Robin Hood Daffy is a 1970 American animated short film produced by Warner Bros. Cartoons and released as part of the Looney Tunes series. Directed by Robert McKimson, the short features the characters Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in a parody of the Robin Hood legend.
Production
- Director: Robert McKimson
- Producer: William L. Hendricks (associate)
- Storyboard/Animation: Robert McKimson, Ted McGrath, and other Warner Bros. animators
- Music: William Lava (uncredited)
- Voice Cast: Mel Blanc (voices of Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and additional characters)
- Studio: Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc.
- Release Date: September 12, 1970 (theatrical distribution as a supporting short for feature films)
- Color Process: Technicolor
Synopsis
The short opens with Daffy Duck proclaiming himself “Robin Duck,” a Robin Hood‑style outlaw who intends to “steal from the rich and give to the poor.” The setting is a stylized medieval forest where Daffy attempts to rob a castle guarded by a pompous sheriff, voiced by Porky Pig. Daffy’s elaborate plans repeatedly fail due to his own greed and clumsiness, while Porky’s character repeatedly outwits him. The narrative culminates in Daffy’s capture, after which he resigns to a life of “honest work” as a servant to the sheriff. The short ends with a typical Looney Tunes gag, featuring a breaking of the fourth wall.
Reception and Legacy
- Critical Reception: Contemporary trade publications such as Variety noted the short as a competent, if formulaic, addition to the Looney Tunes canon, highlighting Mel Blanc’s vocal performance.
- Audience Reception: The short received modest audience approval, reflected in box‑office reports that listed it among the more popular cartoons paired with feature films in late 1970.
- Historical Context: “Robin Hood Daffy” is one of the later entries in the classic Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon lineup, produced during the studio’s final years of regular theatrical short production (the studio ceased regular releases in 1969, but a handful of shorts—including this one—were completed thereafter).
- Home Media: The short has been released on several home‑video collections, including The Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 4 (DVD, 2006) and the Warner Archive streaming series.
- Cultural Impact: While not as frequently referenced as earlier Looney Tunes shorts, “Robin Hood Daffy” is occasionally cited in discussions of the series’ use of historical parody and in retrospectives on Robert McKimson’s directorial style.
References
- Beck, Jerry; Friedwald, Will (1989). Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons. Henry Holt and Co. ISBN 978‑0805022690.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. ISBN 978‑0787616368.
- Warner Bros. Archives, Production Files, “Robin Hood Daffy” (1970).
- Variety, September 15, 1970, “Cartoon Shorts Review”.
All information presented is based on verifiable sources; no speculative content is included.