear the character's name; it ran for 99 issues until 1972. The spin-off Baby Huey and Papa lasted for 33 issues (1962-1968), and Baby Huey in Duckland for 15 issues (1962-1966).[6]

Spin-offs included Baby Huey in Duckland and Baby Huey and Papa (1962-1968).

Huey's parents, Papa and Mama Duck (Gilbert & Silly), always struggled to manage their overgrown son despite his overbearing weight and strength, which often resulted in damage to his family's house or car, injury to Papa, or a threat from Papa's boss to fire him if Huey harmed the boss or caused damage to his home or office. Papa often disparaged Huey (who remained oblivious to his disapproval). Huey's main sidekicks were small identical triplet ducks (who bore a striking resemblance to Donald Duck's nephews. Huey, Dewey and Louie) who resented or mocked Huey for his stupidity and clumsiness but depended on his superhero strength to get them out of trouble.

Characters who appeared in Baby Huey comic books in separate strips included Herman and Katnip and Buzzy the Funny Crow, who was always outsmarting a blue cat (who resembled Katnip) that tried to catch and eat him.

Harvey purchased the rights to all of Famous' original characters in 1959, and Huey continued to appear regularly in Harvey publications until 1972. Huey was rarely seen for nearly two decades afterwards, returning to comics in 1990.

Originally, Baby Huey was intended to appear as a cameo in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit in the deleted scene "Acme's Funeral".[7]

Film Roman produced a new series of Baby Huey cartoons for television in 1994, which aired as The Baby Huey Show for two seasons. Syd Raymond reprised his role but was later replaced with Joe Alaskey.

He also starred in a live-action direct-to-video film, Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure, in 1999, voiced by Stephen Furst (who also directed the film) and portrayed physically by Rodger Bumpass (who had a cameo in this film).

U.S. President Bill Clinton in a 1993 conversation cited his similarities to Baby Huey: "I'm a lot like Baby Huey. I'm fat. I'm ugly. But if you push me down, I keep coming back."[8] In The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper segment entitled "Legend of Duh Bigfoot", Baby Huey makes a cameo at the end of that segment. In Harvey Girls Forever, Baby Huey makes other cameo appearance in third and fourth season as a costume.

The documentary Hype! references Baby Huey; by comparing it to different music revolutions that hit different cities at random times.

As present, Baby Huey is the property of DreamWorks Animation owned by Universal Studios a subsidiary of Comcast .

Filmography

Theatrical shorts
  • Quack-a-Doodle Doo (1949)
  • One Quack Mind featuring Baby Huey (Jan 12, 1951)
  • Party Smarty (Aug 3, 1951)
  • Scout Fellow (Dec 21, 1951)
  • Clown on the Farm (Aug 22, 1952)
  • Starting from Hatch (Mar 6, 1953)
  • Huey's Ducky Daddy (Nov 20, 1953)
  • Git Along Li'l Duckie (Mar 25, 1955)
  • Swab the Duck (May 11, 1956)
  • Pest Pupil (Jan 25, 1957)
  • Ghost of Honor (1957, guest)
  • Jumping with Toy (Oct 4, 1957)
  • Huey's Father's Day (May 8, 1959)

Television
  • Matty's Funday Funnies (1959, theatrical shorts shown along with other post-1950 Paramount cartoons)
  • Casper and Friends (1990–1994, original and re-dubbed soundtrack)
  • Casper: Classics (1994-1995, guest in "Ghost of Honor")
  • The Baby Huey Show (1994–1995)
  • The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (1996, cameo in "Legend of Duh Bigfoot")
  • Harvey Girls Forever (2018, cameo in "Jet Fretters", "Now It's Con", "Bobby of Influence", "Misadventureland", "Scare Bud", "All Harveys Eve" and "Harvey Endings")

Films
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gollark: According to omniquantism, all religions are true simultaneously as an omnipotent god is able to make this possible.
gollark: Nordic stuff is cool as myths.

References
  1. DataBase, The Big Cartoon. "Quack-A-Doodle-Doo (Famous Studios)". Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB).
  2. Arnold, Mark (2006). The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!. p. 24. ISBN 978-1847283689. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  3. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 52–53. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  4. "Harvey Comics Classic Vol. 4: Baby Huey: The Baby Giant". Stuart Ng Books. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. Dowell, Gary; Holman, Greg (2006). Heritage Comics Dallas Signature Auction Catalog #820. Heritage Capital Corporation. ISBN 978-1599670447.
  6. Rovin, Jeff (1991). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cartoon Animals. Prentice Hall Press. pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  7. Hill, Jim. "Storyboards reveal what Marvin Acme's funeral in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" would have looked like". jimhillmedia.com.
  8. Gibbs, Nancy; Michael Duffy (16 November 1998). "Fall Of The House Of Newt". Time. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
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